Headgear for Climbers

Helmet Head- A hair cut that forms a perfect “helmet” shape around the head itself. Many times this can be accomplished by a horrible haircut and lack of caring in the morning tossed with a side of being a boner. This non-trendy look is usually seen on people with the name “Mike”.
“Man, Mike walked in this morning with some crazy helmet head! Die it pink and he’d look …….!!”

There are a couple other urban definitions, but enough joking. This is an important topic. We’re discussing helmets and protecting our attic, belfry, brain, capitulum, coconut, cranium, crown, dome, gray matter, noggin, noodle, skull, tank, top story, upstairs, etc….. You get the picture.

During a 3½-year study Bowie, Hunt, and Allen reviewed 451 injuries reported by 220 climbers in Yosemite. The sources of the injuries varied, but 144 climbers reported injuries from lead falls. Data was collected when climbers arrived at the Yosemite Medical Clinic or were rescued by U.S.N.P.S. and YOSAR (Yosemite Search and Rescue). A larger portion, 227 of the 451 injuries reported, were to the skin or subcutaneous tissue. Of the remaining injuries, 127 were to the lower extremities including the femur, knee, tibia/fibula, ankle, and foot. Twenty-nine were to upper extremities including the shoulder, forearm, wrist, and hand. Twenty-five injuries were reported to the head (skull/brain). Of the remaining injuries, ten were sustained around the face and neck area.

Let me deviate for a second, I just found this funny. Quoting Lead Climbing Injuries, “The study also showed that falls are not the cause of injury; it depends on how the climber lands after the fall.” This sounds like a familiar joke. It’s not the fall that kills you, it’s the landing? Anyway, it goes on to say that the nature of the contact surface is important. Ya.

So most importantly, the study points out that there were a total of thirty-five head plus neck-related injuries; Four injuries related to lead climbing were fatal, and all of these were head injuries. The good news is only 8% of total injuries reported were head/neck injuries. Thus, during a fall it is less likely you will break your neck than something less critical.

Let’s face it, if you fall in a way that breaks your damn neck, a helmet won’t help. With that in mind let’s consider, “What are helmets good for?” They’re designed to protect your head from falling debris, whether it’s loose rock or a stray carabiner. They also offer some protection in the event of a fall. I say some because getting flipped upside down by the rope, taking a swinging pendulum, or tripping on the decent, makes the possibilities for banging your head almost endless. Oh, and how about the smack upside the head your friend doles out when you’re caught checking out the ripped 5.13 climber chick/guy next route over. Oh Never mind, that would be a hand impact. Lets worry about rocks and falls.

So it’s a no-brainer, right? Maybe I shouldn’t put it that way, but helmets are a good thing. Say it again, “helmets are a good thing.” You got it, now we just need to understand a few things to get the helmet that best protects our priceless peanut. Things we’ll consider are the standards, testing to which helmets manufacturers comply, and helmet design. Lastly, a sample of helmets on the market. It’s a lot of info, but if you care about your head read on.

Certification Standards and Testing

It should be remembered that standards set minimum performance criteria. There is an argument that standards encourage manufacturers to produce helmets that barely pass. Some manufacturers use this to produce the lightest possible helmet, or to keep costs down and produce budget models. It could equally be argued that it is better to encourage helmet use by competitive pricing and enhancing user friendliness, at the cost of some performance.

British Mountaineering Council Technical Committee (BMC)

The point of the quote is to make you consider so-called standards. Standards are just relative measures. Often they are the product of technological limits. No sense creating a standard that no one can meet. They can also be the product of assumptions about an activity. Climbing helmet standards are no different. They have come a long way, but they have limits. Standards just provide a minimum that hopefully achieves some consistency across the manufacturing spectrum. Hopefully, they also define a level of real protection.

Let’s get this certification thing straight. You are going to see any number of “certifications” when you go shop for a helmet. It can be a little confusing. For all you know those things are just marketing gimmicks and mean nothing. However, they can have important meaning. The cool numbers may give you piece of mind (“piece of mind”, get it?), but I’m pretty sure we can take it a little further. Here’s certifications you’ll see.

CEN or CE – European Committee for Standardization, they set the European standards. EN (European Standard) is a document that has been adopted by one of the three recognized European Standardization Organizations. In the case of our helmets it’s the CE.

UIAA - The International Mountaineering and Climbing Federation. “The prime feature of UIAA Safety Standards is that they are developed by mountaineers and climbers FOR the mountaineering and climbing community.” In the case of most of our gear the UIAA collaborates with the CE to establish uniformity of standards. In some cases, the UIAA asks for additional tests making the certification stricter than the CE. This is true of helmets. Thus, if you see the “UIAA” certification, the helmet has been tested to a higher (better) standard. For example, you could see standards advertised in many forms.

1. Certification: CE – UIAA
2. CE EN 12492/UIAA
3. CE Certified
4. CE / UIAA 106 / 3 Sigma rated

I pulled these from various helmets. It’s actually redundant to put “CE/UIAA” on a helmet, as you’ll see. The last one shows the 3-Sigma rating. Don’t freak out it’s just a statistical measure that makes for good advertisement. It implies that all helmets fall within a certain statistical limit (3 sigma). Meaningless for most of us. However, there are variances during manufacture (FYI 3_sigma implies that 99.7% of the products [helmets] will meet the standard). Ain’t that good news. The implication is not all helmets are going to meet the standard.

Originally, EN12492 the standard for “Helmets for mountaineers” was written with the dangers of alpine climbing in mind. Designing a helmet for use in the mountains is concerned with two primary factors 1) protecting the wearer’s head from falling stones and 2) the penetration of the helmet (and the head) by sharp-edged stones. Additionally, the retention system (chin-strap) has to be designed to retain the helmet on the wearer’s head.

To be sold within the EU, climbing helmets must have been independently tested and shown to have met or exceeded the requirements of EN12492. In addition, if the slightly stricter requirements of the UIAA 106 standard are met, then the manufacturer has the option of applying the UIAA Safety Label to the product. To my knowledge there is no such restriction to selling climbing helmets in the U.S. so be wary of uncertified helmets. And again, the UIAA certification improves on the EN standard, hence the redundancy.

So what’s all the EN/UIAA standard gobly-gook mean for helmet testing? It’s simple. It outlines these tests, weights and results:

Vertical impact test – A 5 kg rounded weight is dropped from 2 meters twice, 10cm apart, in the centre of the helmet. Impact force measured must be less than 10kN CE or 8kN UIAA.

Impact tests (Front, side and rear energy absorption) – A 5kg flat-bottomed weight is dropped from 50cm at 4 points at the front, sides and rear of the helmet. Impact force measured must be less than 10kN CE or 8kN UIAA. (Note: the lower the figure recorded the better)

Penetration test – A 3kg pointed weight is dropped from 1m in the centre of the top of the helmet. No mark must be seen in a ‘putty’ which is placed in the ‘head form’. Here’s a nice little diagram from Wild Country (the pic is a link).

Click for Wild Country Testing

Helmet stability – Checks (1) that the chin strap will not release under a load of 0.5kN, and (2) that the helmet is retained on the head-form when an impulsive load is applied by dropping a 10kg weight separately onto the front and rear of the helmet in a direction to roll it off the head-form. Check out the diagrams below. Both are linked. For a visual of the tests, the EN-12492 pic takes you to a printable PDF of the document.

Essentially seven tests are carried out on a helmet which is mounted on a wooden head-form.Typically three samples are tested per helmet model. A load sensor is located in the head-form’s neck. The color diagram demonstrates the setup (courtesy of Wild Country). The image links to Wild Country helmet testing. The second is a PDF diagram of EN/UIAA tests.

Click for printable PDF

Quick review: In regards to the limits indicated in the pictorial representation of the tests (PDF right), a kilo-Newton is a measure of force, where 1kN equals about 225 pounds. Thus 8kN is about 1800 pounds and 10kN is about 2250 pounds. Remember that helmet impact tests doesn’t measure the amount of force a helmet can withstand, it measures how much force is transmitted to your head and neck. The UIAA test requires less force transmission to your head/neck. Still, 1800 pounds will do damage to fragile bones.

Having fun yet?

No? Here’s a climbing joke, sorta.

Q: How do you get a blonde to climb on the roof?

A: Tell her the drinks are on the house.

Hey, It works for most of the climbers I know

BMC Testing

I’ve already said that the tests described above are required if a manufacturer wants to certify their helmet as meeting CE or UIAA standards. Unfortunately, those tests don’t really tell us much. All climbers should thank the BMC for doing it’s own independent testing. For more than two years, the BMC Technical Committee conducted a helmet testing program. Their tests provide us with a lot of useful research into the level of protection one can expect from the various types of climbing helmets on the market.

Much of the information I’m presenting in this post comes from the BMC tests, and subsequent results. Their tests raised almost as many questions as it answered. This was particularly true regarding “Off-center” impacts. Since the original standards were written with falling object protection in mind “the major pre-requisite of the standard was that helmets for climbing and mountaineering should provide adequate protection against impacts on the crown of the head. Unfortunately, this means that requirements in both these standards for minimizing the effects of impacts elsewhere, or for preventing major injury if the climber hit the ground headfirst are minimal.”

Mark Taylor of the University of Leeds headed BMC’s inquiry. In a followup at the end of BMC’s testing, and after consulting a number of climbers, they decided to conduct some additional testing to include the off-center impact. This test simulates a climber hitting his head in a fall from swinging or hitting the deck. The new comparison test was devised “whereby the front of a helmet (inclined at 45° from the vertical) would be subject to an impact equal in energy to the crown impact test stipulated in the EN standard – 98 Joules (or a 5kg weight dropped from 2m).

