Mantras

[E-rock]

I keep hearing tragic story after tragic story about people rapping off the ends of their ropes. The simple solution is to tie ends, but I don't always do it when I "know" the rope will make it. However, every time I rap I say to myself in my mind, "this is how people die".

 

Is it truly a safety precaution to conciously remind yourself of the dangers of a given activity before taking part in it? Or is it a false precaution with no real value? In other words are we at the same risk, whether or not we voice it to ourselves?

[Greg_W]

I think you are right on, dude. I always remind myself that rappeling is THE most dangerous activity I do. That way I triple check everything before I do it.

[Bronco]

Seems that lately, I wait until I'm 5' into the rap and then panic when I realize I forgot to check anything, then check everthing 14 times and realize that if it didn't fail right away, I'm probably ok.

 

Always rap with a back up.

[chelle]

Rapping is the worst part of climbing IMO reminding yourself is not a bad thing. I always use a prussik knot and tie the ends when I'm not sure of the rap route or that the ropes are long enough. Otherwise I don't ususally tie the ends.

 

I have my own mantra "i'm the man, hand's the hand, locked and loaded." A twist on the schpiel I say when cheking that my reverso or gri-gri is set up right for the belay. Fully checks my system before I unhook from the anchor and step back off the ledge.

[russ]

Don't tie ends - tie an individual knot in each....

 

Safety mantras are good - if only to remind us not to get complacant. After getting dropped ~30 ft because of miscommunication, I'm a lot more aware of what can go wrong and tend to take the extra second to check things out again.

[sk]

I double check every time. and remind myself I could die. Isn't that why we climb??? to be in that place where we are fully in the moment. Live or die, when rapping it is all on me.

[Greg_W]

ehmmic said:

I have my own mantra "i'm the man, hand's the hand, locked and loaded."

 

She actually sings this with the accompaniment of a small banjo; it's sorta scary.

[bDubyaH]

me thinks that if you tell yourself you are no good at something after a while you will believe it and not be anygood at that something, but if all you are doing is giving yourself a reality check i.e. if i screw this up i could die, when you are in a situation that will not be adversely affected by your self doubt, then that is good. example: i rarely tie the ends of my ropes when rapping, but i always remind myself that if i botch it i'm a gonner definitely not a false precaution in my book, if you get comfortable climbing and rapping then great, if you get sloppy then things can get ugly, particularly if you take the fast way down.

on the other hand if you are soloing some ice and 300m up you start to question what you are doing and thinking that you could die, then you are not doing yourself any favors, just making it more likely that you will die.

moral of the story, use your i'm gonna die mantra for thing like rapping (keeps you on top of things) not when soloing (distracts you from what you need to do and could potentially kill you)

[E-rock]

I think maybe a good Mantra when soloing would be "People DON'T die soloing". Because if you look at the accident statistics, that's NOT how climbers typically die.

 

[chelle]

Greg_W said:

ehmmic said:

I have my own mantra "i'm the man, hand's the hand, locked and loaded."

 

She actually sings this with the accompaniment of a small banjo; it's sorta scary.

 

Greg- you're violating that old rule that says, "what happens in the mountains stays in the mountains." The ukelele is only brought out on special occasions. Can't trust you with anything can I?

[Greg_W]

ehmmic said:

Greg_W said:

ehmmic said:

I have my own mantra "i'm the man, hand's the hand, locked and loaded."

 

She actually sings this with the accompaniment of a small banjo; it's sorta scary.

 

Greg- you're violating that old rule that says, "what happens in the mountains stays in the mountains." The ukelele is only brought out on special occasions. Can't trust you with anything can I?

 

Oops, sorry. Minx joined in so fluidly on the bongos that I figured this was something you guys did regularly for other people, as well.

[sk]

ehmmic said:

Greg_W said:

ehmmic said:

I have my own mantra "i'm the man, hand's the hand, locked and loaded."

 

She actually sings this with the accompaniment of a small banjo; it's sorta scary.

 

Greg- you're violating that old rule that says, "what happens in the mountains stays in the mountains." The ukelele is only brought out on special occasions. Can't trust you with anything can I?

[fern]

Anchor

Buckles

Carabiner

Device

Ends

 

[bunglehead]

That's pretty good, Fern.

I hate rapping. Sketchiest part o' climbing.

I always triple check.

[texplorer]

I check to make sure the knots are tied and my belay device is correctly threaded and then go just like I check my mirrors before I change lanes on the highway. Both are dangerous but once you get the hang of them I don't think you need to say a mantra.

[minx]

Greg_W said:

ehmmic said:

Greg_W said:

ehmmic said:

I have my own mantra "i'm the man, hand's the hand, locked and loaded."

 

She actually sings this with the accompaniment of a small banjo; it's sorta scary.

 

Greg- you're violating that old rule that says, "what happens in the mountains stays in the mountains." The ukelele is only brought out on special occasions. Can't trust you with anything can I?

 

Oops, sorry. Minx joined in so fluidly on the bongos that I figured this was something you guys did regularly for other people, as well.

 

EEESSH Greg! You really can't be trusted with anything! it was nice of you to carry the bongos though.

 

i'm nearly phobic aboup rappelling. stupid sure, but true. if unfamiliar or unsure i always knot each end and always use a prussik or autoblock. i think i check my rap set up more than anything else i do which means i'll probably die in a tragic incident b/c i tied in wrong and didn't check my knot.

 

i like fern's ABCs

[eric8]

I haven't seen it mentioned here but I always weight the rope before i unclip to make sure everything is good.

 

Also when rappling in the alpine but some gear in a clip it before pulling the rope how many times have you read "A climber was pulling ropes after a rappel and was knock off by rockfall...."

[Squid]

I was taught how to rap by a particularly cruel friend. From the very first, after she'd clipped into the rope, she'd look into my eyes and say meaningfully "See you in hell, bitch."

Then she'd drop over the edge and leave my gumby self quivering and alone on the belay ledge.

Now that I'm wizened and old, I still repeat that mantra to myself and my partners- it always seems to focus the mind and inspires everyone to check the system.

[Greg_W]

Squid said:

I was taught how to rap by a particularly cruel friend. From the very first, after she'd clipped into the rope, she'd look into my eyes and say meaningfully "See you in hell, bitch."

Then she'd drop over the edge and leave my gumby self quivering and alone on the belay ledge.

Now that I'm wizened and old, I still repeat that mantra to myself and my partners- it always seems to focus the mind and inspires everyone to check the system.

 

Classic!!!

[Dru]

there used to be a rockshoe (slipper) called the scarpa mantra but all i could find online was a stupid Hi-tec shoe

[Dr_Flash_Amazing]

Dru said:

there used to be a rockshoe (slipper) called the scarpa mantra but all i could find online was a stupid Hi-tec shoe

 

It was the Sportiva Mantra, silly Canoodler. Some Climbing reviewer (Dwayne Raleigh comes to mind) penned a rather humorous review of them involving being at the sticky rubber factory on a hot day, removing his clothes, then sticking his feet in one of the rubber vats, the resulting sticky-foots being akin to the Mantra; i.e. the Mantra was pure minimalist (not to be confused with the Scarpa Minima). Weird, huh?

 

[thelawgoddess]

Squid said:

I was taught how to rap by a particularly cruel friend. From the very first, after she'd clipped into the rope, she'd look into my eyes and say meaningfully "See you in hell, bitch."

Then she'd drop over the edge and leave my gumby self quivering and alone on the belay ledge.

Now that I'm wizened and old, I still repeat that mantra to myself and my partners- it always seems to focus the mind and inspires everyone to check the system.