Off the high traverse too. People keep asking me what happened. Well, I hit the ground, that’s what. I hit it pretty well – on my feet and only toppling back onto my butt onto the pointy rock at the last second. Then I laid down on my back for a minute. I was fine but startled and a little breathless. All across the cliff people were calling out to make sure I was OK so eventually I had to stand up so everyone would know I was OK and stop worrying about me. I think I shrieked pretty good. “Falling” but maybe something non-verbal as well. And then the sound of climber hitting ground. I bet that’s pretty distinctive.

I’ve done Drunkard’s so many times and it’s always scary, of course. I prefer to do it with my feet on the good holds instead of my hands on the good holds. This unfortunately puts me somewhat higher and makes it harder to get to whatever questionable gear there is to begin with, so I’ve always soloed it. It’s not actually hard when you do it on the good feet, I tell people. It’s like 5.4. If it were on the ground you wouldn’t think twice about it.

It was a dampish day and I had my hand on one of the nothing-really-there holds that I use to keep my balance while my feet do all the work and the next thing I knew my hand was slipping off that hold and there went my balance with it. I waved my arms in the air looking for all the world like the coyote who hasn’t figured out yet that gravity requires him to fall. It was like I almost could stop it, but no.

So after I picked myself up I told Laura that I supposed I had to do it now or I’d never do it again and I went back up there and did the high traverse without gear again, only without hitting the ground this time. I guess the good thing is that I know the fall isn’t so bad if you stick the landing. That ought to add to the confidence level which ought to help keep me over my feet next time.

Red Cabbage, 5.9
Pink Laurel, 5.9
Classic, P2 (Laura)
Drunkard’s Delight
Travels with Charlie, P1 (Andrew)
Strictly from Nowhere, P1 (Laura)