John Long was seriously injured at the Rockreation climbing gym in Los Angeles when his bowline came untied and he fell feet to the floor, suffering a compound fracture to his lower left leg/ankle. It was an uncharacteristic mistake for a guy who’s achieved so much so boldly, including the first one-day ascent of the Nose in the mid 1970s and the first free ascent of Astroman with Ron Kauk and John Bachar. Long is also the author of more 40 books with more than two million copies in print including the immensely popular How to Rock Climb series. Long owns up to the huge screwup and has plenty of evidence of the cost of the mistake: “Double compound right at the ankle, and a big wound where the bone shot through. Long road back but I’ll make it.” Long has undergone two surgeries and is recovering at the hospital. A fund has been set up to help with the medical costs. Via Rock & Ice.

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Tags: Climbing

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