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So I read 2 articles today on facebook. One from American Alpine club and one from the RRG Fixed gear initiative. Both are recommending us lower from the anchors now rather than Rappelling. I have been climbing in the Red for about 8 years now and I have always heard it is more ethical to Rap than Lower. I just wanted to get your all thoughts on this issue. Do you Rap or lower?

This topic hasn't been beaten like the proverbial dead horse.

To say it is more ethical to rappel on a one pitch route is completely stupid when quicklinks are a dollar and easily replaceable.

I dont worry about the cost as much as I worry about people actually keeping up with it.

milspecmark wrote:I don't worry about the cost as much as I worry about people actually keeping up with it.

"People" include you. Do your part to make sure the anchors are good on the routes you climb. Even if just a small minority of people does that, everything is fine, because those chains can take thousands of lowerings before they become dangerous. So ~1 person in a thousand carrying a couple of extra quicklinks in their bag is good. Be that person.

quicklinks or the missing link?

Don't you just love revisionism

captain static wrote:Don't you just love revisionism

Well, when the revisionism is in the right direction... The ability to change your mind in the face of solid reasoning/facts is a rather valuable, and rare, thing these day. I'm all for celebrating it.

Climbing in the Red almost a decade and you really don't know what the general consensus is yet?

This topic has been beat to death several times already but to answer your question I lower 98% of the time. It's easier, faster, and generally safer.

captain static wrote:Don't you just love revisionism

This is not revisionism. This is evolution based upon best practice to mitigate risk. Less people decking or dying beats out the traditionalists need to preserve a piece of metal.