A quick way down the mountain...

[Bputacoma]

eek!

[Strychnine]

I watched that earlier this morning and that shit was stressful. Those rocks were not small... I can't believe he was conscious at the bottom.

This is one of those times we're reminded why we don't climb icy mountain ridges. While ascending the Parsley Fern Lefthand Gully in Wales, seasoned climber Mark Roberts lost his grip and slid 100-feet down the snowy mountain side. Luckily, he was able to leave the scene conscious, with only minor injuries.

He was rescued by Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team 30 minutes after the incident.

http://www.thebmc.co.uk/helmetcam-slide-snowdonia-accident-llanberis-mountain-rescue?s=4

Mark, 47, is a lifelong climber, and is currently keen on winter mountaineering, primarily in Snowdonia. His job, rather ironically, is a safety consultant. “You have to laugh sometimes,” he told us, “but, seriously, even with experience of risk assessment and making decisions, sometimes things just happen. When it all happens so quickly, you just try not panic and hope there’s some luck with you,” he explained.


This is an incredible – and scary video – when did it happen?
This video was recorded on my headcam on Sunday 24 February 2013, not too long after we’d stopped for a bite of lunch.

What route were you on? Were you alone?
The incident occurred in Parsley Fern LH Gully. I chose not to climb alone for safety and the camaraderie of other people. There were three in our party and we ascended Sargeant’s Gully, with a further four taking an alternative route. I wasn’t climbing with my usual partner, who didn’t make it out for this weekend. Our party of three progressed up the gully and sometimes the gap between us was bigger than I’m used to. The second two of us made it to the more vertical and ice covered step, where I waited a little distance below.

Where did the falling ice come from?
The guy in our group above me was trying to get good axe placement. I’d already felt some smaller bits come down and was keeping a watch above me. Then it happened: a sizeable chunk of solid ice flew straight down towards my head. I had little time to respond.

What was going through your mind as you fell?
“Oh shit,” was probably my thought, but the speed at which events took hold meant I knew it was going to go some distance. There was no feeling of panic, more a concerted effort to protect my head and neck and be aware of what was below me, where I was heading and what I could do to slow and stop myself before I got to the more serious rocky outcrops.

Did you try and self-arrest?
Even though I’d been practising self arrest earlier in the month, the angle of this slope was much greater, and very little time was left to respond quickly enough before I was taking some bounces.

I don’t know what happened to the better axe (heavier head and sharp pick) in my right hand, as it didn’t appear in the video once the fall started. I must have had the other axe knocked out of my hand and it can be seen in the upper part of the fall.

Once both axes were gone, it was arms, hands, legs and feet in the less consolidated snow on the slope to try and slow my speed. Fortunately I slid into a rocky outcrop on my left with a bit of a thump, which took some of the momentum out of my decent, resulting in a bit of a spin, but I could still look for opportunities below for a point to stop. It finished with a drop onto a bit of a ledge or hole where my pack and crampons took enough hold to stop me.

What happened after you stopped sliding?
I was a little dazed but, critically, not unconscious. Interestingly, I had the foresight to check the cam was still attached and just hoped the vid had recorded that: it wasn’t one for repeating! Time seemed a little different. I knew I’d lost my glasses somewhere but I could see movement of someone below and gave them the thumbs up to show I was conscious and not too badly injured. I already knew there was some damage to my ankles which were fairly painful if they were moved.

How were the mountain rescue alerted?
Our other party had seen the incident and made best efforts to get to a point where they could get out a call on a mobile. I’m not sure of all the details since it soon became apparent that there were already MRT members in the area.

How long did they take to get to you?
It seemed pretty quickly to me. Everything was under control and I was more securely fixed to the ground and being kept warm. The doctor lowered in and was there checking for neck and spinal injuries, asking the relevant questions and giving me a few painkillers to take some of the sting out of my bruises and breaks.

From my perspective, I don’t think there is anything the MRT didn’t do which they could have and that just shows how good they are. The helicopter was there, creating a tremendous downdraft. I was supported by two harness loops, and then it was lift off to Bangor.

How are you doing now?
Annoyingly immobile and bruised, but mentally fine. I’m getting used to injecting myself with blood-thinning drugs to prevent clots forming, and planning how to get my fitness back once the bones have healed and the cast and support come off.

If you had the day again, would you have done anything differently?
This is a difficult question. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I think I’d have preferred to have my technical axes rather than walking axes on the steeper harder ground. The other reason for this is that the blue axe had been borrowed on the day and seemed quite light and didn’t give me as solid a placement in the ice as my sharp steel-headed heavy axe.

If I’d have been with my usual partner, we’d likely have discussed the route and options more, perhaps used a rope if we had one or opted for the easier right-hand variant. If everything had gone well on the day then it’s unlikely there would have been much I’d have done differently.

Perhaps I should have taken a moment to cut more of a step to stand on while I waited for the guy to get up the section above me. Mind you, I might not have even seen the ice coming towards me which may have caused even more of a problem. It’s all about decisions at the time.

[Ratt]

Ouch

[NorthwoodDavid]

Wow, kind of seemed like he was waiting for someone to throw snowball at him lol

[AdRock]

That would be fun as hell without all the rocks. That dude si lucky as hell.

[Sean88gt]

He just saved himself about a 4 hour climb back down the mountain.