Chockstone Forum

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

Chockstone Photography

Australian Landscape Prints

Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

Topic Date User

Top Stupid Mistakes to Avoid 15-Aug-2003 At 4:52:53 PM Mike

Message

Had an idea for another Tech Tips article and thought we could all contribute to it, kind of like when we put the double ropes article together. The idea is to list stupid mistakes and their solutions. If we get enough of them, I'll rank them into some kind of order. It can be like a big check list to scare beginners into being careful and to remind us all of what not to do. What do you think, good idea?

I'll get the ball rolling.....

1. Rapping off the end of your rope. Tie stopper knots in each end. Check they make the ground or next anchors if possible.

2. Letting the rope pass through the belay device while lowering someone. A miscalculation of the nature of the route and amount of slack rope. Tie a stopper knot in the end, better yet, get your belayer to tie in to the end.

3. Smacking your head during a fall or getting knocked by falling rock. Wear a helmet. What's more fashionable, a helmet or a coma?

4. Dropping your rap/belay device and not knowing how to rig an alternative. Learn the crab brake rap, and munter hitch.

5. Leading a new climber up a multi-pitch and getting stuck because they can't second your lead. Learn how to rig an assisted and unassisted hoist. Teach your second how to ascend on prussics before you go up. Read self rescue by Fasulo.

6. Watching your leader deck because either they didn't signal to lower, or the belayer didn't signal, and obtain acknowledgement before taking them off belay. Don't rush into things. Always get confirmation when taking someone off belay.

7. Taking a factor two directly onto the belay. Remember to clip the highest piece of the belay anchor when leading out on a multi-pitch.

8. Loosing control of the abseil and taking the swift way down. Get into the habit of giving a fireman's belay to your mates even if they don't ask for it. Use some form of backup (prussic or otherwise), if you are at all unsure.

9. Getting benighted, or exposing yourself to unnecessary risk because you left the head torch in your pack. Solution obvious.

10. Deciding that 50m off the deck is the best time to learn how to pass a knot on abseil. Solution obvious.

11. Flipping upside down during a fall because you led into a traverse with the rope running behind your leg. Watch where that rope sitting.

12. Increasing your fall factor and making hard work for yourself by allowing rope drag to build up. Extend placements with slings and or lead on two ropes if it's really zig zaggy.

13. Shock loading your belay when one anchor fails. Equalise your anchors with a cordlette or other means.