Long story made short...I fell

Steve Steffy

Well-known member
I had a bit of an accident while climbing at the Cleveland Rock Gym last Friday. I had just topped out on my route and began my rappel back down and my harness failed on me. I fell 25 feet and broke my back. I spent three days at the Cleveland Clinic with 3 fractured vertebrae, abdominal and foot contusions, some hemorrhaging around the pelvis/bladder, and a few scrapes.

So, as of now I get around in a walker. Not sure for how long just yet. But there has been a slow steady progress each day. I was actually able to get myself dressed yesterday for the first time. I'll likely miss our turkey opener, but it sure beats what could have happened.

Just wanted to let you guys know what happened. I know there are a few of you that enjoy the climbing posts that I put up here. And a few of you guys know about this already. I did have to cancel my Mt Rainier climb in a couple of months. I'll train hard and go try it again next year. I'm still going to Washington to play around while the rest of the team climbs though.

Steve
 
I had a bit of an accident while climbing at the Cleveland Rock Gym last Friday. I had just topped out on my route and began my rappel back down and my harness failed on me. I fell 25 feet and broke my back. I spent three days at the Cleveland Clinic with 3 fractured vertebrae, abdominal and foot contusions, some hemorrhaging around the pelvis/bladder, and a few scrapes.

So, as of now I get around in a walker. Not sure for how long just yet. But there has been a slow steady progress each day. I was actually able to get myself dressed yesterday for the first time. I'll likely miss our turkey opener, but it sure beats what could have happened.

Just wanted to let you guys know what happened. I know there are a few of you that enjoy the climbing posts that I put up here. And a few of you guys know about this already. I did have to cancel my Mt Rainier climb in a couple of months. I'll train hard and go try it again next year. I'm still going to Washington to play around while the rest of the team climbs though.

Steve

Wow, that could have ended much worse. Get well soon and get out there again. I always enjoy your reports of your conquests.
 
Steve, Wow. Sometimes luck beats all. Glad to hear that you are no worse. I can vouch for the support here, non better. Hang in there, woops poor use of words.
 
[size 4] Yeow, Steve. Best wishes for a speedy and full recovery. Try and be patient as you get back to good health. Slow and steady is good.
Bob
 
Glad your alive. For sure the Lord was with you. I wish you well and heal as fast as possible. Something tells me your wife will have more say in your future adventures and more life insurance as well.
 
Wow Steve, glad you are up and around already, it could have been so much worse. As Bob said, slow and steady wins the recovery race. Healing vibes coming your way.
 
Yow! That's a story that makes each part you hurt, hurt on me! (If that makes sense)

Miraculously, it sounds like the recovery is progressing well, but guessing it is small solace in adjusting to the post-fall life.

Best wishes,

Rob
 
Wow! Steve first and foremost, I am glad to hear you are on the mend. A 25 foot fall is significant and on the way down via rappel you don't really have any defenses. It's amazing you didn't land on your head or have head trauma. I'd love to know more about your harness failure but that insignificant really.

Let me know when you are going to be in Washington State and I'll help with showing you around.
 
Thank you very much Rich, Tom, Paul, Bob, Phil, Vince, Pete, Rob, Brad, Zane, Bill, Eric & Joe . And nice choice of words there Tom, haha. I have to keep a some sense of humor through this. It's frustrating enough if I don't.

Brad...I'll shoot you over a message when I get home later on tonight. I'll definitely have a some extra time when I'm out there. We'll have to get together for sure. I appreciate that. I'm hoping tyo find a smaller mountain to climb while I'm out that way if possible.

Absolutely could have been much worse. I'm thankful that it wasn't, still frustrated, but very thankful. I'll be posting climbing pictures up here again soon enough.

Steve
 
Glad to hear you're on the mend Steve. I recall a saying when I was hiking 14'ers in Colorado with my son, "the mountain doesn't care whether you live or die". I guess it's true for climbing walls as well. Heal quickly. Looking forward to more of your adventures.
 
Jeez, Steve, that sounds awful. I hope your recovery goes well, and your progression to a walker without needing a wheelchair or bed rest first sounds promising. (Speaking from experience after a car accident.)
 
Glad to hear you're recovering!

What happened? How did the harness fail? My high school aged son recently started climbing a lot, and stories like this keep me awake at night!
 
Thanks again everybody...

Kirk and Brad...I hate to say it, but the fall was my own fault. As memory serves me anyway...

When an accident of this nature happens it sure is easy to point the blame on somebody else or the gear and deflect the responsibility. However, I keep replaying things over and over in my mind. I distinctly recall doubling the buckle back as it should be; however, I also recollect undoing the harness due to a twist and redoing it.

The image of me doubling back the buckle was so embedded in my head I was sure that I had done it, and I had. So why would the harness fail? There had to be a rational explanation. I kept replaying things, then it dawned on me...as I was belaying my climbing partner I recall the tag end of my harness flopping around to my right side. I tucked it in and thought nothing of it. Until now that is...that tag end should have been going to the left if I had in fact doubled it back. It's strange how little details like that come back to you days after an incident.

Well, I did double it back initially, then I undid it and neglected to double it back the second time I put it on. I have no one to blame but myself for this, it's far too easy to become complacent about checking your partners gear prior to climbing. So maybe this is more of a caution to make sure you know your partners gear and you double check it thoroughly prior to each climb. Complacency can kill you. I should have known better. I'll heal up as quickly as possible and get back to climbing.

For all you technical climbers out there...please double and triple check your gear as well as your partners. And Kirk, keep encouraging your boy to climb, I could have just as easily have brolke my back by not wearing my seatbelt in a car crash. Accidents happen, just do everything in your power to prevent them by being extra cautious. Let him know what happened and make sure he is checking his gear over and over and over again as well as his belaying partner.

Steve
 
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