UKC

If your second wasn't confident seconding at a higher grade, is it frowned upon for the leader to climb a route and then abseil to retrieve gear, instead of the second climbing up to retrieve gear?

I don't want to go and get funny looks off people or anything!:P

Thanks

In reply to Mike Nolan:
funny looks?
is that all you're worried about?

I've done this to try and retrieve stuck gear in the past, so why not strip the whole route.

personally, I'd worry less about what other people think and "worry" more about making sure my smile was large enough

In reply to Mike Nolan: Not at all, it's quite normal for a variety of reasoning including the fact that the second may wish to lead the route onsight in the future.

Unless you're going to be very swift rigging the abseil etc. and getting completely clear of the route I might probably avoid it on busy classics where other parties are likely to be waiting to climb, but otherwise crack on.

In reply to Mike Nolan:

i'm sure you will find people on here who are pasionately against it for some ethical reason or other.

however I would just crack on. mind and not damage the rock if its soft, or the tree pulling the ropes down if its a popular place.

In reply to Mike Nolan:
Well done for raising the question, I was thinking the same thing. The Mrs is quite happy to belay me while I lead a route but wouldn't be able to second anything harder than V.Diff so abseiling would be the only way to get my gear out.
I think that if no one else is waiting to do the route and you take care not to cause any damage it should be OK.

In reply to teflonpete:

If the second cannot follow you have to do it to recover your runners, no problems with that.

In reply to teflonpete:

That's all I ever did when I was trying E2's and E3's when the missus was climbing VS.
Abbing was often the only option and quite often quicker for me to strip the route this way anyway so no problem even if a team is waiting.

Enty

In reply to sutty: yes we do it when mike leads and I cant second the stuff he was doing. Simply rig up absail and ab off to retrieve making sure you dont miss any... THAT IS VERY ANNOYING!

In reply to Mike Nolan: yeah me and my mate have always done it.
first one leads, abbs. second one leads on pre-placed gear then abb-strips the route. great style as you can concentrate on the climbing.

In reply to Mike Nolan:

Nothing wrong with it, it' just a pain in the ass and dispiriting for your partner if it happens regularly.

jk

In reply to Mike Nolan:

Ask if anyone in earshot would like to second the route - often quicker than setting up abseil etc. If no positive responses then abseil and get gear.

In reply to Mike Nolan:
I don't think so. certainly it happened twice to me at the weekend at the roaches and no one started tutting....

In reply to Mike Nolan: how could it ever be quicker to second than abseil. abbing takes about 2 minutes

In reply to Mike Nolan:
I quite often do this without a second thought.

In reply to Mike Nolan:

I don't think there should be any problems with parties waiting. Either abseiling or belaying your second, it takes the same time to set up the anchors at the top, so belaying quickly and retrieving gear no probs!

In reply to Mike Nolan: Dont rush setting up your abb, make sure you are safe.

Stu

In reply to Mike Nolan: this is often standard practice for me. not ideal and much better to have second follow but if you have to do it to do the route you want i cant see any issue

In reply to Mike Nolan:

Did pea pod a while back and upon getting to the top found none of my mates really wanted to blow their onsight so I had to ab to retrieve it all.

Its a fairly normal thing. If it's stuck gear, then I might just leave it if it's a nut depending on how 'attached' I am to the nut. If it's a cam, aint no way in hell i'm leaving it just because of a few bad looks... I don't care if I'm on Christmas Crack on Dec 25th, ya'll can wait!!

In reply to Mike Nolan:
If it were particulary busy at one of those popular crags...
Take a different coloured helmet and a change of jacket (and false beard) pop back down to the bottom and second the route yourself.

In reply to Mike Nolan:

If my second couldn't follow I'd shoot them....and the ab for the gear.

In reply to Mike Nolan:

Forgive my ignorance (please!), but wouldn't you at least have to leave one piece of gear behind for the abseil, unless there was a bolt or a really good natural anchor?

Chris

In reply to Chris Ellyatt: Ab the route then walk back to the top and collect gear.