Skip to content

Tom Randall Establishes World’s Hardest Offwidth—Under a Concrete Bridge

General News

Suggested topics


  • 1 Votes
    1 Posts
    25 Views
    American Alpine ClubA
    Ice is a fickle medium that is hard to assess. This month we’re highlighting an accident report from ANAC 2023 involving a leader fall that was compounded by pulled protection. Though the climber was very experienced, this accident underlines that even as more people climb ice than ever before, it takes years of experience to accurately gauge conditions. Also, climate change is increasing the hazards of rockfall, avalanches, ice collapse, and generally warmer ice. Utah County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue was dispatched at 11:09 a.m. on December 26 to aid an ice climber who had fallen from the first pitch of Finger of Fate (3 pitches, WI4+) in Provo Canyon. The climber, Tim Thompson (29), was nearing the end of the first pitch when ice sheared from under his left foot. He wrote to ANAC that he was “pushed forward into my ice tools and my relaxed grip caused me to fall.” Thompson’s uppermost screw pulled out of the ice, causing him to fall a total of 50 feet. Utah County team members arrived and, with the help of the climbers already on scene, evaluated the ice conditions, established an equalized anchor with six screws at the base of the climb, and developed a plan to move the patient horizontally about 100 feet over steep, slippery terrain to a five-by-ten-foot ledge that was out of the rockfall and icefall area. Conditions were deteriorating, the ice was becoming less cohesive as temperatures rose, and rocks were starting to fall. A Department of Public Safety (DPS) helicopter crew did a reconnaissance of the ledge and determined that it would be a suitable place for a hoist operation. The patient was then short-hauled from the ledge to a nearby parking lot, where an ambulance was waiting. He was airlifted to a hospital and assessed to have two broken vertebrae, a broken elbow, torn ligaments in an elbow, and a badly broken left wrist. Warm conditions make ice climbing hazardous. Recalls Thompson: “The weather was warm the day before. Temps overnight were about 28°F for almost 10 or 12 hours and were hovering around 31°F or 32°F while climbing. We felt confident that the ice had had enough time to heal, and that as long as we climbed quickly, we were in no danger.” Running water, heat retained by the underlying rock, and even indirect solar radiation can prevent ice from refreezing. The warm temperatures also affected the quality of Thompson’s protection. He wrote to ANAC, “When I put in the last ice screw, the ice was really soft. Up until the last quarter of the route, the ice [had been] really healthy and the screw placements were really good. I got several really solid screws lower on the route, and the second-to-last one (the one that caught me) was in really bomber ice.” Thompson did well to place extra gear that he might have dismissed as unnecessary. Before the final section of the pitch, he says, “I remember pulling onto the ice after a ledge rest and deciding to step back down and place a high screw. I knew that would be a lot of protection, as the last screw was just below my feet. But if I had not placed this screw, I would have hit the deck from almost 100 feet up. Things could have been a lot worse.” Sources: Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue and Tim Thompson. Warm conditions make ice climbing hazardous. Pete Takeda, editor of Accidents in North American Climbing, and IMGA/AMGA Guide Jason Antin are back to explain the hazards ice climbers face in warm conditions, such as protection pulling, poor tool placements, and shearing crampons. Producers: Shane Johnson and Sierra McGivney; Videographer: Foster Denney; Editor: Sierra McGivney Location: Silver Plume Falls, Silver Plume, CO Over time an ice climber learns to gauge conditions and most importantly, when to go for it and when to back off. This is a long and experience-based learning curve. The biggest lesson is: If it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it. Whether a novice or an experienced ice climber, don’t factor luck into your decision-making. Utah guide Derek DeBruin’s flowchart is a handy tool to assess ice climbing decision-making on any given day: This flowchart can assist in managing hazards by helping determine the stability of the ice, the effectiveness of ice screw... https://americanalpineclub.org/news/2024/12/16/theprescription-december2024
  • Son of French Legend Climbs New 5.14c

    General News
    1
    0 Votes
    1 Posts
    8 Views
    GrippedG
    Erwan Legrand, son of Francois Legrand, has made the first ascent of an old project The post Son of French Legend Climbs New 5.14c appeared first on Gripped Magazine. https://gripped.com/news/son-of-french-legend-climbs-new-5-14c/
  • Double Spoc; top rope solo

    General Climbing
    10
    +0
    2 Votes
    10 Posts
    41 Views
    devnullD
    Not sure how active the rope solo scene is on fedi, but I figure I'd ask. There's been quite a bit of discussion over the years about various systems, but the modern consensus seems to be to use two progress capture devices on a single (or dual) fixed line, with one suspended higher than the other via use of a neck strap or chest harness. By far (at least in North America) the consensus seems to be to use the Petzl Microtraxion. The Edelrid Spoc seems to be a good alternative, is both lighter and cheaper, and is also mentioned occasionally in discussions about TRS. Brent Barghahn is seen in this photo in a double-Spoc setup: [image: 1733628906847-1000006397.jpg] Any potential problems I should be considering?
  • 0 Votes
    9 Posts
    66 Views
    mootparadox@fosstodon.orgM
    Nearing the end of our Spanish climbing trip. This was from yesterday, "Three Sixty", a 120m multipitch at Coral East not far from El Chorro. (So-called because of the 360° view that you're rewarded with from the summit ridgeline, and there's a fun abseil off the back!) This is my first experience of sport climbing, and it's been a lot of fun. I think I probably still prefer British Trad, but you can't argue with the weather! #Climbing #SportClimbing #ElChorro #Spain
  • 0 Votes
    1 Posts
    17 Views
    GrippedG
    “I had no doubts that I could do it. It was just a matter of when.” The post Anna Hazelnutt Adds 5.14 Extension to Peace on Medlicott Dome in Tuolumne appeared first on Gripped Magazine. https://gripped.com/news/anna-hazelnutt-adds-5-14-extension-to-peace-on-medlicott-dome-in-tuolumne/
  • Raphael Slawinski on Bolts and Figure 4s

    General News
    1
    0 Votes
    1 Posts
    13 Views
    GrippedG
    The veteran alpinist recently appeared on the Ice, Ice, Beta podcast The post Raphael Slawinski on Bolts and Figure 4s appeared first on Gripped Magazine. https://gripped.com/news/raphael-slawinski-on-bolts-and-figure-4s/
  • What Is A Belay Device For Climbing?

    Gear
    1
    0 Votes
    1 Posts
    25 Views
    Weigh My RackW
    https://blog.weighmyrack.com/what-is-a-belay-device-for-climbing/
  • 5 Tips for Climbing in Groups

    General News
    1
    0 Votes
    1 Posts
    21 Views
    Access FundA
    https://www.accessfund.org/latest-news/5-tips-for-climbing-in-groups