FALLING ROCK, FALSE ASSUMPTION Wisconsin, Devil's Lake State ...
FALLING ROCK, FALSE ASSUMPTION Wisconsin, Devil’s Lake State Park On May 28, 1987, my w ife, Ruth A nn Laine (28), w as follow ing me on Grotto, an easy route. I led the one-pitch clim b and belayed Ruth up the pitch. At a point two thirds up the pitch near the top, Ruth stood on a block that I did not use on my clim b. The block, about 60 cm on a side, cam e out, hit her right foot, and fell to the base o f the climb. Several people sitting below scattered when I yelled, “ Rock.” No one below w as injured. Ruth w alked off on her EBs after taking som e codeine. X rays revealed a sm all break in the m etatarsal. (Source: Law rence Laine)
Analysis Ruth w as cleaning the pitch and did not realize the block w as loose. She assum ed 1 used the sam e block w hen I clim bed, so it w as solid. I did not use the block but I, too, never noticed it w as loose. We just w ere not concerned about loose rock in a m uch-used practice rock clim bing area. (Source: Law rence Laine)
Analysis Ruth w as cleaning the pitch and did not realize the block w as loose. She assum ed 1 used the sam e block w hen I clim bed, so it w as solid. I did not use the block but I, too, never noticed it w as loose. We just w ere not concerned about loose rock in a m uch-used practice rock clim bing area. (Source: Law rence Laine)
