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General Climbing Discussion

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Do you feel safer abseiling or scrambling down? 22-Jul-2005 At 1:51:28 PM Mike

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Obviously this question is going to be very dependant on the descent in question, but what I'm interested to know is a generalisation. Forget about climbs with lower offs, and easy walk offs. I'm talking about routes that require some significant effort and caution to either rap down or scramble down via some descent route. Assume that both options exist - raps in the form of bolted anchors, or some trad deal you're happy with, and a descent route that is documented but scrambly and possibly requiring a few downclimb moves.

I'm not asking which method you'd actually choose, because that's going to be too dependant on other things. Forget all those things. There's plenty of daylight and you're not in a rush, you have two ropes, neither partner is overly fatigued, the anchors are strong. There's not likely to be issues with tangled ropes, though it could happen. You have your approach shoes, the gully will not be eroded by your passing, and your partner is waiting for you to decide or has offered to let you rap on the current belay setup trad or otherwise which you consider to be bommer. It's not raining/windy nor are you dehydrated or busting for the toliet. You have your helmet if you want it, and any descending gear you'd normally have to rap with or back it up. Although to be fair, let's say there's no firemans belay to be had, you're going down first. If you normally climb with a day pack, then you have that too.

What I'd like to know is which method feels safer to you? I think this will be interesting to see how safe abseiling is perceived by the group.

If you need some specific examples to help you choose:
- Watchtower Face, Araps: Scramble down the gully or do the raps.
- The Bard/Bluffs, Araps: Monkey down Ali's (assume the chains are strong), or rap down it.
- Preludes Wall, Central Gully Right, Araps: Downclimb by going up over the back and down the righside I think. Or rap off the huge column thingies.
- Black Ians Rocks: Lets say the righthand (as you face the crag) descent, or a small rap.
- Wall Of Fools, Summerday Valley: Again the righthand descent, or a rap.
- Camel's Hump, Omega Block: Rightside downclimb, or rap.
- Warrgul Rocks, Toolarook: Lets call it the left side descent since that's a bit trickier, or do the raps.
- Bundaleer, Gramps: rightside slitherdown, or that short "window ledge" rap which is now bolted, so you don't have to swing out off the tree.
- Beowulf, South Wall, Buffalo: Airy scramble to base, or rap in.

People should be able to think of plenty of other examples. I guess what I'm asking is which objective dangers would you rather face? For rapping consider such things as total reliance on gear, your ability to do the job in the face of hazards such as overhangs, protruding rock, rope tangles, anchor changes for multi-raps, etc. For scramble downs consider loose rock, slippery or mossy features, places where you might have to downclimb exposed sections, unprotected fall potenial, etc.

Again, forget about convenience you have all the time in the world, this is about your perception of risk.