Design

Still there? Awesome. Now we can look at helmets and how they are designed to meet the certification standards. There are primarily three types of helmet designs for climbers. Each has it’s merits and drawbacks. The material in quotes is from the BMC.  *There are links to more resources and BMC documents at the bottom of this blog.

• Traditional hard-shelled helmet or shell/cradle (e.g. HB, Joe Brown, Edelrid Ultralight, Petzl Ecrin Roc). Traditional hard-shell helmets consist of a hard outer shell and a flexible internal cradle constructed of webbing. The cradle is multi-functional. It provides the wearer with a modicum of comfort and holds the helmet on the head. Most importantly, it manages impacts by stretching.

The main energy-absorbing component in these helmets is the textile webbing cradle, and the crucial clearance distance between this and the shell. This webbing is anchored to the shell at the rim, which means that the nearer the rim an impact occurs, the lower the energy absorption will be – in this case the force transmitted is over four times the maximum allowed for a comparative crown impact by the EN standard.

• Thick foam/soft-shelled helmet (e.g. Cassin Mercury, Camp Starlight, Petzl Mercury & Meteor, Grivel El Cap). Typical foam helmets are made from expanded polystyrene (EPS) with a thin polycarbonate shell. Compared to hardshells they are lighter and provide better ventilation.

The thickness of foam is constant throughout the whole shell, and as this is the main energy-absorbing layer, it is clear that the helmet will be effective wherever an impact occurs. However, Impacts cause the cells in the foam to progressively collapse. The foam can crack into pieces, or even crumble completely with a large impact.

• Hybrid hard-shelled/thick foam helmet (e.g. Black Diamond Half Dome, Camp StarTech, Petzl Elios). This design is the latest iteration in helmets. It combines features of both traditional and foam helmets. No helmet does it all perfectly, but this design does provide a pretty good balance of properties.

With these helmets the foam is concentrated around the crown, and thins out towards the edges or simply stops. Again the foam is the main energy absorber, and as it is thinner at the edges, the transmitted force is much greater for an impact in these areas than one where the foam is thickest.

So those are the designs we have to consider. We are now close to asking the all important question, “Which one do I want?” Selection is best determined by the activity. From the British Mountaineering Council -

For general rock climbing, at the typical British crag you should be looking for a lightweight helmet that offers good all round protection (ie. from impacts from all sides) with good ventilation to help keep the old noggin cool. Modern foam/shell combinations are a good choice.

For alpine and ice climbing, good top impact performance is more important along with good resistance to penetration from sharp falling objects. Traditional shell/cradle models are more appropriate for this use.

Since I’m a climber, my principal use is climbing. That includes sport and longer trad routes. I need a helmet that will protect as much of my head as possible and is durable. Not only are we subject to falling objects, but we are also at risk of off-center impacts from falls, slides, tumbles, and swings. The helmet I choose is going to provide the broadest amount of protection. I’m going to admit publicly that for most of my climbing life I haven’t worn a helmet. In fact, the helmet I own is an older traditional style. I’m not sure it would provide anything close to the protection of todays standards. That said, I’m going shopping.

Before I go buy my new helmet, here’s a summary of helmet design pros and cons:

• Hardshell
  • Pros – Top impact (good against rock/ice fall), *Residual protection, Durability (transport/rough handling)
  • Cons – Off-centre impact (little protection towards the rim) Weight/ventilation
  • Best for mountaineering, long routes, groups, rescue teams, caving
• Foam
  • Pros – Off-centre impact (good for climber falls), Light Weight, good ventilation
  • Cons – Durability, Lack Residual protection
  • Best for short routes & sport climbing
• Hybrid hardshell/foam
  • Pros – Good all round performance
  • Cons – Off-centre protection only where foam present
  • Best for All round climbing & mountaineering

One thing we haven’t touched on is the topic of *residual protection. This refers to a helmets ability to provide protection after an initial impact. Hard shells may provide protection after being struck if the shell’s integrity is intact. Foam, on the other hand, provides protection by crushing (see above). Once its been crushed it can no longer provide protection. It’s important to note because in the case of any helmet which utilizes foam for protection, once its been struck, its trash.

Helmets with UIAA Certification

For my money I want a helmet that meets the UIAA certification standard. Even though in practice, the difference between it and the CE standard is probably minimal. I still want all the added protection I can get. Fortunately the UIAA has a list of helmets that met their certification standard as of 2008. It’s a couple years old but still worth considering. Helps cut down on the research anyway. Many more models now meet UIAA standards, so if a helmet you like isn’t here don’t rule it out.

HELMETS UIAA 106 Date: 2008-07-20
The products listed below are conform to the UIAA Standards

Black Diamond
Half Dome 53-61 cm (circumference) 2009-12-31
Tracer 2008-12-31

CAMP
Armour 54-60 cm 2009-12-31
Armour Lady 54-47 cm 2010-12-31
Armour Jr 54-57 cm 2010-12-31
Startech 2009-12-31
Silver Star 2009-12-31

Edelrid
Ultralight Junior 2009-12-31
Madillo 52-62 cm 2010-12-31
Ultralight 2009-12-31

Grivel
Salamander 54-62 cm 2009-12-31

LAS
Annapurna 53-61 cm 2009-12-31
Tomtog 53-61 cm 2009-12-31

Mammut
Tripod Kids 48-55 cm 2010-12-31
Tripod 54-61 cm 2010-12-31

Petzl – Charlet Moser
ALTIOS 2010-12-31
Ecrin Roc 53-63 cm 2009-12-31
Meteor III 2009-12-31
Vertex Vent 2010-12-31
Elios 2010-12-31

Salewa
Salewa Sargon 2008-12-31

Simond
Bumper blue, red, silver, yellow 2008-12-31

Helmet examples – Traditional designs

The venerable Joe Brown. No longer produced

Petzl Ecrin Roc. A good hardshell helmet. One-size-fits-all: 53-63 cm Weight: 445 g CE/EN 12492/UIAA

Edelrid Ultralight, Weight: Ultralight? size: 54 – 60 cm CE/EN 12492 and UIAA

 

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Hybrid Hardshell/Foam

Here we have the Black Diamond Half Dome. Note the innards of this hybrid. This is also CE/EN 12492, UIAA certified. Weight : 360 g; 12.7 oz Size Range : 53–61 cm; 21–24 in

 

Next is the Mammut Skywalker 2. Similar hybrid design. The Skywalker is listed as EN 12492 Weight: 380g Size: 53-61cm

The Petzl Meteor III and the CAMP Armour. Meteor - Size: 53-61 cm Weight: 235 g CE/EN 12492, UIAA. Armour - Certifications: CE/UIAA Size: 54 - 63 cm, 21.5 - 24.5 in, Weight: 340 g, 12.0 oz

 

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Foam Helmets

 

Left the CAMP Starlight Carbon, and the Black Diamond tracer. Both foam construction. The Starlight is a whopping Weight: 280 g, Size: 51 -61 cm CE/EN 12492 & UIAA. The Tracer is Weighs : 245 g, Size Range : 49–57 cm (small)

Links & reference

Helmets – A guide for mountaineers and climbers

Head Games Part 1 – BMC Helmet testing or The article contains diagrams and is best viewed as a pdf

Head Games Part 2 – BMC Helmet testing or View this article as a pdf (added diagrams)

Helmets – Off Center Impacts

UIAA Safety Standards

Wild Country Helmet Testing

Bowie, William S.; Thomas K. Hunt, Hubert A. Allen. “Rock Climbing Injuries in Yosemite National Park”. Western Journal of Medicine 149 (2): 172, 174.

Be Safe, Live Long, Climb Hard

Ups and Downs of Solo Top-Roping

There are lots of ways to get time on the rock. Most of them involve partners, those pesky persons that require you to wait till their ready, and leave before your done. There is another way that doesn’t require a partner, and its a lot safer than a rope-soloing on lead. Top-rope soloing is my choice for those days when I want to work my ass off doing laps or working a project.

The reason I bring it up is because I just read a great post by a friend of mine. Teri writes about her recent experience in “Testing the TR-solo rig”. You might read it as a primer for this one to get you in the right frame of mind. She brings up a number of important issues. We swapped a few tweets this morning and I decided that an entire post of my own would allow me to share my own experiences with the technique.

The primary questions that arise concern the type of devices for self-belay, transitioning to descent or rappel, and backing things up. There are a few other issues such as rope management, fixing your rope (no not repair), rope feed, and other gear you might find useful. I’ve been using this technique for a while, and I’ve been through a few variations with my setup and the gear I use. First, let me tell you a story to emphasize the importance of having your system dialed.

Some years ago I was in Yosemite. Unable to locate a partner I had decided to solo TR “Five and Dime”. I setup a fixed line so that I could self-belay myself on it. I rapped to the bottom attached my belay device, rigged backups, and began climbing. I felt okay on the lower part of the climb until I was just below the crux. I paused to retie my backup. As I began to move through the crux I started to experience dizziness. I then began to feel weak and light headed. I hung in my harness and tried to shake it off, but the sensations got worse. I attempted to set up a prusik so I could jug up and get off the climb. It got really hard to manage things as the sensations increased. I began to feel I might pass-out and tried to rig my rappel device instead. I was unable to unweight my self-belay enough to disengage it. I was able to get the prusik around my shoulder to keep me upright. Good thing, because my head started spinning like I just had too much Tequila. I remember it felt like I was dreaming. I’m not sure know how long I hung there, maybe only a couple of minutes. As I came out of it I was still upright with one hand on the rope. I struggled against the overwhelming weakness I felt. With a lot of effort, I managed to unweight my self-belay and began rapping. I was almost too weak to control the descent. I did get down safely.

