In conjunction with the American Alpine Club (AAC)’s annual publication, Accidents in North American Climbing, the Sharp End podcast—hosted by Ashley Saupe—interviews the climbers and rescuers involved in these reported accidents, to share their lessons and help us all become safer in the outdoors.
In this episode, we hear from Bill Wright and Tom Karpeichik, who attempted to climb 100 guidebook pitches in a single day in Colorado’s Eldorado Canyon. To make this daunting challenge feasible, they planned to simul-climb most pitches. Unfortunately, that morning, four pitches up a 7-pitch 5.8+, Tom broke a hold on easier terrain and fell a whopping 50 feet above his last piece of protection. In this interview, Wright discusses the massive, unbelayed fall, how they both survived, and the lessons these climbers learned.
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