Weekend Whipper: Long Fall in Kings Canyon National Park
This fall in Kings Canyon National Park could've been a lot worse if a couple things had gone just a little differently.
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Paul De La Rosa was climbing Ascende Vous (5.10c) in Kings Canyon National Park, Calfornia when he took this zinger.
“The route is really run out between the second and third bolt, and the crux is right as you’re about to clip the third bolt—of course,” Paul told Rock and Ice.
“You can place protection in a crack just below my last position so it’s not so sketchy, but didn’t this day,” he said.
Paul’s belayer, Emily Pierce, is some 30 pounds lighter than him—a differential that he believes contributed significantly to the length of the fall.
“I’m definitely more cautious now about lead falls with that kind of [weight] differential,” he said.
He added, “Also, as we watched the footage again (the video was taken by a random tourist that was enthralled by our activity), we noticed that Emily does a quick side-step to avoid us colliding as we pass each other. So I’m thankful for her quick reflexes that kept me safe.”
Happy Friday and climb safe this weekend!
