UKC

After trying a route today a checking out the non existent gear I'm in mixed minds of hanging a knot down as gear. I can do all the moves and feel fairly confident on it. BUT It feels a long way out there with a certain groundfall. I've done a handful of pretty necking leads but this feels a lot more committing... Is it wise to not risk my neck or do I just grow a virgina?

In reply to Jack_F: Noob question. What do you mean by hanging a knot?

In reply to JimboWizbo: Nope, new one on me too.

In reply to JimboWizbo: As in a rope hanging down with a knot in it to clip into.

In reply to Jack_F:

Well it's not doing anyone else any harm or damaging the rock so do it if you want to but you'd be kidding yourself if you thought you'd led it.

In reply to Jack_F:

If it were me and I didn't fancy the lead/solo, I'd leave it. I don't really see the point in some half-way house ascent. It could be fun, but so would trying a route that you're actually prepared to climb in trad style rather than some weird pre-placed gear-on-a-string ascent.

In reply to Jack_F:

Great idea if it feels like it gives you the challenge your're seeking. If it's a new route though don't expect anyone to credit the ascent as anything other than a rather exciting top-rope.

In reply to Jack_F: Kind of half way to a top rope. If you have the confidence to know when you're going to fall off before you do (as opposed to completely unexpectedly), then consider top rope rescue from a pal if you think you might bottle it half way up. Can still have the lead if things go well and isn't a do-(downclimb-)or-die situation.

In reply to Jack_F: Given that you have presumably already blown the chances of an onsight or ground up ascent, why not.

You've got nothing much to lose. If it feels good you can return and lead it cleanly. If not then you can move on with less of a question mark hanging over the route.

In reply to Jack_F:
I don't think anyone would care TBH. Just don't say you lead it afterwards

In reply to Jack_F:

Sounds like your making a challenge that suits your ability. Go for it and have fun!

In reply to Jack_F:

Whats a virgina?

In reply to jonny2vests: I think it's a state

In reply to jonny2vests:

A creep-a?


Chris

In reply to Jack_F: just go for it, nothing wrong with looking after yourself,,,too many anal pedantic climbers, just have fun and be safe, i say if you make the climb you pretty much led it,,, depends how caught up in the pedanticness of climbing you are. personally i think you should only claim a climb if you do it in your hiking boots, without chalk and using jammed knots for protection,,,,bllaaaaaaa,,,,bllaaaaaaaaa

In reply to count: I'm glad you said that - i'd just poured myself a drink

In reply to count:

Excellent! I'm off to make a cup of tea. brb!

In reply to Jack_F: Cheers for the feedback, has given me a lot to think about. Something I left out was that was that the was once a peg at just under half height which is no longer there after someone ripped it and hit the deck. Would it be worth maybe thinking about replacing it instead?

In reply to Jack_F:

Bit like leaving a rope to clip into at the top of a loose sea cliff climb with no stakes at edge. Don't worry about it, stay safe.

Leo holding was attempting a route on cerro torre. At the crux move, after many hard moves, there was an old fixed rope. He made the move, but grabbed the fixed rope, and got to the next belay. However we was disgusted with himself. So he abseiled back down, cut the fixed rope free, and tried the crux sequence again from the previous belay. He didn't nail the crux, fell, broke several bones, and had to be rescued, by donkey. He told this one at a talk many years ago. The photos he showed said it all. Don't be too pure a purist!

My only comment is to use semistatic or static if it's a long length of rope and rope stretch looks to be an issue, plus it'll hold up better.

Struggling to see a massive distinction between:
- Climbing it before that piece pulled
- Climbing it with a rope hanging down to where that piece was
- Installing a bolt where that piece was

Aside from the last being most damaging to the rock, the climb you've done in all three cases is pretty much the same thing.

Just have fun and don't hurt yourself, injury really sucks.


In regards to an interview conducted in 1985 in Camp 4 of Yosemite Valley ... a writer for playboy magazine, Craig Vetter who was climbing with Galen Rowell wanted to hear 'my' story about how I fractured my heal taking a 25' whipper on the Catchy Corner, 5.11a of the Cookie Cliff of Yosemite, my (favorite) quote of which is published in Playboy Magazine, around October '86, in an article titled "Climbers" an excerpt is as follows (page 184, middle top paragraph):

At a campfire the night before, a climber, from Flagstaff had talked to me about just that thing (about falling). His name was RB and he'd been climbing for 17 years, since he was four. Just the year before, he'd taken a fall that had flipped him over backward and smashed his heel bone into five pieces. He said he could have saved the plunge if he'd just grabbed the rope, which he didn't, because HIS CLIMBER'S CODE TOLD HIM NOT TO. He said it wasn't a total loss, though. It had left an unnaturally large bump on his heel , which made his (three-striper feerays) fit perfectly (thereafter).

"And I learned something from that climb," he told me. "I LEARNED TO NEVER LET ETHICS HURT YOU."

In reply to Jack_F:

Do what you want.

Is a virgina some sort of shrub you thread before the crux?
jk

In reply to Jack_F:


If that means what I think it's meant to mean, IMO it would be a more impressive achievement than completing the route, knot or no knot!

In reply to jkarran:

Yes, I hadn't missed that either.

In reply to jkarran: Its the Devonian spelling