What is the stupidest/unsafe thing you have seen at the crag?

smoking pot with chalk in it

Oooo! Ooh! I've been needing to tell someone what my partner saw 2 weeks ago. Even though I didnt see it, I have PTSD from the thought.   I was racking up and my partner came over from cleaning the last climb.  He said this couple was on a fairly beginner route and couldn't make the last clip. The guy lowered and the girl went up. She PAS'd into the mid wall bolt, fed the rope through it, and then got lowered off it.  

Omg just typing his makes a whirlwind of emotions. That rope will most likely continued to be used.

Oh ya. This crag has a hiking trail to get up top in about 2 minutes max. The top is a giant flat top.  They could have set a TR and rappelled or just asked someone else. Or left booty. Or 100 other things. 

RIP to those climbers. 

** edit:  change from anchor to bolt.  The sharp ass thing **

Ty Zangwrote:

Oooo! Ooh! I've been needing to tell someone what my partner saw 2 weeks ago. Even though I didnt see it, I have PTSD from the thought.   I was racking up and my partner came over from cleaning the last climb.  He said this couple was on a fairly beginner route and couldn't make the last clip. The guy lowered and the girl went up. She PAS'd into the mid wall anchor, fed the rope through it, and then got lowered off it.  

Omg just typing his makes a whirlwind of emotions. That rope will most likely continued to be used.

Oh ya. This crag has a hiking trail to get up top in about 2 minutes max. The top is a giant flat top.  They could have set a TR and rappelled or just asked someone else. Or left booty. Or 100 other things. 

RIP to those climbers. 

What is wrong with lowering from midpoints? That is pretty standard when your rope is too short to lower from top anchors and the route is equipped with midpoint anchors. 

People lowering off a steep sport climb

B Pwrote:

People lowering off a steep sport climb

Yes, rappelling steep routes is MUCH safer. 

Frank Steinwrote:

What is wrong with lowering from midpoints? That is pretty standard when your rope is too short to lower from top anchors and the route is equipped with midpoint anchors. 

Shit sorry wrong wording. They lowered off the bolt. Not an anchor.   The sharp metal bolt. 

Our first rope came from k-mart, the first harness was a leather belt, and the first carabiners were intended for key chains.  All good for bodyweight and knowledge building.  I will always have a soft spot for this genera of bullsh*t. 

Ty Zangwrote:

Shit sorry wrong wording. They lowered off the bolt. Not an anchor.   The sharp metal bolt. 

You mean "hanger"?

Tradibanwrote:

You mean "hanger"?

Yep. We always just called them bolts but yes the hanger 

Dustin Helmerwrote:

It's trying to avoid being responsible for other's mistakes. Like having to be involved in a rescue because somebody did something stupid. It's also getting out of the area before a stranger does something unsafe and dumb that endangers your party. 

One time I heard someone deck and immediately wanted to leave because I didn't want to render first aid. Looking back I realized how selfish of me that was. If the tables were turned, I'd want someone to help me out.

HOT TAKE: leaving the area when you see something unsafe is selfish. If you see something, say something. Safety at the crag is a team sport and you're only as safe as the dumbest gumby there.

I completely agree. 

Imo leaving the crag due to unsafe climbers only makes sense if you tried to point out their mistake and they blew you off

David Carlsonwrote:

Imo leaving the crag due to unsafe climbers only makes sense if you tried to point out their mistake and they blew you off

I had enough of hauling dead bodies and injured people out when I was younger.  That's why I am no longer part of search and rescue.  You could consider it a form of ptsd.  People doing stupid shit rarely listen and I don't want to be near such stupidity.

climber patwrote:

I had enough of hauling dead bodies and injured people out when I was younger.  That's why I am no longer part of search and rescue.  You could consider it a form of ptsd.  People doing stupid shit rarely listen and I don't want to be near such stupidity.

That is also fair, but I think once you warn them you have done your job and then you can leave. 

Krimpit thee Frog here wrote:

One afternoon at Quemiln in Post Falls, ID we were climbing at Post Wall. Probably 2 other couples climbing along side of us when a loud explosion went off about  30ft from the closest party next to us. Little bits of shrapnel pelted all around and that smell of burning when 2 rocks collide. Everyone looked shocked at each other not knowing what happened. Then a 2nd one. Someone was standing up on the ground above where you can top out and was throwing basketball sized rocks down into the creek bed right behind us. I yelled up angrily "there are people down here" and I heard laughter. I ran up around as fast as I could but they were gone at that point. I ran to the parking lot to see if I could catch someone trying to flee in their car but when I asked a friendly couple who were walking their dog if they saw anybody run outta the woods they said 3 teenage boys had just high tailed it out of there on their bikes. I guess it was the laughter and them knowing they were up to no good that got me fuming. But seriously wtf were they thinking? That shit was super dangerous and they were probably throwing blindly cuz I never saw anyone peer over the edge. That shit was fucked up

Imagine laughing about almost fucking killing someone. That is beyond fucked. 

