Getting off a failed climb without leaving gear?

Clean the top draw, take a whipper.

Repeat until you reach the first draw. Don't take a whipper. Downclimb from that one.

Dom wrote:I don't know what hangers you guys climb on but I've never had a hard time clipping a draw with a maillon on it.

If I'm climbing at my limit, I don't want to have to try and get my draw in there. Also it is not always purely a matter of just fitting it in there. If your biner sits against the link, I'd worry about x-loading the biner. May not be a significant concern, but why have to worry about it at all when you could have just used a biner. IMO quicklinks are just a potential PITA usually left by some gumby who was either too cheap to leave a biner (which probably doesn't cost much more than the link), or too lazy to figure out how to get their gear back.

Eric D wrote:Clean the top draw, take a whipper. Repeat until you reach the first draw. Don't take a whipper. Downclimb from that one.

This, or have a job where you can afford to buy another biner.

Dom wrote:I don't know what hangers you guys climb on but I've never had a hard time clipping a draw with a maillon on it. I do hate when they seize in place though. Also, someone said that a biner is cheaper than a sling? That may be the case with sewn sling but the 3-4 times I've done this trick, I used webbing tied together with a water knot. This is sold for $1.30 a metre up here in Canada. That's 1.30 for 3.3ft. A foot is more than enough so about 0,40$ and you don't leave anything behind. I'd definitely trash the webbing after. And yes you'll be rapping off a single point. Definitely not recommended but like they say 'ask and ye shall receive'.

You carry tied webbing sport climbing?

Sacrifice the biner. For that matter, leave the dog bone too. Those $$ hanging up there might bother you enough to go back and finish the route proper before someone else claims your gear.

redlude97 wrote: You carry tied webbing sport climbing?

Valid question. I don't. Anchor into the bolt. Drop the rope to my belayer, make him attach a piece of webbing in my pack. Pull the rope. Proceed with the Texas rope trick. Bam 10 minutes max.

Maillon/biner takes half the time.

Man it seems like a lot of people go through a lot of work to bail off a route. Just leave a biner and lower. I don't even usually carry an atc when sport climbing. I hate running into quicklinks on routes because they are often siezed shut. If everyone left bail biners, then eventually it will even out, and you will find as many bail biners as you end up leaving, usually more.

clay meier wrote:jump

you should be a guide

chufftard wrote:just leave that precious $4 carabiner.

Ding Ding Ding!

clay wrote:jump

Your next best option.

Dom wrote: Valid question. I don't. Anchor into the bolt. Drop the rope to my belayer, make him attach a piece of webbing in my pack. Pull the rope. Proceed with the Texas rope trick. Bam 10 minutes max. Maillon/biner takes half the time.

Are you going in direct with a pair of O/O draws? Or are you carrying extra gear already like a PAS and/or lockers?

STRONG +1 for using the Prussic as petzl recommends if you do bail off a biner.

just hook in direct with a quickdraw and do this...
youtube.com/watch?feature=p…;v=b8Ute5c2BVk

and yes...

yer gonna die!!!!!!!!!!

redlude97 wrote: Are you going in direct with a pair of O/O draws? Or are you carrying extra gear already like a PAS and/or lockers?

Depends on the situation, I've done direct with a single draw but I DEFINITELY recommend anyone to anchor with something more secure like a sling with a locker, or a fancy PAS...if you have one. A pair of draws would really clog up the bolt hanger.

I've only ever had to do this 3 or 4 times BTW. It's something I do about once a year. I've left a bail biner/maillon way more often.
The Texas Rope Trick is just a neat trick to have for example if you get on a route at the end of the day, fall at the 2nd bolt. Realize you're way too spent to bother with working the moves on this route. Do the texas rope trick and leave no gear behind.

Disclaimer, if anyone uses the Texas rope trick based on the vague instructions given on this thread, you may want to quit climbing and take up curling.

Dom wrote:...you may want to quit climbing and take up curling.

Things you only hear Canucks say.

Medic741 wrote:STRONG +1 for using the Prussic as petzl recommends if you do bail off a biner.

Feeling too lazy to look this up, but could you elaborate? I'm curious.

cjon3s wrote: Feeling too lazy to look this up, but could you elaborate? I'm curious.

I'm too lazy too. But I'm going to guess that Petzl recommends using a tram that's actually a prussic (on the rope that's going up the route as you're going down). Therefore if your bolt blows (never), the prussic should catch you on the next bolt instead of dropping you to the next bolt with all of your slack out, which would result in a ground fall once you're more than half way to the ground from the bolt.

The more I think about it, I think this technique could have some applications in trad climbing if you're bailing from less than half a rope length off a suspect piece. It seems overkill in sport climbing though.

Just unclip, have your belayer take in the slack, then jump. Repeat to the first bolt, then unclip and downclimb to the ground.

Eric D wrote:Clean the top draw, take a whipper. Repeat until you reach the first draw. Don't take a whipper. Downclimb from that one.

did that before!

Jeffeos wrote:I used to make my living playing hockey and so taking falls and risking injury wasn't an option. That's say, I've got this down pat: Sling through bolt. Rope through ends of sling with your lead end tied into the sewn part of the sling. At this point you should have 3 strands of cord reaching the ground. Be careful which two you rap off of. Then pull the cord so that the far end from your lead end is what slips through the sling. Bam everything falls to the ground. Much easier to show than describe. P.S. you're gonna die!

You play hockey and you're worried about an injury CLIMBING? Shit - I'd say you risk a bigger chance getting injured thru one of the 'typical' fights I see happening in hockey every game! Like losing your teeth, etc.!

use a bail biner

$4 bail biner < your LIFE