andrewbanandrew

Mammut Revelation 9.2mm, 60m is on sale at REI.com for $162 if you use coupon code THANK25 The sale ends today. Certain Petzl headlamps are also on sale using the same coupon code.

I'll be making some trips to Leavenworth this summer. Send me an email cheunga at u.washington.edu

So far I've rested for three and a half weeks. I still feel moderate pain when loading the two fingers at their tips so I'm not sure if I should start climbing or keep resting, but I'd really like to start climbing even if it were on easy stuff. Anyone have any more advice?

Someone already covered Touching the Void so I'll cover the only other book I've had time to read in B&N: How to Climb 5.12! by Eric Horst - "Buy my product! Buy my product! You can't train well unless you buy my product!"

About six weeks ago I was bouldering in the gym with my right middle and ring fingers in a pocket when my feet popped off. I didn't let go fast enough and I felt a 'tick' in my forearm, followed surprisingly little pain. After some investigative stretching I discovered that if I loaded my right ring and little fingers with their DIP joints flexed, I'd feel pain beginning from the tips of these fingers and ending somewhere in my forearm. I iced and took some ibuprofen even though there was not a significant amount of swelling (I had to look hard to tell). I did not lose any range of motion. Stupidly I only took ten days off and began climbing again on 'easy' stuff. All was well until ten days ago, when I reinjured them traversing at Marymoor. I suppose I was asking for it (Eric if you're reading this you've every right to laugh your ass off). I don't plan on climbing for at least another 4 weeks. I'm planning on waiting until I feel no pain when loading my fingers, and then waiting an extra two weeks just to be sure. I'd like to know if there's anything I can do beyond massaging, stretching, and icing my fingers. I sprained an ankle pretty badly last summer (couldn't walk for a ten days or so) and contrast baths helped reduce the pain and get my range of motion back, but I'm not sure how helpful they would be for this injury. I'm also wondering how long it will be before I can go back to pulling hard on it. I suppose now's the time to make up a tick list of slabs...

Well in that case, I will continue as I have always done and not lower through the chains. Although I think lowering off the last climber through the chains would save time, bad habits are easy to form...

I have in the past always rappelled after cleaning, but I've seen so many people just thread the chains and lower that it made me wonder.

Okay. That's what I've been thinking.

I am new to climbing, and just began sport climbing outdoors about three months ago. I was taught to not lower off the chains as it puts wear extra wear on them. I have seen other climbers do it, however, so I'm guessing the opinion on this probably varies from crag to crag and from climber to climber. I suppose a definite answer could be obtained by asking the FA or developer, but that's not always that easy. Is it acceptable to lower off of the chains on a single pitch sport climb?