Rob Batey (48) was severely injured in an unroped 80- to 100-foot fall on the Second Flatiron, a large sandstone slab above Boulder, on November 1. He survived the fall but suffered a broken femur, five fractured vertebrae, 16 broken ribs, a broken clavicle, and a punctured lung. A climber on a neighboring route summoned help. The Rocky Mountain Rescue Group and rangers with Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks responded, and Batey eventually was transported to the ICU.

On Mountainproject.com, he noted that he became ambitious that day, deciding to do both the Dodge Block and Freeway routes on the Second Flatiron (both easy 5th class) in succession. He was pressed for time and also suffered from Raynaud’s Syndrome. The latter caused his hands to go numb as the sun set. He also had not climbed Dodge Block before his solo and had wandered off-route into harder-than-expected terrain.

Before the accident, Batey wrote, “I knew immediately that I was going to fall. I hadn’t (somehow) seen the immediate and significant temp drop coming; too absorbed, naive at best. The rock quickly cooled, hands already tired.... I remember having the briefest moment to think of my family and how I was going to survive the fall. Given the angle of the Second Flatiron, I could tell there would be multiple hits and that I better try to slow myself if I got the chance.”

ANALYSIS

There is not much to learn from a free solo accident. But from his comments on Mountainproject.com, Batey was remorseful for his impact on rescuers, friends, and family. An area like the Flatirons is full of climbers, hikers, and runners. When an individual free solos and is witnessed by passersby, it can encourage emulation and promote the notion that free soloing is “easy.” (Sources: Rob Batey Gofundme page, Mountainproject.com, and the Editors.)