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nostalgia
May 28, 2006, 2:47 PM
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Registered: Jun 18, 2004
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First off, thanks to Taino and the Climbing Gods for a great day of climbing at the Gunks!
My brother in law (Artie, 16) and I arrived in the West Trapps lot at 8, greeted by muggy weather, a chipper Taino, and wet rock. No problem, we need some gear placement practice, anyway.
After placing all sorts of different pieces from Tai's extensive (expensive) rack, we were off to find something to climb. Alfonse? Too wet at the bottom. Ah, here we go. Beginner's Delight; how apropos.
We got flaky with our ropes, then tied in. Tai at the helm, Artie in the middle, and me bringing up the rear.
The first two pitches were fun, relaxed climbing. The fog started to burn off, and the views were spectacular, as they are wont to be at the Gunks. We looked down on the turkey vultures thermalling below us.
At the second belay ledge, Tai got ready to turn the lead over to me while we let a speedy pair of simul-climbers play through.
Tai: "Ok Joe, here's all the gear. Take whatever you think you'll need."
Joe: ::blank stare:: "Um...everything?"
Artie: "You missed some draws over here."
So, geared up, sacked up, on belay and ready to go, Tai gives me the lowdown on the route.
Tai: "The route goes up and over this roof here, up about 6 feet, then there's another one just like this in the other direction."
Joe: "Gulp."
And so I was off on my first adventure at the sharp end. Tai clipped my rope into the anchor, explaining how that would keep all of the force from landing on Artie in the event of a fall before the first piece. I think he did that just to bolster my confidence.
A couple feet up there was a solid piton. That was my first piece. Clip the sling, extend the sling, clip the rope. Hey, this is easy. Then I turned the corner on the overhang.
I placed my first piece, setting the cam as Tai taught me. Are the lobes cammed enough? Check. Fairly evenly cammed? Check. Will it walk easily? Nope, check. Ok, clip, clip, climb.
Placement time again. Here's a horizontal that'll take this #2 camalot here. Hmmm...not a great placement, but not bad. A couple feet higher looked more promising, but I placed the cam anyway, since I knew Tai would be critiquing. A few feet up I got a beautiful nut placement, and kept rolling.
There was a small cam in a vertical crack, then the second roof was fun. When I came around that corner, and was completely exposed on gear I had just set, it was a definite rush. That's when it was all worth it.
I got to a good stance and was hunting around to place my last piece. I found a place to slot a nut and climbed up to the top. I was so excited, that for a minute I completely forgot what I was doing. Hey look, there's the tree I'm suppoed to anchor to.
Once my brain spun out of neutral, I slung the tree with the 4' sling I had, then clipped the two biners to a 2' sling, twisting the center to make a sliding X. Hmmm...I'm not really comfortable with that. So I threw my cordalette around the tree and tied a figure 8 in it. Only later did it occur to me that I could have just girth hitched the 4' sling instead of just tossing it around the tree and clipping both ends. Like I said, I was a little flustered :)
After putting the rope through my ATC, I realized I should probably pull all of the slack up to me ;) So I started doing that. Boy there's a lot of resistance. Ummm..."TAI, OFF BELAY!" Yea, that's much better.
After that, my brain came back to life fully, and the bringing up Artie and Tai was uneventful. Tai gave me my gear critique, saying he loved all of my pieces (while climbing? eeewwww) except for that one cam. I was very excited to hear that!
We took a break, tied the ropes together and rapped down. I'm not sure using the term "European Death Knot" inspired confidence in Artie, though...
Then out of nowhere came an ESPN announcer.
"Joe Fisher! You've just done your first trad lead! What are you going to do now?"
"I'm going to Disneyland."
And so we did :) And that's another story all by itself.
So now, of course, I can't wait to do it again! I can almost hear the vacuum in my checking account...
-Joe
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moose_droppings
May 28, 2006, 4:07 PM
Post #2 of 14
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Registered: Jun 7, 2005
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Good report, easy reading, I could feel your jitters.
In reply to: Boy there's a lot of resistance. Ummm..."TAI, OFF BELAY!" Yea, that's much better. |
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climbinhigh18
May 29, 2006, 1:54 PM
Post #4 of 14
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Registered: Dec 15, 2005
Posts: 27
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well done bro, keep up the good work... cya out there, K
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saxfiend
May 29, 2006, 4:13 PM
Post #5 of 14
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Registered: Dec 31, 2004
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Nice work! Must have been pretty exciting doing your first lead on a multi-pitch at the Gunks.
In reply to: Tai clipped my rope into the anchor, explaining how that would keep all of the force from landing on Artie in the event of a fall before the first piece. I think he did that just to bolster my confidence.
