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General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

Big falls on granite slab routes 30-May-2004 At 10:37:40 AM oweng

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Id certainly rather take a fall of a nice vertical / overhanging wall than a slab. Luckily neither has happened yet.

The saving grace with slab climbing is that your rarely going to pump out and fall off. You can take plenty of time to consider your moves carefully. Of course your calves end up screaming if you stay in one place for too long, but generally the forearms are ok.

An amazing phenomonon I notice when climbing a slab is the fact that when you are wiggling on a bolt plate, whilst facing a big fall, It can often fell that your perilously close to falling, and that the holds / crystals are marginal at best. Then as soon as you clip the bolt, you realise that you can take one or more hands of and have a good rest. The holds just seem to get bigger suddenly!

I think the test piece slab route around Melbourne must be Skating Away (19/20) at Ben Cairn. The crux slab moves to THE BOLT are increadibly slippery, and your facing a big fall if you come off. last time I did it I got well scared and needed some top rope assistance! Its a great climb though!

Has anybody here taken the big fall from Skating Away? I'd be curious to know where you end up.