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A storm in Portland made me rethink my whole climbing setup
I was working a big removal on a damaged maple in the West Hills about eight months ago. The wind picked up fast, and a gust snapped a dead limb I hadn't fully secured. It swung and hit my main line, putting a real bad twist in it. I had to switch to my backup rope to get down safely. That was the day I started checking my gear before every single climb, not just at the start of the week. Do you guys have a specific routine for checking your ropes and hardware?
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reesej2717d ago
Man, that's a wake up call for sure. I mean, my old routine was basically just giving the rope a quick look and a tug, which is pretty bad, right? Now I'm paranoid and do this whole feel-and-look thing that probably looks silly. But hey, if looking dumb keeps me from falling, I'll take it.
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troy_price17d ago
Man, that sound you heard is the kind of thing that'll change your habits for good, isn't it? After a close call with a frayed line, I started running my ropes through my hands twice, once before and once after a job. I'll even do a quick check at lunch if I've been working over rough bark. It adds maybe five minutes, but how do you put a price on that peace of mind?
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