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Todd F
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Jan 12, 2017
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McMurdo Station, AQ
· Joined Jul 2015
· Points: 0
Fernando Cal wrote: Gym staff decided to take her off belay by having two staff members grip the rope above the grigri with their hands, remove the grigri from the belayer's harness, wait for additional staff member to put on harness, attached another grigri above the stuck grigri, and then lower the climber who was shrieking uncontrollably. My face when...WOW. you gotta be kidding me. Our gym recently introduced a new rule that all staff on the clock must wear a harness and carry a belay device in case they need to assist in some way. Now I find myself sitting here wondering how many actually would know what to do in an emergency.
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Redyns
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Jan 12, 2017
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Unknown Hometown
· Joined Apr 2011
· Points: 60
eli poss wrote: I'm a full time student and during the summer I have to wear khaki shorts. It would be nice if people didn't judge, because then my employer wouldn't have a dress code. Climbing friend, as our colleague would greet you, it is also safe to assume you do not get laid.
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Jplotz
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Jan 12, 2017
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Cashmere, WA
· Joined Sep 2011
· Points: 1,315
ViperScale wrote: Sounds like you are making assumptions here. There are people I have climbed with for years and we like to screw with each other at gyms so they may have both been fine with what they were doing. Ah! Maybe you're right, assuming he was being a duche. But he was definitely a dick.
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mark felber
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Jan 12, 2017
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Wheat Ridge, CO
· Joined Jul 2005
· Points: 41
ViperScale wrote: Sounds like you are making assumptions here. There are people I have climbed with for years and we like to screw with each other at gyms so they may have both been fine with what they were doing. OK, maybe the couple was fine with what they were doing. How good is that sort of high speed lowering for the rope? What happens if someone picks the wrong minute to walk under the climber being lowered? What happens if the belayer's brake hand slips? Maybe I'm just a killjoy, but that kind of horseplay sounds like a good way to get hurt.
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James Hicks
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Jan 12, 2017
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Fruita, CO
· Joined May 2012
· Points: 131
Long Ranger wrote: Seeing people with strangely useless gear on their harness isn't out of the ordinary at the gym I go to. Example: an ATC AND grigri, a cordelette or two, a random quick draw, a PAS, and the lone locking biner attaching their chalkbag to their harness via the haul loop. I haven't spied anyone with actual trad gear though. The closest would be some sort of additional weight - like the dude that would try power endurance routes wearing ankle weights. That guy gets a pass, as he's actually very strong, and probably has a good idea on what he's trying to accomplish. There was the story of the dude that decided it was a good idea to put himself on indirect on one of the draws on a similar route, which I think isn't the wisest idea, especially if the belayer doesn't know WTF you're doing. But seriously, it's a gym, wtf are you doing? One thing that does happen semi regularly is when a climber, usually traveling, sorts out their pack of trad gear inside where tables are set up, slowly and methodically. I'm guessing they'd rather do it there, instead of in/near the van in the parking lot they're sleeping in. It's just a funny scene of coupla people on laptops next to dude with sorting out his big wall/Indian Creek rack. Climbing Gyms are just funny places that somewhat function as incredibly different things, to different people. I'm completely sure many members go, but never, ever climb. I legit saw a guy with a full rack on his harness at my local gym not all that long ago. Proudly jangling his way up 5.9 top roped routes. They were really shiny. Go figure...
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James Hicks
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Jan 12, 2017
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Fruita, CO
· Joined May 2012
· Points: 131
Mark E Dixon wrote:I've seen shoelaces get clipped into quick draws en passant more than once. Not in the gym but I had the bolt side biner on a QD get clipped through the speed adjust buckle on my leg loop.Not around the leg loop, but directly though the middle of the buckle. Tried to pull the crux move and all of the sudden couldn't move up haha. It was a bitch to unhook since I have weenie arms and couldn't pull up enough with one hand to un-weight the carbiner.