I think this is a good habit. I've been told you always want to protect the anchor and/or belayer to avoid a factor 2 fall. Better yet, get in a piece just above the anchor and clip it before you start off on the pitch.
JL
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nostalgia
May 29, 2006, 6:04 PM
Post #6 of 14
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Registered: Jun 18, 2004
Posts: 793
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In reply to: Nice work! Must have been pretty exciting doing your first lead on a multi-pitch at the Gunks.
In reply to: In reply to: Tai clipped my rope into the anchor I think this is a good habit. I've been told you always want to protect the anchor and/or belayer to avoid a factor 2 fall. Better yet, get in a piece just above the anchor and clip it before you start off on the pitch.
-Joe
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sungam
May 29, 2006, 6:29 PM
Post #7 of 14
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Registered: Jun 24, 2004
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Awsome!
Trad climbing is definitly the top of tops as far as rock climbing goes, and there is nothing like a lead.
If i said that my first lead was my most memorable, i would be lying. Nor was it my first fall.
If I told you what it really was, then that would be telling :wink:
You've got alot to look foreward to, and climb on!
-Magnus
Edited because i can't spall
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rockguide
May 29, 2006, 6:34 PM
Post #8 of 14
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Registered: Nov 8, 2004
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Congratulations!
It sounds like you had a great introduction to trad! I am slightly jealous as I have not climbed in the Gunks. I hope to make it out there this fall.
Brian
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taino
May 30, 2006, 5:50 PM
Post #9 of 14
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Registered: Jan 2, 2003
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Very nice TR, Joe, and congrats on your first trad lead. You did an excellent job, truly. :wink:
Now, to save yourself time, just have your paycheck direct-deposited to Rock & Snow.
In reply to: In reply to: Tai clipped my rope into the anchor, explaining how that would keep all of the force from landing on Artie in the event of a fall before the first piece. I think he did that just to bolster my confidence. I think this is a good habit. I've been told you always want to protect the anchor and/or belayer to avoid a factor 2 fall. Better yet, get in a piece just above the anchor and clip it before you start off on the pitch. JL
The first reasonable piece of gear off the anchor is the old piton - and it's more than "a couple feet" from the anchor. The anchor itself served, this time, as a first piece; however, in general I would agree with you - get in a piece of gear just above and clip before you go.
T
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saxfiend
May 30, 2006, 6:54 PM
Post #10 of 14
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Registered: Dec 31, 2004
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In reply to: The first reasonable piece of gear off the anchor is the old piton - and it's more than "a couple feet" from the anchor.
JL
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pjcozzi
Jun 1, 2006, 12:17 AM
Post #11 of 14
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Registered: Sep 19, 2003
Posts: 75
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Congrats Joe! Nice lead. Now I'd love to know how many times Tai has been on that route. 20? 30?
Patrick
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pwhitford
Jun 1, 2006, 12:37 AM
Post #12 of 14
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Registered: Feb 24, 2006
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Excellent first lead.
As far as clipping the anchor, I thought it wasn't a good idea to clip through the anchor. If you fall the anchor has to hold the lead fall and the belayer needs to counter that force(or he/she will slam into the anchor) so the anchor ends up taking up to 2X the force of the lead fall(since the belayer may not be directly underneath the anchor, it could result in less than 2X, but the force on the anchor would then be out somewhat, rather than straight down). If you don't clip into the anchor and you fall before the first piece, then the anchor needs to take the force of the lead fall plus the resting weight of the belayer(or less if the belayer has solid footing), which is probably less than 2X the lead fall.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong. I can't remember where I picked this up, but it seems to make sense when I draw the force diagrams out. Perhaps the extra length of rope from the belayer to the anchor decreases the fall factor slightly, but probably doesn't reduce it by 50%, where not clipping it seems like it would.
-Paul
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taino
Jun 1, 2006, 2:24 AM
Post #13 of 14
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Registered: Jan 2, 2003
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In reply to: Congrats Joe! Nice lead. Now I'd love to know how many times Tai has been on that route. 20? 30? Patrick
According to my records: 10.
To pwhitford, yes - you're on the right track. It was a judgement call - let the leader fall onto a VERY strong anchor, or directly onto the belay of a guy who hadn't, to my knowledge, ever caught a lead fall. Even with my backing them up, it wasn't something I wanted to test.
I chose the former.
T
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trenchdigger
Jun 1, 2006, 3:47 AM
Post #14 of 14
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Registered: Mar 9, 2003
Posts: 1447
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Congrats on your first lead! Sounds like you were much better prepared than many of the folks here on their first lead. That means you've got a good mentor. Props to Taino for passing on the knowledge. Keep up the good work, both of you.
A trophy for each of you...
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