Belaying

[krampus]

I just reread that post and realize the first line came out way harsher that was intended, I did not mean to degrade any ones opinion on the matter. When I'm with nonsmoker, I don't do it and don't have a problem with that cus I understand. I really just meant that people who don't smoke or do any drugs for that matter don't know what effect a drug really has on a person. For something as widely debated as the legality of pot there will certainly be evidence to support both sides, therefore opinions should be respected but conclusions should not be drawn until experience is available.

[pigsteak]

so kramp is saying light up a blunt, belay your best friend, and see how your reaction tme is..right, ya gotta get experience?

[rohr]

Alcohol... A mid-day beer while climbing doesn’t bother me. But if someone is drinking much more than that, I’m either gonna call it a day and join them in drinking, or find someone else to belay me.

Pot... I’m not the first to say this, but I’d pick the experienced belayer with a little THC in their system over the newbie belayer. As far as the effects of pot on belaying skills, I don’t really know. I’m neither a smoker nor a researcher on the matter, so I can’t really make an informed judgment on that. Having said that, everything else being equal, I’d rather have a stone-cold sober belayer. I’ve heard many a partaker argue that pot doesn’t affect judgment, reaction time, etc. It’s almost like they’re arguing that pot has no effect on users. That’s obviously bullshit, because if it has no effect, why would people use it?

Some climbers are lucky enough to have found the perfect climbing partner. I’m not one of those people. So, if I want to climb, I can only have so many reasons to reject a potential climbing partner. I’ve seen people at the crag who smoke a bit and turn into giggly bumbling idiots. I’m not going to let a person like that belay me. But if someone who has been climbing for a while and seems like a safe climber and belayer has a couple puffs during the day, I won't hesitate to let them belay me.

[tbwilsonky]

pot ruins lives because it automatically leads to hard drugs and/or prostitution.

clearly this is not good for belaying.

[tbwilsonky]

i'm a PhD student in knowing exactly what's going on.

all the time. everything. exactly.

[TradMike]

I have not seen any drinking and climbing in sport or trad. Now, a beer after a hard day of climbing is hard to beat. I have seen some audacious climbs done while people were smoking. It didn't seem to affect them at all. A party behind us on Petit Grepon blazed up at every belay. You don't see that every day but on occasion. I'd say the vast majority are sober though.

Dennis Leary once said, "Marijuana doesn't lead to hard drugs, it leads to fucking carpentry!"

[dustonian]

Ha, that carpentry comment is funny. I've climbed el cap in a day with guys who smoked a doob each time we swapped leads... that's about one j every 4-5 pitches. It just affects some people (chronic users notably) differently than others... without smoking these same guys can be tense, grouchy, and unmotivated, with it they're some of the strongest most solid folks I've climbed with. I don't like smoking up there because I get too friggin' thirsty, slow and safety conscious!

As for booze, sure one shitty lite beer is fine. Beyond that save it for the parking lot or the frat party, bra.

[anticlmber]

pot ruins lives because it automatically leads to hard drugs and/or prostitution.

clearly this is not good for belaying.

or freedom

support terrorism you hippies.

[cliftongifford]

I'd rather have a high belayer than a sober one... Smoke a pound for all I care. I also don't give a shit if my belayer has a beer or two at the crag. Relax, have fun, and don't rain on my parade.

[krampus]

so kramp is saying light up a blunt, belay your best friend, and see how your reaction tme is..right, ya gotta get experience?

now your catching on piggy. "never climbed before, its cool smoke this doobie, its more performance enhancing than steroid, and less rage."