Lisa I have been watching your videos for about 3 months and wanted to say how cool it is to see a women doing these instructional videos. I'm from Utah and I would like to think that in addition to the greatest snow on earth we also have the greatest climbing on earth as well. But the areas you climb look like alot of fun. Keep it real and know that I learn alot form watching your adventures.
Thanks, Kristopher Carlile! I'd love to come climb out in Utah sometime. I've driven from IL to Salt Lake and was drooling at the the mountains and formations the whole time I was in Utah!! Jackson Falls is a pretty unique place around here with a distinct style - slopey ledges with throws to pockets. It's the best we have around here, and way better than miles upon miles of corn fields (like where I live). I'm hoping to do my next video at Pere Marquette which is a small, new area near St Louis. Thanks for writing!!
I have been climbing for 30 yrs and used to compete and I never realized that a Grigri could be used that way via a double rope repel. You have great videos. You know many things I do not. And far as the comments about overkill on your anchor...I’m sure you know it. All of us have the double everything worry. Remember that in climbing many things aren’t backed up. The belay loop on the harness, one belay device, one belay carabiner, one rope, etc. It isn’t creating a backup that is safe...it is making sure you don’t make a mistake. Don’t fall prey to the hype that everything isn’t already bomber. You don’t worry about your chair on a ski chairlift coming off because there is only one attachment to the cable. Climbing gear doesn’t fail like people want everyone to believe. Keep the videos coming.
Hi, Lisa. Nicely presented as usual :) I noticed that you didn't heed the advice of a commenter on a previous video though, about backing up your abseil with an autoblock.. Just an observation.
Hi dommo31dm, thanks for writing and I'm glad you liked my latest videos! In regards to not having a backup, I'm not actually rappeling here. I'm belaying myself backwards using the grigri. The grigri itself provides the redundancy (the rounded lip with lever is the first and the autocam is the second). Here is a link to a forum that touches on this topic a little bit. www.reddit.com/r/climbing/comments/6t2i05/add_prusik_to_grigri_rappelling/ Thanks for bringing this up!
Nice anchor ;) Why do you deflect the rope at the anchor? I think it would be much more comfortable to fix one end of the rope at the anchor, throw the rope down the wall and climb on the single strand. This way you have less (half of) rope to feed through the grigri while climbing. Or does your technique has a advantage I missed? One more thing that occurred to me while writing this^^: if you're not deflecting the rope, the rope is not moving up/down so if you moving horizontal on the wall, always the same spot of the rope is rubbing other the same edge (e.g. the edge on the top of the wall). That could be a problem and will not happen with your method...
Nicolas, fixing the rope is a good idea, especially if you're going straight down (no side to side swinging) and then planning on leaving the rope in the tree anchor and tying bites for the tr solo anchor. You wouldn't be able to pull the rope if it was fixed to the webbing anchor. Here is an example of needing the rope to be free in the webbing anchor, because I'm setting up a regular top rope anchor. (Sorry about the lack of description in the video.) th-cam.com/video/zk1ny1PQaKQ/w-d-xo.html
Hey Lisa, you don't need that complicated of an anchor system just to rap to your anchors. Unless you're tying into small diameter trees two slings around a large with two biners will usually be good enough.
Thanks, Dan, the trees seemed on the small side, and I used a pair to keep the anchor centered. I probably could have just used one set instead of two though.
I believe those webbing pieces are 20ft. If you're buying webbing, use a reputable company and be sure to get the type made for weight-bearing and climbing. There is also craft webbing which is cheaper and not strong enough for climbing and anchoring. Best wishes!
Lisa I have been watching your videos for about 3 months and wanted to say how cool it is to see a women doing these instructional videos. I'm from Utah and I would like to think that in addition to the greatest snow on earth we also have the greatest climbing on earth as well. But the areas you climb look like alot of fun. Keep it real and know that I learn alot form watching your adventures.
