Comments on: Training By Climbing 103 http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/training-by-climbing-103/ A climber and jumper Sat, 11 Feb 2012 02:29:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: dave http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/training-by-climbing-103/comment-page-1/#comment-2743 dave Wed, 16 Sep 2009 19:27:11 +0000 http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/?p=1800#comment-2743 the way you talked about your training, was an eye opener for me! loved your writing! thanks, dave the way you talked about your training, was an eye opener for me! loved your writing!
thanks,
dave

]]> By: Steph Davis http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/training-by-climbing-103/comment-page-1/#comment-2246 Steph Davis Sat, 18 Apr 2009 01:38:25 +0000 http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/?p=1800#comment-2246 Hi Fabio! Your English and your questions are great :) I used to use only one mini traxion, and I think it is a really bad idea. It's so simple to add a second to the system, there's really no reason not to. And yes, it would be wonderful to have an entirely second rope as a backup. But there is a certain point where you have to trust your systems enough, or just stop climbing. I totally trust a rope, because ropes are very strong, and the amount of weight a rope gets from a non-dynamic loading situation is just a fraction of what even one strand of the core can hold. For this reason, I am also very confident about the strength of static lines even when left out in weather for long periods. I am highly skeptical of unknown fixed lines I find (for example, on the East Ledges of El Cap, or up to Heart Ledges, or on the Death Slabs at Half Dome. You just never know if they are cut or frayed, and they get a ton of traffic and very often are damaged. But when I have my own rope fixed and know it's not receiving much traffic or weather, I trust it. One good idea is to take a pair of binoculars if you are worried about a fixed line you find. If you can see the whole thing, and there are no visible core shots, the rope is most likely fine. But over caution is always better than under caution, so your thoughts are very wise! Best to you! Ciao :) xx Steph Hi Fabio! Your English and your questions are great :) I used to use only one mini traxion, and I think it is a really bad idea. It’s so simple to add a second to the system, there’s really no reason not to.

And yes, it would be wonderful to have an entirely second rope as a backup. But there is a certain point where you have to trust your systems enough, or just stop climbing. I totally trust a rope, because ropes are very strong, and the amount of weight a rope gets from a non-dynamic loading situation is just a fraction of what even one strand of the core can hold. For this reason, I am also very confident about the strength of static lines even when left out in weather for long periods.

I am highly skeptical of unknown fixed lines I find (for example, on the East Ledges of El Cap, or up to Heart Ledges, or on the Death Slabs at Half Dome. You just never know if they are cut or frayed, and they get a ton of traffic and very often are damaged. But when I have my own rope fixed and know it’s not receiving much traffic or weather, I trust it. One good idea is to take a pair of binoculars if you are worried about a fixed line you find. If you can see the whole thing, and there are no visible core shots, the rope is most likely fine. But over caution is always better than under caution, so your thoughts are very wise!
Best to you!
Ciao :) xx Steph

]]> By: Fabio http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/training-by-climbing-103/comment-page-1/#comment-2242 Fabio Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:51:08 +0000 http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/?p=1800#comment-2242 wow... this page rocks (no pun intended). Plenty of useful informations. Congratulations for your blog and your activities. I stumbled upon it searching for infos about solo top-roping. I own a single mini-traxion, and I've thought it could be more than enough; but this post is making me thinking twice about it. I'm unsure if getting a second one or buying a Silent Partner to use as a backup device - that would also be useful (read: crucial) if I'll ever move to solo lead (roped) climbing. I'd love too to see a detailed post about your setup. I'm not a native english speaker so it's pretty hard for me to understand everything you explained in the details (mostly because I'm not used to the tech climbing words, I mean the english ones :)). Two questions. About backups, using a whole backup rope could be too cumbersome to manage? I feel like that the rope is the only so called "single point of failure" of your setup, since if I got it right, everything else is backed up. Second, isn't it dangerous to leave a rope hanging night and day (again, if I got your post right). Rain, rocks falling - if any there - sunlight, dust, couldn't weaken that rope over time? I'm by no mean EXPERT as you, by the way, so sorry if I posed dumb questions. Thanks and congratulations again! Fabio wow… this page rocks (no pun intended). Plenty of useful informations. Congratulations for your blog and your activities. I stumbled upon it searching for infos about solo top-roping. I own a single mini-traxion, and I’ve thought it could be more than enough; but this post is making me thinking twice about it.
I’m unsure if getting a second one or buying a Silent Partner to use as a backup device – that would also be useful (read: crucial) if I’ll ever move to solo lead (roped) climbing.
I’d love too to see a detailed post about your setup. I’m not a native english speaker so it’s pretty hard for me to understand everything you explained in the details (mostly because I’m not used to the tech climbing words, I mean the english ones :) ).

