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Mark Hudon
Trad climber
Hood River, OR
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Jun 27, 2010 - 11:51pm PT
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If you want to go out and get hurt, Bill Wright is the guy you want to do it with. He knows his sh#t and will go to the ends of the earth to save you.
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Gilroy
Social climber
Boulderado
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Jun 27, 2010 - 11:53pm PT
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Yeah Bill co-authored with Hans.
Tom is one of those people in Boulder who are so unassuming. (As opposed to the prancers and trustafarians here we like to categorize and denigrate.) You pass them on the trail or stand next to them at the bar and you just don't know that they are a world of burl with a list of accomplishments that would astonish. Heal well, fellows.
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Watusi
Social climber
Newport, OR
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Jun 28, 2010 - 12:15am PT
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Yes, best wishes from me as well!
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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Jun 28, 2010 - 03:44am PT
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hey there say, sending my get well wishes for tom... and my prayers, as he pulls through this...
thanks for sharing... falls are such sad news to hear...
god bless...
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Prod
Trad climber
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Jun 28, 2010 - 09:25am PT
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Wishing the best for a speedy recovery!
Tough story to read.
Prod.
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Beatrix Kiddo
Mountain climber
ColoRADo
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Jun 28, 2010 - 11:41am PT
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Gosh, I can't believe they survived.
Best wishes to them both and a speedy recovery to Tom.
The story is amazing.
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HighDesertDJ
Trad climber
Arid-zona
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Jun 28, 2010 - 11:48am PT
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Such a bummer.
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Caveman
climber
Cumberland Plateau
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Jun 28, 2010 - 12:55pm PT
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"I had time to look up at the next piece above me, a #3.5 Camalot about 25 feet up. I knew I was soon going to be rocketing upwards toward that piece and would probably hit it hard. I had time to pray, "I hope these pieces hold..."
Then the rope jerked me upwards, violently. My weight slowed and eventually stopped Tom's fall, just before I hit the Camalot. I looked down to see Tom hanging head down and completely immobile and unresponsive. Above me I saw the piece, a #2 Camalot, that held both of us from the ground four hundred feet below."
Well, be it #2 or #3.5 I guess they have nothing bad to say about camalots.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Jun 28, 2010 - 01:26pm PT
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Heal up, Tom!
That's a nasty fall. Hang tough, Bill.
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the Fet
climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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Jun 28, 2010 - 01:28pm PT
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Gnarly. I hope Tom has a complete and speedy recovery.
Cracked skull. Damn. The helmet defineatly saved his life.
I wonder if a piece(s) unclipped. Simulclimbing with only one piece in is crazy. There are VERY lucky that piece held.
A good reminder to put in pro even on easy terrain. What's that "rule", you shouldn't run it out more to more than like 25% or 40% of the total rope out? e.g. if you have 100 feet of rope out your runout shouldn't be more than 25 feet. Something like that. When I'm on easy terrain and I look down and see 40 feet or so of run out I throw in a piece just in case.
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ydpl8s
Trad climber
Santa Monica, California
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Jun 28, 2010 - 01:32pm PT
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What an account of the accident! I was just picturing myself being up there, worrying about my partner. It's amazing how much he did do in the situation, I'm sure that not being able to get to his partner right away was agonizing.
Positive thoughts out to everyone involved! I've been on most of those routes, I don't know if I would of had my wits about me as much as Bill did.
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Evel
Trad climber
Nedsterdam CO
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Jun 28, 2010 - 01:58pm PT
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Get well soon Tom!
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justthemaid
climber
Jim Henson's Basement
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Jun 28, 2010 - 03:41pm PT
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Wow.. just ..wow.
Pretty gut wrenching story. It's amazing he got out of it without even more serious injuries. Wishing him a speedy recovery.
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BillWright
Trad climber
Boulder, Colorado
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Jun 28, 2010 - 08:27pm PT
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"I had time to look up at the next piece above me, a #3.5 Camalot about 25 feet up. I knew I was soon going to be rocketing upwards toward that piece and would probably hit it hard. I had time to pray, "I hope these pieces hold..."
Then the rope jerked me upwards, violently. My weight slowed and eventually stopped Tom's fall, just before I hit the Camalot. I looked down to see Tom hanging head down and completely immobile and unresponsive. Above me I saw the piece, a #2 Camalot, that held both of us from the ground four hundred feet below."
Hi Caveman,
Sorry for the confusion. I guess I wasn't clear enough and I'll update my report. I'm responding here so that people won't think we had only one piece of gear in, though we only had two.
I didn't make a mistake above. There were two pieces in the wall - a #3.5 Camalot 25 feet above me and a #2 Camalot about thirty feet above that one. When Tom's weight came on the rope, we were both suspended by the #2 Camalot, but the rope was still running through a carabiner clipped to the #3.5 Camalot. As I was being jerked upwards, I'd hit the #3.5 Camalot first. I was worried, that the big upward pull to maybe dislodge the Camalot and then we'd only have a single piece in the wall, but I did not hit the #3.5 Camalot. Once there I put in the #3 Camalot that I had on my harness to add a third piece.
So, sorry for not being more clear. Yes, two isn't much better than one, but, maybe it's twice as good, though still not great. Tom had run it out a bit further than I expected but not that much further. Maybe he was just putting in a piece? I don't know and currently he has no memory of the entire day. He should recover completely, but I doubt he'll ever remember what happened up there.
Thanks to everyone for the well wishes. Much appreciated.
Bill
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John Mac
Trad climber
Littleton, CO
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Jun 28, 2010 - 08:50pm PT
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Bill,
Thanks for the update and great to hear that Tom is coming along and looks like a full recovery.
I thought your blog was an amazing piece of sharing at a very difficult time.
All the best.
John
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HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
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Jun 28, 2010 - 08:55pm PT
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Bill....what a terrifying day. You really kept it together.
I'm glad Tom will pull through and I hope he'll be climbing again soon. Thanks for the clear report.
Next time I'm simul-climbing 5.6 I won't feel such a turkey when I put in an extra piece or two "just in case".
Here's to RMR, YOSAR, the Tetons guys and all the rest of the climbing rescue organizations around the world, including my local volunteer fire brigade.
Good luck on your next project.
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MisterE
Social climber
Bouncy Tiggerville
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Jun 28, 2010 - 09:16pm PT
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Bill, thanks for checking in here. Please let us know how Tom's recovery is going here if you like.
I agree, the word "tragedy" in the title seems counter to the story, and probable outcome.
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Jun 28, 2010 - 09:49pm PT
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Bill, glad to hear Tom will be recover. Pretty tough experience all the way around.
I've occasionally thought about the simu thing and this is the first detailed simu fall I've ever read. It was interesting to hear what you had about your person at the time of the fall was enough for you to stabilize the situation, but not to get down to Tom. Curious what more you would consider adding to the gear mix (if any) next time given the objective is still light and fast (assuming this hasn't put you off simu'ing).
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