with permission
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dyno_heaven
- Posts: 179
- Joined: Thu Nov 18, 2004 2:40 am
It's this kind of stuff that lead me to realize that while a few of my best climbing experiences were with pick up partners, ALL OF MY WORST experiences were with same. It just isn't worth it.
The first time I climbed in Eldorado Canyon, we were relative beginners, and felt like we were ready for the challenge of the Bastille Crack (5.7). We were about half way up the route, and looked across to Redgarden Wall. There were two guys on The Bulge. The leader was above the namesake bulge, way run out, and seemed to be kind of stuck at a crux move. I could see his belayer far below, clipped in to the belay, but without any attachment to the lead rope what-so-ever. The rope ran down over the bulge, then hung out in space, with the end of it just swinging in the breeze. The belayer, who hadn't uttered a peep about his predicament, was leaning way out from the anchor, trying to catch the rope each time it swung by. Meanwhile, far above, the leader's body language told that he was trying to screw up his courage for a desperate lunge at the next hold.
I thought I was going to puke.
Finally the belayer manages to catch the rope, ties in, and gets the leader back on belay, just as he shakes through the move. I used to wonder if the belayer ever told on himself.
The first time I climbed in Eldorado Canyon, we were relative beginners, and felt like we were ready for the challenge of the Bastille Crack (5.7). We were about half way up the route, and looked across to Redgarden Wall. There were two guys on The Bulge. The leader was above the namesake bulge, way run out, and seemed to be kind of stuck at a crux move. I could see his belayer far below, clipped in to the belay, but without any attachment to the lead rope what-so-ever. The rope ran down over the bulge, then hung out in space, with the end of it just swinging in the breeze. The belayer, who hadn't uttered a peep about his predicament, was leaning way out from the anchor, trying to catch the rope each time it swung by. Meanwhile, far above, the leader's body language told that he was trying to screw up his courage for a desperate lunge at the next hold.
I thought I was going to puke.
Finally the belayer manages to catch the rope, ties in, and gets the leader back on belay, just as he shakes through the move. I used to wonder if the belayer ever told on himself.
Last edited by Day on Fri Nov 17, 2006 5:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
