|
|
Forums:
Climbing Information:
General:
Re: [bigwhitej] HIgh first bolts:
Edit Log
|
|
spikeddem
Jun 27, 2008, 9:47 AM
Views: 2334
Registered: Aug 27, 2007
Posts: 6319
|
A FIRST bolt at 20' is the same as a SECOND bolt at 20' when the first bolt is 13' or less. If you feel any safer in the second scenario, you are kidding yourself!
Once the distance between your tie-in point and the most recent protection plus the length of your legs exceeds the distance to the ground, the belay is essentially off! (Forgiving slab climbers with a belayer set to RUN.)
This is why it is so annoying to have such low starting bolts in climbing gyms. In most gyms I have been to, the belay almost always goes "off" while the climber is clipping the second bolt. I'm not saying the belayer shouldn't do his or her best to catch the fall, but the climber should definitely understand that it is often a difficult fall to catch.
Edit: It's worth mentioning that sometimes, depending on the route, I'll just spot until the second bolt is clipped. With the nice rubbery landing, I can often do more by spotting than by holding on to the useless rope. Of course, I'd discuss such a thing with the climber to see what they'd prefer.
(This post was edited by spikeddem on Jun 27, 2008, 9:50 AM)
|
|
|
Edit Log:
|
|
Post edited by spikeddem
() on Jun 27, 2008, 9:50 AM
|
|
|
|
|
|
