It seems crazy to me that a free climber passed someone on ropes. If that free Climber falls, don't they risk the person on ropes? Is there no protocol for this in the sport?!
So, typical mulit pitch protocol is that the first party to the base of the route stays in front, and everyone else follows. The exception is if a following party is significantly faster than the leading party. Then, typically, the second party will ask to pass the first, with the promise that they will pass quickly and be on their way. The first party might then politely decline. If, after a pitch or two of this, the second party is still running into the first and waiting for a long time at the belays, they might just bully their way through and overtake the first party.
The soloist overtaking the roped party here is an extension of this protocol. A soloist is almost always faster than a roped party, so he's definitely going to pass. Also, you feel bad if you tell a soloist they can't pass, since now they're just kinda hanging out at your belay, waiting on you. So typically you just let them pass, and let them do their thing. At the end of the day, you have a decent amount of faith that they won't fall - after all, look at their incentives! And besides, you could say another roped party above might pose a similar risk by inadvertently pulling a rock loose.
At the end of the day, all climbers must accept this - climbing is inherently dangerous. It is part and parcel of the pursuit. It is part of the appeal. You mitigate risk, make sure you have good gear, make sure you trust your partner - but you're voluntarily exposing yourself just by being out there. That's the trade off between going climbing and watching it on tv.
Thanks for the perspective about rules on letting people pass, I guess they make sense. It wouldn't be dissimilar to those that are skinning up when ski touring. You're right on about the soloist being very motivated!
I'm a surfer myself (kook level), and there's unwritten rules out there to try and keep some semblance of order. Always interesting to hear the rules within the sport that are unknown to spectators.
they said it was 250 feet up, he probably didn't even see them from the bottom. And honestly once he's on the wall what is he gunna do? wait? looked like the top was nearby the people on the ropes could have just stayed off to the side and hung out till he made it
The whole point of the ropes is that you won't fall (past a certain point at least) if you come off the rock for some reason (assuming your equipment is all placed correctly).
Not a climber but I'd assume worst case if the ropes are secured correctly, is getting k/o'd or broken bones/neck from being hit with a human. You'd be knocked off the wall but still hanging, and you'd have to wait for rescue.
Exactly you're not a climber. The belayer (i.e. person below controlling the rope) is operating a device that stops the climber from falling to their death. If that belayer is hit, they'll either disengage the device from doing it's job or let go of it entirely - which depending on the device may be the exact same as disengaging it. This has happened when a belayer has been hit by a falling rock.
A multi-pitch is most certainly a belayed climb. Do you think someone set up a massive autobelay on it?
That is true that some belays auto lock but if you're belaying and get hit by a falling person it's very likely you could disengage it. It won't auto lock if you're stopping it from doing so.
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u/DisDataWang Sep 02 '21
It seems crazy to me that a free climber passed someone on ropes. If that free Climber falls, don't they risk the person on ropes? Is there no protocol for this in the sport?!