I'm still relatively new to climbing (4 years) but within the past year I've been in a situation twice that could've been avoided. I really think it's important that people know to yell "ROCK" if they send a rock down.

About a month ago, I was laying around the base of a climb I was waiting for when I heard a faint "oh geez". I lazily looked up and a basketball sized rock fell about 5 ft from my head and continued to tumble down the hill. Seriously? I watched someone get into a heated argument once over this. Doing this isn't just a courtesy, it's etiquette that should be followed for the safety of other climbers. I really don't know how I would've faired if it had landed on me, but I'm really glad it didn't...

Is there any non-confrontational way to spread the word about this to newer climbers?

I'd not worry about being non-confrontational about. Not calling out "ROCK!" when anything comes down could kill someone, how confrontational is that?

I hope there were no babys there too.



I tried to warn ya! Personally, I try and avoid getting under people at all costs. Then again, I don't lead everything. : )

If something huge is kicked off 100 feet over your head. By the time someone yells rock, you hear it and can respond, you're likely already paste. Many times the climber isn't even aware they've kicked something off until it hits the ground.

The real issue is encouraging people NOT to lay or mill around at the base of climbs like sheep. It drives me crazy but I've finally realized I can't cure stupid.

If it's babies or little kids I'll usually encourage people to move along if it's a particularly busy area.

+1

A rock falling from 100' will hit the ground in 2.5 seconds. I ALWAYS wear my helmet at the base of a cliff. Even at sport crags where most climbers don't bother with a helmet while climbing. When I hear "rock!" my response is always to keep my head down and cover the back of my neck with my hands. I've trained myself to do this and can respond pretty quickly. If I hear the rock crashing down the cliff or the person is screaming "ROCK ROCK ROCK!!!!" in a panicked voice, then my assumption is that the helmet won't provide sufficient protection. I do my best to look up and spot the rock and avoid it. This doesn't happen very often and it isn't as automatic a response for me. I've never actually needed to dodge a big rock and I'm not sure I could successfully do so. I've been hit by plenty of pebbles, two fist size rocks (shoulder and thigh, both left bruises), and once by an ATC (helmet took that shot which otherwise would have left me with a bleeding scalp wound).

Falling objects are an objective hazard of rock climbing. I usually warn people who seem unaware (tourists, children). I also warn people if there is atypically high risk for that location. Like a climber above moving through a loose band of rock, or a beginner above sending down lots of debris.

"Do you think babies should be made to wear hard hats too?" Just wondering how you would answer that one.

Personally, I agree with you, that anyone under climbers should have a hard hat on. Yet, if I know the climb and the climber over me I feel I can get away with it.

However, if I am over or under people I don't know it I find it very concerning and upsetting. I usally get rude and tell people to move the hell out of the way. They just look up and me like dodo birds. The last two times we went climbing at Millbrook rocks fell off, I really did not pay much attention to it, because we set up the belays so it is almost impossible for people underneath to get hit with anything. So, although we don't wear hard hats, we take other measures to prevent getting hit on the head. Staying out of places where things may be falling someday sooner or later. If I am going to put a hard hat on, then I also have to reconcile myself to the fact that I am choosing a poor place to stand.


Although, if it is on a big wall, forget it. The hard hat stays stuck to my head like glue, I even like to bring it to bed with me. I have been hit with whole racks of gear a couple of times, I have almost got killed a couple of times. A rock came down and bit off the piece of the ledge like a giant shark! It left me completely unnerved. Good thing my partner was a pot head, else he probably would have bailed.

My last time on MF I was setting the belay on the first pitch chains to bring up my second. I remember hanging out on the belay and looking directly down. I was looking down my right side where I had a #4 Camalot clipped sighting directly down the stem onto some chick who was laying down and stretched out directly in the crosshairs (cross-cams?) reading a book.

Don't even get me started about the recent crop of "ice-climbers".

More please : )

I was at the belay of Sleepwalk/Ant's line on Saturday, bringing my partner up when I hear and see from Bonnie's a huge cam come whizzing down. The velocity, the sound of it hitting the ground was terrifying. The party who dropped it was shouting rock, rock...but it gave me pause. Between the shout and the time the cam hit the ground wasn't long...and I must say, i decided I am wearing my helmet at the base on busy days...no matter what!

It's The Fail Rail ... All aboard!!!

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