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General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

Bailing on a trad route, past halfway on your rope 8-Sep-2013 At 12:15:25 AM simey

Message

The trouble with such a scenario are the big variables that will influence any decision made. These include the ability of the the climber, the difficulty of climbing above and below the climber and the quality of the protection.

Rarely is there a one-size-fits-all answer to climbing situations. Judgment, experience and ability all need to be considered. And what is right for one climber isn't necessarily right for another.

But if you want an answer...

Climber threads spare (blue) rope through top dodgy pieces and raps down on both ends until 25m above belay (having unclipped the red rope from the top pieces prior to rapping). In the process the climber is kept on belay on the red rope as he/she cleans the pitch on the way down. At the 25m mark (providing there is good gear), the climber transfers their weight to the red rope and then pulls the blue rope clear from the top pieces. The climber then gets lowered on the red rope to the ground, cleaning the rest of the pitch on the way down. That means the climber has left behind the 2 dodgy pieces up high and the one bomber piece at the 25m mark (providing you are happy to be lowered off one piece at that point).