112 | Jason Niemeier: An "Eldo" Accident - Partner Vetting, Ledge Falls & Processing Blame

Jason met a new climbing partner through a Facebook group, vetted him over a few conversations, and went to Eldorado Canyon for their first route together. Twenty feet up the Yellow Spur, his partner fell onto a ledge—rope behind the leg, face-first impact... broken wrist and severe facial trauma. This episode walks through the accident sequence, the rescue, and what Jason feels went wrong. Despite multiple outreaches, his injured partner stopped communicating with him after the accident and has left Jason to process and reflect on the accident alone. He reflects on partner vetting, extending gear on traverses, communication during high-consequence terrain, attentive belaying, and processing the guilt of an accident where someone gets badly hurt and disappears. In this conversation we cover topics such as: finding partners online, multi-pitch trad climbing, ledge fall dynamics, first aid response, and helmet effectiveness.Watch the full episode on Youtube#ClimbingAccident #TradClimbing---Thanks to our sponsors!LIVSN DesignsCheckout their Highland Sweater HereUse Code "TCM15" At Checkout for an extra 15% OFF Your OrderHelp Support The Show & Unlock The Ad-Free Podcast---