trad pratice

Post by KD » Thu Mar 10, 2005 6:26 pm

cleaning behind a good leader is an excellent way to learn.

Post by **Ascentionist** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 6:45 pm

Following a good leader is good and aiding short stuff or traverses near the ground. Just don't get in over your head. Its not a bad thing to develop some good judgement by making little mistakes. You just don't want to make big ones.

Post by **diggum** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 7:07 pm

When cleaning/following a good leader...are you to stop at the placement...look at it carefully, maybe take it out & try to put it back? I've just cleaned...I never thought to actually take the time to do all that other stuff.

Is this what y'all are suggesting? Scuze my ignorance...

Post by **dhoyne** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 10:29 pm

diggum wrote:When cleaning/following a good leader...are you to stop at the placement...look at it carefully, maybe take it out & try to put it back? I've just cleaned...I never thought to actually take the time to do all that other stuff.

Is this what y'all are suggesting? Scuze my ignorance...

Yep. Although it takes extra time, it teaches you how to place gear in the rock when you already know the size and type of gear to use and the correct location.

More importantly, it teaches you how to find a good stance while you're placing gear.

Just blindly pulling out the gear teaches you NOTHING.

Post by **J-Rock** » Thu Mar 10, 2005 11:46 pm

Follow lots of multi-pitch trad with an experienced leader to get a feel for various gear placements, strategies, anchor set-ups, etc. Then start leading some of the easier pitches...

Post by **steeever** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 12:04 am

start way below your sport redpoint grade, do everything everybody has said so far, but don't diss the hexes - the larger 4 or 5 sizes are cheap, light, passive and bomber pro when you know how to use them

Post by **ynot** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 12:09 am

I use a hex once a year.Don't even take them with me anymore.Most of them are fixed anchors somewhere.

Post by **pigsteak** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 1:35 am

ynot knows! hexes are worthless, unles you are trying to be ancient hardperson.

Post by KD » Fri Mar 11, 2005 1:38 am

diggum wrote:When cleaning/following a good leader...are you to stop at the placement...look at it carefully, maybe take it out & try to put it back? I've just cleaned...I never thought to actually take the time to do all that other stuff.

Is this what y'all are suggesting? Scuze my ignorance...

that is an excellent way to see how experienced leaders set pieces and to evaluate why the pro was in the way it was, or problems like overcamming/undercamming and if the peice walked in or out and why.

Post by **Wes** » Fri Mar 11, 2005 2:02 am

Just start leading. Fucking around on the ground just teaches you how to fuck around on the ground. It isn't like the routes at fortress are hard to protect or have mandatory run-outs. Following just teaches you to follow. Being on the sharp side teaches you how to lead.

Hexes are only cool for retro accents (like roadside attraction). I gave all but the 3-4 biggest ones away, and the others stay at home. Tri-cams are OK, but are can be tricky to place on lead. They are best of limited places where nothing else will work.

Wes