RRC Archives

you should never run away from the wall to take up slack.

meetVA, Just enjoy the ride up! Haven't you caught Wes on a whipper already?

meetVA,

If you weigh a substantial amount less than the climber, the only thing you need to remember is to not "sit" on the rope when the climber falls. The difference in weight is usually enough to give a soft catch.

As far as running away to take up slack - If you keep the climber fairly close except for when they are clipping, there shouldn't be a problem with taking up slack. I don't think there are too many routes (there are some) where you would have to make a run for it. But, in the long run it's better for you to get pulled across the ground than for the climber to deck. Ahhh. Sacrifices.

Unexpected falls don't happen all that much if you climb with the same people over and over. And, if you pay attention to the climber at all times. About the only time a fall will happen unexpectedly is if a hold breaks. Most other times there will be warning signs such as heavy breathing, gunting, shoulders sagging. Usually the last sign is when the climber's butt drops a bit.

Hope this helps.

Question for the masses: If you see someone belaying dangerously, do you address it?

Or any other unsafe practice? First it would have to be assumed that you truly know that a practice is unsafe. If you are confident, then you should say something. Some things are evident like, "Hey, your Z clipped, back clipped, etc." Other things are not so clear cut. For instance, with belaying, when is someone standing too far back and/or has too much rope payed out to be safe? Certainly no one wants too be Belay Police.

does everyone know that mr. wizard got busted for sodomizing animals?

moonbeam wrote:Usually the last sign is when the climber's butt drops a bit.

I knew you were looking at their ass while they climb.

no it's true captian static! he got arrested at a local dairy farm in northern massachusetts for molesting cows. there was a big story on the whole affair on that news program on disney. speaking of disney, anyone heard that walt cryogenically froze himself?

Right next to Bob Marley?

rhunt wrote:you should never run away from the wall to take up slack.

The only place to do this is Stone Mountain - home of the running belays.

They describe the running belay technique in the guide book for Stone Mountain. In some cases, runout slab climbing, it's the only way to keep your partner from decking albeit crazy.