The story is true. Alone on a Yosemite climb, half conscious, barely able to get down, and no one knew I was there. This incident changed the way I solo top-rope (STR) for good. I left a few details out, but I’ll fill in the missing pieces as I go through this.

There are any number of devices that can be used to STR. The device that is popular with many climbers is the Petzl mini-traxion. It is, in fact, the device I was using on Five and Dime. Other potential devices include the GriGri, Microcender, Solo-Aid, Trango cinch, and various ascenders. I say potential because I can only speak for the ones I’ve used. Point is, there are as many ways to STR as gear to do it with. The three I’ve used are the GriGri, the mini-traxion, and the Solo-Aid. I’m not doing a gear review. Suffice to say that each one requires some getting used to because they all handle differently. If you decide to go out on your own, practice on easy routes before you attempt anything near your limit, and have a well rehearsed plan for getting down (or up) in an emergency.

The device I’ve settled on is the GriGri. I haven’t found any device that does everything just the way I want it to. I use the GriGri because the transition to rappel is as simple as it gets. After the incident on Five and Dime transitioning to a rappel became priority one. Pull on the release lever and you’re on your way. The mini-traxion, and others, require unloading to release from the rope. Toothed camming devices only allow the rope to feed in one direction. If your weight is on the device forget about getting it loose. This is creates the potential for difficulty in transitioning to rappel as I experienced. The Solo-Aid is somewhere in the middle. It can be used to rappel if you rig it right, which is a lot easier than a mini-trax. On the other hand, it takes a bit more work to feed rope than a GriGri.

Rope feed is an important consideration. Let me offer an example. Say you’re climbing a route, and as you climb the rope slides through the device so you never have a loop of rope hanging below you. If you fall you drop a few inches. The mini-traxion does this very well. If you’re using the Solo-Aid or GriGri, rope doesn’t slide so freely. If you’re not paying attention, the slack in the rope increases as you ascend. What you get is a big loop of rope; Bigger the loop, longer the fall. You should avoid any situation where you have substantial amount of slack and might fall on a toothed cam. Rope damage or failure are possible.

I find it good practice to pause and pull a bit of rope. It simulates the rest stops you’ll need to place gear or clip bolts. With the GriGri you reach down and pull the loose end to take up slack. Easier to do with one hand than setting pro. The Solo-aid is a little more work but similar. Actually, rope will feed through the GriGri once there is enough weight on the loose end. Occasionally, I’ll hang some gear on the end to facilitate feed. Just remember, too much weight (like your pack) and you can’t rappel as easy. Nothing like an automatic fireman’s belay. The benefit is if you’re freakin’ about the thing not catching you. Extra weight reduces the probability of failure because the GriGri works on friction. More weight, more friction.

Don’t assume that any of these devices are fail-safe. If you’re going to be out on some crag by yourself doing this, safety is of the utmost importance. No matter what rig you use, back it up! There are as many ways to back-up things up as there are devices. The basic method I use is to attach a second locker to my harness via the belay loop. Periodically as you climb, take some of the slack below you, pull up a good amount, and tie-in with an overhand-on-a-bite (or eight, or clove hitch). This can be really tricky to do with one hand. Actually, it’s a pain in the ass so I avoid it.

To get around the one-handed-Houdini-knot-trick I use two ropes. Commonly this may be one rope doubled and fixed to the anchor at its middle. This offers the advantage of attaching your self-belay device to one strand, and having pre-tied backup knots in the other. As you ascend just clip the pre-tied knots to the locker. If the route is overhung clip a biner to a gear loop and let the rope run through it till you get to the first backup knot. I do few of these per pitch. Yes, the loops created can snag, but I’ve had little trouble with this . I backup in this way because I use a single self-belay device. Steph Davis uses two mini-traxions. You should read her notes on this topic “Talking About Rope Soloing“, for another view of it. She also points to backing up the belay loop with a daisy and making a chest strap. Personally, I like the redundancy and ease of a second line, but its your call.

Let us assume that you now have a system that gets you up the rope with adequate backup. This is all well and good, but what happens if you have attempted a route you can’t finish. Let me backtrack a second. One of the fundamental requirements to STR is the ability to reach an anchor where you can fix a rope whether its bolts or gear. So maybe your only access was the from the top, which leaves you no choice but to go up. That, or now you need to do the difficult transition to rappel because the device you’re using is an ascender (traxion or microcender).

Ascending mode, click for larger

The most straight forward solution is to continue up. You already have a device rigged for ascending so just jug the rope. An inexpensive way to do this is to carry a Petzl Tibloc. (In lieu of a Tibloc use a standard ascender. I always carry one or the other.) Set the Tibloc on the rope above you using an appropriate carabiner (see Petzl’s instructions). Now grab the free end below you and clip the rope through the Tibloc biner. What you have created is a pulley system. Pull down on the free end and it lifts you up. Slide the Tibloc up and repeat. NOTE: this only works with devices that allow the rope to run in an arc (e.g., mini-traxion, GriGri). This won’t work with standard ascending devices as the rope will drag excessively and it may interfere with its ability to lock. What you can do instead is carry an aider or aid ladder. Clip the aider to the Tibloc biner and use it to step up as rope feeds through your self-belay device. If you don’t have aiders use some long webbing or slings, works the same. I prefer the pulley setup because its much easier and it doesn’t require the aider if you can get your feet on something. If you happen to be on an overhanging wall you’ll want the aider anyway.

The alternate option is descent. In my mini epic on Five and Dime, going down was really my only choice. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my escape procedure dialed in. Hind sight is 20/20, so now I have a procedure that has been rehearsed. Hopefully you’ll figure this out before you get stuck and bring some extra gear along. First thing I do is make sure I have a backup and just enough slack to attach my rappel device. Follow the step above and attach your ascender or Tibloc to the rope. This is where having an ascender connected to your harness with a daisy chain is preferable. Specifically, I use an adjustable daisy (Metolius or Yates) because it can be tightened to put your weight on the ascender and off the self-belay device.

Once you have some weight on the above ascender, attach your rappel device just below the self-belay device. Now, by pulling on the adjustable daisy, stepping up in the aider or slings, transfer all you weight to the ascender/Tibloc above you. You can now remove the self-belay device. Once its removed take up the slack in the rappel device and cinch it up until your body weight is now on the rappel and off the ascender. Remove the ascender above you and rap. There are other methods but this is the one that works for me. One other thing, don’t forget to release the backups as you descend.

Set up for rappel, click for larger

There are a few smaller considerations that I should mention. You will find that most self-belay devices like to hang down. This induces just a bit of slack and the device will reorient upward if you fall on it. I’ve had my GriGri bind on a locker that rotated while I was climbing. This can happen with any of the devices I mentioned. The way around this is to rig it attached to a chest sling to keep the device and locker from flopping around. Also, having a regular chest harness is really nice for orienting gear and keeping you upright. In my incident above, this really would have been nice.

If you take the lessons I learned on Five and Dime, you won’t take any of this for granted. Practice the escape procedures (up and down) before you go climbing alone, and never assume things won’t fall apart. You’ll be out there alone, and even if you’re not, chances are that nobody in the area has practiced rescue techniques. Maybe you don’t have an incident like mine. It could be rockfall instead. Shit does happen. Lastly, this is not intended to be a tutorial by any stretch. I am sharing my own experience with an alternative technique to climbing with a partner. I hope to get you seriously considering the many factors that determine STR safety. You are solely responsible for your safety and those you climb with, prepare and practice.

Be Safe, Live Long, Climb Hard

Lessons of a Rappel Gone Wrong (update, new incident)

Rock climbing is dangerous. You must understand and practice safe climbing technique whenever you climb in order to reduce your risk of injury, paralysis, or death. You are responsible for your own safety and the safety of your climbing partners.

Do you ever read those disclaimers? I mean, really read them. We see the warnings everywhere. Websites, gear manufacturers, guide companies, gyms, anywhere you climb you find disclaimers about the danger of climbing. We can’t even use new gear until we strip it clean of warning tags, those meaningless little liability protections. Ignoring the warnings becomes part of our climbing. To a casual observer it might appear we take safety for granted.

Maybe we learned to take safety for granted because we spent most of our time in a gym. Maybe we’ve climbed for a long time without incident and just gotten complacent. Maybe, we’ve just become immune to the realities of our sport, and we forget climbing is dangerous. Its probably irrelevant how we get to the point of tearing those tags loose without a second thought. What’s important is, when we get to that point we’re primed for an accident.

I preach safety and awareness of risks often, at least I do now. It hasn’t always been that way. I’m guilty of complacency and forgetfulness.  Somewhere in my subconscious I held the idea that shit only happens to the other guy. Reality has a way of inserting itself at the moment we least expect. Or, maybe its the moment we’re least aware of what we’re doing. If we’re lucky, we’re reminded gently and avoid an epic, an injury, or a mortal accident. I suppose that luck is a relative sort of thing. If we survive reality’s slap in the face then we’re lucky.

Inevitably, if the experience makes enough of an impression we ask ourselves questions. Sometimes the impression takes time to sink in. Its only later that we take time to figure out what happened and why. I had one such experience. It was weeks before I came to fully grasp just how close I had come to dying. Even now, years after the fact, I sometimes fail to fully appreciate how close it was.