Two questions. About backups, using a whole backup rope could be too cumbersome to manage? I feel like that the rope is the only so called “single point of failure” of your setup, since if I got it right, everything else is backed up.
Second, isn’t it dangerous to leave a rope hanging night and day (again, if I got your post right). Rain, rocks falling – if any there – sunlight, dust, couldn’t weaken that rope over time? I’m by no mean EXPERT as you, by the way, so sorry if I posed dumb questions.

Thanks and congratulations again!

Fabio

]]> By: Climbing Walls Training | Rock Climbing Gear Guide http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/training-by-climbing-103/comment-page-1/#comment-2191 Climbing Walls Training | Rock Climbing Gear Guide Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:29:36 +0000 http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/?p=1800#comment-2191 [...] Training By Climbing 103 | High Places Since it was staying pretty deserted this winter, and since it’s an awesome climb only three miles from my house, the Tombstone was a perfect addition to climbing on my wall and weight lifting. 6. I really love climbing by myself.   [...] [...] Training By Climbing 103 | High Places Since it was staying pretty deserted this winter, and since it’s an awesome climb only three miles from my house, the Tombstone was a perfect addition to climbing on my wall and weight lifting. 6. I really love climbing by myself.   [...]

]]> By: Steph Davis http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/training-by-climbing-103/comment-page-1/#comment-2182 Steph Davis Tue, 24 Mar 2009 02:46:25 +0000 http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/?p=1800#comment-2182 Great idea! I will try to do that soon. Great idea! I will try to do that soon.

]]> By: zirkel http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/training-by-climbing-103/comment-page-1/#comment-2169 zirkel Sat, 21 Mar 2009 23:00:52 +0000 http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/?p=1800#comment-2169 How about posting some pics of your dual mini-traxion setup for training? How about posting some pics of your dual mini-traxion setup for training?

]]> By: moon_fly http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/training-by-climbing-103/comment-page-1/#comment-2165 moon_fly Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:42:52 +0000 http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/?p=1800#comment-2165 Thanks for writing about the cycles of training. I wish I could have identified them earlier and learned to go with the flow instead of forcing myself and beating myself up mentally. I just had a crash course in revised training cycles after the birth of my son. I actually thought not much would change! LOL. Thanks for writing about the cycles of training. I wish I could have identified them earlier and learned to go with the flow instead of forcing myself and beating myself up mentally. I just had a crash course in revised training cycles after the birth of my son. I actually thought not much would change! LOL.

]]> By: Steph Davis http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/training-by-climbing-103/comment-page-1/#comment-2164 Steph Davis Fri, 20 Mar 2009 17:15:27 +0000 http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/?p=1800#comment-2164 Thanks Steve :) If you look at the top photo on this post, you can see the chest slings (red and purple) I use to hold up the top mini traxion. The black piece is a small piece of tie-off, which I put through the hole of the mini traxion, and through the X at the front of the chest slings. I tie that really tight, with an overhand, and then make a little square knot to tie up the long ends (otherwise they can get caught in the teeth which is inconvenient). The second mini traxion is just clipped to the belay loop and daisy back up, and trails below. Of course, that one will never be weighted. Through accidental testing, we have seen that even if you forget to engage the teeth on the top mini traxion, it will actually engage under a dynamic load :) It's a really good and safe system, when running the two mini traxions. If you look really close, you can also see the pink 5mm cord above my harness, which is my chalk bag belt/back up. You can also see the white daisy, clipped off on my left side, on the back gear loop. That keeps it up and out of the way, and available for use at belays. The loop which sticks out from being girthed at my harness serves as the belay loop backup clip point. That picture where I'm topping out isn't a good reference for the system, because I had to get up over the knots of one of my anchor systems to climb out the lip (I do all sorts of backing up on the anchors too, especially when dealing with sandstone), and at that point I have only one mini traxion with no chest attachment as I cross the slab at the summit (which isn't usually what's going on) and that's why I'm pulling the rope down with my hand instead. Just wanted to make sure it's not confusing :) Thanks Steve :) If you look at the top photo on this post, you can see the chest slings (red and purple) I use to hold up the top mini traxion. The black piece is a small piece of tie-off, which I put through the hole of the mini traxion, and through the X at the front of the chest slings. I tie that really tight, with an overhand, and then make a little square knot to tie up the long ends (otherwise they can get caught in the teeth which is inconvenient). The second mini traxion is just clipped to the belay loop and daisy back up, and trails below. Of course, that one will never be weighted. Through accidental testing, we have seen that even if you forget to engage the teeth on the top mini traxion, it will actually engage under a dynamic load :) It’s a really good and safe system, when running the two mini traxions. If you look really close, you can also see the pink 5mm cord above my harness, which is my chalk bag belt/back up. You can also see the white daisy, clipped off on my left side, on the back gear loop. That keeps it up and out of the way, and available for use at belays. The loop which sticks out from being girthed at my harness serves as the belay loop backup clip point.

