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Desensitizing yourself to falling...


Paradise

30-Jun-2006
10:35:50 AM

Thanks Neil - feeling so much happier now :)
I also have a problem with irrational fear when leading trad. I think a lot of this has come from hearing all the horror stories of seemingly bomber gear pulling and all the other stuff that can go wrong, problem is no one talks about all the times the gear holds with no problems-thus giving a distorted view of reality. (It may also have a little something to do with watching someone deck from 11 meters pulling all their gear on the way down).

I am finding that the more mileage I get on easy trad routes the more confidence I have in my gear. I don't see a problem with taking it easy on trad until you feel more comfortable, mean while have lots of fun on bolts or second :). I was also trying to think of a way of testing my gear to make my head believe it will hold, I thought about taking small falls on the gear I has issues with trusting but making sure it was backed up with something bomber (awesome sling etc).

gfdonc

30-Jun-2006
11:27:33 AM

There is something that was said to me by a fellow Chockstoner many years ago that has always stuck with me.

"If it's worth stopping, you may as well put in two" (pieces).

I still follow this rule at critical times, and mentally try to discount my top piece, assuming it will fail regardless how bomber, and planning around that. Mikl you may be amused to know you're the author of the quote. Odd what sticks to you from the people you meet over the years.

With regards to toproping, I am much, much more paranoid about toprope anchors than any gear placed on lead, especially when toproping from the bottom (=unattended belays). Four anchors, doubled up slings, and double screwgates are the norm.

With regards to headspace and lead falling, a healthy paranoia about safety plus confidence in your belayer, rope and systems - which can only be got from regular experience - will eventually lead to improvement. Your trad mileage in other words. Also try jumping off a steep wall in the gym sometime.


Eduardo Slabofvic

30-Jun-2006
11:40:18 AM

Try finding a route that has good gear, no ledges etc to hit, put in a few pieces of gear (what I like to call a
nest – as in “leave the nest and take to flight”) climb up and jump off. You'll soon realise that the scariest
thing about falling are the moments before you actually fall, as the fall itself will be over with so quickly
that you won’t notice it.

Falling off is as much a skill as tying knots, placing gear, belaying, or any other aspect of climbing that
you could care to mention. You should practice it, just like you should practice your gear placing, knot
tying, etc.

When I come back to climbing after a lay off, I will deliberately choose a route that is too hard for me just
so I can take some falls, and get into the head space where falling is O.K. Obviously you need to keep
constantly aware of where you are in relation to the ground, ledges, where the rope is, etc, and I’m not
suggesting that you go take massive factor 2 whippers, but practice makes perfect.

If you climb for long enough, you will fall, no doubt about it. Better to be prepared for that occasion when
it occurs.

Fool in the Rain

30-Jun-2006
11:41:03 AM

On 30/06/2006 Paradise wrote:
>Thanks Neil - feeling so much happier now :)
>I also have a problem with irrational fear when leading trad. I think
>a lot of this has come from hearing all the horror stories of seemingly
>bomber gear pulling and all the other stuff that can go wrong, problem
>is no one talks about all the times the gear holds with no problems-thus
>giving a distorted view of reality. (It may also have a little something
>to do with watching someone deck from 11 meters pulling all their gear
>on the way down).
>
The point is, Paradise, that it only takes one fall with all the pieces pulling to kill or seriously injury you.
The other 99 times when the gear holds won't save you from the ground fall that kills you.


Eduardo Slabofvic

30-Jun-2006
11:45:35 AM

Yeah, the only way to ensure you don't die climbing is not to go climbing.


adski

30-Jun-2006
12:30:31 PM

I'm psyched to go climbing.

simey

30-Jun-2006
2:17:07 PM

For what it is worth, here is an excerpt from the new Arapiles guide about staying alive at Mt Arapiles...

"IF IT IS BELOW YOUR WAIST IT ISN'T A RUNNER"
Hanging around in strenuous situations and placing good protection frequently is the key to staying safe when lead-climbing at Arapiles. The above quote comes from local legend Malcolm Matheson who felt that most Arapiles cruxes offered good protection above one's waist, thus reducing any fall to a mere slump on the rope.

Going-for-it might get you to the top of a few routes, but if you miscalculate and discover that those finishing holds are all slopers, you might wish you hadn’t passed up those final placements.

If you are nervous about leading on natural gear, drop down a few grades and adopt the time-honoured motto, ‘The leader never falls’. Should you get into difficulties, then down-climb and/or lower-off.

And finally, be wary of falling (or lowering) on any single piece of protection where failure of that piece would be catastrophic. Back up crucial pieces wherever possible.