I don’t remember the exact date. My best recollection puts it somewhere around 1998. Probably late summer because things were pretty dry. I was in Yosemite climbing with some old friends, John and Denny. These are my oldest partners. We’ve been climbing together since around 1995. Though I haven’t seen Denny in a while, I just spent the day climbing with John. That’s part of the reason I’ve decided to share this. John reminded me, as he has so many times since, how he saved my life. It was more like a “remember when”, but it got me thinking.

We had decided to climb the classic Serenity and Son’s of Yesterday as a party of three. Not a big deal. We’d just go a little slower. I remember climbing the crux 3rd pitch of Serenity and struggling. Good thing I was following. Actually, John and Denny were both better climbers than I was back then, so they got to lead. When we reached the top of Serenity there was a party in front of us just starting up Son’s of Yesterday. We made a quick decision to rap because we weren’t going that slow.

I love climbing with these guys because we get along so well. Good laughs and bad jokes are always on the menu. So is the chit-chat and general badboy-banter. This climb was no different. We were having a grand ole time by anyone’s measure. The rap from the top of Serenity is pretty easy too. Just follow the bolted anchors down an adjacent route and in three raps you’re back on terra firma. Having three in our party meant we could save a bit of time if two of us simul-rapped, the third guy coming down solo, pull the ropes and repeat.  Denny and I decided to do the simul-rap and John would follow.

If you’re unclear about simul-rapping, its pretty straight forward. One guy gets on one end of the rope, and the other  guy gets the other end (opposite sides of the anchor). Then rap together counter-balancing each others weight. The last guy gets to rap with the rope doubled, of course. Like I said we were having plenty of fun up there. That is until we reached the last rap to the ground. Then something broke down, communication, attention, caution, or all of the above.

Like the two raps previous, I thought Denny and I were going together .  Once the rope was rigged for the last rap Denny got on and started down. This was possible because the knot in our two ropes was on my side of the anchor. The knot against the anchor held Denny’s weight . That was kind of the strategy. The guy opposite the knot would weight the rope first then the other. The fact that I don’t remember much about the moments leading up to my rappel says more about my lack of attention to what I was doing, than the amount of time since. I still don’t know what I was thinking.

I do know we were having a heap of fun. As Denny rapped, John and I continued to joke around and I got ready to rap. Soon as I was ready I leaned back and ….     off I went. It took about the same amount of time as it takes for the shutter on a camera to click for me to realize I was falling. Fractions of a second passed and I was already looking to grab the opposite end of the rope as it pulled through the anchor. Luckily, John was thinking just as fast.

I fell about 20 – 25 feet before I came to a stop. I don’t remember much at that point, just shock. With John’s help I pulled myself back to the anchor. It took a moment, but then we started to realize what had happened. As I was getting ready to rap, Denny had made a quick rap to the ground. Just as I was getting on the rope, Denny was getting off. He said the rope was jerked from his hand as he removed his belay device. At that point there was nothing holding the rope or me. I began to plummet. John immediately recognized what was going on and grabbed the rope with his bare hands. He burned them both. If he had waited a fraction of a second longer, or I had weighed a few pounds more, nothing would have stopped my fall. I would have fallen to the ledge where we had our packs.

Denny thought I was coming down with John. I thought…. Truth is nobody was paying attention, except maybe John. He did save my life. I have no doubt the fall would have killed me. It was a ways to the ledge.  We were just having fun, talking, joking, soaking up sunshine. Danger was the farthest thing from our minds despite the added risk associated with simul-rapping.

I hope its pretty clear what happened. Three partners go climb a familiar route, something like 40 years of climbing experience between us, and we got complacent. We forgot that climbing can be dangerous, and we forgot to pay attention. It’s said that most accidents happen on the descent. I can see why. You can’t let your guard down until you’re down. One reason I climb is because its fun, but don’t let having fun ruin all the fun.

If I can offer any lessons from this experience, its these; 1) pay attention, 2) Stop talking when you tie in, 3) Double check each other, 4) Communicate intentions ahead of time, and don’t forget, 5) Climbing can be deadly.

I don’t take climbing for granted anymore, particularly safety.  I remember being a little shook up afterward, but we kind of went back to business as usual.  It took a couple weeks for the experience to sink in, and when it did my palms sweated, my heart raced, and I sat with my head in my hands for a while. I try to remind myself, you’re not done climbing until you throw tour pack in the car.

Be Safe, Live Long, Climb Hard

Update: Well its happened again, no deaths luckily. I was out sport climbing and one of my partners was leading. About half way up the route he mumbles some like “oh shit”. He then explains that he didn’t tie his figure-eight knot completely. The last follow through wasn’t done. This was after he had already taken a leader fall. Fortunately, there was enough friction in the knot to keep it together despite it being unfinished. Add to things to remember; check and double check each other every time.

Craze or Cult? A look into the #tpup phenomenon

A new craze is sweeping the ranks of tweeting climbers, arms are being twisted, couches burned, TV power cords severed. Even the garage is getting reorganized. The reason? One little savage puppy. Not, you say? Here’s the proof. The dog goes by various titles, #tpup (as the pullers call him), @Teampup, or simply T. Whatever the name, twitter patrols have not been able to collar the slippery devil.

Ring leader (image is taken from Guide Dogs Victoria) click and support

Don’t let the cute smile and innocent eyes fool you. Rough estimates suggest that over 100 individuals lives have already been affected. So what started this? Seems a casual conversation on twitter. There are unconfirmed reports that the puppy is actually Steph Davis in disguise, and that #tpup was her brainchild. It is this author’s belief that no one alone could devise something so sinister.

The “plan” being embraced by unsuspecting individuals involves regular workouts involving pull-ups. As of this writing involvement seems to be limited to the climbing community. It is unknown how infectious this may be, but there is evidence of propagation into other communities.

The plan

What is the plan? Well, on the surface it seems innocuous enough. An individual engages in pull-up training 2 to 3 times per week. Each session is structured around the “pyramid”. Individuals are instructed to work up to a maximum number then back down to one. Each subset of pull-ups is separated by a 30 second to 1 minute rest. For example, a 1-rest-2-rest-3-rest-2-rest-1 pyramid tricks the individual into completing a total of 9 pull-ups. Converts are “allowed” to determine their set. Oddly, it is requested that each workout be reported back to @Teampup or use the code #tpup via twitter, to report the number of total pull-ups in a session, to an unidentified source that tracks the pull-ups.

I’m not suspicious by nature, but I think any sane individual would want to know what their information is being used for. It remains a mystery. Other forms of the program are also being experimented with, but the results are unknown. Indoctrination begins with a simple suggestion from a friend, or curiosity. Ultimately the goal is to involve as many persons as possible, and to have members literally hanging from bars, pipes, roof gutters, traffic lights, buildings, and public doorways.

A word about the pyramid. This is a symbol that has been used by many other secret societies; 1) Skull and Bones; 2) Freemasons; 3) Rosicrucians; 4) Ordo Templis Orientis; 5) Hermetic Order of The Golden Dawn; 6) The Knights Templar; 7) The Illuminati; 8 ) The Bilderberg Group; 9) The Priory of Sion; 10) Opus Dei.

Hazards

There are hazards to individuals in the program however. A quick search of the internet reveals the potential for injury. Experts agree that a more balanced approach can alleviate some of the danger.

A good way to avoid shoulder injuries is to make sure your upper body strength sessions are balanced. This means that every push or press exercise must be balanced with a pull or row exercise. Too many athletes and weight trainers focus on developing the ‘mirror muscles’, the upper trapezius, anterior deltoid and pectorals. As a consequence, the ‘non-mirror muscles’, lower trapezius, rhomboids, latissimus dorsi and rear deltoid, are underdeveloped. This leads to a muscular imbalance about the shoulder, which results in poor scapular stabilisation. since the non-mirror muscles are the ones that work to stabilise the scapula.

A link for more information is here Shoulder injuries and balanced workouts . There are several sites devoted to pull-up training, here’s another example: Pull-up and Ring Training. The cult’ish nature of all of this can not be overlooked.

The potential mind control is relevant here. A number of key steps in coercive persuasion have been identified:

1. People are put in physically or emotionally distressing situations;

Obviously there is physical distress, particularly for persons unaccustomed to pull-ups

2. Their problems are reduced to one simple explanation, which is repeatedly emphasized;

The problem most often cited is related to climbing performance being poor

3. They receive unconditional love, acceptance, and attention from a charismatic leader;

This seems to be very pervasive throughout the twitter community

4. They get a new identity based on the group;

The new identity is founded on the “Teampup” idea.

It is yet unclear where this movement is leading. It may be simply a fad that dies out, or it could turn into an all out craze/cult as is now indicated. In any event be very wary if you decide to embrace this program.

Update: @justaguy11 has provided additional links for information on pull-ups in the comments below.

Joshua Tree, Desert Treasures and Pleasures

Two plus weeks after the trip and I am still thinking about JTree. Part of it is that photos from other participants are still surfacing. The other part is that I’m a bit dumbfounded. Why? That’s hard to answer. It’s not the first climbing road-trip I’ve been on nor the last. Something about it was different in a way that is difficult to express. It’s helpful that others have tried, but their impressions seem to mirror my own.

