New and experienced climbers over 50, #3

Muscrat wrote:

LOL!

Truth!

BUT....this is an oxymoron. You show wisdom, which negates said statement.

And Lori, not sure if you have heard this trick, but keep pieces of rope lying around the house (2-3m). When you see one, pick it up, tie a knot you want to practice (or the quad), then put the rope down. I did this for a couple of years, drove my wife batty, but i can tie knots in the dark, in my sleep, in the rain (ya, one the tricks is taking said rope into the shower). Get it in as muscle memory, it works.
And at our age, it's sometimes the only memory we have! 

I never knew knots were going to be such a hot topic!     Then again, just more proof that I've been coddled and pampered too long.  Am very eager to start tying knots.

I was thinking that I have this great staircase with banister on 2nd floor... could hang all kinds of stuff over the rails, practice knots, anchors,  string up the cat...  

Lori Milas wrote:

I never knew knots were going to be such a hot topic!     Then again, just more proof that I've been coddled and pampered too long.  Am very eager to start tying knots.

I was thinking that I have this great staircase with banister on 2nd floor... could hang all kinds of stuff over the rails, practice knots, anchors,  string up the cat...  

I got good at rigging anchors by hanging 3 draws in various configurations in my garage. Every time I'd walk by I'd stop and whip together some sort of system using rope, slings, cordellette. The key, as noted above several times, is to practice until you have muscle memory for doing all the weird little physical things. And assessing what you've built. Some of them will really suck. Good to do that in the garage, not on the cliff. 

One quick comment: on sport anchors? Do yourself a favor and get the biners with a steel bit, swap those into some long draws, and save that for the top, for anyone top roping, especially. Wish I'd had those earlier! :-(

Best, Helen

Old lady H wrote: One quick comment: on sport anchors? Do yourself a favor and get the biners with a steel bit, swap those into some long draws, and save that for the top, for anyone top roping, especially. Wish I'd had those earlier! :-(

Best, Helen

Oh that's not a bad idea, saves wear on the alloy biner, hey? 

Carl Schneider wrote:

Oh that's not a bad idea, saves wear on the alloy biner, hey? 

And a black rope and hands from the aluminum. A friend suggested a first draw rigged this way, and, you can even go after the belay end. A recent acquaintance had a tube type device, but steel. 

Best, Helen

Señor Arroz wrote:

I got good at rigging anchors by hanging 3 draws in various configurations in my garage. Every time I'd walk by I'd stop and whip together some sort of system using rope, slings, cordellette. .... Good to do that in the garage, not on the cliff. 

LOL, mine was a 4x4 piece of plywood with eye bolts screwed in at various and odd locations.  Changing any one eye bolt would change the way the "anchor" had to be equalized.  Practiced with 2 bolts (sport) and 3 bolts (trad).  Used different materials, rope, cordelette, nylon slings, dyneema slings, quick draws. I now wish that instead of buying eye bolts I had purchased actual hangers.  The way that they lay on the rock, get twisted around, get gear stacked, etc would have been a good training aid. 

Well we’re 2400 posts into this and finally something productive.   I will go buy some plywood and hangers. This couldn’t have been mentioned before?   

Lori Milas wrote: Well we’re 2400 posts into this and finally something productive.   I will go buy some plywood and hangers. This couldn’t have been mentioned before?   

You weren't ready yet....... ;)

Actually, Mason... John... I did thunk it.  Now I'll do it.  

Maybe because I spend a lot of time reading, and became so determined to stay healthy into old age... I keep thinking the info here in these threads could easily make a great book.  I haven't done a complete search of the books and studies out there, but I can say there's next to nothing on climbing and age, or even exercise to the vigorous level and age.  

Last night my best friend begged me to slow down.  As she sees it, we are now entering a season of rest.  (Well... it is true. Fall, things do cut back.)  My friend is truly in a long decline... one she thought was predetermined--just the way it goes when you get to be our age.  I never catch her not resting.  But I'll agree that this is the time to ponder when to speed up, when to slow down... how much, how little climbing, exercise, traveling to maintain joy and good health.  I just asked Ryan if I could add a climbing session at the gym... which would make 3 a week (2 with him, 1 with friend).  So, I'm doing that inner check to see if this is the time for more workout...

I have noticed that if I will just listen, some of the advice ya'll give turns out to be true.  (Who'd a thunk it?)  I suddenly noticed this week that my fingers are holding me.  They don't LOOK any stronger... but I couldn't have climbed some of these indoor routes even three months ago.  So... sure as shootin' fingers get stronger over time.

