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ryanb
climber
Seattle, WA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 20, 2005 - 03:03pm PT
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So yesterday a friend who is new to the area and I decided to climb the Tooth which is kind of THE classic introductory alpine climb in the Seattle area. The approach went great though my stomach started to feel a little strange after a large cup of coffee from the Safeway in north bend. On the way up we passed a group of four women who had gotten off route and climbed the sharks fin formation near the tooth. We moved pretty quickly and were rappelling back down from the summit as they were starting their second pitch.
Something about they way my harness was fitting really irritated my bowels and as soon as i was on the ground i stripped it off and ran/scrambled full speed towards the nearest trees. The slope is pretty damn steep there but i found a flattish spot behind the upturned root ball of a pine tree leaped into it dropped drawers and prepared for the biggest relief of my life.
Alas, the lesson to be learned from this sad tale is that it is always worth checking for hornet nests...
The sensation of being stung simultaneously in several places is a strange and not immediate recognisable one and I wondered for an instant if I was experiencing some rapidly developing allergy to poly propylene. However, The sight of several yellow and black insects on my arm forced the realization of just what was going on and I leaped up and, pants still about the ankles bounded across the mountain side removing bee coverd helmet and shirt still desperate to find somewhere to do my now half completed business.
And that, my friends is how I ended up stark naked slapping my a$$ on a mountain side in view of no less then five people of the female persuasion.
My partner counted 12 stings across my back and arms and there is also the matter of a large red welt on the spot on my right butt cheek that I can only assume was closest to the entrance to my winged friends home. I can't say that I blame them, and am greatfull to them that my manhood suffered no more than exposure from this particular incident.
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pud
climber
Sportbikeville
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Sep 20, 2005 - 03:15pm PT
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and i thought i was having a bad day!
i always do a quick "snake check" before an evac.
one positive thing about your experience, your kids will love this story.
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bulgingpuke
Trad climber
cayucos california
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Sep 20, 2005 - 03:18pm PT
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Shoulda drilled a bolt ladder
~TY~
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Ouch!
climber
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Sep 20, 2005 - 03:26pm PT
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Always be like a dog. Circle before you poop.
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bspisak
climber
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Sep 20, 2005 - 03:29pm PT
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Check out the story in 2005 ANAM about the Africanized bees in AZ attacking climbers 2 or 3 pitches up a route. One of 'em decked, the other one still had bees swarming him once back on the ground.
Now that sh#t is scaaarry.
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SoloBolo
Trad climber
groveland, ca
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Sep 20, 2005 - 03:32pm PT
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"Shoulda drilled a bolt ladder
~TY~ "
duck and cover, this could be a bad one......
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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Sep 20, 2005 - 03:44pm PT
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hey, at least you wern't tied into an anchor!
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Sep 20, 2005 - 03:56pm PT
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Back in 1975 Ed Barry, Dave Hitchcock and I were headed up to Higher Cathedral to do either the Braille Book or the Northeast Buttress, I can't remember which since we ended up not doing the climb. I was leading the way up the woods and over the boulders when we stumbled into an hornet's nest. They nailed me first and for a second the other two thought I was crazy as I was jumping around screaming, until the swarm started nailing them. We hightailed it down the slope. I got stung 12 times (and hornets can also bite with their 'little' pincer jaws) and was worried as I am allergic to bee venom, and two of the stings were on my neck and chin.
Ed knew some climber who was a doctor and he happened to have some anti-histamines handy so I didn't have to go to the Valley hospital/medical clinic. My left hand swelled up so big that I could have done any off-width.
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the Fet
Trad climber
Loomis, CA
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Sep 20, 2005 - 04:07pm PT
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Thanks for sharing your misery to give us all a smile.
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G_Gnome
Trad climber
Ca
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Sep 20, 2005 - 05:13pm PT
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Locker, do you remember who got attacked at the Necropolis a few years ago? If I remember correctly they broke ankles and/or arms/wrists trying to swat and run down the scree slope at the same time. I remember hearing in the neighborhood of a couple hundred stings each. Is any of this true?
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pud
climber
Sportbikeville
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Sep 20, 2005 - 08:28pm PT
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"FYI all the bees out here are of the Africanized type.........."
a few more years in the southland and they'll be fat and lazy.
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mark miller
Social climber
Reno
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Sep 21, 2005 - 10:33am PT
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3 Years ago I had to go to the hospital 3 times because of bee/ wasp stings. One of the times the nurse said she'd never seen anyone so covered in hives my whole body they plugged an IV into my stomach and I was able to start breathing normal in about 45 minutes, no fun. I usually don't carry an epi pen because they are so Temp. sensitve, but always carry a handful of Benadryl and Tagament, The doctor says the tagament helps keep the Benadryl in your system longer? That same year eating a Denegans sandwhich at Manure pile buttress I ate a wasp, my wife pulled his chewed up venom pumping ass out of my tongue and I gagged down 12 benadryl and 3 tagaments and didn't have to go to the hospital, that time. Amazing how serious a little sting can be.
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Patrick Sawyer
climber
Originally California now Ireland
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Sep 21, 2005 - 12:18pm PT
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Yeah locker, once one stings it sets off alarm bells in the others that they are under attack, as then can 'smell' the sting/venom. This is true with bees, yellowjackets, wasps and hornets.
Mark, I know it's old news but more people die of bee stings in the States than of snake bites. The venom is far more potent than most (all?) snakes' venom, (just smaller doses).
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coolclimber
Trad climber
toronto,canada
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Sep 21, 2005 - 12:47pm PT
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well here's one for ya'll. was out tthere in India, had stashed our packs on top of the climb rapped down to the start of the climb. was half way up when we see one of the sleeping bags go over the edge, leader ggoes up and reports that monkeys had gotinto the packs and everything was out the food was gone. so gather the rope set up a rap to retrieve the sleeping bag have to go this big overhang, try to peep all the way under unable to do so decided to go over slowly. As soon as I am over it and swinging in there was this loud buzz and saw four big hives , went down that rap so fast the rope twisting fast caught into the rap device just as my feet touched down and I froze with my head tucked in my hands. after the buzzing stopped picked up the bag took the long way up and my partner is looking at my swollen face ,then comments on one that is on my neck ,guess what it was not a bee sting it was thew rope burn across the neck. well after taking stock alll we found missing was a book on psychology which we found on our next trip back in
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