Tips and tricks

learn how to tie clove hitch one-handed. munter too.

Small metal uninsulated waterbottle filled with boiling water becomes an iron to quickly dry socks, sleeping bag in the tent

When getting lowered, always have a hand on the other end of the rope until you see that your belayer is actually belaying you down.

+100 for what Leo said! But really, so many good things here.
Harding would be proud of all the wine tricks!

Brian Scoggins wrote: I would still say that its really only useful in a scenario where you are unable to get a good, multi-point anchor in for descending otherwise.... and their total lack of understanding of the implicit redundancy of the system.

You still haven't wrapped your head around this scenario. It is EXACTLY for the scenarios you are describing. That's the whole point of it.

There will come a time when you have to lower off and the anchor is shit. When you have to rappel off total junk or a single point anchor (with no "implicit redundancy") this little trick may save your life.

Use the Quad for a simple and redundant anchor system on multipitch sport climbs. Clip each end into a bolt at the anchor, and clip any 3 strands between the two knots with a locker. Use as your master point.

Chaz, the quad is really great and I use it often. Something I would recommend when using it with a noob (who thinks they know what they're doing, but may not), clip one carabiner into two strands (between the two knots), and another into the other two strands. The setup equalizes nearly as well.

My reason for suggesting this: more than once, I've arrived at the top of a climb to find that one of my TRers had "fixed" my anchor by clipping all four strands because they "thought I forgot one." Only when I explain it do they understand why I did it the way I did, and how they could have killed me ;-).

Otherwise, doing it your way is perfectly adequate, and how I usually do it.

There are lots and lots of tips in here:

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;)

Chaz-O wrote: Use the Quad for a simple and redundant anchor system on multipitch sport climbs. Clip each end into a bolt at the anchor, and clip any 3 strands between the two knots with a locker. Use as your master point.

Chaz,
I was wondering whether you find the knots on a quad easier to undo if they have been loaded compared to a normal powerpoint? I'm thinking that as long as the third strand is never weighted this might leave the knots easier to undo.

On two-bolt anchors it is common to form the powerpoint to hang the reverso off from a 120cm sling. The overhand can then be difficult to untie if the second has been bouncing on the rope.

Instead of tying an overhand, tie an alpine butterfly. This will be much easier to untie.

I find it helps if you tie the butterfly with the 3-wraps-around-the-hand method. As you pull the knot tight, slide it into place to centralise it.

With your digital camera, take a picture of that long route and its complicated descent before climbing. You can refer to it later when trying to route-find.

Before starting that sikky-sik butt-dragon problem, put the damn pipe down and actually look at the holds and maybe you won't have to tick the starting feet. Leave that shit in the gym, gumby!

Placing gear can be pumpy and a waste of energy. If you're not looking at fall with excess danger

when in doubt run it out!
place gear at your waist!

Jake Jones wrote:I was very reluctant to put this up, but what the hell. The Texas Rope Trick. DISCLAIMER: I have done this, and it works. I did not need to do it, I just wanted to see it in action. I did it on a low first bolt of a route. Note from the diagram that you must be a little less than one third of the rope's length off the ground for this to work. Any more than that and you will not reach the ground on your rappel. I would highly recommend not doing this unless you absolutely have to. I know of no situation where someone would find themselves with an extra sling and no biner to go with it (perhaps someone else does, I'm not ruling it out). Just use a biner. It's safer, less complicated, and costs less than most slings if you use an old cheap oval or D or something of that variation. I view this as a novelty trick, and not something that I would do to actually bail. I will always choose a bail biner first. YMMV.

+1. Now for the Trad version, same disclaimer BTW. Thread the rope through the nut with the downward direction of pull until one end touches the ground. Pull up the longer side of the rope and tie an overhand/clove ect. and clip the 3rd strand into the nut with the upward direction of pull (note this can only be accomplished when you are climbing no more than 1/3rd the length of your rope). Rappel down lines 1 and 2 as normal. Once you're on the ground pull line 3 and your rope and stacked nuts fall to the ground.

This can also be accomplished with a cam if you tie line 3 to the trigger of said cam. Just make sure that cam is your partner's as it falls to the ground from approximately 80ft (70M rope).

Enjoy!

here's a dirtbag tip: if you can't afford that indian creek, 10 of everything rack, load up on the older rigid stem cams. they work great in vertical cracks and I frequently pick them up for around 10 bucks.

On two-bolt anchors it is common to form the powerpoint to hang the reverso off from a 120cm sling. The overhand can then be difficult to untie if the second has been bouncing on the rope.

Instead of tying an overhand, tie an alpine butterfly. This will be much easier to untie.

I tend to like using an over-hand, but putting a carabiner (usually a wire-gate) through a section of the knot. It gives me something to pull on, and if/when I slide the 'biner out, usually enough looseness to finish un-knotting.

Same idea for a top-rope anchor, if I know people are going to be falling on it a bunch.