Bailing from a rock route

[Mike_G]

What is the best (safest/cheapest/easiest) way to bail from a one-pitch rock route (sport and/or trad) if you're not at the top and can't continue due to weather, ability, fatigue, etc?

 

I don't always feel so redundant lowering off of one bolt on a sport route. Seems like I saw a way to back it up with a sling or something on the next bolt down? I have yet to get in over my head on a trad route (not because I'm that good, but because I'm that much of a wuss).

 

Thanks for your input.

[bigwalling]

A #1 head

[DavidHiers]

Just between us wussie newbies (wussbies?), I don't think that there is a good general answer to your question. You might get lucky and find a BFR or horn right where you need it, or you might have to kiss a couple of cams goodbye.

[Alpinfox]

Sport: a locking biner on a good bolt is ideal. A non-locking biner is fine too. If you are really worried about the bolt, leave another biner on the second highest bolt in case the higher bolt fails. If you are really cheap, or have lots of time, you could put a piece of webbing through the bolt and rap off of it instead of using a biner, but DO NOT LOWER OFF OF WEBBING. The friction could cut the webbing.

 

 

Trad: It's ideal to find a tree or big rock/horn you can sling and rap/lower from. Again, DO NOT LOWER OFF OF WEBBING OR CORDELETTE. Rappel only. If you must leave gear, leave the cheapest gear that will make a safe anchor. One bomber nut and a biner is probably the cheapest thing you can leave, but you might not feel comfortable rapping/lowering from a single piece. Do whatever it takes to make a safe anchor, even if that means leaving multiple cams. Your life is worth more than any gear (unless you are a republican voter) and that way you make the booty hounds very happy. You may be able to come back the next day (or the next year!) and get the gear, but the point is that you are still alive.

[Ponzini]

I hope that fatigue wouldn't be the problem that makes you retreat from a one pitch route!

 

But I'd say leave nuts or hexes, why leave cams, they're the big $. They can also be confidently wedged into place so that in a nice crack, only one will suffice (although two is safer).

[jja]

While not necessarily recommended here's one method when you run out of rope. Girth hitch every piece of sling and cord you have together, rap off it, and then downclimb. The point is keep an open mind and look at all your options.

 

cheers

[Ade]

The last thing you should think about when bailing off a route is the cost.

 

A better reason for using passive gear over cams is that well placed nuts and hexes are less likely to move as you shift your weight on them.

[Toast]

John Long's Advanced Climbing book mentions a way to bail off a sport route without having to leave anything behind (if you're less than 1/3 rope out.) You essentially rap off a sling run through the bolt with one end tied to the rope. I won't go into it here, the details are important, but it's a pretty cool trick.

[catbirdseat]

I've done it, but I feel better doing it on 1" webbing.

[chucK]

Try to avoid mucking up clips on a sport route with webbing. How would you like it if you were pumped and nearing salvation of the bolt only to find that it's all jammed up with someone's bail webbing? Use a biner or Toast's solution.

 

One thing about lowering (besides Alpinfox's very good advice about don't do it through webbing), make damn sure that you have enough rope. Just to safeguard in situations where this is not always perfectly clear, have your belayer/lowerer tie in to the rope.

[Bill_Simpkins]

Be careful to pull on the correct strand of rope while doing the "leave no sling behind" rap trick off a bolt.

I got the ends mixed up and got my rope stuck once (got it back). This is one to practice a few times at home first. But it is a cool trick.

 

Usually if I can't finish a route(too hard or wet) and have to bail I just aid to the anchors (pull on gear or make atries with shoulder runners).

[Stavrogin]

here's a link to that rap trick.

[Dru]

If it's safe enough to bail off it is safe enough to keep going cause it will hold a fall!

[specialed]

If it's safe enough to bail off it is safe enough to keep going cause it will hold a fall!

 

But then you'd miss out on the first descent

[selkirk]

Would have to agree with Dru. Just climb faster! Have often does the weather got to shit fast enough that you can't sprint out the last 1/2 pitch to the anchors and rap off?

[Bug]

If you are worried about the cost, buy my aliens at $20 a pop.

[Blake]

If you are worried about the cost, buy my aliens at $20 a pop.

See PMs bug

[Mike_G]

I hope that fatigue wouldn't be the problem that makes you retreat from a one pitch route!

 

Nah, I've never been too pumped to continue. That's why I carry a headlamp, after a few hours the pump subsides...

[Mike_G]

here's a link to that rap trick.

 

Yeah, that's the article I saw. Thanks for the link.

[ken4ord]

If you are flailing on a one pitch route then I would say your safest bet is lowering with gear and/or draws left in place if there is enough rope. Back up your top piece if you can or if you want. If your top piece fails then you have the others in place to catch ya, but remember the closer you get to the ground being lowered, and the top piece fails, the more likely you are to deck. Just like with rappeling you want to check your top anchor to make sure it is bomber before commiting. Then hike around the crag and rap from the top to retreive your gear. On bolted climbs I have never worried about lowering off a single bolt (as long as it is flush with the rock and not a spinner and there is a nut holding the hanger in place and it doesn't cross load the biners and/or force them open).

 

With multi-pitch or no access to the top of the crag then start employing other techniques that others have mentioned here. As for getting off trad route I have used knotted slings wedged like chocks, rocks with a sling placed like a chock, slung horns, snow or ice bollards, whatever is on the rack usually I'll go with single bomber piece. When rapping off a single piece I always back it up loosely (so only the single piece is weighted) with a back up anchor and send the heaviest person first. There job is to test it and make sure it will hold the others, that includes rapping, bounce testing, anything it takes to assure the other people that it is good (sometimes it just your self you are assuring). Last person to go pulls the backup anchor. On bolted routes I usually have a single biner on my harness that is my leaver biner (an older biner that I keep for those occasions), clip the rope into it and lower removing my draws. Again only if the bolt looks solid and only if the lowering or rappeling won't cross load the biner and/or force the gate open. Another option that I employ on both sport and trad routes is down climbing back to the anchor. At times that includes falling my way down the route.

 

More than one way to skin the cat.

[dylan_taylor]

Bring a rope gun and sick them on it to get your gear back. It is safe, you get your gear back, and you get to toprope it afterwards!