Thanks, Kristopher Carlile! I'd love to come climb out in Utah sometime. I've driven from IL to Salt Lake and was drooling at the the mountains and formations the whole time I was in Utah!! Jackson Falls is a pretty unique place around here with a distinct style - slopey ledges with throws to pockets. It's the best we have around here, and way better than miles upon miles of corn fields (like where I live). I'm hoping to do my next video at Pere Marquette which is a small, new area near St Louis. Thanks for writing!!
I have been climbing for 30 yrs and used to compete and I never realized that a Grigri could be used that way via a double rope repel. You have great videos. You know many things I do not. And far as the comments about overkill on your anchor...I’m sure you know it. All of us have the double everything worry. Remember that in climbing many things aren’t backed up. The belay loop on the harness, one belay device, one belay carabiner, one rope, etc. It isn’t creating a backup that is safe...it is making sure you don’t make a mistake. Don’t fall prey to the hype that everything isn’t already bomber. You don’t worry about your chair on a ski chairlift coming off because there is only one attachment to the cable. Climbing gear doesn’t fail like people want everyone to believe. Keep the videos coming.
Thank you for the encouragement. I have some videos filmed, I just need to find some time to sit down and put them together. :)
Lisa I agree that you did build the safest anchor possible, but it could have beenn just two trees. But safer never hurt anyone. Keep them coming.
Brian Hetrick, thanks! I set it up with just two trees at first and then decided to add the extra set. I had the webbing with me anyway!
Hi, Lisa. Nicely presented as usual :) I noticed that you didn't heed the advice of a commenter on a previous video though, about backing up your abseil with an autoblock.. Just an observation.
Hi dommo31dm, thanks for writing and I'm glad you liked my latest videos! In regards to not having a backup, I'm not actually rappeling here. I'm belaying myself backwards using the grigri. The grigri itself provides the redundancy (the rounded lip with lever is the first and the autocam is the second). Here is a link to a forum that touches on this topic a little bit. www.reddit.com/r/climbing/comments/6t2i05/add_prusik_to_grigri_rappelling/
Thanks for bringing this up!
Nice anchor ;) Why do you deflect the rope at the anchor? I think it would be much more comfortable to fix one end of the rope at the anchor, throw the rope down the wall and climb on the single strand. This way you have less (half of) rope to feed through the grigri while climbing. Or does your technique has a advantage I missed?
One more thing that occurred to me while writing this^^: if you're not deflecting the rope, the rope is not moving up/down so if you moving horizontal on the wall, always the same spot of the rope is rubbing other the same edge (e.g. the edge on the top of the wall). That could be a problem and will not happen with your method...
Nicolas, fixing the rope is a good idea, especially if you're going straight down (no side to side swinging) and then planning on leaving the rope in the tree anchor and tying bites for the tr solo anchor. You wouldn't be able to pull the rope if it was fixed to the webbing anchor. Here is an example of needing the rope to be free in the webbing anchor, because I'm setting up a regular top rope anchor. (Sorry about the lack of description in the video.) th-cam.com/video/zk1ny1PQaKQ/w-d-xo.html
Use this technique to set the top rope then have someone else belay for the day usually a group of mates
Hey Lisa, you don't need that complicated of an anchor system just to rap to your anchors. Unless you're tying into small diameter trees two slings around a large with two biners will usually be good enough.
Thanks, Dan, the trees seemed on the small side, and I used a pair to keep the anchor centered. I probably could have just used one set instead of two though.
Hello Lisa, I like the redundancy. I am a newer climber, what length are the webbing straps?
I believe those webbing pieces are 20ft. If you're buying webbing, use a reputable company and be sure to get the type made for weight-bearing and climbing. There is also craft webbing which is cheaper and not strong enough for climbing and anchoring. Best wishes!
Hi Lisa your videos are great but Jackson Falls again?
stephen fraser, lol! I live in the middle of Illinois. There aren't a lot of options for a day trip. :D
Yeah just checked a map and see what you mean.Jackson Falls is fine.
:D I'm thinking about going to Pere Marquette for the next video. It's a new crag, pretty short but fun limestone.
Lisa, are you single?
scott miller, married with 3 kids. :D