Lessons Learned

This is the best thread I've ever read on MP.com. Nice work and thanks!

Rob D. wrote:My name (rob) sounds a lot like Rock. When someone yells "rob", don't look up. it's actually a rock. I got a rock to the face, took out my front three (pushed them flat back), and I put them back in place myself. Lots of blood, a couple ER visits and emergency dentist visit later and I somehow have my own teeth, but barely (bunch of root canals and soon-to-be-dead fronts)

Pics?

Bunch of good ones in here. I'll add another: wear/bring the right clothing. The Black Velvet wall in shorts and a t-shirt feels great at noon in March. But when you're rapping 6 double-lengths with the sun down you'll probably want a jacket to keep you from shivering your harness off.

Climbing, and especially descending, sucks when cold. I've also found it can make you rush too much and do dumb things. I learned my lesson the hard way long ago. Time and time again I see this same story play out with others. As best as possible know the weather forecast for the entire outing, and plan accordingly. Not doing so probably won't kill you (most of the time), but it sure makes for a better day if you do.

Rick Blair wrote:Go for easy belays even if you pitch it out. Running out the rope and fiddling around with a fewer number of tricky belays takes more time than easy more frequent belays.

This. With shorter pitches, communication is easier, and you don't need as large a rack. If only I could convince certain friends!

SW Marlatt wrote:

That's funny!

I havent seen it mentioned yet but always bring a headlamp...

• Pitons can foreshadow hard moves and/or run-outs.
• Just because a fixed piece is ratty-looking doesn't mean you shouldn't clip it.
• Prior to committing moves is an especially good time to consider placing gear.
• If you flake the rope around your ankle instead of your tie-in, you can't move your foot without dropping the coils. This can turn an otherwise comfortable belay into cramp city.
• Sunscreen. Before the climb.

Morgan Patterson wrote: That's funny! I havent seen it mentioned yet but always bring a headlamp...

OMG yeah. Whenever you forget it, you end up needing it.

A ";first aid"; pack carried on a climb should consist of quick klot in your pocket and that's it.

Carry a SPOT if you don't have reception

Take care of your rope and coil it well

Climbing should be zen meditation, don't climb with climbers that get angry working a hard route/move

Be careful with who you trust with your life

Nest microcams!!!

• **If you're climbing with a female partner treat her the same you would a male partner and don't be a patronizing dick***

Medic741 wrote: ***If you're climbing with a female partner treat her the same you would a male partner and don't be a patronizing dick***

Wait, what if I'm a patronizing dick to my male partners?

kennoyce wrote: Wait, what if I'm a patronizing dick to my male partners?

The important thing is to just be yourself.

mbk wrote:* Sunscreen. Before the climb.

Yes, oh Lobster! But soak up the excess sunscreen, especially if it is greasy. I slid right off a sloper on my warm up once, because I thought the chalk would absorb the grease. Nope! Dirt works better for some reason.

Medic741 wrote:A ";first aid"; pack carried on a climb should consist of quick klot in your pocket and that's it.

Under what climbing situation did you learn that lesson?

Quickclot and similiar products seem to get relatively little use in the world.

^the one thing that you can't improvise and could save your life in the case of rock fall avulsing tissue not on an extremity. Everything else you can improvise, carrying a first aid kit is dumb on a climb was my point. Makes me feel better at least to know that no matter what I can stop bleeding if I'm still conscious after rock fall

When the goat (evil beast) is trying to lick your belayer (wife) while she is trying to fend him off with a stadium seat cushion, don't try to ignore the melee and send the crux!

When I started climbing I would tie in with the follow through loop of my figure eight going down through the waist tie in point, and then through the leg tie in point.

After a few times of freeing the knot and pulling the tail through my harness, too aggressively, the end would sometimes whip-tap a sensitive piece of my anatomy.

I've since adjusted my tie in follow through to start from bottom to top.

Edit to add:
Pertaining to kck's comment below, I've heard this as well and it makes sense - double plus for this tie in method.

BigFeet wrote:When I started climbing I would tie in with the follow through loop of my figure eight going down through the waist tie in point, and then through the leg tie in point. After a few times of freeing the knot and pulling the tail through my harness, too aggressively, the end would sometimes whip-tap a sensitive piece of my anatomy. I've since adjusted my tie in follow through to start from bottom to top.

Actually I have heard a more compelling reason to go from top to bottom. If for some reason you forget to "go through both" and only did one, the top one is the more important one because it will keep you from getting flipped upside down in a fall.

If you are super hesitant on trad lead.... and you have a chance to get back down to the ground.... Listen to that voice.

If you do that, you'll never get off the ground.

My $0.02.

If you don't really want to climb today stay at the ground.

kck wrote: Actually I have heard a more compelling reason to go from top to bottom. If for some reason you forget to "go through both" and only did one, the top one is the more important one because it will keep you from getting flipped upside down in a fall.

I see your point, but I like to go bottom to top, because I feel like visually it is harder to miss the top right after going through the bottom. Whereas I feel like you can't see the bottom as well after going through the top first.

Also...double check your partner and encourage them to do the same.

On a side note, I was actually originally taught to go through all three points; bottom tie in, belay loop, and top. I quickly realized this makes no sense.

If your rope gets caught on rappel while it is getting dark and you have other ropes and time the next day to climb back up... don't try to pull the rope it will just cut the sheath and ruin it.