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tygereye
Jul 23, 2002, 12:42 PM
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I've been sport climbing for almost a year now, and the idea of starting trad climbing just struck me. I've got one question, though.
Once you've reached the top of a route, how do you lower yourself back down?
Do you have to sacrifice your own gear or how does it work?
Any suggestions on websites or books to help me with more info?
Thanks guys!
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theclimer
Jul 23, 2002, 1:33 PM
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On a typical multipitch trad route, your route of descent will not necessarily be that of the ascent. Many times you will be able to walk off the climb by scrambling (or if you're lucky, there will be a trail). This makes it nice if you have thought ahead and brought along some light walking shoes. Other times, you will need to rappel from the top of the climb. In these cases, you will often find installed rap stations, either in the form of bolts or rings, or slings tied around stout trees.
If you can't find these rap stations, or you're in a remote area where none exist, you will have to fend for yourself. Using natural protection like trees is good, but you'll still have to sacrifice a sling or two. Otherwise, you'll have to leave behind some of your gear (i.e. nuts / cams). It's always a tradeoff of how much bail gear to leave behind ($$$) versus saving your gear (you might need it later on if this is a long descent!). When in doubt, err on the side of caution.
And kids...back up your rappels with an autoblock!
Regards,
Jeff
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ergophobe
Jul 23, 2002, 10:12 PM
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Quote:
Once you've reached the top of a route, how do you lower yourself back down? Do you have to sacrifice your own gear or how does it work?
Generally, you should leave something, preferably three cams for maximum security. Then PM me with the name of the route immediately upon your return.
Despite my advice, many climbers do not like this system, based on the small number of e-mails I receive with this information. Otherwise you usually do one of three things:
1. go over the top and walk off.
2. find that there are fixed anchors of some sort already in place and use them.
3. Set your own anchors using slings around blocks, flakes, trees, etc, jamming knots in cracks, hammering your own pins or bolts, or, leaving your own gear and sending me a PM with the route name.
A couple of important things:
1. Do NOT run the rope directly around trees because this WILL KILL THE TREE. Sacrifice a sling if you have to.
2. Don't run your rope directly around a block unless you want to fix your rope.
3. Rappel off, do not lower off. This is true for trad and sport. If you lower off you will wear out the bolts, chains, rap rings. If you lower off with the rope running through slings, you may well die. Unless you are prepared to do your part replacing bolt hangers and rap rings (and even then...) you should NEVER LOWER OFF AN ANCHOR! If you put your own draws on the anchor and lower through your own biners, that's okay.
Cheers,
Tom
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rmiller
Jul 23, 2002, 10:18 PM
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Jump! But don't forget your BASE rig.
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radistrad
Jul 24, 2002, 2:20 PM
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You will often find walk offs, which can be (but not always) 4th or easy 5th class. Raps off of trees and bolted rap stations.
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kevlar
Jul 28, 2002, 10:16 PM
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miller what is a BASE ring?
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tygereye
Jul 29, 2002, 5:30 PM
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Never heard of BASE jumping? Well, remembering your BASE rig implies that you should jump off mtn with a parachute. This could become a whole new topic of discussion...
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sparky
Jul 29, 2002, 5:57 PM
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walk offs are common, but every now a then there won't be a walk off sooooo take some runner (i like to ditch the super cheap 30cents a foot type) and find a nice horn or something along those lines, set up a rap anchor and head down, it is true that you won't get back your dollar worth of runner,and for that i am very sorry
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slcliffdiver
Aug 8, 2002, 2:03 AM
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When you bail it's often it's not a bad idea to add additional gear to back up what you're planning on leaving. Leave a tiny bit of slack in the back up protection so you know if what you're planning on leaving behind will hold. Then send the heavier climber(s) down first with most of the weight. Then the last and lightest person takes out the back up(s) and rapps. Use this as a supplement not an excuse to send the last person down on a crappy anchor. Make sure the last person down really knows what they are doing it doesn't help if they screw up the main anchor while taking down the backup protection or if they forget and leave a cam you were using in the back up.
Peace
David
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woodse
Aug 8, 2002, 2:51 AM
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Registered: Sep 25, 2001
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ergophobe that is exactly right.........
leave three cams, even a couple of good passive pieces of pro and call me with the route name!!!
woodsE
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wildtrail
Aug 8, 2002, 9:45 PM
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Registered: Jul 6, 2002
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BASE is an acronym for Building, antennae, span (Bridge), and Earth
"Parachuting" from sturctures, etc.
Or, crazy people jumpin' off things!
Steve
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nailzz
Aug 10, 2002, 6:40 AM
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Registered: Jun 13, 2001
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I think all the usual (and even one unusual i.e. BASE jumping) forms of descent have been covered already.
Walk-offs
Rap Stations
Stout Trees and/or Bomber Blocks
The only thing I would add is to get as much beta as you can before leaving the ground. If you are just starting trad you really have no business venturing off into remote and barely travelled climbing areas. The learning curve is too steep and the consequences of getting into a bad situation too severe if you ask me. So, stick to popular routes and ask parties ahead of you, behind you, and all around you about the descent.
Also, pore over that guidebook and soak up as much information about the route and the descent as you can. If you're taking a pack, take the book with you and study it between pitches so you don't get off-route midway and find yourself out in no-man's land with no good options for ascent or descent.
Be safe and think about what you are doing, and trad climbing will be a great thing for you.
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