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ADVISE ON LOWERING FROM A BOLT. 10-Sep-2007 At 12:30:59 PM SHANESHAW

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On 10/09/2007 andesite wrote:
>How did you get two quickdraws into one bolt plate???
>
>My opinion:
>
>Your way of thinking was good (redundancy, backup), but the most uncertain
>link in the chain is almost always your connection to the rock, in this
>case a bolt. So that should've been your focus for backing up - the bolt,
>not the quickdraw.
>
>To reduce the uncertainty around the integrity of the bolt: a good old
>fashioned outward jerk using the quickdraw and a bit of a bounce test (all
>while on belay from a bomber anchor).
>
>By bounce test I mean: clip to the bolt with your cowstail, personal anchor
>system, or even the climbing rope (think clove hitch), and kinda slump
>heavily onto the bolt - no big drop, just dynamic enough to load the anchor
>up with more than bodyweight.
>
>One of my climbing partners has this habit when he gets to the loweroffs
>on sport-routes, he clips into both anchors (or the mainpoint if the chains
>are already equalised), gives them a bit of a bounce test and only then
>commits to trusting them for rap or a lower. I think it is a good habit
>and try and remember to do so myself.
>
>After this I'd be happy considering the bolt the only anchor for the last
>person down, but would still follow the suggestion of backing it up for
>the first (and heaviest) person, and if there's any doubt (even just a
>gut feel something isn't as good as you'd like) then leave some backup
>gear - you can always find something if you look (and think) hard enough.
>
>Even if you have no trad gear or don't want to leave your favourite (now
>out of production) HB Offset - slings can loop flakes or chickenheads,
>be knotted to make a 'nut' for a constricting crack, or find a small rock
>and chockstone it in a crack. There's almost always something - you just
>need to look far and wide.
>
>I like one quote I read somewhere regarding abseil anchors, something
>like: If there's any doubt, there's no doubt - back it up.
>
>Additionally, I don't think lowering was the best option either - rapping
>smoothly and slowly (no movie style ninja raps please), I reckon is less
>load on the anchor than lowering your buddy, and being lowered.

I like what you said mate, I suppose I could have used a bolt plate and a screw gate but I used the 2 draws because I didn't want one to fail so I used 2 and reversed them as the books say. The bolt was a glued in bolt and was a bomber anchor and I lowered my partner down slowly and with no jerking. The same when he lowered me . There was no jerking or little drops to put more pressure on the 1 bolt. Also no protection could be placed anywhere the bolt was on a climb that we travered to and lowered off. And climbing up it probably was not a option because it was too hard a climb... I appreciate the advise. At the end of the day I was comfortable when I was lowered and it only cost me 2 draws and a bolt plate. better then taking a tumble.