If nothing else... we can sit around and watch movies, and make knots on the new plywood board.      (I have been wondering if the Garmin would work when that beautiful area up at my son's gets covered in snow.  I barely got the familiar trails memorized in the summer... now we start over!)  

I'm assuming everyone already has their eye on this... but just in case.  

Another simple deal for sling with rings at the hardpoint.

Another simple anchor Bunny ears to the top biners on the QD you can figure out the rest.

Lori Milas wrote:... of the books and studies out there, but I can say there's next to nothing on climbing and age, or even exercise to the vigorous level and age.

Most documentation, books, studies, are focused a small percentage of people for a specific goal.  While there is a lot of good information to consider, there is more that just simply does not apply.  So exercise to your vigorous level, don't get caught up in too much other drama.

Last night my best friend begged me to slow down.    But I'll agree that this is the time to ponder when to speed up, when to slow down... how much, how little climbing, exercise, traveling to maintain joy and good health.

Don't be too hard on your friend, my friend who was a former long range hiker was having trouble keeping up with us on some short stout hikes.  Hmmm, what's up with that.  6 months later he has triple bypass surgery, I am so glad I didn't give him a hard time about and slowed down to match his pace. I would have really bad if I had killed him hiking.

If nothing else... we can sit around and watch movies, and make knots on the new plywood board.     

You must have wine for such activities.  Another cute trick is to mount a short cord with a carabiner hanging from a rafter above your bed, then take a short piece of rope with a light weight on it and practice clipping with one hand, left and right.  It's like counting sheep.

 (I have been wondering if the Garmin would work when that beautiful area up at my son's gets covered in snow.  I barely got the familiar trails memorized in the summer... now we start over!)  

So take a couple of hikes with the Garmin turned on.  It will draw a track that you can save to your computer.  Then when winter comes, you can post that track on the Garmin, walla, a perfect guide to snowshoe the same trail when the landmarks are totally different.  Just follow the little arrow guy on the track.  

Jeffrey Constine wrote:Another simple deal for sling with rings at the hardpoint.

Jeffrey, are those old pitons?  

And tell me you didn't carry that heavy ring all the way up....   Sorry, just bustin your chops in a friendly intended way.  

But really, were they pitons?

You are making me feel bad though, I didn't do that well when I was practicing the bunny knot, and my munter mule isn't great either, so I will pull out the practice rope and work on it, thanks for providing the motivation.

Kevin has put together a summary of anchors.  Anchor Research Nice!

One of the responders has posted Lori's first quad attempt:

​Mega Quad​​​

Just kidding!!!!!

Dallas R wrote: Kevin has put together a summary of anchors.  Anchor Research Nice!

One of the responders has posted Lori's first quad attempt:

Mega Quad

Just kidding!!!!!

Oh my goodness. You must have ESP!    If you could see the tangle of ropes, cordalettes and slings in front of me right now it would make the Mega Quad look like a work of art. 

Those were Titanium glue in staples! 

Jeffrey Constine wrote: Those were Titanium glue in staples! 

Cool, I haven't seen any of those. Any insight as to why three were hung and not the standard two?  Not trying to be a smart ass, trying to learn....

Watching the Blues Brothers, making knots. 10 different knots to learn... does anyone ever actually use more than one or two? 

Another anchor for a flat summit  with bolts directly on the flat summit three pitch climb today combo  bowling on a bite and rabbit ears! Belay needed to be extended! No slings just two draws I was out of singles 

Lori Milas wrote: Watching the Blues Brothers, making knots. 10 different knots to learn... does anyone ever actually use more than one or two?

Everyone has their favorite collection and will raise a hue and cry if one of their knots don't make some other list.  So, bracing myself for the inevitable outcry, here's what I would consider a  minimal list.  (I kinda like knots and know many more than what's listed here, but I'm trying to exercise restraint.)

• Figure-eight tie-in of course.
• EDK for joining rappel ropes.
• Barrel knot (half of double fisherman's) for installing stopper knots on rappel and top-rope rope ends.
• Autoblock for rappel third hand.
• Double fisherman's (second photo) for joining ropes and webbing.  
• Clove hitch for rigging anchors.
• Overhand loop for making loops in ropes.  (But butterfly loop is better if the loop is going to be loaded a lot.)
• Girth hitch for attaching slings and tethers to harness.
• Munter hitch and mule finish (munter mule) for getting out of all kinds of trouble.
• Prusik knot for ascending ropes.

One knot you don't need under any circumstances:  that in-line figure eight, first photo.  EDIlT: This is wrong because I mis-identified the knot in the picture.