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DustinM
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Jan 12, 2017
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SLC, UT
· Joined Dec 2015
· Points: 10
I was at a gym in the intermountain area, climbing all the hardest climbs*. It was the middle of the day and not very busy in the bouldering area – mostly regulars getting a quick workout. There was one guy, climbing v1/v2 problems in the less than vertical area, who was very outgoing – especially with the women in the gym. At one point I overheard him explaining his job to a stranger and how in touch with his emotions he was. I steered clear of the train wreck. Eventually tiring from all of the crushing I had been doing*, I went to a couch in the back to grab my coat and put on my shoes. While I was sitting there, one of the strongest pro climbers came in, gave me a wink*, and started warming up her fingers in the less than vertical area - using all of the different holds. Now, in slight defense of the poor guy, she had sweats and a hoody on and he couldn't see how incredibly ripped she was. Part of me even wonders if that would have actually made him stop and think for a second. Either way, as I walked toward the exit I got to hear him explain the color-coordinated holds and route/grading system to her. She was very nice, explaining she knew what she was doing. - *may not have happened exactly this way
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Jackii Brandt-Mudge
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Jan 12, 2017
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Unknown Hometown
· Joined Jul 2006
· Points: 10
I was leading at Rocreation in Salt Lake City (wearing shoes with the knots double tied to keep the laces from coming undone)and went for a ride -I ended up upside down and discovered, when I could not right myself, that my shoe lace clipped a draw on the way down-Another climber had to come help me out of my predicament -The gym owner, Jeff, advised me never to buy a lottery ticket as that was my one in a million chance
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Erik
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Jan 12, 2017
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Goose Creek, SC
· Joined May 2016
· Points: 115
DustinM wrote:I was at a gym in the intermountain area, climbing all the hardest climbs*. It was the middle of the day and not very busy in the bouldering area – mostly regulars getting a quick workout. There was one guy, climbing v1/v2 problems in the less than vertical area, who was very outgoing – especially with the women in the gym. At one point I overheard him explaining his job to a stranger and how in touch with his emotions he was. I steered clear of the train wreck. Eventually tiring from all of the crushing I had been doing*, I went to a couch in the back to grab my coat and put on my shoes. While I was sitting there, one of the strongest pro climbers came in, gave me a wink*, and started warming up her fingers in the less than vertical area - using all of the different holds. Now, in slight defense of the poor guy, she had sweats and a hoody on and he couldn't see how incredibly ripped she was. Part of me even wonders if that would have actually made him stop and think for a second. Either way, as I walked toward the exit I got to hear him explain the color-coordinated holds and route/grading system to her. She was very nice, explaining she knew what she was doing. * *may not have happened exactly this way I hate when people beta spray. Like I know that I'm not a great climber and I don't do every route with the finest finesse but this still isn't my first rodeo. If I need help with something I'll ask, or if people ask me I'll share. Luckily about 95% of the regulars at my gym keep to themselves. Although this is sometimes an issue when I want a quick partner for a belay.
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Bill Randolph
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Jan 12, 2017
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Unknown Hometown
· Joined Oct 2015
· Points: 0
Saw a guy start to lead an unbolted 10d - TR only- at the local gym. He got 12 feet up and yelled "where's the clip?" Neither he nor his belayer had noticed.
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rl23455
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Jan 12, 2017
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Portland, OR
· Joined Oct 2007
· Points: 251
I can think of two gym instances. 1 The guy climbing TR crack and grunting and screaming every inch of the way. I couldn't hear myself think. 2 we were using a cinch for leading, had just lowered my partner and the staff came over and told us we had it threaded backwards. We later figured the staff must have thought it was a gri-gri.
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Ted Pinson
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Jan 12, 2017
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Chicago, IL
· Joined Jul 2014
· Points: 252
Lol on number 2. I've definitely been that guy on #1.
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Gumby King
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Jan 12, 2017
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The Gym
· Joined Jun 2016
· Points: 52
I was climbing at my local gym when I heard a girl make a terrified scream for help. This was her first time climbing. I turned to see what was going on. I looked up and realized she had free soloed our TR wall (25 feet hit). The girl was frozen with fear and there was no quick way to get her down. Fortunately, others managed to walk her through the down climb and she made it down!
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B Gilmore
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Jan 12, 2017
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AZ
· Joined Nov 2005
· Points: 1,260
I overheard woman exclaiming to her two male partners that she had "gotten so efficient at climbing" that she "really needed to start training" if she wanted to get better... she was TRing 5.8!
