SummitPost.org

Great day skiing. Saw the sp crew In the couloir, then saw them glissading down and saw the one person flipping down...back in the parking lot I got the scoop, hope she's okay...
I have pics I'll post in a bit

Hi everyone, I'm ok! Except that I look like I was in a gangster fight with a 3 1/2 inch slice on the side of my face. Maybe everyone will run away, scared of me now?



It was a beautiful day, quite windy on top. Kicked steps up the left side of the couloir, was really a lot of fun.



On the way back down, Rinat and Squishy glissaded down, I went down after them. Got going too fasy, flipped over to self arrest and accidentally took a slice out of the side of my face with the ax. I didn't even know anything was wrong until I got up and continued down. HUGE thank you to everyone with us who helped, especially Rinat and Lina (sp?). They did a fantastic job of patching me up enough to walk out. Went to Marshall Hospital in Placerville and they stitched me up. Evidently I nicked an artery in the face (I didn't even know there were arteries in the face!) and that's what caused all the blood.



So hopefully I won't end up looking like something out of a horror movie but thanks again, everyone, for you help.



Carolyn

Nice to see you all got out there yesterday

Oh yeah, Dragger's friends know how tough she is. Don't let her appearance fool ya

It was great climbing with all of you on Sat. Caroline, I am very sorry for the accident, but I am glad that they fixed the wound properly. I would like to post the pictures here, but really do not know how to do (shame on me ). If somebody can PM me the link or a quick note, I shall post them really quickly.

Rinat Shagisultanov wrote:I would like to post the pictures here, but really do not know how to do (shame on me ). If somebody can PM me the link or a quick note, I shall post them really quickly.

Step 1: host the pic on the web somewhere. Upload it to flickr or summitpost or picasa or facebook or where ever.

Step 2: get an URL for the pic. This usually has to end in '.jpg' -- if it's on SP then just click one of the pic sizes (eg. Large, Med, etc) and copy the URL.

Step 3: now the fun part, posting pic to a forum thread Use the Img button to enclose the URL from step 2 -

Code: Select all

[img]http://c0278592.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/medium/502709.JPG[/img]

You can also type the [img] tags in manually.

Glad to hear dragger is doing well. You gave us a bit of a scare!

Here are the pictures from the SP climbing Round Top via CMC.

Round Top from Carson Pass SNO-PARK


Lena climbing the right branch of CMC


Squishy


Beginning of CMC


Gomez, HandJamMasterC and Dragger taking the left branch of CMC


Lena and Squishy topping out of the CMC


Lena and Squishy on the summit


Troy on the summit


Rinat posing on the summit


Squishy jumping off to the notch


HandJamMasterC hiking back on the ridge


Lena, Dragger and HandJamMasterC descending the ridge

No, went down the gully.

By the way, if you have a Black Diamond Airlite ax, check your adze. Maybe just check your adze anyway, regardless of manufacturer. Too late for me but mine is razor sharp. No need for that unless you're chopping steps in ice but who does that anyway? I'm planning on dulling mine out. Too much of a risk.

Glissading CMC - No glissaging down this thing, unless I am willing to break something. Skiing - maybe - but not a skier. We glissaded down from the saddle close to the rock walls. I guess that b/c it is still a north facing slope with relatively steep angle, it does not warm up that much. It can be decieving - I am sort of glad how it worked out for me, but self-arresting after the icy patch was difficult until I hit the softer windblown part.

Dragger wrote:No, went down the gully.

By the way, if you have a Black Diamond Airlite ax, check your adze. Maybe just check your adze anyway, regardless of manufacturer. Too late for me but mine is razor sharp. No need for that unless you're chopping steps in ice but who does that anyway? I'm planning on dulling mine out. Too much of a risk.

Reconsider dumping all your tools that have an adze. I did several years ago for just the exact same reason as what happened to you.

Glad it wasn't worse.

This is a very plausible solution. Get two of these All Arounder's or something similar. Hammers vice Adzes. They work great as well for cutting steps in hard snow and Sierra Bullet Ice:

BD HAMMER VENOMS


GRIVEL AIR TECH HAMMERS

Damn, I need to check this site more often. I've missed both of these this year because I saw the threads ex post facto. Saturday would have been a perfect day for me too. Oh well, with the snow this winter maybe there's still time for one more.

Carolyn, I'm glad to hear you are OK. Some people might write off your calmness during your ordeal to shock, but I think not. It would take more than an ice axe to the face to faze you. I still owe you pictures from last year. PM me with your email and I'll send them to you.

PS You went up the left gully last year so you were supposed to take the right one this year. Variety is the spice of life!

PPS I had a few stitches taken at that very same hospital about two years ago. Wait until you get the bill. then you will really be in shock!

Sorry you missed the SP climb Jeff! You should check SP more often.

Yes, the fun finish on the left side was too much to resist. Maybe we'll do the right side next time. Or not!

The doctor at Marshall did a nice job putting "Ms. Humpty Dumpty" back together again. Sounds like they did a good job on you too. Thanks for the well wishes.

Hey Carolyn,

just saw this- sorry to hear about this, but glad you're OK! I hope you heal up well- maybe try dousing it with Neosporin to help with the healing. Hopefully see you guys in the hills (or in a Valley) again soon!