Weekend Whipper: Tree-Crashing Fall in Queensland, Australia
"Still my gnarliest fall to date I think," wrote the whippee, Corey.
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Back in summer 2017, Corey was out climbing at Mount Ninderry, on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia, with friends John and Megan, when he decided to try the Enter The Dragon sector’s eponymous route.
John, who was belaying Corey at the time, told Rock and Ice that Enter the Dragon (19/5.10b) is “quite known for having some ‘spice’ between bolts 1 and 2, with a very high first bolt.”
In footage Corey captured on his helmet cam (hooray for helmets!), we see him start to grasp frantically for any positive holds—a commonplace situation, but all the more unsettling when you’ve only got the first bolt between you and the ground, as was the case for Corey.
Before he locates the golden hold, his foot pops and he goes crashing into the tree below.
Corey wrote on Facebook, “It was an unexpected fall so there may have been a bit more slack out than if Johnny knew I was falling.” Even with the sizable fall and his encounter with the local flora, Corey made out “without a scratch.” He said that he was not particularly close to hitting the ground and gave credit to John for providing a good, heads-up belay.
Corey pulled himself out of the tree and went back up the route to find the good holds. “I did get it in the end,” he wrote. “Was pretty sketchy getting back on the climb after that fall though.”
“Still my gnarliest fall to date I think,” Corey concluded. And John wanted everyone to know: “Helmets were worn by all… just for the helmet nazis!”
Happy Friday and climb safe this weekend!
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