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celticelement
May 18, 2003, 2:49 AM
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Registered: Dec 14, 2002
Posts: 205
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I finally got out to the rock again today.
I went out and bought a crash pad so I don't have to hook up with a partner. Getting a partner, the weather, and I all on the same schedule so I can go set up a TR and climb, has been difficult. So, I thought, maybe I could reduce the need for a partner by getting a pad. All I have to do now is make my move when the weather clears.
So, I went to REI to get my pad. I was grateful that they are having a sale where I get 20% off of one item. I saved enough on the pad to go ahead and pick up the BD headlamp I have been wanting.
Then I head out to Carderock as it is the place I am most familiar with.
Once I get up on the rock and look down I realize that the angle of the rock presents a slightly disturbing twist to the 'fall - get caught by pad' sequence. I realize that if I am stretched out and fall, I will probably bounce off the rock on my way down. Me, being the pathetic wimp that I am, I decide to not test this theory and proceed to downclimb. In my later climbs I make more effort to find places where the pad has a good line-of-sight on the rock face. This is a little difficult for me to do because a great amount of the climbs have this angular problem, and the ones that don't I don't think I could get up anyway, being rather unskilled in the climbing discipline.
I would like to know how more experienced climbers deal with rock obstructed fall lines when boldering. What kind of a concern is it to you? And what will you do to avoid the problems presented by such a thing?
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misha
May 18, 2003, 2:56 AM
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Registered: Nov 27, 2002
Posts: 344
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Get a spot, or just go balls out.
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xanx
May 18, 2003, 3:24 AM
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Registered: Aug 6, 2002
Posts: 1002
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sounds like a spot won't help him - it seems to me like there is a ledge or something beneath him, or a really slabby boulder... some piece of rock between him and the pad. i would say either just try and push out enough to clear the rock when u fall, or try really hard not to fall (duh!) or find another boulder... or just suck it up and hope for the best.
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chingas
May 18, 2003, 4:43 AM
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Registered: Apr 11, 2003
Posts: 101
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How often do you climb outdoors?
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psych
May 18, 2003, 5:36 AM
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Registered: Jan 30, 2002
Posts: 416
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Are you climbing a bouldering route, or an actual sport climb partways up? I'd not advise the latter, mainly due to the fact that anything you can go up easily at the bottom 15-20 feet or so (the max you'd want to use a single crashpad for, unless you've got mighty big cahones) is going to be too angled into the wall, as you say.
Actual boulder problems should be hard enough that if you're going to peal it'll be near the lower bit. Maybe pick a harder boulder problem, something overhung a little, so when you fall you know it'll be on the pad. Just be sure to position the pad where you're most likely to need it.
Have fun and be SAFE!
Mike...
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overlord
May 18, 2003, 9:35 AM
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Registered: Mar 25, 2002
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and get a spotter. spotting when bouldering is the same as belaying doing sport/trad/aid...
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willstuckey
May 19, 2003, 3:21 PM
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Registered: Oct 17, 2002
Posts: 4
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hay mate ive been climbing for about a year now and i find that i also get this problem so i normally en dup going cbouldering with mates and we like double up the mats and my partner also helps by spotting the holds and you will find that this helps you even more so try taking a partner with a mat and double up
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