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traide
Aug 17, 2002, 12:58 AM
Post #1 of 5
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Registered: Apr 13, 2001
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I have a question for the the aid climbers...
As I have never aid climbed, and have no real experience doing it, I wonder how frequent falls are. The only instance I can think of a person falling is if a placement pops. This is probably very inaccurate, but as I said, I have a very limited knowledge about this area of climbing, and am simply curios.
PLEASE do not take this to be an attack on aid climbing. (as another active post is doing...) I'm simply curious, and maybe will broaden my horizons someday and climb aid.
Thanks for the help.
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philbox
Moderator
Aug 17, 2002, 1:21 AM
Post #2 of 5
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Registered: Jun 27, 2002
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The likelyhood of an aid climber popping a piece and falling is pretty high especially when one considers that aiding is an addiction which fuels the need to get on even scarier aid everytime one goes out and survives a near death experience.
On a really hard aid climb you aren`t pushing it unless you pop a couple of pieces when testing them. The real thrilling ride comes when after you have tested a hook placement and you are moving up and the piece blows. It all happens too quick for you to do anything about it until after its all over and then the surprise sets in and you let out a whoop and a holler. After that you start checking for any injuries from flying aid pieces or contact with the rock.
Very fun actually and I try to avoid falling with a passion. Just remember that famous quote 'It`s all A1 until you fall".
...Phil...
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traide
Aug 17, 2002, 1:35 AM
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Registered: Apr 13, 2001
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thanks phil, that helps me understand a lot better.
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twrock
Aug 17, 2002, 2:09 AM
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Registered: Aug 8, 2002
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Having a piece pop has got to be the most common reason for a fall in aid climbing. I can imagine a few others: missing an awkward clip, loosing balance while topstepping, having a piece of gear break, having your fifi slip off, rolling off your portaledge in the middle of the night, I'm sure there's more.
I haven't done a lot of aid yet, but every fall I have taken has been from a piece popping. Unlike free climbing, it was sudden and without warning, not something I had time to prepare for in any way. I've had very few free climbing falls that I didn't at least have some idea were going to happen.
Just my $0.02.
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apollodorus
Aug 17, 2002, 3:06 AM
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Registered: Feb 18, 2002
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You can also take an aid fall when you move out to free a move, and all that gear and the wrong shoes vote you off the rock.
A hook can also slip off its tenous perch.
Or the rock you're moving up can break off; this is what they call "loose".
Or the awful dowels that are 20+ years old can break when you stand on them.
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