Yeah, switchbacks exist for a reason. That loose rock, the scree, is no joke. Learned the hard way on a steep descent in Utah. Now I just ignore anyone telling me to cut the trail.

My buddy Jake, like @kevinw94, bought three in a month.

Ugh, that's the worst feeling, isn't it? Honestly, I've wrecked a couple good pencils the exact same way. Did you manage to get any of the bigger pieces out first with tweezers? Sometimes if you can clear a little space, a needle can get better leverage on the smaller bits.

Ever notice how these weird patterns always seem to happen when you're tired or stressed? My brain starts connecting dots that aren't really there, making a random guy into a stalker. It's probably just our minds playing tricks.