I was never certain I would even make it. I hemmed and hawed right up to the week before. I did this for the better part of two months prior. There were various reasons, but in the end I needed to go. It was made more attractive because I had met some of the others on a smaller trip to the valley. That and many of the people who I had acquainted myself with via Twitter were going. There were 20+ participants from as far away as Montreal and Philly. Crazy. If they could travel thousands of miles, what reason could I have for not going 500?

It all started rather modestly from an email between a few, but took on a life of its own. I attribute it to the “Twitter Effect”. An idea is put out in there, 5 commit to it, 20 like it, 100 follow it, and in the end 20 participate. Then we name it JTreetweetup #1. I’m not going to go into the whole twitter thing, and how I only did it out of curiosity, or how I’ve met a bunch of other climbers. I will say, I haven’t been doing it very long and I am honestly developing some real friendships.

Ya, friendships, real life connections, I think that is the essence of this trip for me. Well, there is one other thing but I’ll get to that last. The first thing is friends. If it weren’t for friends I wouldn’t have been able to go. Thank you Katiebeth (@katiebeth)! Here’s a girl went who came to Yosemite to climb her first multi-pitch trad route without ever having met me face to face. Talk about a trusting soul. Besides that, she is wonderfully kind-hearted and warm. Check out her blogs ( Beautiful Moments & Not Fearless), she’s not a bad writer either. It took about one email to arrange a ride with her from Fresno to JTree. Relative to my inner cynic that might be a unique experience. However, I was astonished because everyone I met in JTree exhibited the same grace and goodwill. That could be the beginning and the end of the story, but I found a lot more.

Campfires and friends, photo Darren Lui

I’m a bit of a cynic by nature. I’ve pretty much conceded that humanity is doomed to self-destruction due to selfishness and greed. The friends I’ve made prior to JTree, and those I met in JTree, are proving my cynicism unfounded. I left JTree feeling like I had just met my extended family. Everyone was really warm, friendly, helpful and generous. I wasn’t in camp ten minutes, and Darren who I had never met, was helping me setup my tent in the dark. Tiffany, in her blog said, “The fascinating thing is that when we all showed up to camp, there was no weird ice breaking needed. No weird warm up conversation to ease into environment. It was as if we’d all climbed before together.” I completely agree with the sentiment. In fact, it felt as natural as any trip I have taken with partners I have known for years.

On Friday night we were doing this thing where everyone was answering the same question, a round-robin of sorts. The question that came around was, “What do you want for Christmas?” The night before I had slept very little and was feeling pretty trashed after climbing all day. I really had no answer to the question and tried to joke my way out of it. I don’t think I came across as funny (grumpy me). I did think about it later, and the answer I would have given was, “I don’t want anything.”

That would have been the truth. I really didn’t want anything. Being there in JTree climbing, surrounded by friends, eating, talking, enjoying the eye searing smoke from our campfire, was already as much as I could ask for. And if I had a wish I’d do it all over again. I like to remind myself that life is a gift. There in that moment it was never more apparent. How could I be so greedy as to wish for more? I couldn’t, I was content. For various reasons I’ve lost some connection with my old climbing partners. Grad school also took its toll on other aspects of my social life. The desire to reconnect to friends and fellow climbers only magnified the richness of my experience in that moment. These new acquaintances and friends made it easy to feel connected, welcome, and part of the family. All you’d need is one good “tacklehug” and you’d know what I’m talking about

I came home from the trip feeling very different from when I left. I know this may sound a bit melodramatic, but it restored my sense of closeness to people. My cynicism lost its edge. It’s hard to articulate, which is why I’m having trouble with this post. I found new friends, reinforced friendships, and left feeling like I was part of something warm and fuzzy.

In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit. ~Albert Schweitzer

That quote couldn’t be more accurate  and Its not the first time I’ve eluded to such a sentiment since meeting the twitter crew. After walking away from this writing for a day I realized something. The expectation for this trip was a typical climbing road-trip. Go climbing, hangout with friends, come home. I left with a typical expectation of what was to come. The trouble I’m having is the unexpected nature of it. It wasn’t just another road-trip of climbing, camping, and carousing. It was finding a whole bunch of real people who are about as cool and easy to be with as people (climbers) can be. I’m still not sure how to describe it, and maybe I don’t need to. The impression I’m left with is one I want to keep. Writing it down may only be a hollow attempt to label something ineffable. Screw that, I like the indescribable nature of it. Like a first love or a Sierra sunrise, there are no words to do it justice. I’m gonna leave it that way. To everyone that went, it is an honor to know you. I sincerely hope we see each other again soon.

photo Eileen Descallar Ringwald

Part II

I really wanted to do some climbing when I went to JTree. Well, that was the point of the trip. I made a tick list of about 20 routes to hit. I really didn’t think I’d get all 20 but figured 8-10 wasn’t unreal. My one regret about the trip is not climbing more. I climbed about 4 routes and  did some bouldering, not bad. However, what was missed in quantity was made up for in another way.

I’ve been struggling to find my “leader head” since being injured some years ago (About). The grades in JTree are definitely old school grades. A 5.9 route has the potential to pose a problem and anything 5.10 is a guaranteed to be a challenge. I was probably being a bit optimistic with two-thirds of my tick-list 10a or harder. While I didn’t get to most of it, two routes on my list got ticked, “Poodles are People Too” and  “Heart and Sole.” Leading these two routes is noteworthy because they represent the negotiation of major mental hurdle.

Located on Hemingway Buttress “Poodles” is rated 10b. I’ve climbed harder stuff, but not in a while and not in JTree. I had warmed up on Feltoneon Physics (5.8) which went smoothly. The day moved slowly and I was run down from travel and lack of sleep. I got pretty chilled at the top of Feltoneon too. By the time I was ready to lead Poodles, I was almost bonked and came real close to not doing it. I remember being at the base lying on the rock with Luke in asking, “Well, you gonna do it?” I was hardly listening, being too involved in a conversation with myself.

Nina and me after completing Feltoneon Physics, photo Darren Lui

“I didn’t come all the way to JTree to lay here like a lizard,” I remember thinking. There was also the mental hurdle thing. At some point I got off my ass and announced my intent to lead, and I’m glad I did. Thin crack/face climbing on small gear felt sooo good. I hung once near the start crux, but on-sighted the rest. My celebration was absent at the top. I think it was the lack of sleep. Eileen followed me up the route. I should mention that Luke provided the necessary belay and encouragement. Having someone as psyched on climbing as Luke is an asset to any leader. That lead set the tone for the following day when I would lead Heart and Sole.

When I start talking about mental hurdles there are some things to understand. After I fell 25ft and got pretty busted up I couldn’t climb a ladder comfortably. I’d get so rushed with adrenaline at times that I’d almost pass out, and in fact did once. My heightened sense of mortality, fear of going zonk, and trouble with heights have all conspired to hamper my climbing. My ability to lead has not returned easily. This is where Heart and Sole comes in.

I was infused with some new confidence from doing Poodles. I also felt about 100 times better after some sleep. When we headed to Echo Rock on Saturday I was ready to climb. Looking over my tick list I chose H&S 10a. Thinking this would be a nice warmup, I headed over to it with Nina, my new climbing partner Remember expectations? Let me just say that what I found wasn’t what I expected. The guide says “a little funky to the first bolt.” From my perspective it was more than funky, it was run-out with groundfall potential.

The first move onto a flake was easy, but the small pro behind the flake wasn’t exactly inspiring. Even if it held I would need to fall to my left to avoid the block/slab directly below. Standing there, looking up to the first good bolt, uncertainty gripped me. It looked like a mile, and it intimidated me. This is where the leader head thing gets ugly. I could forget it and go somewhere else, or I could face it. I know I can climb 10a. If that was the grade, even in Josh, what was the big deal? No big deal, except all the crap I just mentioned, and that grounder.

I didn’t hesitate too long, but I did warn Nina of all the potential outcomes. She said something like, “You could fall from there?” “Yes … I… could…” So I started up got my pro behind the flake and moved onto the face. Staring up at my first bolt like a hawk on prey, I moved up. About one good move below the bolt I began to get seriously sketched (mentally). I actually down-climbed the face moves back to the flake. That was fun [snark].

Standing on the flake Nina reminded me to breath. Oh ya. It was this moment where my fear and doubt collided with my burning desire to regain my former climbing self. In my head [I can climb this mother#&$(!r] desire won out. Back up I went, climbed to my high point, and committed to the last move. I was pretty relieved when I clipped the bolt. From there on the climbing was more fun but the grade didn’t let up. Nothing was as mentally challenging as getting to the first clip. Even the crux move after the first bolt felt easier. I had no audience other than Nina who belayed. That was actually helpful because I was able to “deal” without the distractions of the “atta boys.” Not that I wouldn’t appreciate it, but right then I needed to face the demons on my own. I know Nina saw what was going on, but she just faithfully held the rope and reminded me to breath. Thanx Nina, I couldn’t have asked for a better partner at that moment.

One other thing. After I lead this Nina got on toprope. She was pretty intimidated by it and didn’t get far. I left the rope up for others to use and went on to the next area with Eileen. When I returned there was a grin from ear-to-ear on Nina’s face as she promptly informed me that she had climbed it clean. I was pretty thrilled for her, and still am. Way to go Nina! She’s got the spirit for sure.

At the anchor of Heart and Sole, photo Darren Lui

Despite the rating, it felt like a much harder lead than doing Poodles the day before. When I made the anchor I let out “whoo hoo” that made up for the prior day. I really feel like a barrier went down that day, a lot of my confidence was restored, and fears diluted. I’m still on a bit of a high from that lead. Looking back, I don’t think the climb was that hard. It was just  my leader-head that made it hard. Climbing has always been about finding new personal limits. In this case its about the restoration some. I couldn’t be happier, even if I only did a handful of routes.

