http://www.nps.gov/morningreport/msg01130.html
02-132 - Joshua Tree NP (CA) - Rescue
On the afternoon of Friday, April 12th, Dave Lathrop, 42, fell while
leading Frosty Cone, a 5.7 climb on the Dairy Queen Wall. He was about
eight feet above his last placed protection and had climbed out of the
crack he was following face-right; he therefore swung sideways when he
fell, pulling out his last-placed protection. Lathrop struck the back of
his head (he was not wearing a helmet) and was knocked unconscious. He then
flipped upside down in his harness. Lathrop's partner managed to lower him
about 30 feet while other climbers drove to Hidden Valley and used the
emergency satellite phone there to report the fall. Rangers and two
paramedics from Morongo Basin Ambulance were able to scramble to the area.
Rangers then set up a guideline and lowered Lathrop about 80 vertical feet
and 100 horizontal feet to the ground. BLM firefighters who were in the
area at training then completed the carry-out to the ambulance. Lathrop was
transported to a Mercy Air ship waiting at Hidden Valley and flown to a
hospital. Joshua Tree volunteer SAR team members also assisted. Scott
Fischer was litter attendant; Jeremy Monroe was IC. [Kathy Krisko, Acting
Cottonwood DR, JOTR, 4/26]
>http://www.nps.gov/morningreport/msg01130.html
Yikes! I hope he's OK. I did that climb on Sunday, and there was a
still what looked like a pretty grusome blood stain on it. I really
hope that we were wrong about what we thought we were looking at
because I've never seen anything quite like it.
There must of been some bad juju up there this weekend. I saw one guy
who was learning to lead come within inches of decking _twice_ when
his partner who was learning how to belay yanked him off the wall from
a good distance above his last pro. She said that she just got
scared. The first time he was just above his first piece. The second
time he was coming down from over 30 feet up. It was on of those
awful falls where you have time to actually wonder when and how it
will finally arrest.
I also got to watch my own boyfriend's helmetless head repeatedly
pendulum past the crux bolt on 'Airy Scene'. Although I think that he
has the right to climb however he wants, it didn't make me feel any
less sick to my stomach watching him.
Helmets are sexy. Adults who where diapers and drool are not. Wear
one for the one who loves you.
Melissa
Melissa wrote:
> There must of been some bad juju up there this weekend. I saw one guy
> who was learning to lead come within inches of decking _twice_ when
> his partner who was learning how to belay yanked him off the wall from
> a good distance above his last pro. She said that she just got
> scared.
Welcome to Southern California.
Grape on!
-Jay
"Mike Shutters" <mshu...@spamcop.net> wrote in message news:<3cceddfb$0$14687$e2e...@nntp.cts.com>...
>>>Grape on!
>
>Could you explain what that means?
From a thread in which a belayer was looking for/eating grapes and dropped her
leader. I don't recall if he was wearing a helmet or left a wet spot.
nathan sweet
You know, I saw the initial write-up and how long ago it was, and figured it was for the one you saw
land. I didn't even look at the date. I guess Scott Cosgrove's statement is probably semi-accurate
considering the time of year. I'll keep an eye out for more write-ups.
Mike
[snip]
> I saw one guy
> who was learning to lead ...
> his partner who was learning how to belay
Um, no thanks. Don't think I'll sign up to be on the sharp end of that pairing.
> There must of been some bad juju up there this weekend.
Here's hoping it's gone by this coming weekend ...
br
ah, yeah, the incident happened at Williamson Rock, a popular sport
climbing crag near LA. Known for its bolt grid....
here's the thread:
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&safe=off&threadm=ZZ%2597.13943%24b
l1.1906707%40newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net&rnum=10&prev=/groups%3Fas_
epq%3Dgrapes%26as_ugroup%3Drec.climbing%26hl%3Den
In SoCal, the "shaddup-I'm-eating-grapes" threats by belayers have
surpassed the "I'm-cutting-the-rope-to-save-my-sister" threats.
Jason
--
"There is no spoon"
Scene from my life:
7:00 Alarm rings. Phone rings. Scott debates whether the weather will
suffice for a day at Rumney with Charley. Back to bed ...
8:20 Time to go! Out of bed! I throw stuff in Scott's pack while he
throws on layers.
As I toss in his helmet, he says "Leave that, I won't wear it."
10:30 At my desk. Not worried yet, they're probably still in search of
coffee.
11:30 Worried.
12:30 Lunch. Still worried.
1:30 Worried. Check the weather up there.
2:30 Worried.
...
Get the picture? Got a helmet? Fine, don't wear it for yourself. Wear
it for me.
JSH
Ah, yes. How could I forget that one? Thanks.
Melissa
IIRC, he didn't suffer head injuries; however, he had multiple compound
fractures.
-Jay