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I was off to Montagne d'Argent with a few (4) friends today for another day of climbing. I had a few climbers around, this time, who were stronger, so I was mostly following or top-ropeing. This was a nice break, actually.
I did go after the lead on one route, though, fairly near the end of the day. It shouldn't have been too hard -- but the lower part was damp (it rained last night), meaning I spend a lot more energy there than I could really afford, and in the mid-section, my shoes were a bit wet. I got to a ledge, put in a solid piece, got a bit more height, put in another piece, knowing it wasn't the greatest -- the piece (a cam, one size bigger) that I thought would be the best piece I had already placed lower down the climb. I climbed above it, thinking I'd get another piece in soon, then had a foot slip and fell, popping out the iffy cam, and resulting in me falling a bit further onto the slopy ledge, where I stopped, held by the ledge and some tension from the good piece. I noticed that I'd picked up some rope burn on my right arm on the way down, too.
I commented on popping a piece, took a good solid rest there, my belayer & friend at the bottom talked about getting me another of the piece I wanted -- got a rope up to me, then discovered that his double of that piece wasn't on his rack (he thought it was with another climber -- it turns out it was in his pack). Oh well, so much for that. I decided to go back after the climb without that piece, but substituting a different type of pro, a tri-cam instead of a cam. Got it solidly and happily placed. Got my feet as dry as I could. Then, I climbed past that point and up... took one slip, but caught it, far enough above that next piece that I would probably have hit the ledge again -- but didn't. Then got stance, more gear, and finished the climb.
Once I got to the ground I started noticing other stinging bits -- I've got a few scrapes. (This were quite stingy in a shower this evening, too.) I expect I might find a bruise or too later, too.
First time I've had a piece pop in a fall. I still haven't had a piece I thought was good come out in a fall, though. (Having a piece I thought was bad/marginal prove to so be is fine, unfortunate in that it didn't catch my fall, but fine in that it means my judgement on good/bad for the piece isn't screwed up.)
I did go after the lead on one route, though, fairly near the end of the day. It shouldn't have been too hard -- but the lower part was damp (it rained last night), meaning I spend a lot more energy there than I could really afford, and in the mid-section, my shoes were a bit wet. I got to a ledge, put in a solid piece, got a bit more height, put in another piece, knowing it wasn't the greatest -- the piece (a cam, one size bigger) that I thought would be the best piece I had already placed lower down the climb. I climbed above it, thinking I'd get another piece in soon, then had a foot slip and fell, popping out the iffy cam, and resulting in me falling a bit further onto the slopy ledge, where I stopped, held by the ledge and some tension from the good piece. I noticed that I'd picked up some rope burn on my right arm on the way down, too.
I commented on popping a piece, took a good solid rest there, my belayer & friend at the bottom talked about getting me another of the piece I wanted -- got a rope up to me, then discovered that his double of that piece wasn't on his rack (he thought it was with another climber -- it turns out it was in his pack). Oh well, so much for that. I decided to go back after the climb without that piece, but substituting a different type of pro, a tri-cam instead of a cam. Got it solidly and happily placed. Got my feet as dry as I could. Then, I climbed past that point and up... took one slip, but caught it, far enough above that next piece that I would probably have hit the ledge again -- but didn't. Then got stance, more gear, and finished the climb.
Once I got to the ground I started noticing other stinging bits -- I've got a few scrapes. (This were quite stingy in a shower this evening, too.) I expect I might find a bruise or too later, too.
First time I've had a piece pop in a fall. I still haven't had a piece I thought was good come out in a fall, though. (Having a piece I thought was bad/marginal prove to so be is fine, unfortunate in that it didn't catch my fall, but fine in that it means my judgement on good/bad for the piece isn't screwed up.)
