Kodak Courage

- Julie Ellison

ON MARCH 28, 2017, Italian pro climber Michele Caminati tied in to lead Elder Statesman (HXS 7a, or 5.14 R/X) at Curbar Edge in England. The day before, the 32-year-old had redpointed the route, an arête that in typical gritstone fashion offers technical moves and limited protection. In the five years previous, he’d also sent the notorious grit routes End of the Affair (E8 6c), The New Statesman (E8 7a), and Master’s Edge (E7 6c). Caminati had to proped Elder twice earlier that day before getting on the sharp end.

Caminati reached the crux, where he placed a piece in the crack six feet back from the arête, and then executed the sideways slap required to establish around the arête. His feet swung wildly, and he failed to control the pendulum. As he fell, his 10mm rope ran over the arête; as his weight came onto it, the rope sheared, resulting in a 25-foot groundfall that broke his heel and wrist and concussed his belayer.

After the accident, online discussion focused on why Caminati had chosen a single-rope system instead of the typical Peak District standard of two half ropes. On the first ascent in 2004, British climber Steve McClure had tied into three cords.

But a bigger question wasn’t asked: If Caminati had sent the dangerous route already, why had he returned?

As it turns out, he’d gone back to get video footage.