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General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

Thorpey says top roping is fully sick. 5-Feb-2005 At 4:24:48 PM LittleJames

Message

On 5/02/2005 rhinckle wrote:
>toproping a seriously overhung pitch just means that you only get one go
>and have to either give up or start again.
>Some of do consider not falling but know that it sometimes happens.

Also worth mentioning is that the pendulum-like nature of an overhanging top-rope fall means that you can be four or five metres off the deck and still get your arse dragged along the ground, or even slammed straight into it if the climb has a hill behind it. For example, imagine top-roping the not-overly-short route Crank 'n Dangle at Muline. Also consider the outwards velocity in such a fall - swinging spine-first into a big f**k-off eucalypt behind the crag with any kind of pace just doesn't appeal to me.

Finally, while it may be practicable to top-rope some easier, low-angle stuff (like the Descent Gully Wall at Tommo's in Nowra), this raises the question: where do beginners learn to safely lead, even on sport? Trying to explain back-clipping or z-clipping to a relative beginner who's pumping out on some spoogy overhanging route at their limit would be a bit of a mission...

Just my two cents, comments/flames welcome. :)