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How do you protect this?

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 9:10 pm
by L K Day
You're on one of the sketchy 5.10+ R rated routes on Eldorado Canyon's Redgarden Wall. You're in the middle of the crux pitch, and have just arrived at the first piece. It's an ancient angle that's had the shit beat out of it over the years. The eye is all but closed, and because of this, it's impossible to clip directly. There's a nasty piece of webbing threaded through the eye, and judging by the burn marks, some lucky bastard lowered directly through the webbing. You could replace the webbing, clip it, and go, but you notice that there is a wicked sharp peened edge on the pin that would undoubtedly slice the webbing in a fall. You could just clip the fresh webbing and downclimb, but you want this route. No potential for other gear. How do you turn this pin into a reasonably safe piece?

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 9:32 pm
by ynot
Girth hitch the pin itself?

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 9:35 pm
by L K Day
That's better than nothing but dependent on the angle of the pin so it's not always possible. I'd also be worried about what rope drag might do. Also, the edges that the hammer blows raised were really nasty.

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 9:52 pm
by ynot
I have seen some sketchy looking pins at Seneca,but there you can always place something else.
My next guess is slip a nut through the eye and clip it.
I tried the old sliding a nut up on a bolt trick once and it fell off. Left me run out trough the crux of the route. good times

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:00 pm
by L K Day
You might have it. Describe exactly.

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:18 pm
by goodguy
ya man, just take a small nut and slide the wire loop end through. Clip the loop and pull hard to set the nut against the pin. should stay. I hope!

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:43 pm
by ynot
Sounds like the solution. I think the swage on my set of nuts would set against the pin first though ,leaving me wondering if it would hold or not.

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:45 pm
by L K Day
goodguy,

That could work,if I follow what you're saying, a bigger nut would be better, but if you fell the nut would be pulled up hard against the eye, then the wire would zip through the nut until the swage is slammed up against the nut, then the looped end (normal clip in point) would pull throught the shrink wrap. I think it would hold, but you're nice wired nut would be pretty messed up. Anybody have another idea?

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:49 pm
by L K Day
The solution I'm thinking of is pretty simple and clean, I just never saw anyone else do it.

Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 10:57 pm
by ynot
I would try sliding the nut down its wire and putting the loop over the pin as close to the rock as possible and cinching the nut back up , then just clip the proper end of the nut. The trick there is being sure the nut stays where you put it.