Climbing with a pack

Leliko Mana wrote:

My partner and I climbed Corrugation Corner last weekend with zero wait. We both carried packs: I - my beloved orange Petzl Bug stuffed with a jacket, water, snacks, and car key, and my partner - small pack with water and a climbing book. I specifically bought The Bug bag for multi-pitch because apparently it's the best bag to attach a rope for a long walkout which I do at Lover's Leap. It never stops to amaze me how quick we people are in judging others. By the way, seeing climbers carry packs is not disturbing. What I found VERY disturbing last weekend was to see a solo climber on Bear's Reach. These guys terrify me as I know it's only a matter of time till I see one of them falls to death screaming loudly. Arghh.

Love my petzl bug. And like most people said. I carry a rain jacket and or hoody. Some snacks. Hydration bladder. Guide book. Leatherman. Head lamp. And spare batteries/liquid for my vape. 

Also handy to put cams etc inside the pack when I do the rappell. 

A full fleet of drones to fly them off the wall because SAR is too slow.

I’ve done the true followers pack on 6+ pitches quite a few times, just to bring more water. Let me tell you following the sword with 4 liters blew. The steeper it gets the less you want weight up high.

If you’re just bringing shoes for a walk off, water and a winshirt/belay puffy get w harness with a fifth loop on the back. It climbs infinitely better keeping your center of gravity lower. 

Leliko Mana wrote:

My partner and I climbed Corrugation Corner last weekend with zero wait. We both carried packs: I - my beloved orange Petzl Bug stuffed with a jacket, water, snacks, and car key, and my partner - small pack with water and a climbing book. I specifically bought The Bug bag for multi-pitch because apparently it's the best bag to attach a rope for a long walkout which I do at Lover's Leap. It never stops to amaze me how quick we people are in judging others. By the way, seeing climbers carry packs is not disturbing. What I found VERY disturbing last weekend was to see a solo climber on Bear's Reach. These guys terrify me as I know it's only a matter of time till I see one of them falls to death screaming loudly. Arghh.

Soloing to me is a celebration of mastery and adventure in climbing. I do at a moderate grades mostly but it is a really special thing. Trying to climb moderates perfectly is really satisfying.  Having 5.12  focus on a 5.7 is Awesome. Climbing is about freedom and adventure. Live and let live. Or not live. Its a personal choice.  

Darrell Cornick wrote:

Soloing to me is a celebration of mastery and adventure in climbing. I do at a moderate grades mostly but it is a really special thing. Trying to climb moderates perfectly is really satisfying.  Having 5.12  focus on a 5.7 is Awesome. Climbing is about freedom and adventure. Live and let live. Or not live. Its a personal choice.  

Please only do it when others are not around. This guy was climbing next to several parties. I talked to others and they too felt very uneasy watching him within several feet from them. Last year I was belaying my friend on Surrealistic Pillar Direct (first pitch only) and watched how a guy started solo a bit further from us only to ascend diagonally and continue climbing above us, I mean DIRECTLY ABOVE US. It was terrifying to watch. And he was carrying a pack, by the way! I was thinking either he or his pack would fall on our heads!

L Kap wrote: Food. Water. Rain / wind jacket. Warm layer. Sunscreen. Emergency kit. Headlamp. Guidebook or phone for route beta. You never know when you or another party will get delayed or need something. None of these things will do you any good if they're on the ground. And if you are a climber who does long multi-pitch, it's helpful to do your training with a pack.

This is a troll right???

Leliko Mana wrote:

Please only do it when others are not around. This guy was climbing next to several parties. I talked to others and they too felt very uneasy watching him within several feet from them. Last year I was belaying my friend on Surrealistic Pillar Direct (first pitch only) and watched how a guy started solo a bit further from us only to ascend diagonally and continue climbing above us, I mean DIRECTLY ABOVE US. It was terrifying to watch. And he was carrying a pack, by the way! I was thinking either he or his pack would fall on our heads!

I don’t even solo but I have no problem with others doing so. I’ve seen many awful accidents happen on ropes, so it’s not like soloing is the only way or even the most likely way to hurt yourself or others while climbing.

Leliko Mana wrote:

Please only do it when others are not around. This guy was climbing next to several parties. I talked to others and they too felt very uneasy watching him within several feet from them. 

ABB wrote: I don't know what they're carrying but I imagine they'll need all of it at the rate they're generally moving.

It is a good indicator you should choose a different route if passing will be tough...
Do what you want but carrying a bunch of crap on a 3 or 4 pitch route just makes a fun romp a heavy slog, think about it, if you move fast you will be down in 2 hours, how much do you need to survive that long? and if something goes wrong how long is it going to take to rapp? you could be back to the ground in like 20 minutes from anywhere on the climb.

Climbing with a pack is rarely necessary.
If I need to carry more gear, I’d much rather lead with a tag line and haul a small pack rather than climb with it on my back, because that sucks.

