Your Finest Whipper

[Admin Al]

Diedre is an absolute must do Cathedral 5.9. F'in awesome route.

++++++

[strandman]

In the old red book, I think it's 5.8+   .. except for the crux of course

[kenreville]

Not really a "whipper", but I took an extreme fall while telemarking down Left Gully in Tuck's with Rob Adair.
I've had "life" flashes 3 times in my life. This flash was longer than I would've liked.

Midwinter, hard as a sidewalk.....I'm still to this day happy to be alive.

If Rob chimes in, I'm sure he'll agree.

 

[mechanicalchris]

Great topic. All my falls are on low-grade slab so there's less "whipping" and more "grating"

[old_school]

Took a nasty long fall off the top of the flake on "Flying Jib" with Dave Penny belaying. Thought the suffer fest was over...15' above a #2 Cam in the flexing creaking flake...saw the promised land about 6' above me...thought about placing one more piece but thought...how hard can it be...I will just fire for the bolt. Two moves up and the right foot slid out on moss and lichen and off I came. I watched all the pieces as I soared by them and heard the explosion of the #2 Cam levering and catching my fall. Dave said all he saw was a blur of flailing arms and legs followed by a cloud of stone dust and pebbles!! It was a good 25-30'r.

[DGoguen]

My Finest was in 83 and my first. Might have been one of my first leads. On Standard at Cathedral. My belayer was on the tree below the cave. I went up to the base of the cave wall and figured there's no way the route goes up that slimy mess, so I came down and started up the main face on the right. I had no idea what I was doing and just kept pushing up until I just dead ended and launched in a great arc of the diver. I was probably 15' above the belay with no gear. I came directly onto the belay, ripped my partner out of the chimney and we both ended up swinging from the tree like kinetic balls. A good 40' footer with stretch and a little chaos.

[JChepes]

I scored mine this year.  Not a whipper but a fall none the less.  Was at Holts approaching the climb Jaws.  Was no snow on the ground so I figured I would just walk up to the base and get set up.  Got up and realized I was standing on a sheet of ice.  Turned around, slipped and began sliding on my back head first down the hill.  Slid about 40ft with my pack on like an upside down turtle.  Closed my eyes and waited for impact.  Missed 6 trees and finally spun around impacting a tree stump with my thigh.  Got up, took 2 motrin and led the climb.  On the rap left leg was not functioning right.  Barely made it to the road and my girlfriend ran to get the truck to pick me up.

Grade 3 contusion with a hematoma. Left quad exploded on impact.  Lost Feb and half of March.  Thank goodness for the long season as I was lucky to be able to get some ice before it was all gone.

True awareness comes from direct experience.  I now always put my gear on in questionable terrain.  Sliding with no means of self arrest is something I am in no rush to ever live through again.  Scared the crap out of me!

[kenreville]

Sorry for being ignorant, where the hell is Holt and Jaws?

[JChepes]

Holts ledge in Lyme NH.  Next to the Dartmouth Skiway.  Fun place with a good amount of ice.  Tradman's stomping grounds.  He can give you the full run down.

[JChepes]

There's no ignorance in a question

[JChepes]

Took a nasty long fall off the top of the flake on "Flying Jib" with Dave Penny belaying. Thought the suffer fest was over...15' above a #2 Cam in the flexing creaking flake...saw the promised land about 6' above me...thought about placing one more piece but thought...how hard can it be...I will just fire for the bolt. Two moves up and the right foot slid out on moss and lichen and off I came. I watched all the pieces as I soared by them and heard the explosion of the #2 Cam levering and catching my fall. Dave said all he saw was a blur of flailing arms and legs followed by a cloud of stone dust and pebbles!! It was a good 25-30'r.

Hey Old School how is that climb?  Always looks tasty every time I look at it.  Crux is at the bolts?

[Climber57r]

Man the memories are back. Glad I got a new bike for this season. Scariest was on VMC direct about 25' into mid air with a cam pop under the first roof...apparently that jug in the corner is a sloper. Gave me the shakes for a while.. Taking a ride with a drill and hammer 25' or so was exciting. Darn calves get pumped...power drills are a great invention..mine just happened to catch fire on the first bolt hole..surprisingly got a refund..

[tradmanclimbz]

some scary stuff here. the holts story is a good reminder that the approach to many ice climbs is a grade 2  ice climb up through the woods to the base of the actual climb.

[kenreville]

some scary stuff here. the holts story is a good reminder that the approach to many ice climbs is a grade 2  ice climb up through the woods to the base of the actual climb.

I remember throwing down my pack at the top of the first pitch of Crazy Diamond at Willoughby (can't remember why?). My friend Tom attempted to grab it. He missed.

I am not kidding- it tumbled all the way to the road.

[Admin Al]

some scary stuff here. the holts story is a good reminder that the approach to many ice climbs is a grade 2  ice climb up through the woods to the base of the actual climb.

Yeah, there was that similar incident at Dracula this winter and another at the Monkey Wrench. It's a good thing to remember.