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climberweenie
Trad climber
San Jose, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 20, 2005 - 09:23pm PT
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I had 3 main chances to practice last weekend. First time my reflexes weren't trained and I basically had a fist dragging down the cheese grader (ground out a chunk of my pinky near a joint).
Next two times I got lucky when falling unexpectedly, with feet basically smearing to slow down fall while open palms and fingertips provided balance (surprisingly with no more skin loss).
I was contemplating the strategy of turning around and running down the slab if the fall is premeditated (e.g. can't go up, can't go down, "I'm going to bail..."). Does this work? I found that there wasn't enough time for such a strategy when feet slipped in midst of really trying to make a move. I also found it impossible to commit to bailing, and on many occasions yelled out frantically and repeatedly "I'm going to fall" as I barely pulled off a move I didn't think I'd make.
Other strategies?
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BKW
Mountain climber
Central Texas
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Jun 20, 2005 - 09:59pm PT
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I would say keep your stance. If the friction is good you stand a chance of stopping your slide in the first few inches. This has happened to me several times (suprised me every time)especially where it is pure open handed friction and you arent sure why you are sticking anyway.
That said once you reach a critical speed you probably arent going go stop. If you are way run out or bouldering some henious long slab then try to turn your shoes to the outside edges to save the rubber on the insides. Have burned off the edges on a couple of pairs of shoes like this. Once on a concrete dam spillway that got steeper and further off the deck as you traversed up and out following tiny crack/seams that had texture and once you slipped you took a big slide.
The other time was on a steep granite friction section where I fell just below the chicken head, repeatedly, like 7 or 8 times before I got it. Totaled the inside edges on my shoes. Now I try to turn my feet to the outside edges if I have that much presence of mind.
I wouldnt recommend turning around and running. Have never done it but seems counter intuitive.
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dirtineye
Trad climber
the south
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Jun 21, 2005 - 12:22am PT
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If it is steep enough:
Pat your way down, IE, play patty-cake with the wall with both hands and feet. As soon as you make contact, break contact. The reason you keep your hands up is so you don't smack the wall with your face.
Lower angle, dance down, again keep your feet moving. as soon as they touch, get em off and then get em back on again. Repeat. Keep your knees bent and absorb impact with em. Try to keep your balance.
Try not to slide down, try not maintaining contact with the rock.
If your feet get caught on anything as you are sliding down, you have a great chance of geting flipped upside down. If you do get caught and flipped, on a lower angle slab, tuck and roll.
In my experience, these things work well.
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ChrisW
Trad climber
boulder, co
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Jun 21, 2005 - 01:53am PT
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HaHAHA! I just took a 60+ footer on a slab route at Lumpy Ridge RMNP on Romulan Teritory. Thought for sure I broke my foot, but the X-rays came out negative. Fell 40 feet skipped off the slab and fell another 20 or so feet. I basically fell 2/3rds of the pitch. My shoes almost twisted off my feet when i hit the slab sideways. Luckly i had velcro climbing shoes on, otherwise I think i would have broken both of my ankles. I remember pushing off, looking under my arm and trying to spot my landing, and sucking up my legs right before impact and then skipping off the slab. The next 20 feet is a blur. I didn't pull any pro just excepted the run out after i didn't have the right size alien to protect the last 35 feet of climbing to the anchors. Lost focus and had a big brian fart and then took the big whip.
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golsen
Social climber
kennewick, wa
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Jun 21, 2005 - 07:51am PT
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Pat-a-slab, pat-a-slab,
Friction man!
Stop my fall,
As fast as I can.
Scrape-in and scabb-in,
And scared as shit!
I hope that old bolt
is solid as I hit!
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WBraun
climber
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Jun 21, 2005 - 10:35am PT
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Yes, good escape techniques can be very useful. To have the awareness to control ones fall can be so beneficial to ones welfare.
Another good weapon and tool on the belt of the conscious climber.
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dirtineye
Trad climber
the south
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Jun 21, 2005 - 11:12am PT
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Golsen wrote:
"Pat-a-slab, pat-a-slab,
Friction man!
Stop my fall,
As fast as I can."
Outstanding!
I wish I could find my tri-cam poem about pointed side up or pointed side down, I think you would appreciate it.
One bit returns to my mind:
When facing disaster,
Up high off the ground,
with placements so sucky,
That naught can be found,
When cams are all flailing,
You might just go down,
Then look to your tri-cam,
Known all the world round,
With the pointed side up,
Or the pointed side down.
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Bruce Morris
Social climber
Belmont, California
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Jun 21, 2005 - 01:27pm PT
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The only way to fall safely on a slab that is 80 degrees or below: Head-first, over backwards, screaming and yelling all the way until the increasing tension on the lead rope causes you to arc sideways and bang into something hard.
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Rhodo-Router
Trad climber
Otto, NC
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Jun 23, 2005 - 01:48am PT
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Usually I spend about ten minutes lubricating the LZ with my tears, swearing I'll never do this again, cursing my own stupidity etc before downsketching, which may or may not be successful.
Having partners tell you stories is good too.
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Gary
climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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Jun 23, 2005 - 01:56am PT
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A gal I've climbed with would sing to me. It worked.
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Chris W
climber
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Jun 23, 2005 - 03:26pm PT
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John, That is awful slabby. it's a dihedral going up a slab. So, You are liebacking the dihedral pushing your feet into the slab. I am still pissed for falling. I have not fallen on a 5.10 for years and I picked the wrong time to do it.
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Alan Doak
climber
boulder, co
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Jul 11, 2005 - 01:30pm PT
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Luckily I haven't taken a long fall yet on slab, but I always climb them in jeans just in case. It provides some peace of mind.
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StyMingersfink
climber
the 51st state.... denial
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Jul 12, 2005 - 12:08am PT
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Bring a bunch of Yates screamers for the old 1/4 inchers with faded (or is that fated) leeper hangers. You'll climb past even fewer of those hangers though if you climb in shorts, with no shirt on your back and sunny warm skies above.
Don't forget your bail 'biner.
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Ted Shred
climber
deep inside the green room
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Jul 12, 2005 - 12:13am PT
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Don't fall on slabs with chickenheads.
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Jul 12, 2005 - 12:26am PT
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On slabs it even more important to be sure that, when you're above your pro, that the rope goes over your thigh so it can't trip you upside down if you whip. If the bolt is off to the left, the rope goes over your left thigh.
I used to like to go up the first 7 pitches of the Hall of Mirrors. It was before sticky rubber and I took lot of 10-25 foot falls. Some of them would have been 50 foot falls but that route is so smooth and low angle that I repeatedly was able to do something idiotic, grab the runner on my pro on the way down and stop myself after sliding 20 feet!
Sometimes I'd tweak my finger abit.
But I didn't have that rope over the thigh concept clear yet. I had myself trained to kick my leg over the rope in midfall so that I didn't flip my over. Sometimes I didn't time it right and wound up with my leg stretch up over my head on the rope. Lost lots of rubber on those falls, but no skin.
I might just be too wimpy to go whipping around on those 1/4 inchers like a used to. I've rapped that route a few times lately and it looks like it needs maintenance.
Peace
Karl
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