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leading confidently on trad 5-Feb-2012 At 10:05:53 AM stonetroll

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On 1/02/2012 Nayda wrote:
>So for your aspiring lead climber, what are the considerations you make before you decide to back off a trad pitch,

My first consideration would be , a# ( is it an option ? )
My second consideration would be , b# ( why am i really considering backing off ? )
My third consideration would be , c# ( what can i do for my self instead of backing off ? )

a# ( is it an option ? ) First of all I have to be able to back off. Some times you can find your self in an awkward position that’s irreversible or you may feel the task of backing off creates more risk than punching it through. By assessing the given situation and weighing up the likely hood of successfully retreating verses the chances of things heading south during the attempt , I will make a judgment on the two choices. If it turns out that backing off is not really viable, I go to plan b#.

b# ( why am i really considering backing off ? ) O.k, so things are getting a bit hairy, but keep deep steady breaths, control what I can such as foot work, maybe shake out, take a dip in the chalk bag and take my focus to the inner sanctum. And take time for one last quick head check, here I will try and source the real reason as to why I’m thinking of backing off. And seriously, 9 times out of 10, it’s the fear of committing. Put your self in the exact same spot, but on a top rope and I bet you just go for it. So a bit of a psyche up and get your belayer to tell you how good you are. By now you should have mentioned to your belayer to “watch me” if your confidence has returned and you’re gonna give it a go. If your confidence hasn’t returned but you’re gonna give it a go anyway, say “watch me, all shit could break loose !” If none of this is working, then it’s time for plan c#.

c# ( what can i do for my self instead of backing off ? ) This is the million dollar question. A little bit of improvisation such as whacking in a bit of gear and resting on it, or getting a staunch cam in that crack with a sling on it and aiding your way through the crux. Yeh , your pride may take a hit for dogging it, but hay you can always come back and on-sight it next time. . . . . *~* But some times it may be as simple as asking your belayer ( or sometimes, some one near buy ) for a bit of beta. There may be a hold you’re not seeing or a hidden sequence that tells better when looking to it, from back a bit. The main point is to really use your imagination.

>& what are the keys
>to confidently scrambling up these more technical & demanding grades without
>needing to set off a rescue beacon & make page 2 of the local rag?

Key #1 Climb with stronger climbers.
Buy climbing with people stronger and more able than your self, they will help to push your abilities and teach you things about technique and expose you to higher grades. ( Seconding to start with ) then leading those grades.
Key #2 Climb with people you trust.
Nothing inspires confidence more than when you know that the person who has you on belay is gonna deal with every thing as it comes. There’s a special chemistry needed between climbing partners to really be able to put it out there. So if you want to push it, you will need climbing buddys you click with. Not all climbers are the same or think the same way. So it’s a really cool thing to hook up the type of climbers that inspire and energize you.

>How do you build confidence that your gear will hold a fall,

By taking falls on it.

>& how do you know when to retire a piece of gear that's taken a fall(s)?

Good question. Not always a straight answer. Some gear will last for your entire climbing career, some piece might only ever get used once and then it’s spent. If you had a particular example of something that you wondered , is it o.k , or not, with an inspection and understanding of it’s back ground, an experienced eye, could give you an answer. But the question is a bit open ended and these matters (apart from when it’s blatantly obvious) come down to a common sense judgment approach.

The most common piece of gear you’ll be replacing is the rope. Some people keep a log book of how many and types of falls the rope receives, which is a good idea. But generally these details are kept mentally and ropes get replaced “when it’s about time to” and / or the core is popping through the sheath. ( which is a good idea as well ). Use a ground sheet for your rope when in sandy areas (if practical) as sand in your rope will stuff it. Generally speaking you get about 5 years out of your slings but check continually for signs of wear. ( Just in case you didn’t know, gear doesn’t have to even have been used to render it faulty. Chemicals , solvents, petrol, sun screen, piss, and grime can weaken the nylons and spectra. So always be very particular about the way you store and transport your gear ). Hard gear such as nuts on braided cable are pretty bomb proof, the smaller sizes may be more vulnerable with their light gauge cables. I was told if one wire is fraid from the braid, replace it. Your belay device and belay caribiner will need replacement at some point in time. Especially if you’ve been doing lot of rap’ offs as they will simply get worn. Harness, usually about 5 years. Cams, keep camming for friggen ages, it’s the runners on them that most likely will need replacement at some point 5 – 10 years so I’ve heard.