Close calls?

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Mountain Ninja
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Close calls?

Post by Mountain Ninja »

I've had some "close calls" on mountain climbing adventures.

What are some stories of close calls you have experienced?
d_baker
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Re: Close calls?

Post by d_baker »

Mountain_Ninja wrote:I've had some "close calls" on mountain climbing adventures.

What are some stories of close calls you have experienced?
you first....
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Brian Thomas
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Re: Close calls?

Post by Brian Thomas »

Mountain_Ninja wrote:What are some stories of close calls you have experienced?
Hey Brad, sorry I bailed on you for the El-D --> Wilson traverse, but as my redheaded bastard stepbrother SurfNTurf tells me, I'm just a *sissy*

Closest close call was getting caught in a thunder snow storm on Elbert at 10am in November 2010, very scary. Closest close call I've witnessed was seeing Derek almost get nailed by rockfall on Ice Mountain last August.

After the San Juans ate up my CR-V's transmission last week, really been wondering if it's all worth it. At least in any kind of hurry/urgency to "finish" this or that list of peaks, and concluding that it's not worth it.

Before I moved to Colorado I was a hiker, in Ohio (yes, to elevations 500-1000 feet), Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, North Carolina. Re-aligning my priorities here in Colorado to become a hiker again, a hiker who may occasionally summit high peaks but doesn't care if it happens or not that day.

Happy 4th to all of you with functional vehicles, will be stuck in Denver and loving my bicycle while the CR-V is in Honda Hospital...
"I try my best to be just like I am, but everybody wants you to be just like them" - Bob Dylan
tmathews
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Re: Close calls?

Post by tmathews »

Read my first blog post on El Diente :shock:
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Jesse M
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Re: Close calls?

Post by Jesse M »

I have two big ones, this is the first time I have documented this experience.

I was fourteen or fifteen.
This was my second 14er.
Wilson Peak.
I felt strong and was in the first group to summit.
Eight out of fifteen made the summit that day.
My opinion now was important.
We wanted to save time.
"let's go down here", the 'others' who opinions were important exclaimed.
I agreed.
We would go down North from the summit.
I was first to cross the snowfield.
I slipped.
I fell.
Sticking my leg out I wrapped it around a rock 10 feet below the 'crew'.

You would think this would be cause for a group of teens to retreat and take the west ridge back down, but we kept on.
I watched a microwave size boulder fly over my buddies head, THE closest danger I have ever been in. We all made it, but it was a "close call", for sure.
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oldschool
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Re: Close calls?

Post by oldschool »

Close calls? Lets see....how about the entire Cap to Snowmass Traverse in Sept of 2010. Also, huge rockfall while on a bigwall in Yosemite.
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jimlup
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Re: Close calls?

Post by jimlup »

Descending the Kautz Glacier route on Rainier. There was a huge icefall in the Couloir next to ours. Scary as hell!
"Just because you have the gear does not mean that you are a Mountaineer!" My daughter's cynical comment about my hobby...
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Winter8000m
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Re: Close calls?

Post by Winter8000m »

oldschool wrote:Close calls? Lets see....how about the entire Cap to Snowmass Traverse in Sept of 2010. Also, huge rockfall while on a bigwall in Yosemite.
:lol:
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Kiefer
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Re: Close calls?

Post by Kiefer »

Winter8000m wrote:
oldschool wrote:Close calls? Lets see....how about the entire Cap to Snowmass Traverse in Sept of 2010. Also, huge rockfall while on a bigwall in Yosemite.
:lol:
=D> +2

Oh, and there WAS that night back in 1991 in my dormmates bedroom with... (cough-cough). Dodged a bullet on that one! :lol:
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Brian C
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Re: Close calls?

Post by Brian C »

Noah! Remember when I almost ate the big one on the 4th rappel from the summit on that random tower in New Mexico by accidentally not clipping my belay device to my harness and almost leaning back? Oh boy! What a day that was! I've always checked my ATC about 4-5 times more now on rappels because of that.
Brian in the Wild
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RoanMtnMan
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Re: Close calls?

Post by RoanMtnMan »

Close calls are like ex-girlfriends, better kept to yourself.
Always follow the 7 P's. Proper Planning & Preparation, Prevents Piss-Poor Performance.

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zdero1
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Re: Close calls?

Post by zdero1 »

RoanMtnMan wrote:Close calls are like ex-girlfriends, better kept to yourself.
I see the value in this thread in that we can learn lessons from other people's unfortunate experiences on the mountains, but yeah won't be eagerly awaiting to read more posts here!
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