Lessons Learned
WISE WORDS. HELPFUL TIPS. SHARED EXPERIENCE.
do what your partner asks.
Everyone has different levels of comfort during the climbs and as partners we need to be willing to accommodate that with their best interest in mind without question. Unless the request will be causing more risk or potential danger.
Always carry a headlamp. Period.
It doesn't matter if you are just going out for an morning sport climb, short 3 pitch climb, or bouldering up in the woods... ALWAYS CARRY A HEADLAMP. It's happened to me and my friends more than once. We say: Its going to be an easy day... Its only 4 pitches... Oh no you can go first... Something can happen: it rains... You get your rope stuck during a repel... you struggle through a pitch... someone gets hurt... you need to rescue another party. Any number of things can happen through out the day, always be prepared to hike out in the dark. There isn't much that can be more scary then a 4th or 5th class down climb in the dark after evening showers.
Manage your rope at belay ledges.
Do not let your rope hang below your belay ledge unless the rock is smooth and unobstructed. Getting a rope end wedged or wrapped on the rock below you can cause a nightmare of a situation for the belayer/climber. Instead coil the rope over you personal anchor system (PAS) or pile it on the belay ledge. Think about where your followers are going to be sitting and who is going to lead next to best position the ropes.
Lap Coil ropes before Throwing.
Who ever goes first on a repel is going to have to deal with the mess that was just created when you throw the rope over the edge without neatly lap coiling it, also known as: a knot, rats nest, cluster f@#%, jumble f@#%ed, "...Pull it back up" in order of severity.
Some helpful tips:
-Do not coil the rope in a circular mountain coil fashion, this will cause the rope to pig tail and loops to cross each other.
-Coil a quarter of the rope from the anchor point outward (put on ground anchor side down), coil the rest (throw this bundle).
-Make sure someone is holding onto the rope when throwing so it doesn't keep going.
-When throwing into the wind, lap coil both ends of the rope together and tie a bundle.
-Make sure everyone is anchored in before throwing a rope, people tend to get hit, tangled in the rope, or loose balance.
Some helpful tips:
-Do not coil the rope in a circular mountain coil fashion, this will cause the rope to pig tail and loops to cross each other.
-Coil a quarter of the rope from the anchor point outward (put on ground anchor side down), coil the rest (throw this bundle).
-Make sure someone is holding onto the rope when throwing so it doesn't keep going.
-When throwing into the wind, lap coil both ends of the rope together and tie a bundle.
-Make sure everyone is anchored in before throwing a rope, people tend to get hit, tangled in the rope, or loose balance.
Gear Belongs on a harness or in a backpack.
Placing gear on the ground = gear falling into cracks or forgetting to pick it back up again. Because I have been such a stickler with my buddies on this I have had a few close calls but have yet to lose any gear due to this phenomenon. With all of the ropes and strings and cams hanging off of us at any given time, when gear is placed on the ground any and all movement is directed at lifting, pushing, hooking, or sliding gear around. Plain and simple. clip it to yourself, your PAS, the anchor, or give it to a partner to hold.
Treat your nut tool like an untrained dog. put it on a leash.
Whether you have yelled "Stop!... a little lower!" or hung there using your own strength to mess with getting a stuck piece out. Having my nut tool on a leash has prevented me from dropping my nut tool numerous times.
Dogs. Awesome, but unpredictable Poop machInes.
When dogs are running around the crag, make sure you have your rope/gear in a place where the dogs can not mess with them. Nothing quite like having a dog take a dump on your rope before you are about to lead to help with your mental game, not to mention now having to put that rope in your mouth while clipping. I have also heard stories of dogs treating backpacks like fire hydrants.
Rock Smash Tested. Approved Climber Tool.
You can be in the best mood or just finishing up an all day suffer fest up a climb, when something goes wrong. Also known as an epic day. One of my buddies recently rock smash tested one of his ropes, while on a climb, to salvage a short section of the rope, to rappel the rest of the way down... 4 rappels turned into 9 and only leaving $50 dollars on the wall (minus the rope). To their surprise the 9 mm rope took about 3-4 bashes before the rope suffered severe core damage and not too long after completely severing it. Good to know!
Seven useful tools for those epic days, when you don't have sharp rocks laying around:
1. Sharp folding knife (~3in): Cut ropes, spread peanut butter, peel fruit. 3" or less.
2. Lighter: Start your jet boil when the igniter doesn't work, start a fire, burn ends or ropes, sterilize tools.
3. Chap stick: Keep your lips from cracking, no one likes peeling lips.
4. 6mm prusik rope (3-4ft): Allows for transfer of loads, pass knots thru belay device, backup rappels, build haul pulleys.
5. 7mm static rope (~30ft): build bail anchors, repair/add to rappel station tat (click for bomber example).
6. Iodine tablets: back up water purification, after crack your ceramic filter or your fancy UV pen runs out of batteries.
7. Lots of toilet paper: Start fires or wipe your butt after you though you could hold it.
Seven useful tools for those epic days, when you don't have sharp rocks laying around:
1. Sharp folding knife (~3in): Cut ropes, spread peanut butter, peel fruit. 3" or less.
2. Lighter: Start your jet boil when the igniter doesn't work, start a fire, burn ends or ropes, sterilize tools.
3. Chap stick: Keep your lips from cracking, no one likes peeling lips.
4. 6mm prusik rope (3-4ft): Allows for transfer of loads, pass knots thru belay device, backup rappels, build haul pulleys.
5. 7mm static rope (~30ft): build bail anchors, repair/add to rappel station tat (click for bomber example).
6. Iodine tablets: back up water purification, after crack your ceramic filter or your fancy UV pen runs out of batteries.
7. Lots of toilet paper: Start fires or wipe your butt after you though you could hold it.
Crush it!! You got this!! Oh crap... is that crimper good enough to hang there for a sec?
Whether you are climbing with new people and there is a lot of teaching going on, climbing with your regular partners and you begin to get complacent on the basics, or you are out for a quickie after work. A common error at belay ledges that I have run into multiple times is the leader leaving their belay device in guide mode after bringing up your last follower and not realizing they don't have a belay device until they have reached the top (assuming you are not switching leads).
Basic checklist before starting the next lead:
-Is everyone clipped into the anchor and safe?
-Rope flaked or lap coiled? Is the climbers side on top of the pile or buried underneith?
-Passed all gear to leader?
-Does the follower have a nut tool?
-Does the leader have a belay device?
-Does the leader have gear for a top anchor?
-Does the leader know where the route goes?
going through the basics no matter who you are climbing with will save time and headaches should one of those items from the basic list be missed.
Basic checklist before starting the next lead:
-Is everyone clipped into the anchor and safe?
-Rope flaked or lap coiled? Is the climbers side on top of the pile or buried underneith?
-Passed all gear to leader?
-Does the follower have a nut tool?
-Does the leader have a belay device?
-Does the leader have gear for a top anchor?
-Does the leader know where the route goes?
going through the basics no matter who you are climbing with will save time and headaches should one of those items from the basic list be missed.
More Coming Soon! Personal experience and random thoughts will be added as they come.