Photo Report: The omnipresent Toe Jam Death Belay™

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Apocalypsenow

Trad climber
Cali
Jan 19, 2006 - 04:06pm PT
My favorite,"why they didn't die..." at Josh.

Guy climbs up "Chalk Up Another One," tops out, spends some time realizing there aren't any bolts on top. Brings his partner up anyways... his anchor? Wedging his body on the rock.
scuffy b

climber
S Cruz
Jan 19, 2006 - 04:42pm PT
You never belay without an anchor?
Gary

climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
Jan 19, 2006 - 05:59pm PT
Wedging his body on the rock

They were mountaineers, obviously. You've never done that?
Fluoride

Trad climber
on a rock or mountain out west
Jan 19, 2006 - 07:19pm PT
"Guy climbs up "Chalk Up Another One," tops out, spends some time realizing there aren't any bolts on top. Brings his partner up anyways... his anchor? Wedging his body on the rock."


Good lord.

That happens a lot there. You see the poor souls that see a bolted climb there and think "well, if someone put bolts on the climb, then SURELY they put bolts up top at the anchor!!!" Only to find out that a number of the bolted climbs there require you to build your own gear anchor up top...especially if it's a climb with a walk off descent like many there are. If you don't need to rap it, there likely ain't gonna be rap anchors so bring some nuts and cams.


he-HEEH on that old Crotch photo. I've always wondered if those poor guys knew about it's longevity here on the internet and the hours of endless "what's wrong with this picture" threads that resulted. While part of me feels really sorry for those guys and their decision to pick a ridiculously high-profile place to decide to learn aiding, every time I see it I still crack a smile.


Apocalypsenow

Trad climber
Cali
Jan 19, 2006 - 07:32pm PT
yep...even yelled up to the guy if he wanted some gear for a belay...waved me off...



pud

climber
Sportbikeville
Jan 19, 2006 - 09:49pm PT
a few years ago while belaying my second (his first 5.8)up Double Cross, he yelled "There's a guy coming up"
i thought WTF? and looked down to see a bald guy soloing up BETWEEN me and my partner.
i yelled to my partner to "WAIT UNTIL THIS ASSHOLE GETS OUT OF THE WAY"
when the "soloist" made it to my belay he did not make eye contact with me and sat quietly until my second finished then soloed back down DC.
typical HVBS on a crowded weekend.
looking sketchy there...

Social climber
Latitute 33
Jan 1, 2009 - 08:17pm PT
IT'S ALIVE!

and well on New Years Day:




The guys were also apparently trailing behind a long "tail" of aluminum beer cans. The previous evening's consumption?



And while the follower looked completely solid, if you are going to bother with a belay ...
Karl Baba

Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
Jan 1, 2009 - 09:46pm PT
Anybody ever see a fall from that point?

My guess is that it's not a "death Belay" but merely a "Sh#t Pants and Scrape Skin Belay"

Still not good

Peace

Karl
Sir loin of leisure...

Trad climber
X
Jan 1, 2009 - 09:53pm PT
it's josh, at any moment if the climbing gets to hard,then just stand up and walk to the top...it won't be a long walk either,30 feet tops..of course you'll have to stop often to get the gravel out of your shoes...
wtfd

climber
Jan 1, 2009 - 11:18pm PT
i thought that was a boulder problem.
Fletcher

Trad climber
the campfire just a ways past Chris' Taco stand
Jan 1, 2009 - 11:45pm PT
Whatever the result (death, cheese gratering of various appendages, wounded ego, etc.), it's a clear case of evolution-in-action™.

I think he may not be so solid since he's obviously shitting aluminum. Which begs the question... What happened the previous night?

Fletch
Fluoride

Trad climber
Hollywood, CA
Jan 2, 2009 - 12:50am PT
Is trailing a long tail of empty beer cans up Toe Jam while doing the death belay a proud accomplishment or what! This photo is gonna get some mileage.

I wonder if those guys trailed those cans up all their routes today.

LOL Fletcher, it does look like they're crapping aluminum.
Fletcher

Trad climber
the campfire just a ways past Chris' Taco stand
Jan 2, 2009 - 02:51am PT
I've got it... I know what happened...

These guys were on the losing end of some kind of bet. Loser had to climb Toe Jam with aluminum tails and use the infamous death belay.

Fletch
rlf

Trad climber
Josh, CA
Jan 2, 2009 - 06:53am PT
Well, there have been some bad falls as a result of the "death belay".

I don't know why this is so difficult. Must be the shiny objects.
GDavis

Social climber
SOL CAL
Mar 31, 2013 - 11:02pm PT
One of my original partners fell on Sidewinder just before the flake. Took a fantastic swing which ended over in the overhung portion. Sucked it up and finished it - No injuries, no underwear change.

As I was just a beginner at the time, it had the net effect of keeping me from leading it for a long time.

As for leading vs. following it, leading it is tougher. After unclipping the bolt, the rail gets progressively smaller.

Saw this and had to comment - if you are leading Sidewinder or any route that finishes it, do your partner a solid and run the extra 10 feet of 5.4 to the top out so they don't take a wicked pendulum after unclipping the bolt. You can run the rope along the lip (flip, flip, flip) and keep them on TR the entire time. I did it to my partner but didn't get the favor returned on Diamondback... haha.
Gary

Social climber
Right outside of Delacroix
Apr 1, 2013 - 08:14pm PT
Anybody ever see a fall from that point?

An acquaintance followed a very accomplished and experienced climber and got the death belay. She's took a fall and pendulummed over and was briefly unconscious from the impact. Fortunately she was wearing a helmet.

IIRC, this was the same day that poor fellow pulled a piece 15 feet up Intersection Rock and cashed out.

Bad day at HV.
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