How do you A0 a crux?

[A_Little_Off_Route]

I am reading through the falcon guide on self rescue. Having learned to climb (rock not gym) nearly 20 years ago, and spending the last 11 years as a live-aboard sailor, I'm loving the serious complexity of some of the self rescue stuff. I guess I'm a bit of a rope/knot nerd at heart.

 

It's been suggested many times that if you can't get through a tough part of a pitch, you can A0 your way through the hard bit and climb on instead of bailing. I like that idea a lot and the book shows the "classic aid sequence". I have to admit, it was more complex than I imagined, and involved aiders and daisy chains, which I don't plan on taking with me on a trad lead.

 

What is your "sequence" for aiding through part of a trad lead? I know you can put a piece in, put a runner on the piece, and step on the runner, but does anyone have ideas that are better than that, but simpler perhaps than what's in the book?

 

Off_Route

Edited July 20, 2012 by A_Little_Off_Route

[ivan]

wear a fifi hook, so you can rest on all pieces of gear - pretty simple than to haul up on whatever gear you have above you using your arms (and a sling if there's no feet), rest on your fifi, then place yer next piece...

[kurthicks]

Easiest:

Place a piece. pull on the gear through the move. clip rope. continue climbing.

 

longer crux:

place the piece.

Stand in a sling, perhaps give it a bounce, & winch yourself up.

clip in the rope (exactly when depends on how good the piece is).

clip yourself to the piece with a biner or short draw.

 

repeat.

[genepires]

maybe not the most efficient and it does require the belayer to be somewhat close but this is how i have A0 some routes.

 

while having belayer hold me on a piece that is at waist, I place a piece higher. WHile holding the waist piece draw, I yell "slack" and get the rope into higher piece. Immediately yell "take" and then sit on higher piece. Yard on rope going to belayer to pulley myself higher. Take when at waist level and start over. avoids all the fussing around with slings and whatnot but pieces are not as far apart as with usual aiders and daisies. Pieces must be bomber or else you fall extra length due to introducing slack into system vs kurthicks methos.

 

I believe my system evolved from standard free climbing and losing my cool. I would like to think that I got in over my head but the reality is that I am a less than bold climber.

[rideforthebrand]

THIS is a good article, though a little more toward the real aid climbing side of things for the most part.

[A_Little_Off_Route]

THIS is a good article, though a little more toward the real aid climbing side of things for the most part.

 

Gold. All signal, no noise. Thanks!

 

Off_Route