Dustin Helmerwrote:

It's trying to avoid being responsible for other's mistakes. Like having to be involved in a rescue because somebody did something stupid. It's also getting out of the area before a stranger does something unsafe and dumb that endangers your party. 

One time I heard someone deck and immediately wanted to leave because I didn't want to render first aid. Looking back I realized how selfish of me that was. If the tables were turned, I'd want someone to help me out.

HOT TAKE: leaving the area when you see something unsafe is selfish. If you see something, say something. Safety at the crag is a team sport and you're only as safe as the dumbest gumby there.

I completely agree, however there is a loophole, ask if they want help (only if the situation isn’t immediately life threatening, otherwise you pretty much have a fast pass to help) and if they refuse, then you leave. If they won’t listen to genuine advice, there’s nothing you can do for them in that circumstance without possibly making them annoyed or aggressive which could make the situation worse. Help where you can, but you’re not responsible for someone else’s lack of understanding if they won’t listen. But always say something if you see something genuinely dangerous. 

Dustin Helmerwrote:

It's trying to avoid being responsible for other's mistakes. Like having to be involved in a rescue because somebody did something stupid. It's also getting out of the area before a stranger does something unsafe and dumb that endangers your party. 

One time I heard someone deck and immediately wanted to leave because I didn't want to render first aid. Looking back I realized how selfish of me that was. If the tables were turned, I'd want someone to help me out.

HOT TAKE: leaving the area when you see something unsafe is selfish. If you see something, say something. Safety at the crag is a team sport and you're only as safe as the dumbest gumby there.

I feel morally obliged to say something.

Last year I debated talking to a father belaying his daughter, while I was on a trip to a neighboring country. The belaying looked sketchy, but I hesitated a bit due to not speaking the local language very well. I did in the end, and I think the father and the daughter were both a bit embarrassed or annoyed (on each other I like to believe). To this day I'm still glad I decided to speak up that day, even if it was uncomfortable.

Some people might not be aware they are doing something dangerous. If they are it's their own responsibility. And if they don't follow well meant advice I don't think I'll stick around.

John Dwrote:

I feel morally obliged to say something.

Last year I debated talking to a father belaying his daughter, while I was on a trip to a neighboring country. The belaying looked sketchy, but I hesitated a bit due to not speaking the local language very well. I did in the end, and I think the father and the daughter were both a bit embarrassed or annoyed (on each other I like to believe). To this day I'm still glad I decided to speak up that day, even if it was uncomfortable.

Some people might not be aware they are doing something dangerous. If they are it's their own responsibility. And if they don't follow well meant advice I don't think I'll stick around.

I had the same debate regarding Ashima and Poppo. Didn't end well   

John Dwrote:

....And if they don't follow well meant advice I don't think I'll stick around.

Stick around for the booty.  You earned it. 

Not super unsafe, but kinda stupid. Whenever I think about it I just shake my head. 

Was climbing at my local crag in a group of 3, so I was relaxing on two logs behind the belay while my friends climbed/belayed, there were two guys with very shiny draws on the 5.8 route directly next to my friends. One guy had just finished waffling just above the 3rd bolt on a somewhat committing move and decided to come down to give his friend a shot on it.

His friend top ropes to the 3rd bolt, then waffles around as well. He tries so hard to beta break and go left when the chalk and holds lead right because he's too scared to try the deadpoint. After about 10 minutes of hanging around, he decides to come down. Instead of going in direct and setting up a bail 'biner, he just starts lowering on the top draw, cleaning the other two on his way.

This entire time I'm sitting there with a devil on one shoulder saying "BOOTY DRAW! BOOTY DRAW!" and an angel on the other saying "They're gumbies, be nice."

Eventually the angel won out and, as they were packing their rope up to go home, I told them we could get their draw down if they waited about a minute, as my friend was about to lower the route she had just finished and could easily swing over to snag their draw. 

Ok ok I have one I just remembered.
We were at the Voo hanging out near the base of Lower Slot Right. Three kids show up, maybe high school maybe college freshmen. They have a ton of brand new wide gear including 3 brand new 6s. The kids decide to climb the route. First kid wiggles up 2 feet and places a 6, leaves it in place and goes up and puts a second 6 in. Hang dogging each one. He thrashes super hard getting to the first horizontal ~12’ off the ground. He pukes in the crack, then he builds a belay using the third 6 and some other gear and brings his partner up 12’ to the horizontal. We left the base after that but checked back later looking to see if they left a booty 6.