Somewhat serendipitously, I later tried to climb a 10c with Eileen, Primal Scream. I had identified a 5.8  I wanted to climb, but got it wrong and ended up bailing the 10c. That’s actually a good thing. It reminded me that we can do stuff harder than we might otherwise choose to do, and even if we fail, it won’t be a disaster. Another confidence builder. All in all, I came home feeling more connected to people and more confident about climbing. Whew, talk about a road-trip.

Other Blogs about the JTree tweetup

Tales of an Adventuregrrl

Everyfrog’s Blog

The Rockgrrl.com Blog

Not Fearless

Who is a Climber?

Recently, someone that I have become acquainted with embarked on a journey. She was presented an opportunity that few would have said no to. Yet, there were apparently those that thought she shouldn’t be where she was. “Unqualified”,” ill-prepared”, and unspoken feelings infused with contempt. These critics’ words, their derisive dispatches, impugned more than her qualifications. They questioned her right to be among other climbers. I have listened to these kinds of criticisms before.

Maybe there are some that should refrain from venturing onto lofty summits or sheer rock faces. But what climber should not? It seems that the question is more about whom than what. Who is a climber? What makes someone a climber? Questions to which critics think they have answers, but provide no clues.

The critics’ hollow echoes are without thought or reflection. During my own musing I have wondered, “Is it the places we have climbed, or how often? Could it be the level of skill we attain, or the distances we travel?” No, is the only answer I find. It must be something more. Is it enough to simply call oneself a climber? Is it anyone who has ever pulled themselves up a tree, over a rock, or even up the side of a building?

It strikes me that there is something about climbing unlike any other experience. There is an ingredient that sets the “real climber” apart. In my years of being around other climbers I have experienced first hand the unique nature of this fellowship. I have seen climbers of all walks come together as brothers and sisters, wherever we gather. Yet, it is more than a common activity that ties us.

There are many that would call themselves climbers and I would not quarrel. Then again, there are some that I would. I have come to believe it is not the survival of epics or our audacious adventures. It is not the display of extraordinary skills or the scars on our hands. Simply, it is our passion.

It is passion that forms the core of our fellowship. We come together because we share a love for climbing and all things climbing. It is this love that permeates our alliances, our acquaintances, our friendships, and our common pursuit. There are those that say, “I am a climber,” but they do not embrace climbing. They are without passion. Theirs is a casual interest, and to them I would say, “You are not a climber, you are simply someone who has climbed.”

Climbing courses through the veins of a climber. It is sustenance as necessary as the air we breathe. Even in the midst of long absences, climbing remains a preoccupation of our thoughts. It’s more than memories of past events or simply plans for the next opportunity. It is who we are. No prouder words can I speak, “I am a climber.”

We walk in the paths of great climbers before us, Robert Underhill, Fred Beckey, John Bachar, John Salathe, Royal Robbins, Alex Lowe, Alison Hargreaves, Hermann Buhl, Walter Bonatti, Yvon Chouinard, John Gill, Wolfgang Güllich, Lynn Hill, Joe Brown, Reinhold Messner, Bev Johnson, Warren Harding, Layton Kor, Jules Eichorn, Charlie Fowler, John Long, Sibylle Hechtel, Walt Shipley, Dale Bard, Jim Bridwell, Sue McDevitt, Norman Clyde, Peter Croft, Todd Skinner, and the legendary Yabo.

Mention any of these names and climbers will stare into the night, images of their heroes on distant climbs, absorbed in the reverie of their own ascent. We may dream too of travel, adventure, and camaraderie. Nevertheless, it is through passion that a climber affirms the renewal of spirit, and the enthusiasm for life that being in lofty and majestic places bestows.

And still, it is more.

I have met few climbers that were not gracious, ready with encouragement, generous with possessions, and humble in spite of their accomplishments. These are the qualities of the brother and sisterhood that is climbing. What fraternity allows you sit with your heroes and speak to them as they were your best friend? Long ago, they came to understand the bond that you share.

It doesn’t matter if there is one among us who has never touched boot to stone, bruised a knee, or held a fall. They still share our passion through the stories of others and the dreams they keep. Ask them who their heroes are and the names will be familiar. They are climbers at heart and we embrace them as brothers and sisters. Their passion is no less than those that gather around campfires in distant places like the Gunks, Joshua Tree, Yosemite, Seneca, Red Rocks, Smith Rock, Boulder, Devils Tower, Moab, Zion, Whitesides, Shawagunks, Red River Gorge, Leavenworth, Eldorado Canyon, or the Grand Tetons.

The next time you find yourself sitting at a campfire sharing the beta of a climb or plotting the next. Look around you. The faces looking back are friends and acquaintances that are part of this grand fellowship. They have come many miles because their passion is the same that has brought you. These fellow climbers share the passion and love of a common pursuit. You are comrades. You are bound to them by the wealth you share and the ropes you carry.

I had forgotten about nights sitting up staring into guidebooks, imagining myself climbing notorious routes and classic lines, visualizing the moves to be made and cruxes to be conquered. I had forgotten how those guides stared back, challenging me, daring me to tempt fate. In my imaginings I climbed routes such as Romantic Warrior, the Rostrum, Spook Book, Atlantis, Separate Reality, Bachar-Yerian, Full Metal Jacket, SE Face Lotus, the Nose, Naked Edge, Yellow Spur, and Astroman. What climber has not spent a winter night dreaming of a climb while waiting for skies to clear? Many times we live those dreams too.

To those I have met and those I barely know, I sense your fervor for climbing. I feel it with every bone in my body. There is a familiarity to it. Like an old photograph long forgotten, but rediscovered. Your enthusiasm has an intensity that for me has dulled some over the years. Unnoticed, I have forgotten what it felt like to be truly in love with climbing. Your fire feeds something within me that has quietly grown hungry. It is for that, I am most grateful to be among you.

Climbing has been my passion and pursuit for a long time. To rediscover it, to embrace new friends, embark on new adventures, and share ropes on high places, is more than I could have foreseen or hoped for. I have been given a great gift. It is among you, members of this fellowship, my friends and climbing partners, that I feel renewed. My own passion is rekindled. I am again, a climber.

So maybe you don’t own anything but a pair of climbing shoes or you’re content to climb 5.6. Maybe you have never traveled beyond your local crag. Are you less a climber than I? If climbing is your passion, who can deny you the right to call yourself a climber and go where other climbers tread? Not one.



Knots for Rappel II – The Options

I covered the EDK or as it is more correctly called the “Overhand Bend” in Knots for Rappel, EDK or Knot. The links I provided mention some other knots that may be of interest. As I’ve said, choices should be made based on accurate information. In turn, we should use the methods and practices that we are comfortable with. I realize that there may be climbers out there that still don’t trust an EDK. All good, because they have other options.

Information about the EDK that has come to my attention. It is apparently endorsed by the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA). If anyone has a source to confirm this please leave it in the comments, thanx.

Other options aren’t bad or better, just options. Each one has merits and should be considered as it applies to any given situation. For example, if I needed to tie two ropes together to haul a heavy load I won’t use the EDK. I want a stronger knot.

The most common knots I see at the crags for rappelling are the EDK and the Double Fisherman’s. Not bad choices but two entirely different knots. Other knots you might see for rappelling are the Flemish Bend or Figure Eight Bend, Ring Bend or Water Knot, a flat Fisherman’s, and an Alpine butterfly. Frankly, I’ve never seen anyone use a Ring Bend or the Flat Fisherman’s for rappel, but they are options. There are others that I have not included.

What I want to do here is give you the basic knot strengths and a view of each knot. I’m going to avoid showing how to tie any. If you’re interested in using a knot then go look it up and teach yourself how to do it. Here’s a really good link to tying knots, but the names used can be confusing, Marinews.

I look at it this way. If you have a knot you like then use it, but use it ALL the time. Don’t switch back and forth between knots. Tying the same knots repeatedly for years you develop familiarity and habit that allows you to tie it while distracted, in a hurry, and you know if it’s tied correctly almost without looking at it. This is the reason I use the 8 follow-through to tie in. I’ve been doing it years and can do it with my eyes closed. You might need that skill some dark, head lamp-less night.

Let’s look at knot strengths first and a few pros/cons. I have included some common knots in addition to rappel knots.

*The primary source for knot strengths listed is found in Life on a line, A manual of modern cave rescue ropework techniques, and AHSRescue.com. Knot strengths are the % compared to tensile strength of an untied rope (100%).

Knots (bends) for joining two ropes (A bend is a knot used to join two ropes together)

1. Double Fisherman’s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Breaking strength 65 – 75%
   • Pros/Cons: The Double Fisherman’s is a reliable, compact knot less likely to get stuck when retrieving a rappel, but somewhat harder to undo than the Figure Eight Bend.
2. Ring Bend, Water or Tape knot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Breaking strength 55 – 65%
   • Pros/Cons: Excellent bend for joining webbing, tape or cords and holds well when wet. Not an easy knot to untie once weighted
3. Alpine Butterfly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Breaking strength 60 -70%
   • Pros/Cons: Easy knot to untie after being weighted. Most commonly used to create a stable loop in the middle of a rope. Can be used to secure two ropes together.
4. EDK or Overhand Bend. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Breaking strength 55 – 65%
   • Pros/Cons: Flat side of knot makes it less likely to snag when retrieving ropes. Somewhat weaker than other knots by 10-20%. Knot can slip under high loads. Most commonly used as rope join for rappel. Easiest to inspect.
5. Figure of Eight Bend (follow through), AKA Flemish Bend . . . . . . .Breaking strength 65 – 75%
   • Pros/Cons: Bulky knot more likely to snag on retrieval. Easier to untie that the overhand or fisherman’s.
6. Flat-Eight – The real “Death Knot”, avoid this knot (read this if you have doubts: Death in Zion)
   • Cons: That’s all I’m gonna say. Use it at your own risk.