That picture where I’m topping out isn’t a good reference for the system, because I had to get up over the knots of one of my anchor systems to climb out the lip (I do all sorts of backing up on the anchors too, especially when dealing with sandstone), and at that point I have only one mini traxion with no chest attachment as I cross the slab at the summit (which isn’t usually what’s going on) and that’s why I’m pulling the rope down with my hand instead. Just wanted to make sure it’s not confusing :)

]]> By: Steve Orrell http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/training-by-climbing-103/comment-page-1/#comment-2163 Steve Orrell Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:25:21 +0000 http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/?p=1800#comment-2163 Hi Steph, Great post, great photos, many thanks! Do you need a house-sitter when you're not around? I'd, of course, feel obliged to make sure your local climbing area did not feel neglected. Not sure I could match your grades but its something to aim for ;-) Do you have a photo of your harnessing / belaying set-up in use? I follow your written description but a photo would make it much clearer. Thanks muchly! Hi Steph,

Great post, great photos, many thanks!

Do you need a house-sitter when you’re not around? I’d, of course, feel obliged to make sure your local climbing area did not feel neglected. Not sure I could match your grades but its something to aim for ;-)

Do you have a photo of your harnessing / belaying set-up in use? I follow your written description but a photo would make it much clearer.

Thanks muchly!

]]> By: Steph Davis http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/training-by-climbing-103/comment-page-1/#comment-2161 Steph Davis Fri, 20 Mar 2009 15:53:15 +0000 http://www.highinfatuation.com/blog/?p=1800#comment-2161 :) I use two mini-traxions, one as a backup. My systems involve extreme redundancy and backups. I use a daisy chain as a backup for the gear loop, and a full strength cord (just a piece of 5mm static that I tie with an overhand knot) as a chalkbag belt to back up the harness, which also goes through the gear loop and the daisy loop backup. One mini-traxion is the one I'm using, and the other is trailing as a backup, through the gear loop and daisy loop, with the harness being backed up by my chalkbag belt. I have always used this simple system of backups on multi-pitch climbs as well. I will never trust my life (and my partner's life, because not backing up the belay loop or harness directly dictates their safety from your belay) to one single thing-- from the mini-traxion to the belay loop to the harness swami itself. It's a great system, though has its limitations in terms of being a bit of work to organize and learn to use. But I've been doing it for years and am really comfortable with it, and it gives me a lot of freedom. :) I use two mini-traxions, one as a backup. My systems involve extreme redundancy and backups. I use a daisy chain as a backup for the gear loop, and a full strength cord (just a piece of 5mm static that I tie with an overhand knot) as a chalkbag belt to back up the harness, which also goes through the gear loop and the daisy loop backup.

One mini-traxion is the one I’m using, and the other is trailing as a backup, through the gear loop and daisy loop, with the harness being backed up by my chalkbag belt. I have always used this simple system of backups on multi-pitch climbs as well. I will never trust my life (and my partner’s life, because not backing up the belay loop or harness directly dictates their safety from your belay) to one single thing– from the mini-traxion to the belay loop to the harness swami itself.

It’s a great system, though has its limitations in terms of being a bit of work to organize and learn to use. But I’ve been doing it for years and am really comfortable with it, and it gives me a lot of freedom.

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