Last summer I was climbing alone when my rigging failed and I fell 20 feet to the ground. The moment I felt my body start to accelerate downward I let out an involuntary yell as my hands grappled with a rope I was no longer attached to. My backup system engaged just before impact, so I did not 'crimp in' or 'deck' fully. Coming out of the emotional shock I checked myself over and found that the worst of it was a sprained ankle. During the long, slow hike out I had plenty of time to put together what had happened and was eventually able to recall what it was I had yelled on the way down.
It was "Oh my god!"
I think that in moments of peak stress we regress to our childhood expressions of panic or shock. Growing up, this is what all my friends and role models were saying. Still, interesting.
It was "Oh my god!"
I think that in moments of peak stress we regress to our childhood expressions of panic or shock. Growing up, this is what all my friends and role models were saying. Still, interesting.
