FALL ON ROCK

Minnesota, Taylor’s Falls

On Saturday, April 6, while waiting for a friend at a local area called Taylors Falls, I did some easy soloing and some bouldering. I chose a crack route that was overhanging and has an excellent landing. After climbing the route, I chose to down climb. At slightly over one meter from the ground, I chose to jump. My left toe caught on a small ledge about eight inches above the ground causing me to fall backward. I heard a “snap,” took off my rock shoe and checked my left ankle for damage. There was no swelling and only slight pain. I walked to a crag about a mile away and continued to climb. During the day the swelling increased. An X-ray revealed a fractured ankle which required surgery to repair.

Analysis

I am 35 years old and have been climbing for 13 years. This was a silly little accident that resulted in a two-day hospital stay, two weeks of missed work and six weeks in a cast.

Taylor’s Falls is a small area near Minneapolis that receives a fair amount of traffic. The routes are short (20-60 feet) and many are located below scenic viewpoints. The major dangers are rocks and garbage tossed by non-climbers. (Source: Jim Smith)