- Rain jacket/wind breaker? Get one that clips to your harness.
- Extra layer? Get a light sun hoody that you can twist up and tie around your waist when you don’t need it. Double up with the wind breaker if it gets cold.
- Water? Carry a liter (at most) on your harness. Hydrate well the day before and that should be more than enough.
- Food? Carry a few bars in your pocket.
- Approach Shoes? Clip them to your haul loop.
- Sunscreen? Put it on at the car or at the base of the climb, then leave it in your pack.
- Tag line? Trail it behind you while you climb... no need to coil it at every belay either. Let it hang and have the second manage it with a micro traxion so the leader doesn’t have to carry the full weight of the rope.
- First aid kit? A roll of tape on your chalk belt should do it.
- Guidebook? Everyone has a smart phone now a days right?? Take a photo of it on your phone.
- Headlamp? Wear it around your neck or clip it to you’re harness.

Definitely no need to train to climb with a pack... just learn how to climb faster, be more efficient, and you will have a lot more fun climbing longer routes overall.

Jordan Cannon wrote:
If you’re still attached to the idea of climbing with a pack, just know that you’ll likely never climb anything harder than 5.10 with it on. Pack free is the way to go!

You couldn’t be more wrong on that last statement. Pretty good advice otherwise

Jordan Cannon wrote: 
If you’re still attached to the idea of climbing with a pack, just know that you’ll likely never climb anything harder than 5.10 with it on. Pack free is the way to go!

Lmao this statement is 100% false.

I can't even climb 5.10 WITHOUT a pack, noob!!

Jordan Cannon wrote: Climbing with a pack is rarely necessary.
If I need to carry more gear, I’d much rather lead with a tag line and haul a small pack rather than climb with it on my back, because that sucks.

- Rain jacket/wind breaker? Get one that clips to your harness.
- Extra layer? Get a light sun hoody that you can twist up and tie around your waist when you don’t need it. Double up with the wind breaker if it gets cold.
- Water? Carry a liter (at most) on your harness. Hydrate well the day before and that should be more than enough.
- Food? Carry a few bars in your pocket.
- Approach Shoes? Clip them to your haul loop.
- Sunscreen? Put it on at the car or at the base of the climb, then leave it in your pack.
- Tag line? Trail it behind you while you climb... no need to coil it at every belay either. Let it hang and have the second manage it with a micro traxion so the leader doesn’t have to carry the full weight of the rope.
- First aid kit? A roll of tape on your chalk belt should do it.
- Guidebook? Everyone has a smart phone now a days right?? Take a photo of it on your phone.
- Headlamp? Wear it around your neck or clip it to you’re harness.

Definitely no need to train to climb with a pack... just learn how to climb faster, be more efficient, and you will have a lot more fun climbing longer routes overall.

If you’re still attached to the idea of climbing with a pack, just know that you’ll likely never climb anything harder than 5.10 with it on. Pack free is the way to go!

I’m imagining doing all this with a 5 mile approach in the Tetons. It’s a funny mental picture. Walking in with a harness on trailing a tag line down the trail

CTdave wrote:

I’m imagining doing all this with a 5 mile approach in the Tetons. It’s a funny mental picture. Walking in with a harness on trailing a tag line down the trail

I thought he was talking about climbing with a pack.   I don’t think anyone is saying don’t carry all yer crap to the climb in without a pack though I’ve done plenty of climbs in the Sierra without carrying a pack to the base. 

Ok, don’t take that last sentence too seriously... I’m merely trying to make the point that if you really want to climb harder 5.11 or 5.12 multi pitch routes, eventually you’ll have to learn how to climb without a pack. That’s all. 

Jordan Cannon wrote: Ok, don’t take that last sentence too seriously... I’m merely trying to make the point that if you really want to climb harder 5.11 or 5.12 multi pitch routes, eventually you’ll have to learn how to climb without a pack. That’s all. 

Don't try this at home kids...

Jordan Cannon wrote: Ok, don’t take that last sentence too seriously... I’m merely trying to make the point that if you really want to climb harder 5.11 or 5.12 multi pitch routes, eventually you’ll have to learn how to climb without a pack. That’s all. 

Pretty spot on. Lots of people will enjoy pointing out exceptions though.  

I dunno. Some people might enjoy a picnic or a beer or peace of mind from extra food/clothing ontop of climb. Unless ur climbing your super hard project or ur a pro what does it matter if people climb with a pack or not?

One of my buddies once carried a gallon of mimosas up Right On. Watching him try to chimney was extremely entertaining. He ended up climbing with the pack in front of him.

On a different trip with that same buddy, we topped out on tahquitz and I hear him ask, “want some carnitas?”. I look over as he proceeds to pull out a gallon ziplock bag mostly full of meat, a package of tortillas, and a container of salsa.

Backpacks can be great.

MMmmm tacos, those and tamales are like magical Mexican trail bars.