When the unexpected happens

[topcat]

Peg hammer and EBs to hack steps up a grade 4 gully at the top of a long rock route in the dolomites. It was summer, so we didn't think we'd need anything complicated. Possibly the most mind expanding thing I've ever done...

Had there been a next time, I might have been a little better prepared.

Been in a similar situation on the Ben, and Shelterstone.  Asked my wife to untie and just hold the ropes in one hand, and reconnect when (and if) I lived to find a belay.  Oddly, I think of them as happy days.

 

[PeteHall]

You never feel more alive than after a brush with death 

 

[Fulk]

Hmmmm . . . not sure I agree with that.

 

[Speleofish]

I've always tended to collapse in slightly hysterical laughter.

 

[tomferry]

I am at the bottom of caving ladder only done a few I remember my first trip to Swildons my mate has been many times we approached the sump he said we doing it I said he?ll yes ! He went through pulled the rope my go I did it popped my head. Out and said that?s the most stupid thing I have ever done  he was surprised  I did it though so was a nice self achievement.

 

[zzzzzzed]

The other thing people struggle with is frequency. If an activity carries a 1 in 1,000 chance of an accident, that might be ok as a one-off, but if you had to do that activity....

I don?t think it is as clear cut as that with outdoor activities because with more frequency comes more experience.  There?s that saying that I?ve heard in climbing circles a few times:

Safety comes from making good decisions
Good decisions come from experience
Experience comes from making bad decisions

This certainly matches my experience.  By going out frequently and making lots of small errors, and having the occasional epic, I gain experience and become safer.  There have been a couple of occasions when , for one reason or another, I haven?t been able to get out much for a couple of years and then, when I do, I have made a series of really stupid and dangerous mistakes.

Reading incident reports I get the distinct impression that most of them happen to novices.

 

[JasonC]

The other thing people struggle with is frequency. If an activity carries a 1 in 1,000 chance of an accident, that might be ok as a one-off, but if you had to do that activity....

I don?t think it is as clear cut as that with outdoor activities ....

Good point made, but Pete's point rings very true for me.  When faced with a challenging climb underground, I always like to have a go.  I'm not a great climber, and I certainly don't want to hurt myself, but it's, well... more fun.
Others I cave with, whom I greatly respect, take the approach of 'If I've got a rope, then I'll use it, even if it's not strictly necessary, because it's safer'.

What's the difference?  I think it's because I don't cave that much, so every underground trip is still a bit of an adventure and a 1/1000 risk seems acceptable.
For those who cave much more frequently (who are no doubt fitter, better and safer than me) a 1/1000 risk is too high - if you do 50+ trips a year, then a bad outcome becomes more likely.

 

[JoshW]

Didn't Ghar Parau have some stats on incidence of incidents for caving vs other sports (per X hours)? Was chatting to MadPhil about it at some point

 

[mikem]

Descent article, in another thread here too.