Other Knots/Hitches

1. Yosemite Mountaineering Bowline (YMB)…….. Breaking strength 65 – 70%
   • Used by some climbers as tie-in knot to harness. Many known instances of Bowlines loosening and coming untied.
2. Bowline on a Bight……………………………………..Breaking strength 60 %
   • Various uses, creates two loops when tied. Can be used to attach to two piece anchor.
3. Clove Hitch…………………………………………………..Breaking strength 65 – 75%
   • Pros/Cons: Quick and easy to tie. Has multiple applications for climbers.
   • (Know how to tie this knot correctly: Use and Abuse of the Clove Hitch)
4. Italian hitch or Munter (HMS)……………………… Holding strength: ~8kN
   • A good hitch to know for backup as a belay or rappel.

Alpine Butterfly – this knot does not include a Dbl Fisherman’s which is commonly used to create a loop with the ends. The tails here should be longer.

Double Fisherman’s

Figure-Eight Bend, AKA Flemish Bend

Yosemite Bowline

Overhand Bend

The real Death Knot (flat-Eight)

Knots for Rappel, EDK or Knot?

The question still gets asked, “what knot is best for tying ropes together for a rappel?” Actually, I thought it had been settled years ago. However, with the ongoing growth in climbing popularity it seems the question still needs answering. There are lots of ways to tie ropes together (see my followup post Knots for rappel part II). Inevitably it boils down to personal preference, but why rule out knots because you might have doubts? Or worse yet, because he said, they said, quasi-expert said the knot was the best. I like to think that individuals should have all the facts, then make up their own minds.

I’m gonna be the first to say, “if your just taking my word for it your dumber than a doorknob.” I mean it. Anyone can spew any kind of garbage. Hang around crags long enough and you will eventually come home with it on your shoe It’s for that reason that I encourage other climbers, particularly beginners, to get the best info out there to make educated decisions. I know its your life. Run it anyway you want, but if you’re betting that the dufuss next route over is right you might be betting your life. Think about it, that’s all I ask.

Sorry for preaching, but I have a real passion for safety via complete knowledge of climbing practices and gear. Ultimately, the beta you use is gonna be your’s to own when you are alone on a wall . Make sure its good beta.

The reason I’m spewing here is because of all forms of climbing, rappelling gets more people injured than any other. Here’s some stats courtesy of the American Alpine Clubs Accidents in North American Mountaineering, 2005.

• The total number of accidents in the U.S. on rock between 1951 and 2003 was 4141; On Snow there were 2,289, and 2312 on ice.
• 2152 are recorded as occurring during descent, and 2735 during ascent.
• 252 are rappel failure/error. I’m cutting right to the point here.
  • This includes no backup knot so rappelled off end of ropes, rope too short, improper use of descending device, inattention by belayer while lowering, and I assume knot failure.

Comparatively speaking, the numbers indicate that the total number of rappel accidents is small. Statistically rappelling is one of the most dangerous activities associated with climbing. What we don’t see here is the accidents that were caused by knot failure/error. We would need to go through some more reports to find that info. However, there are a few documented cases where knots were the identified as the cause.

• Big Cottonwood Canyon in 1995 – These climbers had used the flat-figure-eight to tie slings in webbing. The knot failed during a rappel, causing the climber to fall about 40 feet.

• 9/12/1997 Flat-overhand. Karen Turk fell 30 feet on the Guide’s Wall, Grand Teton NP
  • There is some question as to whether this was a properly tied knot (see links below)

• 10/12/1994 Flat-figure-eight. Imtiaz Lahlji fell 60 feet and died at Seneca Rocks
  • * all these incidents are found on Tom Moyer’s testing page
    

I refer to this page because they did some nice testing on knots. I recommend reading the whole thing. The initial question was about knots for rappelling, and the tests are very relevant.

Here is the author’s summary in regards to rappel:

I have personally used the flat-overhand on some rappels where I thought pulling the ropes across an edge might cause problems. Otherwise, I use a figure-eight follow-through knot with grapevine safeties. Most of the people I know use the flat-overhand, including Chris Harmston, who co-wrote the high-strength cord paper with me. I don’t believe the flat-overhand will ever fail under body weight if it is tied well.

The flat-overhand is clearly better than the flat-figure-eight. The flat-eight is represented three-to-one in the accidents despite (to the best of my knowledge) many more climbers using the overhand. The flat-eight also starts flipping at a lower load (750 lbs vs 1400 lbs for well-tied, 110 lbs vs 200 lbs for badly tied) than the overhand, and it eats two to three times as much tail in each flip.

He mentions three knots the flat-eight, figure-eight follow-through, and a flat-overhand. If you’re not sure what flat means just imagine taking both ends of the ropes side-by-side, same direction, and you tie an eight or an overhand. The flat comes from the fact that when the ropes are under tension the knots have a “flat side”. The flat-eight is about the worst, and I never use it for anything. I do use the flat-overhand almost exclusively for rappels. If you haven’t figured it out yet the flat-overhand is also known as the EDK or European death knot. This is a bit misleading since its a very good knot for rappels. If you go to the Splitter Gear link below you’ll see we are in absolute disagreement. They state, “It is possible to use the “EDK” safely, but the risks far outweigh the benefits.” They even go so far as to suggest it will “send you to your grave.” A misrepresentation at the least. I should also [[point out that Chris Harmston is Black Diamond's former quality assurance manager and is highly respected for tests he conducted with climbing equipment. Here are the facts about the EDK.

In 2000, Burton Moomaw, an AMGA Certified Rock Instructor, pull tested the flat overhand tied in two single dynamic lines. He found that the knot inverted at 1400 pounds, then did nothing further as it was subjected to higher loads. (Source: direct communication) [quote source: Climbing myth busters]

It will flip, at 1400 pounds. Anyone weigh that much? The benefits of the EDK are its low profile against the rock, easy to tie and untie. The concerns are the knot’s ability to flip, and when it does the tails get shorter. If it could flip enough times it comes off the rope. Also the strength of the knot concerns some.

The Double Fisherman’s and Ring Bend had similar strength results
• The Euro Death Knot was the weakest: ~20-30% less than the Double Fisherman’s and Ring Bend.
• The Euro Death Knot slipped a bit before failure at ~4000 lbf with the 10.2 and ~2000 lbf with the 8.1 in the system. [see Black Diamond link below]

Eldelrid also did some testing of the EDK and two other knots. They concluded, “all of the three knots  with ropes of different and of identical diameter are safe up to a load of around 1500 daN” (1500 daN = 3372 lbs).  [Source: Edelrid] These tests are notable because Edelrid used ropes of different diameters, the  Fat Rock 10,5 mm and Live Wire Steel 8 mm.

Most testing shows the knot may flip once but is then stable. I usually tie long enough tails that I don’t worry about it. Since I only use it for body weight (rappels) its strength isn’t an issue. Ultimately most tests show that some serious loads need to be applied to the knot to get it to fail in any mode. The most important factor of any knot is tying it cleanly. Clean knots are easy to inspect and it insures their integrity. The second important factor is pulling the knot tight after you tie it! When we talk about knots flipping not tying them tight is a big sin. The EDK and Eight will flip a lot easier if you don’t tighten them well. The numbers above are for knots tied correctly.

I’m comfortable with my choices because I’ve made some informed decisions based on the literature and my own experiences. I encourage you to look at everything here and do some more research. In the end, you should decide what you’re comfortable with based on good info.

One final thing about the EDK. It has come to my attention that the EDK is apparently endorsed and recommended by the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA) [Source: Animated Knots by Grogg ]. I would like to confirm this, so if anyone has another source let me know.

Here are a couple more good links to keep you thinking about rappel knots.

Splitter Climbing Gear: Rappel knots tested and reviewed

Black Diamond QC Lab: What is the strongest rappel knot?

The Climbing Mythbusters: Myth 5: The Euro Death Knot can roll during a rappel

A friend of mine asked me how to tie an EDK properly. One of the reasons I use it is because it is easy to tie. If I’m rappelling in a storm or in a hurry, I want easy! Take both ends and simultaneously tie an overhand knot. Make the knot clean looking and leave 12″ tails. Then preload the knot by pulling on it good and hard.

EDK examples -

Correct

Incorrect – tails too short

Incorrect – poorly dressed

Flat-Eight, bad joo-joo

Yosemite tweetup Trip Report, Insights, and reflections

I like to think about climbing, a lot. I must, I do it daily whether I’m climbing or not. On the other hand I have never taken many photos of my climbing adventures and written only a few trip reports. It’s somewhat unique that this is the second trip report that I have posted here. There are a couple reasons for this. One, I want to make an effort to remember all the great people I have climbed with and the places we have been. Memories fade despite our best efforts. Only way to keep it fresh is to put it down somewhere for future reference.

