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Sonnie Trotter Goes Down on Tasmania 3-Mar-2016 At 10:56:13 AM rowan

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On 19/02/2016 One Day Hero wrote:
>On 19/02/2016 johny wrote:
>>Yeah pretty much. :) But my main point is that if someone is putting
>up
>>their hand and saying, "look at this first free ascent I just did!" they
>>better have done it right or just don't bother telling anyone.
>
>Actually, I'd kinda appreciate your input on a 'hypothetical' example.
>
>Imagine that a friend of mine is working on what will almost certainly
>be the hardest trad route in the country. He's pretty close to climbing
>it clean with the gear in, but placing on lead both becomes the crux and
>adds significant danger (blind placement of single wire, with 15m groundfall
>assured if wire pops). Now, the concern is that if he were to climb the
>thing gear-in and report it as such, a whole host of internet bitches (who
>will never be strong enough to climb the route themselves) will chime in
>and claim that the ascent is invalid.
>So, speaking hypothetically, as an internet bitch who isn't strong enough
>to climb this thing in any style, what would your response be?

I reckon if your friend is hypothetically trying vertigo the piece of gear can quite easily be placed on lead he may have just chosen the incorrect piece. A blue totem cam goes in sweet. It's blind but you don't need to look at it to know its bomber. I havn't done all the moves on that thing but have done all the gear placing moves and would be comfortable to fall on the pieces placed on lead.

I reckon a new system could work for trad routes where if you climb the route in better style you get to rename it and the previous ascent is ignored. Pre-placed gear in Australia has happened a fair bit I reckon but I don't know about top roping and claiming it. I'm sure if a different route had the first part and the part that makes it hard top roped and then change to leading on the easy bit, it would not be counted.

But. He hasn't ruined any subsequent experience other than the glory of claiming a first ascent maybe. But that's all just in your mind if you think his ascent doesn't count.