To all route developers: brush your rappels better!

Hey everyone.

I've been climbing for a while now and got to do my first multi pitch on Sunday. Did Playin Hooky in the creek and while the route was good it seemed like nobody had even brushed the rappels! Its just not a fun rappel when your feet keep slipping all over the place. Almost got a little unsafe in places, risking major rock rash if you slip on some loose stuff in the right spot.

Anyways hopefully people will agree with me that people need to brush the rappels on routes better since its kinda your job when you bolt the route.

Please tell me this is a troll.

mark felber wrote: Please tell me this is a troll.

have you even done the raps on playin hooky its a disgrace

Dave King wrote: Hey everyone.

I've been climbing for a while now and got to do my first multi pitch on Sunday. Did Playin Hooky in the creek and while the route was good it seemed like nobody had even brushed the rappels! Its just not a fun rappel when your feet keep slipping all over the place. Almost got a little unsafe in places, risking major rock rash if you slip on some loose stuff in the right spot.

Anyways hopefully people will agree with me that people need to brush the rappels on routes better since its kinda your job when you bolt the route.

If you don't like it, maybe you should walk off.

'edited to remove especially unpleasant comment'

Who do you think spent the hours and hundreds of dollars to put up the route you enjoyed?

Hint- it wasn't you.

Nevertheless, you think it's also their job to make sure you have a "fun" rappel?

PS I don't notice an Access Fund decal next to your name Dave.
Out of curiosity, how much have you contributed to the Foothills Climbing Community?
https://www.facebook.com/FoothillsClimbing/

3/10

EDIT:  9/10

Andy Novak wrote: 3/10

If only

(takes deep breath)

Please understand that volunteers spend time to keep creekside climbable. the area is extremely popular and that route sees traffic everyday of the year. i can assure you the rap is perfectly safe, and i'm willing to bet your technique may be the item at fault.

nevertheless, for other reasons, there are climbers currently working to improve the rap situation on this climb

Dave King wrote: Hey everyone.

I've been climbing for a while now and got to do my first multi pitch on Sunday....risking major rock rash...people need to brush the rappels on routes....

Jesus...

So you're relatively new to outdoor climbing. Yet claim to know what is the first ascensionist/ route developer's job is. And you're complaining about a risk as minor as an abrasion.

Did you brush off these raps? You seem to fall into the category of "people." Did you think about leave no trace ethics, and/or why they might be dirty?

Elaborate trolling.  Look at his ticks I reckon he added those all today.  "5.4 hardest onsight!"  "Tod hung draws on my proj" -5.6

I did find his ticks funnier than this thread.  Tod is a real team player.

Next time carry a brush with you and don't bitch, clean it yourself.

I bet they originally cleaned the rappel but it has just gotten dirty so you are an terrible person for not fixing it when you rappelled.

Mark E Dixon wrote:

If only

I don't know that you can discount it much more than 3/10...we're seeing a few bites here.

greggrylls wrote:  Tod is a real team player.

Dunno about that: Lead / Fell/Hung. new project kinda scary on lead. tod wont hang draws on it for me

Tod probably also didn't brush the rappel feet.

FA'ers on notice now!!

Unless it's changed massively in the last 6 weeks, the raps for Playin' Hooky were great at the top. If you get rock rash from it, you're rapping very poorly and should probably get instruction from more experienced climbers or a guide.

Don't expect conditions to ever be perfect and learn enough to get out of situations. What would you have done if the bolts at the top were sketchy? Climbs are outdoor adventures, not maintained indoor walls. Things go weird and wrong and its YOUR responsibility to be able to deal with it, not the person who bolted it.

These posts are like throwing a steak into a tiger cage.

greggrylls wrote: I did find his ticks funnier than this thread.  Tod is a real team player.

Don't forget about Tod's friend, Mike, too!

Since it's turned into kind of a pile on, I'll say a couple of things on Dave's side-

1) at least he is interested in seeing the rappel improved
2) he probably has no idea how hard it is to brush a route, much less a rap line. And doesn't realize that the hordes will soon kill every living thing within 10 feet of the plumb line.
3) and frankly, some developers could brush a little more, instead of saying 'this will clean up in time.'

But honestly, I'm thankful for all their efforts and wouldn't be having half the fun I'm having now without their thankless toil.
I owe a lot of people a beer or two.

greggrylls wrote: Elaborate trolling.  Look at his ticks I reckon he added those all today.  "5.4 hardest onsight!"  "Tod hung draws on my proj" -5.6

I did find his ticks funnier than this thread.  Tod is a real team player.

I also noted in the ticks that OP is often tired. Perhaps he has mono? 

Yaaaa you damn lazy Front Range route developers.... do your damn jobs.

That's what rappel shoes are for-  kinda pricey for developers though: