First Time for Everything (Hardwear Sessions)

By Dawn Glanc

I was climbing yesterday, Friday February 22, 2008, outside a village called Saint Christophe with some other guides. After completing the first pitch, I was at the belay, just standing there with my friend Lissa. Her husband, Adrian, was up one ledge above us. I was waiting for Dylan to come up so he could take photos of the second pitch. Adrian had just built his belay and then shouted and alarming "ICE!"

A piece of ice about the size of a small pillow came from above all of us, almost out of no where. It happened so fast. It first hit the ledge Adrian was on, then came right at me and Lissa. We both tried to duck out of the way but the ice smacked me in my left cheek and then left forearm.

Blood spewed everywhere very quickly. I saw stars but never lost consciousness. The pain in my arm was worse than the pain in my face. The blood that was coming out and the reaction of Lissa was an indication that things were not good. Adrian quickly belayed Dylan up to me. Lissa helped me to get ice on the gaping wound and I put pressure on it with my neck gaiter. Dylan lowered me to the ground and began to figure out an evacuation plan with Adrian and Lissa. Once on the ground Lissa dressed the wound, checked my arm, and assessed the situation. The rest of the team carried my stuff and we all walked out about 40 min to the car. We had to stop half way back to the car to redress the face wound and splint my arm. Farmer, my boyfriend, was skiing that same valley with his clients that day. Farmer and his clients met up with me in the parking lot just a few minutes after we we arrived at the car. Adrian, Lissa and Dylan drove Farmer's clients back to La Grave in the work van. Farmer drove me to the hospital in Adrian's car.

The hospital was just over an hour away. I kept a bag of snow on my arm and Farmer drove like a bat out of hell to the hospital. After a long stint in the French emergency room I was treated. I had x-rays of my face and arm. No fractures either place. I did have a myo-facial specialist come in to give me stitches. All told I had 7 stitches on the interior of the wound and about 20 on the surface of the skin. The cut was x shaped and went through all the layers of the skin. My cheek is very swollen and I have a black eye.

I am very lucky that this is ALL that happened. The size of the ice chunk could have killed me if it had not hit the upper ledge first. I am also lucky that I was not hit in the eye. In 10 years of ice climbing this is my first show stopping injury ever. It was bound to happen sometime. The ice came from a third party that we did not know was above us. I never climb below other parties on the ice. This is what happens sometimes, its the other people you need to watch out for. I am now resting and recovering today. I have pain in my face and I look like shit. My arm is swollen but functional. I plan to get out and climb again in a few days. Got to get out and back in the saddle soon, for the ice will only be around for a few more weeks. Until next time... take care and have fun!