Story Tell me a short story from your life

[Apathy79]

My first ever mountaineering ascent was in Bolivia. At the time it was the hardest thing I'd ever done. On the way down, I was exhausted, and slipped on what seemed like a relatively no drama area to slip. Maybe 30 degrees down. And I just started sliding down the mountain. I was kind of giggling to myself and didn't really think anything of it, assuming I would just dig in at some point and crawl back up. Then I noticed everyone back on the trail freaking out, yelling and trying to pull me back on the rope. This annoyed me. None of them spoke English so I had no idea what it was about. I was absolutely wrecked. I'd come back up shortly. I was near the front anyway. I'd catch up. What the hell did they care if I lose 10 minutes like this. I have plenty of rope - they're not going to get pulled with me. But because they were freaking out I decided to try and fix it. So I jammed my crampons into whatever bits of snow I could find. But it wouldn't take. I just kept slowly sliding. Then I saw the overhang. THAT's what they were amped up about! About 20m in front of me this steady slide just ended, and there was nothing else. Just an empty void like looking out into the grand canyon. That's when I got real frantic, trying to dig everything in. I pulled the ice axe from its clip on my pack and managed to jam it into the ground maybe 5m from the edge. But it was surprisingly hard to pull myself up onto it with my momentum going the other way. I hung there for a few seconds, one hand on the axe, one on the rope, and feet loose until I could get some purchase with my crampons. When I finally managed to get tiny footholds for them, I pushed myself up and curled myself around the axe. Then looked back up and everyone had stopped yelling. It occurred to me they were probably about to cut the rope so they all didn't fall off with me. It was an eerie silence. Then I climbed back up to join them.

There probably should be a lesson in all of that but I never figured it out. Wild experience though!

 

[dissociation]

Tea is good, though I'm just a basic sweet tea lover lol. Well done. I hope it was satisfying and pleasant, you deserve that

The tea helps a little with my sore throat.

 

[PixelAngel]

It occurred to me they were probably about to cut the rope so they all didn't fall off with me. It was an eerie silence. Then I climbed back up to join them.

There probably should be a lesson in all of that but I never figured it out. Wild experience though!

Wow! Don't think I could ever climb like that. Rappelling is the closest I got and I was terrified of that. It's quite a thing though, seeing the upper end of your own individual importance like that. Like yeah they didn't WANT me to fall but if there was no stopping me, saving them would mean letting me go. Quite a lot to think on when such a thing happens to you.

The tea helps a little with my sore throat.

I've heard many great things about different teas but I have only liked a couple. I'd have to acquire the taste. Though I now feel a strong craving for a nice warm apple cider!