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Spare Tire as Climbing Gear

Word to the wise… When you’re going climbing miles upon miles from the nearest town it’s a good idea to make sure your spare tire is good to go.

Moore’s Wall Sentinel Buttress – Zoo View Area Closed

I copy and pasted this from the Hanging Rock State Park’s website.  I thought you guys should be aware.  Link to the website here (link)

WARNING: Climbing Hazard And Route Closure
Sentinel Buttress – Loose Blocks at 2nd Pitch Rappel Station

Climbers have reported two large loose blocks estimated at 150 and 250 pounds resting on the root [...]

Do you free solo? – Why Rappelling Back Up Is Important

Do you free solo?  Most sane people would say no way, not ever.  But wait a minute, what exactly is free soloing?

Free soloing is climbing with no safety net.  It’s a place where your life literally is in your hands and accidents are verboten.  While free soloing you only have one means of connection to [...]

Update – Accident Report – Bad Bolts and Cut Rope

Thanks to ClimbingNarc for reporting that Simon Carter provided an update (link) on the bad bolt and cut rope accident.  In the update there is even a video that shows the the bolts being pulled out entirely too easily.  Check it out.  It is straight up scary.

Accident Report – Bad Bolts and Cut Rope

The jist of this very in depth accident review is that incorrect bolts were used which caused them to pop with just body weight on them.  The accident report goes into a lot of detail and is well worth the read.

Simon Carter’s Accident Report

Bumble Bee Buttress at Linville Gorge

Bumble Bee Buttress is by far my favorite 5.8 route at Linville Gorge.  The route is 3 pitches of solid 5.8 climbing followed by a relatively breezy 5.5 scramble out.

Like most climbs at Linville Gorge the approach is an adventure in and of itself.  Mostly a third class down scramble with a touch of fourth [...]

New England Maxim Ropes - Poor Quality & Dangerous

New England Ropes just left a comment on a post about their rope recall because I was “misleading the general public”.  A few weeks ago they announced that they had produced some faulty ropes that needed to be recalled because “The climbing lines can break, posing a serious fall hazard for climbers”.  Judging [...]

Friends witness British teenager Ian Jackson plunge to his death in French Alps

An 18 year old British climber just perished while climbing at Les Gaillands in the Chamonix Valley.  Apparently he tried to rappel off only one end of the rope and subsequently fell.  I seems too many accidents happen on rappel.

Take your time and do it right.  Be safe!

(link to original story)

Recall on Maxim Ropes

New England Ropes Recalls Climbing Lines Due to Fall Hazard
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Maxim Apogee and Maxim Pinnacle Dynamic Climbing [...]

Dutch Woman Watches Family Die on Mountain

My heart reaches out for the Dutch woman who watched her husband and three children slide to their deaths on Mont Dolent in the Alps.

(Story)