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Climbing Disciplines:
Trad Climbing:
How to attract a trad mentor--be a great follower:
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leezerdgirl
Sep 13, 2006, 5:17 PM
Views: 12752
Registered: Sep 8, 2005
Posts: 141
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In another thread, it came up that it can be hard to find a mentor for trad climbing. My strategy for getting and keeping mentors has been to try to be the best follower I can be, and then learn as much as I can from the leader. So I was thinking, what would be good advice to give someone who is trying to be a good follower?
It would be great to get lots of people's ideas on what makes someone an attractive partner as a follower. To kick things off, here are some of the things I've learned along the way.
1) Learn how to give a great lead belay--never short roped, never too much slack, always ready to brake, anticipating what the leader is going to do next.
2) Learn how to retrieve gear so you never lose a piece, and have a system for organizing it as you gather it so that handing it back to the leader is orderly and efficient. This means paying attention and asking questions about how the leader racks his or her gear.
3) Know enough about rope management that you can anticipate what the leader needs and help out, for example by coiling ropes after a climb, reflaking or flipping piles of ropes as needed, keeping ropes out of cracks and from dangling off ledges, etc.
4) Know how to take care of yourself and keep yourself safe so the leader doesn't have to worry about you.
5) Research the climbing area and have good ideas about routes to try, but be up for anything that's safe and within your limits.
6) Always anticipate and be ready for the next thing that needs to happen so that you don't waste time, e.g. use the time you're on the belay ledge but not actively belaying or climbing to get a drink, put on your shoes, check the route map, etc.
7) Learn how the leader likes to communicate with the follower, e.g. what commands, what is the protocol if you can't see and hear each other, are jokes and beta appreciated or not.
7) Be willing to drive and split costs. Work out an agreement ahead of time about compensation if gear gets dropped, damaged, or lost.
8) Don't promise things you can't deliver.
9) Don't act like you know more than you do.
10) Be prepared for an emergency, e.g. both partners should know where the cell phone is, if it works in that location, know where the car keys are, be able to escape the belay, have some basic first aid skills, etc.
11) Be willing and able to carry half the load on the approach and descent.
12) Make sure you understand any time constraints, e.g. if you need to be off the top before afternoon lightning storms.
13) Be upbeat and supportive and have a good time no matter what happens even if you have to back off a climb, i.e. always have a good attitude. And extra snacks.
Other ideas?
(This post was edited by leezerdgirl on Apr 13, 2007, 9:49 PM)
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Edit Log:
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Post edited by leezerdgirl
() on Apr 13, 2007, 9:49 PM
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