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I used to be really into rock climbing. Had ambitions of doing Yosemite big walls. Met a climbing buddy that was much more experienced than me and had same crazy ambitions as me.
>He starts teaching me everything he knows
>we climb and train like mad men four over a year
>I’m getting pretty good
>consistently leading 5.12’s
>crack climbing in Indian Creek, Utah to prepare for Yosemite
>we go to some local crags for some big overhang sport climbs
>always belayed with ATC
>decided to try belaying with Petzyl GriGri
>never belayed lead with it before, only top rope
>buddy climbing strong, everything going good
>buddy about 60’ up big overhang
>says he’s a bit gassed and gonna take a fall
>prepare myself for the fall with rope behind my back
>buddy falls
>grigri doesn’t lock
>rope burns through my hand as he falls to the rocks below
>buddy somehow lands so perfectly that he has no injuries other than some whiplash
I don’t know what kinda guardian angel we had that day but my buddy came out of it completely unscathed other than a sore neck. I had a wicked burn on my hand from the rope. The whole incident freaked me out so bad that I couldn’t sleep for 3 days and lost all ambitions to climb anymore. I went climbing with my buddy one other time after that but I had a horrible panic attack while belying him and quit climbing for good that day. Climbing buddy moved away about a year later and I haven’t talked to him in about 15 years. Last I heard he was serious into mountaineering up in Alaska.
