Third Pitch Face
This is about where I fell from. The face is easy, its about 5.5, with minimal places for protection. Its typical Redrocks sandstone, with big incut ledges, varnished plates, and loose, cracked holds. I was cruising the pitch, stepping up with my left foot, when my right foot hold broke off. As all my weight hit my solid right hand, that hold also broke, sending me airborne. I slid down this face to the dark ledge you can see above Brian’s head, then caught my heel and kicked off. I pitched over backwards, flying downwards head first, and finally coming to a stop upside down, my shoulders on the rock. Yikes. I came out of it basically unscathed. We estimated I dropped 40-50′, stopping about 10′ below where Brian is standing.
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I'm glad I didn't SEE marshall fall....I'd have nightmares. I was crouched up, head to the wall, trying to squeeze my body under my helmet. I thought that it was intially just falling rock...couldn't hear distinct words...just yelling....so I dropped into crouch and locked marshall off and just waited............. It took forever for him to impact the rope. The Impact dragged me right off the ledge...but not that far. several feet up and left I guess. I'll never forget looking down at him and waiting to find out how bad he was injured....no WAY could you not break something after that plunge!