What you SHOULDN'T Do on Big Walls...

Don't leave your waste on the wall. I was on lead in a chimney recently and there was a ziplock bag full of shit sitting on a chockstone. If your on a busy route or just in general urinate in piss bottles. It is actually easier than pissing off a portaledge and you won't stink up the belays for future parties. Likewise, carry and dispose of your shit.

Don't flag the ledge if there is the possibility of high winds, cause if they start halfway through a haul you will see some shit break.

Edit-oh yeah, don't drop stuff

Dustin B wrote:Don't flag the ledge if there is the possibility of high winds, cause if they start halfway through a haul you will see some shit break. Edit-oh yeah, don't drop stuff

As long as you have a good funnel as a rope protector so the biner on the bottom of the ledge can spin around it you'll be fine. I've flown my ledge many times on many routes in some pretty insane winds and as long as it could spin, no harm came to the ledge.

You SHOULD NOT get all excited on the last pitch or second to last pitch that you've "done it". You can still die and it can still be a nightmare. Hauling on the last pitch is frequently a giant pain in the ass and can take a lot of time and effort.

Only when you are well back from the edge along with EVERYTHING else and you can safely take your harness off are you truly done.

Figure out how to set up your portaledge while hanging. This was said above, but needs to be emphasized. The most frequent cause of bails that I know of firsthand is people unfamiliar with their Black Diamond ledge. I have had great results with my Fish econoledge.

Mark Hudon wrote: Only when you are well back from the edge along with EVERYTHING else and you can safely take your harness off are you truly done.

Then there is the descent...

Mark Hudon wrote:You SHOULD NOT get all excited on the last pitch or second to last pitch that you've "done it". You can still die and it can still be a nightmare. Hauling on the last pitch is frequently a giant pain in the ass and can take a lot of time and effort. Only when you are well back from the edge along with EVERYTHING else and you can safely take your harness off are you truly done.

I remember topping out on tribal rite and texting my mom that I was finished and only needed to clean and haul. She texted back, "so you're safe now?" My reply was, "ummm safe from lead falls at least." Later when cleaning the last traverse a fixed pin popped and I swung hard into a corner. I was fine but it really brought to light that nothing's over till it's over.

Yup, the descent, it's the "second crux" as far as I'm concerned.

Only once you are in the parking lot and at your car are you truly finished.

Mark Hudon wrote:Yup, the descent, it's the "second crux" as far as I'm concerned. Only once you are in the parking lot and at your car are you truly finished.

I always considered "finished" to mean I had a liter of water in front of me and a huge burger in hand.