FALL ON ROCK, CAUGHT FOOT ON EDGE, EXCEEDING ABILITIES

Idaho, City of Rocks

On August 29, 1992, Tim Mooney (24) decided to “Pink Point” a route which his partner, Paul Hodges (24), had already led. At the last bolt clip in, which he failed to make, he slipped and fell. Before he could push away from the rock, he caught an edge of rock with his foot, resulting in a fractured ankle. His partner lowered him, carried him out, and drove him to Salt Lake City for treatment.

Analysis

Hodges had recommended to Mooney that he did not feel it was a good day for him to try this route. He stated that the only two ways to have prevented injury would have been not to have led the route or to have fallen in a more controlled way. (Source: Tim Mooney and Paul Hodges)

(Editor’s Note: Another sketchy Case Incident Report from the same day indicates that one of the above climbers, Paul Hodges, was belaying a woman on a top rope on “Rye Crisp” when she fell two or three feet and “somehow broke her leg.” That’s all we know!)