Chockstone Forum

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

Chockstone Photography

Australian Landscape Prints

Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

Carrot bolts with knotted sling? Please help 7-Jan-2012 At 4:53:12 PM fatclimber

Message

Hey all,

I am the belayer that chose to belay the "crazy" leader doing the very difficult 13-14 "Sincerity" and I have to say I am still laughing about this entire exaggeration. The leader easily leads blue mountains 20 trad and much harder sport. I climb a fair bit myself. We were not kids out to play in the blueis and suddenly had heat stroke and decided to lead a 30 m 25 on carrots tied with slings and gigantic run-outs. The 5 (FIVE in 14 m) carrots were not rusty, they were SOLID. Had the OP had managed to stick around after the "dangerous" lead, he would have seen that the anchor was made of two rings, enforced by a very serious chain.

In truth, this was the first time we ever encountered carrots, having climbed in the US and Europe only, but we had discussed this particular approach (what to do if no bolt hangers) with other climbers the night before. The leader's intention was to have a bit of a variation, that is, do a face climb rather than a crack. We had already climbed most the routes in that area and I was coming down Eternity.

I guess both the leader's and mine mistake in this whole trip was not ensuring that the beginner really trusts us before actually climbing with him. This kind of trust is I guess to some extent taken for granted in general, especially when it's the more experienced climbers that are organising the trip. I am talking about trust here because what the OP is not saying here (among other ugly things), is that

- "leave the party" meant him (as the owner of our only car), leaving us (driving off from the crag and then clearing his stuff from camp without any discussion) with 30kg (each) of gear, clothes, tent etc and whatever you can put in a car while car-camping, to find our own way to Adelaide, many many kms away (we were supposed to drive back). I have just moved to Australia and the "crazy" leader was visiting from the US (hence no phone, no cash).

Safety in climbing is relative and subjective. However, I would say that if you are worried about somebody's safety, you do not leave them there and take off. Or if you do, then maybe, as somebody above has said, [outdoor] climbing is not for you. And if the OP wants to learn something, I would say that is: stay calm, think, visualise and talk about it. And yes, climb more!

This has proved to be an amazing learning opportunity for all of us. For me, as a new climber in Australia, it has shown me just how nice the community is - we would not have made it to Adelaide without the help of the climbers at mt york camp ground - you know who you are! :) And thanks again!