Half ropes for the win on this one. If Peter Aarhaug had been on a single rope here... we shudder to think of it.
Peter (@haarhaug) was climbing an unnamed mixed route graded M6 in Jaklefoss, Norway, when this fall took place. He was belayed by his friend Jacob Jutrem (j@acobjutrem).
"We just had bailed on a new mountain route due to poor conditions, so we opted for some cragging instead," Peter told Climbing mag.
"After discussing the protection, we both thought it was a safe and well-protected route, totally neglecting the need for a runner and the potential for cutting ropes. I went through it on top rope first, checking placements and found it to be within my margin. When leading it I totally faffed the supposedly easy top out and took a whipper.
"I was expecting a short fall, but I just kept going, pleasantly surprised that my 8.1 half rope arrested the fall right before my toes touched the ground; my blue Dragonfly cam had done the job.
"Sitting there in my harness I was quite confused - I thought the cams had popped, but when I looked up they were still there. I looked down towards my knot to see if there were any cams hanging there, and that's when I saw that the rope had cut. The diagonal crack had a lower lip that stood out and cut the rope.
"After the fall I had a few sore fingers and a bruise on my but from slamming into the ice. The biggest scar was on my pride for neglecting the danger."
Peter said he hopes others can learn from his experience.
Happy Friday and climb safe this weekend
