How to Big Wall Climb - Selection of short instructional vids

Chris McNamara is currently writing a book "How to Big Wall Climb" and during this process is is creating short instructional videos. All this information can be found over on supertopo in the forums, but I figured it was worth sharing here. The videos are great and really make you think whether your systems are really as good as you think they are.

The Leading Sequence

Leading: Moving up the piece

Fifi Lenght and Top stepping

Back up Knots

Using Two aiders Not Four

Racking Gear

Bounce Testing

Basic ascender set up

Jumaring Technique

As he writes and produces more videos I'll try to keep this updated. Please add any links if I've missed any.

good series, by someone who knows what they're talking about.

That sucks. I already do most of that, and I am still slow!

Hmmm, he makes it look really easy.

One thing I've noticed about aid climbers is that they're the kings of understatement.

Lower out video

vimeo.com/2799513

John, thanks for posting this... I was just about to post and ask many questions answered in the videos!

Question from an aid noob....

In watching the leading videos, he has the daisy and aiders always connected, and only clips the rope in after he has left the piece and is weighting the next piece.

Doesn't that mean, for every piece, he is exposing himself to the dreaded daisy-only-static fall on the previous piece. If the top piece he is now standing on rips, and he hasn't removed his aider/daisy combo from the previous piece, then he is about to take a 5-6 foot fall onto a daisy connected to the lower piece.. and he exposes himself to this everytime.

Am I missing something?

Andy - I'm glad you brought this up since I noticed this too. On some practice aiding I've done locally I have been in the habit of clipping the rope to the piece I'm standing on as soon as I get waist high to it. I then unclip my daisy from that piece before I test the next higher piece, to insure I don't fall onto the daisy if it blows during testing. It would be quicker if I were to clip the rope to a placement after I've moved off it to the next piece, which I assume is why Chris Mac uses this method.
I'd like to from other more experienced aid climbers regarding this.

By the way, these videos are great; I've picked up quite a few good tips.

My climbing partner alerted me to this series several months ago. We both want to try aid. I have read some but it really makes more sense to see it.

I was wondering the same thing as Andy. It seems like the Daisies here are longer than normal? You will be caught by the static rope before you hit the end of your top daisy? Maybe that is why he stresses not going past waist level. Can anyone clear this up?

My guess is, you need to go out and try it (TR for me) then go back and look at these videos.

Edit:

Oops, I meant to say "dynamic rope" not "static rope"

Rick - No one would lead anything, aid or free, on a static rope.
Also, check out the video on Fifi length and top stepping, where he does indeed get above waist level, although by this time he would be clipped to the piece below him by the rope only.

I went on line and looked up the length of longer Daisies. They run about 4.5 Feet. My reach to my waist is almost 4 feet. If I were to fall, the rope will tug my harness hardpoints upward past my waist. I would guess I would have about a foot of dynamic rope stretch before I take a static hit the daisy. I guess it is just better not to fall.

Brandt Allen wrote:...On some practice aiding I've done locally I have been in the habit of clipping the rope to the piece I'm standing on as soon as I get waist high to it. I then unclip my daisy from that piece before I test the next higher piece, to insure I don't fall onto the daisy if it blows during testing. ...

The only reason for falling is that the placement you're standing on blows.
Then it doesn't matter if you clipped your rope or daisy or both.
If you fall because the next placement blows during testing you should rethink the way you're testing placements.
There's no reason for testing when you're gonna fall during the process.
I test my placements for avoiding falls not provoking them.

Andy,

In regards to the daisy fall, you'll figure out a system once you get on the rock. It really isn't an issue. But... if you buy a pair of these climbaxe.com/yatesadjustabl… then it is even more of a non issue. I would recommend them anyway, they aren't needed, but make life ever more enjoyable while climbing and jugging, etc.

The real reason I am posting is because of something that you are going to experience this spring in the desert. The bounce test. In sandstone, if you bounce hard enough, you can rip half of your placements, and or blow out the rock. (This is a generalization, and depends on the softness of the sandstone.) But it doesn't matter because if the rock is solid where it won't blow, you don't need to bounce test. If it is soft where it would blow, if you bounce test it probably will... hmmm, not sure if that makes sense. As a new aid climber, you will be scared of your placements, worried that they aren't going to hold. Bouncing on them like crazy is not going to make them hold any better, so don't (is my recommendation.)

