What to do with the bag?

Hey all!
   First I wanna say that this forum has been a wealthful resource in the past. I have what might be a simple question, and it may have been asked before. My friends and I are making our first big multipitch trip in a couple weeks. I use a Trango Cragbag to haul my gear, but weve always done single pitch stuff so I just left it near by on the ground. Since we are doing multipitch, should I just leave the bag at the base? Should I find a way to hike to the wall without it? I have a summit pack for small stuff like snacks and a jacket. I'm just not really sure what to do with the big bag. Let me know what you guys think or what you guys have done. Thanks!

That bag is a bit larger than I would normally climb with. Will probably get in the way of your chalk and gearloops. But should be light after you gear up and empty it. I usually only have approach shoes water and snacks left in my bag. That said. Your options are leave it at the base if you are going to be returning the same way and aren’t worried about theft. Carry it if there is an alternative descent. Or carry it part ways and clip it to bolt/ pro so you don’t need to carry it all the way up. That will at least make opportunistic thieves less likely. Climb safe. I usually climb with something more like 18-24 litres

Are you walking off or rappelling?
Wear your rack on your harness, backpack the rope, and leave your keys in the ignition of your car and you’re good to go

Its Seneca, so its a rappel.off. The bag will be empty after we get to the wall, so you think its better to find a way to carry the stuff on the hike, and leave the bag at camp? My summit pack is 18 liters, so it can hold a few things. I really dont want it to get stolen, but its too far of a hike to wear the harness the whole way. Sorry if this seems like a stupid question. Just trying to get everything planned out before we go.

What I've found that works well if descent doesn't take me to the starting base is to wear my 18 liter multipitch pack (linked) with rope and helmet on the outside and harness and rack on my waist.

If coming back to the base then carry how you want and leave stuff there. 

Jay Dee wrote: What I've found that works well if descent doesn't take me to the starting base is to wear my 18 liter multipitch pack (linked) with rope and helmet on the outside and harness and rack on my waist.

If coming back to the base then carry how you want and leave stuff there. 

Never had any issues with theft? That's the only concern I have with leaving it unattended. 

I've never had problems leaving gear at the base of climbs at Seneca. But you do lose some flexibility to switch to other sides of the fin from the summit if you don't haul your gear with you. At Seneca it really depends on what you are hoping to get on and if it's all iin one side or not. 

At Seneca we rack up in the parking lot, one climbing with the rack and with the rope backpacked. Leaves you super flexible on where you start and which side you finish.

A small pack is nice for water, snack, headlamp and the guide book if your new to the area.

Have fun Seneca is a blast. 

nlbaumgardner wrote: I've never had problems leaving gear at the base of climbs at Seneca. But you do lose some flexibility to switch to other sides of the fin from the summit if you don't haul your gear with you. At Seneca it really depends on what you are hoping to get on and if it's all iin one side or not. 

That is really good to know. The plan is to summit by way of Conn's West. We've heard it's pretty easy with some good exposure, so we figured it would be a good one to be the first. I do appreciate all of the advice. I think since we are mainly just going for the summit and the rappel brings us back to the base where we started, ill just leave the big bag at the base. 

Thomas Grawcock wrote:

Never had any issues with theft? That's the only concern I have with leaving it unattended. 

To be specific, I've never been to Seneca, but no I've never had any issues with theft. Not saying it can't happen but I've found the climbing community to be good with each other. 

I've climbed Conns West many times over 40+ years. Always leave my pack at the base of Old Man's route (climber's right). Never had an issue with theft.

Never had issues leaving gear/packs at the base of Seneca.
The Stairmaster is pretty strong defense against randos hiking in and stealing your gear.

Yeah, your big bag is safe at the base - but I hike up the Stairmaster with my harness on / racked all the time.

A few extra bits of info for a Seneca first timer...
- The grades are heavily sandbagged.
- It can be hard to shout down to your follower, consider bringing radios.
- West Face has one rappel which REQUIRES *TWO* 60m ropes (even with 2x 70m, you'd want to do the short intermediary rap). When in doubt, ask - and *please* tie knots in your rappel rope. Getting injured people down from the base of climbs is a monumental effort.

Hang in a tree at the base if there’s a concern of critters getting into it. Here we have goats that will get into bags looking for salty sweaty goodness. 

Gear up before the approach so you don't have to bring a large bag with you. 

Note the contents of Barry M's summit pack above -- especially the headlamp part!

I just bring my regular cragging pack and leave it at the base. Might as well carry in comfort when you're coming right back to the base of the route. 

Walking with a rack on a harness just sucks and no matter what some self proclaimed crusher says, ya look like a gumby with all those cams clanging around. I've had no trouble getting a double rack in an 20 liter pack for a 27 hour route in the alpine, if you're bringing a pack for the follower to wear on the route with water, etc you can get the rack in there on a normal day.

I'll do the harness from the car deal for things in Squamish up the chief or in Red Rocks when we need to bring so much water that the pack is too full to get the rack in. If you need to hike in with the harness on don't go through the leg loops, it will be much more comfortable hiking.