NOT ALL FIXED GEAR IS BOMBPROOF
Many older bolts and pitons were placed by pioneering climbers who didn’t have the fancy racks we carry nowadays. These old bolts and pegs are usually redundant with a modern rack. Although you might still clip these old museum pieces, you probably won’t want to fall onto them. In cases where such bolts are crucial, they have usually been replaced.

Keep in mind that even new bolts aren’t always a guarantee of absolute security. There are a myriad of things that the person installing the bolt might have got wrong (incorrect filing on carrot bolts, over-torquing expansion bolts, not recessing glue-in bolts properly… to name just a few). Bolts are placed by a wide variety of people with differing experience and know-how. Look at what back-up is available should a bolt or a peg fail.

MT ARAPILES DOES HAVE LOOSE ROCK
As brilliant and as solid as Mt Arapiles rock is, climbers still need to exercise caution. Many classic routes climb up and over detached blocks which often have very little holding them to the main cliff (Bard for example). Always check the solidness of handholds and footholds before committing to them. And make sure that any protection you place isn’t behind suspect flakes or blocks.

James

30-Jun-2006
2:53:05 PM

On 30/06/2006 Paradise wrote:
>I also have a problem with irrational fear when leading trad. I think
>a lot of this has come from hearing all the horror stories of seemingly
>bomber gear pulling and all the other stuff that can go wrong, problem
>is no one talks about all the times the gear holds with no problems-thus
>giving a distorted view of reality. (It may also have a little something
>to do with watching someone deck from 11 meters pulling all their gear
>on the way down).

hearing the "horror" stories is vital though - if you don't know what can go wrong then you have no chance of taking steps to counter it. Ignorance is NOT bliss on trad climbs.

I'm always going through what-if scenarios in my mind when leading (but I've seen more than 1 nasty accident...). the only way to get confident on trad is to climb trad, there's just no substitute for time on the sharp end.


nmonteith

30-Jun-2006
3:01:26 PM

Just to throw a spanner in the works for everyones confidence... i have found trad gear that i think is
totally shite actually holds falls - and gear that i thought was bomber just fell out with slight weight (this
experiance happens a lot when aid climbing!)

[start story now...]

Solo aiding Mescilito in Yosemite - aided up 12 or more copperheads (body weight only) in a row until i
got to a bomber #2 cam slot. In massive relief i plugged what looked like the perfect cam into the slot,
clipped into it and and stepped up. The cam just slid out of the placment, i pitched backwards falling
down onto the last copperhead i had clipped a few metres below. The lesson was - the 'body weight
only' piece held a fair sized fall, and the bomber cam held diddly squat. Never trust one piece of gear -
even if it looks bomber. The cam fell out because the rock was so slick the cams didn't creat enough
friction to grip the crack...


mtnbear

30-Jun-2006
11:15:57 PM

Cath, I think you nailed it on the head by calling it an irrational fear. It didn't quite kill the experience but it wasn't fun thats for sure...Thats why i want to desensitize myself to it all.

Paradise looks lilke you and are in the same boat! =)

gfdonc, I use that "place two" mentality as well. I think I picked it up from watching someone else climb and will never forget it. Gives that sense of security thats needed in harried moments eh? love it.

Eduardo, your dead right about practice makes perfect. Why shouldn't climbers practice falling? Stunt men do it and it keeps them safer, why couldn't we approach it with the same mentality.

Neil Thanks for the stories... I like learning from others mistakes! =)
I will keep them in mind when I put this through the motions

Thanks all, for everything. I will be doing some practice on my next day out, no doubt. Meanwhile... anyone else have any not-so-horrible falling horror stories we can learn from?

spicelab

2-Jul-2006
12:17:22 AM

I can sympathise strongly with the irrational fear phenomenon but when it starts to challenge the fundamental fact that HOLDING FALLS IS WHAT THE GEAR IS DESIGNED TO DO then it is out of control.

There is no simple solution to head issues. Accept that overcoming them requires a long haul mentality and that shock treatment could well be counterproductive.


AZ.Steve

3-Jul-2006
2:32:33 AM

When in Doubt, Run it out! When in Fear, Place more Gear!

About 3 years ago I pulled a cam out of a pocket in Quisling Direct and DECKED! I was lucky my only injury was a black ass. After three days hidden in my tent I emerged with a new attitude towards climbing. I promptly found a partner and drug them up Brolga and Bard using nothing but a set of wires and a set of hexes. It got my head back in the game.

When your climbing at your limit, and the rock affords it, place at least two pieces. Hell make a nest.

I have finally reached a point with climbing where placing gear and falling comes naturally. No longer am I peaking about my gear or worried about a fall. All the calcualtions have been made by instict and if the result is positive, all I have to think about is the movement.

Top roping on lead is called 'Mock Leading" and is a great way to begin traditional climbing. I think people learn faster mock leading than climbing easy shit.

Stouts! Slumpers Beware!

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