Second, I tend to reflect on my experiences. Some trips feel really good and no questions linger. Other times you’re left wondering why the trip felt slightly out of place or why you weren’t “in the zone” on some climbs. Kinda like a guitar that is almost in tune. I was left with that feeling following this recent trip. I never attribute any of my feelings or perceptions to the actions of others. Whatever the world feels like is all me, that I know. I’m writing about my colors of perception. Those perceptions are the result of the lens through which I view things, nothing else. I guess that’s a disclaimer of sorts. Bottom line, I love all you guys.

Our trip was the result of conversations about a Jtree tweetup. During those conversations @nsmonkeygirl said she had a campsite in Yosemite all lined up but no one to occupy it. Didn’t take long to find five willing souls to head to the valley and help her out.

Seems everyone arrived on Friday except me. I got there around 9AM Saturday and camp already looked pretty lived in. Breakfast activities were under way and few introductions were necessary. I had met and climbed with @nsmonkeygirl and @katiebeth. I had yet to meet @sudarkoff, @lizzy_t, and @lstefurak. You’ll notice that I use the twitter user names. This was all possible because we all met through twitter. Really, a great way to meet others with similar interests. May be just me, but it always feels a little odd going to a party where you don’t know anyone. At least that wasn’t the case here. We all had plenty of tweets between us to get a feel for each other. I find it really interesting when you put a face to the tweets. It demonstrates just how limited electronic communication can be. Meeting people fer real is far more satisfying and interesting

Luke and Lizzy are southern California sun bunnies for the most part. Lizzy recently relocated to the Bay Area to attend Stanford. Seems she picked the right field for a climber, Geology. George and Nina are also Bay Area residents, and Katie came up from Fresno. Me, I’m a “mid” California resident, more mountain than valley. Yosemite isn’t that far so I had the luxury of sleeping in on Saturday. Anyway, it wasn’t long before everyone was together and wondering where to go. I think it was Luke that suggested we head to Pat and Jack Pinnacle. I’ll have to take him at his word that he isn’t a “valley rat”. I will say his instincts were good and P&J Pinnacle was a great idea. I hadn’t been there in years, and only once before.

I was pretty psyched to climb. I set my sights on Knob Job a nice 10b crack. It looked pretty straight forward with good gear. KB was gonna belay while I led. We had climbed After Six together some months before. Her first multi-pitch trad climb I might add. She’s a quick study and climbs in the gym regularly, so I felt pretty good about tackling Knob Job with her. There was a day when climbing it would have been pleasant outing and not a challenge. Many reasons for the change. The point is to be successful climbing close to your limit requires certain things to be in place. I found out that not all things were for me.

Knob Job runs vertically up a series of parallel cracks. A couple of switches gets you through the pitch. The crux is about 2/3rds the way up. “The crux can be done three ways: insecure and delicate climbing in the flared finger crack, the usual technique of liebacking the (hard to spot) right crack, or perhaps the easiest way, by transferring entirely into the right crack and cranking to the jugs” (courtesy of Supertopo). I climbed most of it without incident, ran out sections I could, and set decent pro when I needed it. It was the crux bit to the big jugs that gave me fits. In reflecting on the trouble I had there, I realize a number of factors at work.

I was a little surprised that I was running out of gas near the top. I have been bouldering on a regular basis all summer. The lesson seems to be all that short stuff doesn’t prepare you for a full pitch of crack. I have done very few long routes in recent years and it showed. On a personal note, I am tired of climbing well below what I know I’m capable of, and had previously been. This little climb proved to be a real wakeup call. Its gonna motivate me to get off my butt and do something about it. I also realized something else. In other posts I have touched on the subject of leading and fear. I learned something about comfort, confidence, and committing as it relates to conditions around you, and how those things impact your performance.

The crux section had a good crack out right, slightly hidden from view. I made several attempts to climb this section straight up the thin bottoming tips crack without use of the crack to my right. I didn’t see it. I was already slightly burned, and my failed attempts made it worse. By the time I realized I had a bomber crack to work with my arms were really pumped. It also required a high-step to a knob. That’s a challenge for me anyway since my back was fused. So there I was, decent pro, flamed arms, and doubt. Doubt, fear, call it what you want. What I needed right then and there was a serious commitment to make the move. You know how it is. Climbing requires all-or-nothing commitment at certain times to make difficult moves. Often we blow ourselves away when we make the most improbable moves because we commit fully.

This wasn’t really a case of mind blowing. I just needed to go for it to make the move. It started with the pro. I didn’t have exactly what I wanted, but I had two pieces. Still there were reservations. Second, I had a belayer that I had climbed with just once. Fear is an irrational thing at times, but insecurities were creeping. Factors are additive and it affected my level of committment. I was limited mentally as much as physically. The point about belayers that I would like to make is this; familiarity. I have old partners that I climbed with for years, and you get to a point where having them hold your rope is as comforting as clipping a 1/2in bolt. You never second guess it. A lack of familiarity is one more small thing, not immediately apparent, that impairs committment.

Belayers are part of the protection chain. Many of us can be hesitant to fall on good bolts. It could take many falls to become comfortable that these things will protect us. Why should our belayers be any different? This is a revelation to me because I’ve had the luxury of climbing with the same people for years. The gear was an issue but I’ve dealt with crappy gear before. In retrospect, it was a good thing that I fell about six times. It gave me an opportunity to develop comfort and trust with my relatively new partner. She caught me every time I had no reasonable fear that I would be dropped to my death. Like I said, some of this can be irrational.

It was also my responsibility to make sure my signals were clear and understood. I took it for granted (because I always could) that yelling “Take” would get a certain reaction as “Falling” would get something else. When it got difficult I lapsed into a kind of auto-mode. I couldn’t reasonably expect anyone to belay me in the manner that I had been used to with partners of 10 years, no way. Nor is it reasonable to think I would be as comfortable. It just added to my lack of committing to the move. So I flailed, badly. It got to a point where I saw Luke coming up and asked if he wanted to finish the pitch. I’m glad now that he was busy climbing something else.

Something inside got really pissed off at that moment. I could climb this stupid thing. I’d done routes grades harder in the past. Now I’m one move from the money jugs and I wanted to bail? That’s what it takes sometimes. I heard a quote that I’m gonna keep close from now on. I heard it in an interview from Peter Croft “you can have an epic fail or a mediocre success”. It’s a little out of context here, but letting Luke finish it would have been less than mediocre. So I went for epic fail. Gear pulls, belayer drops me, screw fear and doubt just go for it. It was all irrati0nal anyway.

Then I did the move. Fully flamed out, barely able to pull the money jugs down, but I did it because I committed fully. Kinda anti-climatic in a way. KB followed, climbed and cleaned the pitch like a pro. She even got the nut out that I fell on six times. Not easy as it sounds. We rapped and talked briefly at the bottom about signals, but I think I left some details out. I hope my experience didn’t impact hers. It doesn’t matter if your climbing with experienced climbers or not. New partners need to sit down and go over all the details before a climb. Taking things for granted gets folks hurt. Its just one little factor that may have consequences when other factors are added. It may also help with the familiarity issue.

That’s enough of my postmortem reflections. The rest of the day was spent around the base. Everyone took a shot at TR’ing a 12a that Luke led with style. Gotta say, that dude can climb. I heard he just did Free Blast twice in the same weekend. That’s funny because I remember him saying he was strong, but might not be ready for those long routes. Nice try luke, I didn’t buy it for a minute. I’m not sure that attempting something that far above one’s current abilities is very useful, but it is fun to try. It also turned out that I was on the cusp of getting sick, which I have been all week. As we were standing around my energy levels went south. I just figured it was sleep or stress. Possibly another factor in my flame out on Knob Job (ya that’s it).

All in all it was great to build on new friendships and spend time getting to know everyone. We headed back to camp and Lizzy and Luke generously made some delicious curry dinner for everyone. Thanx guys, you’re hired We sat around the campfire, played cards, had some music, talked and got some snow later that night. The snow was unanticipated (by me at least). I scoffed at the Wx report. My experience says they’re usually off when calling for 30% chance of anything. Okay, one for the Wx man.

There were plans to climb Sunday, but that was shelved when we woke up to snow. It was actually kinda nice. As I was sharing a cup of coffee with KB that morning things felt quite peaceful. It was kinda cold so maybe the coffee just tasted better. I hope we do it again next year. There is the JTree tweetup coming and it looks like about 15 – 20 folks are signed on. That should be a blast. Now I just gotta figure out how I can make it. If I do make it, I hope KB will be there. If she’s belaying me I know I can commit, assuming all my other doubts are in check. On second thought, it may be time for me to belay her. Yes?

I still don’t take many pics, but I’m working on it. See if you can guess who the skydiver is in the photo.

See ya’ll next year

Fear of Lead Falls Holding You Back?

I came across this great little video. It demonstrates a technique they call “Clip-Drop Technique”. The goal of the technique is to reduce the fear of lead falls. I’d agree with those that suggest it is this fear that keeps many a good climber leading well below their potential. I speak from personal experience. It goes nicely with two posts that I previously put up Taking the Lead and Top Roping and Training.

I have used a similar idea in the outdoor environment. The video demonstrates the technique in a gym. I’d suggest it if you haven’t taken intentional falls before. A gym is about as predictable an environment as climbers get. You might also try it outside on a well bolted sport route. By well bolted I mean one that has good bolts. Personally, I have set pro (cams, nuts, etc.) and taken falls to test placements, and to address my own doubts.

Once you get more comfortable that a fall on lead isn’t going to end in tragedy you’ll be free to focus on the climbing. One caveat, falls can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. Make sure you get good advice on falling technique. Here’s the link -

Fear of Falling – clip-drop technique from SteepMedia on Vimeo.