FOOTHOLD AND HANDHOLD BROKE OFF, UNFAMILIAR WITH ...

FOOTHOLD AND HANDHOLD BROKE OFF, UNFAMILIAR WITH ROCK TYPE, POOR POSITION Nevada, Red Rocks A fter the A m erican A lpine Club A nnual M eeting broke up on D ecem ber 6, 1987, A A C m em bers and friends met at the parking lot at Sandstone Quarry. As I was traveling alone, I asked around for a partner and m et Jock Glidden. We agreed to clim b together and set off w ith everybody else to a sm all canyon about 100 meters north and w est o f the parking lot. Jock and I decided on a flaring crack on the north wall o f the canyon. I led up and placed a TCU about tw o m eters off the ground. As I w as contem plating the next m ove, m y foothold broke and I fell, pulling the protection. I started up again and this tim e placed a Friend about four meters off the ground. I clim bed until my feet w ere about one m eter above and to the left o f the Friend to a fairly secure stance and stopped to find another placem ent. W hat had looked from the ground to be a sm all T ri-cam hole turned out to be lichen. My right hand hold broke first and w hen I checked my balance w ith my left hand, that hold broke also. The rope w as betw een my legs, and as I fell out and backw ards, I was flipped upside dow n. I sw ung in an arc that landed me face first on the A ztec Sandstone wall. Jock low ered me and im m ediately people cam e to my aid. There w as a doctor, a nurse, and an EM T on the scene. I w alked to the parking lot and w as taken by private car to the U niversity M edical C enter H ospital in Las Vegas. I suffered two broken teeth, fractured the right condular o f my jaw , and tore my right ear canal. I w ill have perm anent dysfunction in the hinge of my jaw , to w hat degree only time w ill tell. (Source: Ram sey Thom as, 28)

Analysis The rock at Red Rocks is a fairly friable sandstone w hen dry. A fter a rain it is apparently even m ore friable. It had rained recently and the canyon floor was moist. I knew the holds that broke w ere questionable, but I had tested them by tapping and pulling. I also knew the rope w as under my leg and intended to flip it over my leg before I proceeded. I did not expect the holds to break, as I had been w eighting them for alm ost a m inute before they did break. The cause o f the accident w as perhaps an unfam iliarity w ith the friability o f the rock and the fact that the rope w as in a position to flip me over. (Source: Ram sey Thom as)