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Stepping on bolts?

csproul · · Pittsboro...sort of, NC · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 330
Joel Allen wrote:I'm asking this as a serious question, for what reason would you ever have to grab the draw before/while falling? I have never once felt the urge to grab a draw, just fall. If you're close enough to grab it it can't be that big of a fall....?
While in the act of falling? No good reason other than fear reflex. Dogging/working a route, pulling through, making a clip that would otherwise be dangerous and you're about to fall anyway...these are good reasons to grab a draw IMO.
Russ Keane · · Salt Lake · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 392

The moment when you've clipped the draw to the bolt, but not the rope into it... That's the grab zone

Joel Allen · · La Crosse, WI · Joined Mar 2014 · Points: 265

Ah makes sense, thanks! I guess I'm still climbing too safe of routes for this to be an issue :)

Eric Engberg · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 0
Joel Allen wrote:I'm asking this as a serious question, for what reason would you ever have to grab the draw before/while falling? I have never once felt the urge to grab a draw, just fall. If you're close enough to grab it it can't be that big of a fall....?
75 feet out and 5 feet off a ledge. Even with the best belay in the world you will hit. With the pervasive soft catch mentality....
Christian RodaoBack · · Tucson, AZ · Joined Jul 2005 · Points: 1,486

Well, one thing this thread is good for: OLD LADY H = Trollanor

Happiegrrrl · · Gunks · Joined Dec 2005 · Points: 60

I remember one day when I first was climbing and struggling on following Ken's Crack (at the Gunks) and a person in our party was giving me crap. Then he got on and totally was grabbing the damned gear and thought nothing whatsoever off about it.

That is what those bolt-steppers are going to be like. They will learn that bolts are footholds, and think they have climbed a route when they have aided it. And if you try to tell them the difference, they will look at you as if yer an idiot.

THAT'S why stepping on bolts is bad!

csproul · · Pittsboro...sort of, NC · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 330
Happiegrrrl wrote:I remember one day when I first was climbing and struggling on following Ken's Crack (at the Gunks) and a person in our party was giving me crap. Then he got on and totally was grabbing the damned gear and thought nothing whatsoever off about it. That is what those bolt-steppers are going to be like. They will learn that bolts are footholds, and think they have climbed a route when they have aided it. And if you try to tell them the difference, they will look at you as if yer an idiot. THAT'S why stepping on bolts is bad!
If you ever manage to get into projecting sport climbs way over your head, you'll learn that sometimes you have to grab draws/step on bolts/stick clip past things...whatever it takes to learn a route and wire a sequence...or sometimes just to get off a route with all your gear. No honest person would claim they freed a route while doing these things, but sometimes these measures are what it takes to eventually redpoint hard climbs.
Shelton Hatfield · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2011 · Points: 650
Jake Jones wrote:How about you do what you want and everyone else will do what they want? That makes things super easy. Pull on gear and draws, step on bolts, who gives a shit? Just don't say you didn't. This isn't a brainbusting issue.
Yup. The absolute pinnacle of climbing ethics and style is honesty.
J Q · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2012 · Points: 50

Anthony, I nominate you for troll of the year, absolutely fantastic. Integrity of the bolts: I nearly shit my pants that was so funny. The people who think that's part of climbing: even better. Very ingenious and creative.

Cheers.

csproul wrote: If you ever manage to get into projecting sport climbs way over your head, you'll learn that sometimes you have to grab draws/step on bolts/stick clip past things...whatever it takes to learn a route and wire a sequence...or sometimes just to get off a route with all your gear. No honest person would claim they freed a route while doing these things, but sometimes these measures are what it takes to eventually redpoint hard climbs.
Of course we do what we can to get our gear back, duh!!!

But the people admitting that they have done this as a part of their ethics and lives are F-in hilarious; you gotta admit that right? Some of them chop bolts when they like and post dissertations on ethics. I am still laughing. The implications are limitless. I have to meditate on this for a while.
Joel Allen · · La Crosse, WI · Joined Mar 2014 · Points: 265

@2:25 How come she grabbed the draw here?

youtube.com/watch?v=rM9Btf-…

csproul · · Pittsboro...sort of, NC · Joined Dec 2009 · Points: 330
Joel Allen wrote:@2:25 How come she grabbed the draw here? youtube.com/watch?v=rM9Btf-…
Don't really see a good reason there, but I don't even pretend to know what goes into climbing that hard. I do know that on hard projects, sometimes climbers just don't want to spend the energy to pull back up to a high point and will grab a nearby draw and take. Then you can scope out the moves/holds without having to climb back up to your high point. Especially true if a fall would leave you hanging in space. Sometimes, if you're stumped by a part of a climb, maybe you pull through to learn the rest of the climb and come back I the hard part later.
Joel Allen · · La Crosse, WI · Joined Mar 2014 · Points: 265

Ah thanks csproul :)

Guy Keesee · · Moorpark, CA · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 349

This is/was not a Red Point try.... she grabbed it so she would not fall to the end of the rope. Pretty standard stuff for steep/ hard climbing.

Joel.... have you not sport climbed before????

Joel Allen · · La Crosse, WI · Joined Mar 2014 · Points: 265
Guy Keesee wrote:This is/was not a Red Point try.... she grabbed it so she would not fall to the end of the rope. Pretty standard stuff for steep/ hard climbing. Joel.... have you not sport climbed before????
I was just asking... I mean she would have fell like 2 feet lower so it didn't really seem like grabbing the draw was needed which is why I asked. Sorry if I offended you lol.
Guy Keesee · · Moorpark, CA · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 349

Don't worry... im not easily offended.

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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