People are bad at lots of things. Safety included. Priorities get crooked, and mostly folks just plain aren't educated in how to stay alive. Climbing is a shining example of the "safety third" mentality. The moral of the story is to get out there and find someone who can tell you how to do it all without getting hurt hurt or dying. Also, even if you've done it a thousand times, be careful. A fraction of a second of distraction is all too often fatal. Look at the big picture, and listen to your gut. If it looks icky, it's wrong.

Feed the fire! Photos, comments, questions, or ponderings? Fire 'em off to janketyassanchors@gmail.com

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Monday, January 18, 2010

Let it begin.


Here's the first, and one of my favorites.  It breaks a couple of clear, established anchor rules.  Rule #1 thrown to the wind:  "metal to nylon, nylon to metal".   This has about one exception, and that's if you're clipping a straight gate or wire gate 'biner to a bolt.  I think that their heart was in the right place; they were trying to extend their anchor to prevent the rope from running over rocks and grass.  The problem with this method though, is rule #2: carabiners chained together, left to their own wiley devices quickly become unchained, even with a little wriggle room.  Locking carabiners would be safer, but still a long ways from ideal.  I believe a cordelette is in order.  Why use eight clip 'biners and a few sewn slings when you could use one 20-25' piece of 7 mm perlon?  Simpler and safer. Not only that, but a lot cheaper.   Problem solved.


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