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General Climbing Discussion

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protecting the second 20-Oct-2006 At 9:15:02 AM rokmonkee

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(this is actually Spanky here, not rokmonkee)

Another point to note is that it's generally a whole lot easier to place gear than to retrieve it. I used to be stubborn about getting up routes cleanly on the second, and it is certainly excellent training for leading when you have to hang around and find good feet positions when you need both hands to attack a nut, or wiggle loose a cam. If you get too hung up on getting up cleanly on second then you don't make it much fun for the leader, who deserves nothing but "hooray" for sending the climb, and you are also not having much fun yourself if you're getting upset. Take, oh, Moby Dick at Araps for example. Ain't no way of removing a hex jammed in behind the flake that needs a good bash to dislodge it without using both hands, and ain't no way of staying on that layback with no hands to lay back on! Why get your knickers in a knot about it? Just have fun, relax. (Well maybe the leader could have used a cam instead of a hex, but whatever gets you there safely I say. Second-guessing your leader's placements is NOT generally helpful, we want confidence all the way, not a head f*#k). I see the second's role primarily as a belayer to the leader! If you need to sit on the rope to get gear out, I don't see that as something to be ashamed of. If you want to get hung up on something, make it your leading abilities.