Now, I do know some badass climbers who bounce test the shit out of things in the desert, and to each his own. But bounce testing is usually just wasting time, means you are scared, and can do more damage than just simply trusting the placement and standing up on it. Go ahead and jerk the piece, give it a little tug, but more than that? I don't know. Have fun.

John -

Thanks for confirming what I thought. I watched Chris Mac bounce test and my first thought was - no way in hell I'm doing that on sandstone!

Andy

I've been doing the bolt ladder thing at the gym, and adjustable daisys seem grand (particularly since I only have one operable foot right now)

But - correct me if I am wrong - but then I'd need normal daisys or fixed length slings for the jumars... as the adjustable daisys aren't designed to be "primary anchor" slings... and I want full strength slings on the jumars.... yes?

So if your lead system involves adjustable daisys... how/what do you attach to your jumars when seconding? Do you use the same adjustables?

Andy Laakmann wrote:I've been doing the bolt ladder thing at the gym, and adjustable daisys seem grand. But - correct me if I am wrong - but then I'd need normal daisys or fixed length slings for the jumars... as the adjustable daisys aren't designed to be "primary anchor" slings... and I want full strength slings on the jumars.... yes? So if your lead system involves adjustable daisys... how/what do you attach to your jumars when seconding? Do you use the same adjustables?

I use adjustables. technically daisys are not full strength except for at both ends. Which of course not many jumar with their daisys fully extended. I see adjustables as fine for all this body weight type placment. Thats why we tie in short or jug with a grigri as well :)

Also,

When you think of it. YOu are probably more apt to load your daisys with higher force in a lead fall on to them rather then jugging with them.

By the way. I use the metolius easy aiders becuase they are light. These are of course just body weight units only. I think rated to just under 2kn. Not sure on the yates.

Andy Laakmann wrote:I But - correct me if I am wrong - but then I'd need normal daisys or fixed length slings for the jumars... as the adjustable daisys aren't designed to be "primary anchor" slings... and I want full strength slings on the jumars..

Don't ever jug without tying a back-up knot or using a grigri as a backup. So, no, you don't need full strength slings on the jumars.

Yates daisies are rated to 1500 lbs each.

SAL wrote: I use adjustables. technically daisys are not full strength except for at both ends. Which of course not many jumar with their daisys fully extended. I see adjustables as fine for all this body weight type placment. Thats why we tie in short or jug with a grigri as well :) Also, When you think of it. YOu are probably more apt to load your daisys with higher force in a lead fall on to them rather then jugging with them. By the way. I use the metolius easy aiders becuase they are light. These are of course just body weight units only. I think rated to just under 2kn. Not sure on the yates.

Yes, of course daisys aren't full strength - but if you blow a bar-tack at least you'll still be connected! :)

So - to change the subject - what are people's preferences... tying in a backup knot or grigi, or both?

And when tying in back-up knots, I assume you undo the last one after tying in short again... otherwise things will get very knotty!
And if you are using a grigi, do you still tie in occasionally?

John J. Glime wrote: Yates daisies are rated to 1500 lbs each.

They weigh 6oz and the metolius weigh 3.5oz

I like my metolius a lot becuase they are really light. Not too hard to use once you get used to the release buckles. I think they wear out faster then the yates but replacment straps are only 5 bucks.

Maybe I will give the yates a try this week.

Andy Laakmann wrote: tying in a backup knot or grigi, or both? And when tying in back-up knots, I assume you undo the last one after tying in short again... otherwise things will get very knotty! And if you are using a grigi, do you still tie in occasionally?

Depends. :) (seriously.)

I prefer knots, but will use the grigri occasionally if the rope is cable-ish, or if the weight of the rope is an issue.

Will just keep adding knots and not untie the previous knots if I think the rope could get hung up below me while I am jugging, or if I am too lazy to untie...

If I am using the grigri, I don't still tie in a back up.

At some point you have to say to yourself, I am backed up 10 times to this fucking rope, but really, it isn't redundant because I am hanging off of a single strand of rope which could break or be cut... and if that happens, the rest doesn't matter. So, while jugging, just back yourself up with knots, and call it good. My true preference is to tie into the haul line as my backup while I am jugging (now that is redundant, and makes my soul feel happy.) But that isn't always possible...