(no subject)
I took my first lead fall yesterday, and I've been leading since April of 2000. I always worried about what it would be like to take that first fall on the sharp end, so I've always been cautious and have not pushed my limits while on lead. Yesterday I was leading up a 60ft route at Salmon Creek slab near Mt. Hood, it was a bolted route. So I was about 20 feet up and had clipped the 3rd bolt on the route. I started to move above it, and came to the realization that the next bolt was in a very precarious place, and I wasn't comfortable going any further so I chose to head back down. I get to just below the 3rd bolt and unclip it as I'm down leading. After clipping the draw to my harness, I took a step down to a pretty large rock. As I put my whole wait on it to bring my other foot down I feel the rock break away and just drop out from under me. I tried to hold onto the rock with my hands, but it all went too quickly for me to secure myself. I dropped between 5 and 7 feet, my left arm dragged against the rock in the beginning, but then it was a short free fall. So here's the damage. I'm heading out again Thursday so my spirit is not broken, though I ended my day early.