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mbrd
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Jan 12, 2017
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Unknown Hometown
· Joined Sep 2011
· Points: 0
bkozak wrote:For everyone who read RMS' story about him rope soloing, I'm pretty sure that was me who came up to him talking to him about his bowlines, because that story sounds EXACTLY like an incident I had with someone rope-soloing at Carderock a while ago. If this is the person I'm thinking of, he's affectionately known as "Deadly Bowline Dude" on John Gregory's blog Dumb Anchors. Here is a picture Mr. Gregory got of his bowlines (google "dumb anchors deadly bowline dude" for many more entries on his blog) Here is what a textbook bowline for top-roping should look like As you can see, there is a big difference between the two, which I pointed out because I was concerned about the safety of his setup. Also, I did not learn to climb in a gym, I learned at Great Falls in a 6 week class taught by an AMGA certified climbing guide. I just happened to have my belay cord on my harness because it was girth hitched on a gear loop so I don't forget it, because I also climb in a gym, as does most everyone. the knot in the first photo is a bowline, despite having more air in the bight than it should. the knot in the second photo is a bowline, with slightly less air in the bight, though still too much, and with the tail tied into a fisherman's knot for a backup. while i agree that a bowline with no backup is a lousy idea (especially with a bight one could throw a rock through), i would submit that you do not know as much as you think your amga certified guide taught you.
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JK- Branin
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Jan 13, 2017
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NYC-ish
· Joined Nov 2012
· Points: 56
Josh Triplett wrote:I find cursing loudly or yelling continuously on v1's much more annoying. Setting a grade at which noise is uncool is uncool... If people are trying hard and pushing their limits, good for them, who cares what the grade is.
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Bill Shubert
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Jan 13, 2017
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Lexington, MA
· Joined Jul 2012
· Points: 55
sDawg wrote:I've also seen kids about that age get scared halfway up the wall and refuse to let go to be lowered off. The parent is of course belaying and unable to get to the kid, and the crying is too loud for the kid to hear anything from the ground. I assume the staff just solos up and helps them down. My daughter (who has anxiety issues) has twice frozen up on the wall, unwilling/unable to go up, unwilling/unable to let go and be lowered down, and unable to stop crying. It comes very suddenly, she'll be happily climbing one moment then suddenly she locks up. Both times a gym staff member had to climb up and peel her off the wall so I could lower. One time a staff member suggested that I just take her off belay, hand him the rope, then I can climb up and peel her off - uhhhh, sorry, I'm a pretty firm believer in never taking a climber off belay when they're on the wall, and when it's my daughter up there I feel even more strongly that way! (I was hoping that climbing would help my daughter get over her anxiety/fear issues, and she liked climbing, but finally she gave it up).
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Fernando Cal
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Jan 13, 2017
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SLC, UT
· Joined Dec 2015
· Points: 25
sDawg wrote:I assume the staff just solos up and helps them down. What is it with gym staff soloing routes? I've seen this happen at a number of gyms, to set up top ropes, tighten holds, help scared people, etc. Yea I know you're a staff member because of your shirt, and you climbing with sandals might make you look cool to others, but it goes against gym policy and safety, especially a bad example to new climbers. Staff should lead by example. No matter how high you free solo and how hard you can spot. Rant over.
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Bryan K
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Jan 13, 2017
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Las Vegas, NV
· Joined Jul 2016
· Points: 525
mbrd wrote: the knot in the first photo is a bowline, despite having more air in the bight than it should. the knot in the second photo is a bowline, with slightly less air in the bight, though still too much, and with the tail tied into a fisherman's knot for a backup. while i agree that a bowline with no backup is a lousy idea (especially with a bight one could throw a rock through), i would submit that you do not know as much as you think your amga certified guide taught you. Actually the two bowlines of his that I uploaded are in fact not bowlines. Take another look at them. A correct bowline has the strand going around the anchor point coming out of the top of the first loop created. In both of his, that strand is coming out of the bottom of the loop. I made that mistake plenty when I was learning the knot and it is not correct if you do that. --- Invalid image id: 112441158 --- As pictured above (and in every other picture of a correct bowline) the strand going around the anchor point comes out on the top of the first loop, not underneath. So yes, my guide taught me correctly.
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Mark E Dixon
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Jan 13, 2017
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Possunt, nec posse videntur
· Joined Nov 2007
· Points: 974
bkozak wrote: bowline You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
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