Groups: Rocktoberfest / Petzl Roc Trip
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I'll never forget my first belay test, a 150 pound railroad wheel dropped on a hip belay. This was in 1972 at the Voyageur Outward Bound School in Ely, Minnesota. The rope was Goldline and I had leather gloves and a wide leather belt protecting my back. That was a heck of a jerk. The experience came in handy several years later when I caught my friend in a 60 foot pendulum fall on a hip belay while climbing the Wham Ridge route on Vestal Peak (13,864') in the Weminuche Wilderness Area, CO.
Fast forward 35 years to the Petzl Belay Tech Clinic at Rocktoberfest / RocTrip 2007. I am catching a haul bag filled with 100 pounds in a simulated leader fall on a Gri-Gri. The second time I take the jerk it unexpectedly pulls me off my feet. As climbers we do a lot of climbing practice but relatively little belay practice. This is what the free Petzl Belay Tech clinic held at Torrent Falls was about. Petzl representatives had a load cell rigged on the last draw to measure the force on the simulated climber. The average force measured was about 5 - 6 KiloNewtons (KN). A good "soft" catch was a little less that 4 KN. As the day wore on and the rope took successive falls forces between 6 to 7 KN were measured as the rope lost its' elasticity.
These days many climbers get their first belay experience in a climbing gym. The belay test usually consists of announced and unannounced top rope falls of a live climber with somebody holding the rope as a back up. If the gym has a lead area a separate lead fall test is given in a similar manner with a live lead climber. I have personally witnessed several serious belay mistakes both inside and outside and have heard of numerous others. I believe that we as climbers, no matter how many years of experience, need to conduct more belaying practice with some type of weight instead of a live climber with our belaying device of choice to improve our skills in this important area. The Petzl Belay Tech Clinic is definitely a step in the right direction in this regard. Much thanks to Greg Houston and his assistant from Petzl for their efforts in putting this clinic on.
woodchuck07 says:
Unfortunately I missed the clinic which I was looking forward to when I signed up for RocTrip. I thought it was first listed as a free activity but at a different time than it was held. (now conflicting with the paid clinic times) Thus I had to make my choice between it or the climbing clinic. Wish it had been held on Thursday evening or even Friday after the other clinics.
Those belay lessons from long ago were the best. Anchored to a tree atop a route, the Iowa Mountaineers had us hold a second climber directly below via the goldline over the anchor tie in and around the hips, but no gloves. I've heard of OB and other groups doing the concrete bucket drop from a tree branch thing. But at least it was on springy goldline rope, which elongates to something like 12% max I think. That's a loooong stretch out. Recall toproped climbs done where any early fall usually meant you stretched right back to the ground. ( I should have brought in my archaic goldline and swapped out a winner at RocTour in the internet contest for the worst rope!)
Glad to hear that the clinic was a success. Hope other attendees have something to report back too.
Ben Strohmeier says:
old people...
Universal Rhythm says:
shut up Ben, I learned to belay by my dad at Devil's Lake when I was 10 with the good old 'tie the younger lighter person to the tree to make sure they don't go flying' and with the trusty eight horn. haha
And I know first hand the importance of people really getting a good belay lesson. I think that all climbers should be well rounded in multiple forms of belaying. Not only with the grigri and ATC, but with other alternative methods if the situations should ever arise for them.
"Anyone need advice on making the transition from 5.12 to 5.11 ?" — Andy Cairns
woodchuck07 says:
Ana, I never knew you started at Devils Lake! And if you were like 10, did I ever see you climb/belay there way back then? Let me know sometime in my guestbook' some of your favorite climbs back at DL.
captain static says:
I am suprised that there have not been more comments on this thread considering the recent accident involving Universal Rhythm? Let's hear some feedback. What type of belay device do you use? What is the worst fall you have ever survived or held? What belay mistakes have you seen in the gym or outside? _____________________________________________________________________ Support the Red River Gorge Climbers' Coalition. Join the RRGCC's growing group of friends on MySpace.
badash says:
Right on, Ana. I think I'm a good belayer... i mean... i belay friends on their 5.13 projects and they trust me more than people their age. its cool. I also give belay lessons at the gym......... and yeah, lets hear more, ana!
climbingbum says:
My dad taught me to belay at the gym. I never took the gym class thingie and they never seemed to mind. So to date, i doubt that im registered as a belayer. But its all good cause i have a lot of belaying experiance.
igottagetoutside says:
My most significant lead fall was on a sport route, only fell maybe 20 feet. A hold broke. The significant part was, I was only 2 or 3 feet above the bolt. My belayer had too much slack out, and was standing some distance from the wall so he could see me I guess. Though he probably outweighs me by at least 40 pounds, he lifted off and we were both dangling about 5 feet above the ground. Fortunately it was slightly overhung and a perfectly clean fall. Strangely enough I never felt panicky, only like hmmmmmmmm, I wonder when im gonna catch? Felt like I coulda read war and peace in the time it took! Although he likes to tell people he 'saved my life,' I am a bit more careful when I choose my belayers now! I got right back on and sent it (with DD watching him attentively as he belayed). I think it woulda gotten into my head way worse had I not done that.
On another occasion, I peeled off a route trying to clip the 2nd bolt. That guy did everything right as a belayer, he was very attentive and knew there was decking potential. Even so, I landed on the rope and got some nasty rope burns on my leg... but didnt deck. We ended up hanging there like fuzzy dice on a rearview mirror, just a couple feet off the ground :) That could have been a lot worse, if he had not been paying attention, if he had been standing too far back, or if he had even a foot more slack out.
Goes to show the importance of a good belayer. Even more so if you are leading! Most anyone can belay on top rope but theres a lot more to know when lead belaying. They are NOT the same thing! Its up to YOU to make sure your belayer knows what they are doing. I dont think any of us get offended when a climber double checks or asks questions about our belay technique, etc.
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