CragBaby - Latest Comments

Re: Living the Nomadic Life: What to Pack

Ronin — Tue, 19 Nov 2013 06:27:48 -0000

Here's a post from my blog and a video I made after my wife and I spent a year on the road, in a S10 pickup truck and a series of tents, climbing our way across the U.S. and back.

http://roninsroad.blogspot....

Re: My First Scathing Blog Comment

EPG — Sun, 03 Nov 2013 07:33:16 -0000

People don't comment to make you feel horrible. Most of us have better things to do. The commenter probably saw, like I saw, red flags in the things you said that seemed to imply that it was likely a mistake similar to this could happen to you again, and he was trying to prevent that, by drawing attention to you to your assumptions. Basically, he was stating that you need a bit more experience and common sense, and that is not won overnight, nor will it be won just after one accident. Please stay safe, and be cautious not *because you had an accident*, but be cautions *because you're cautious*.

Re: My First Scathing Blog Comment

EPG — Sun, 03 Nov 2013 07:30:43 -0000

Yes, but this dismisses the fact that the climber and belayer are a TEAM. They are *both* responsible. Thus, the belayer has the responsibility to check the climber, and ask if something seems weird. Or would you as a belayer keep quiet if you saw something amiss or dangerous your climber was doing because "it is the climber's personal responsibility only to keep himself/herself safe"? That doesn't make any sense at all. Otherwise one might as well climb solo. Belayers are technically not needed with modern self-belay devices. So why do we climb with them then? For the scintillating conversation?

Re: The Climbing Accident

EPG — Sun, 03 Nov 2013 07:27:13 -0000

The problem wasn't that she was tied in the middle of the rope. The problem was that she didn't pass the proper side of the rope (the belaying side of the rope) through the anchor. Making sure to weigh the rope before untying from the anchor would've been a safety check to perform to ensure your climber didn't deck.

Re: My First Scathing Blog Comment

EPG — Sun, 03 Nov 2013 07:21:55 -0000

Oh, and one last thing. If you were more experienced outdoors, you would never use the "I've never seen anyone wear a helmet" as an excuse for not wearing one yourself. All it takes is a dropped biner landing a few feet away from you, for you to decide to never, ever belay without a helmet ever again. More experienced folks are trying to save you this particular experience, because you might not be so lucky that one first time, like some of us have been.

Re: My First Scathing Blog Comment

EPG — Sun, 03 Nov 2013 07:10:40 -0000

Basically, what the commenter was telling you was that you need more experience doing multipitch trad. This will give you a better eye for recognizing systems such as the one you used that caused your accidents and for knowing what your climber is doing at the anchor. He was saying that simple single pitch sport climbing, regardless of the level at which you climb at, doesn't give you this experience and you are in danger of becoming a very one-sided and therefore unsafe climber. He does have a point.

More experience gives you a feel for knowing when you should double check your climber. If you could see them you could've, for instance, before lowering them, taken in the rope and asked them if they were sure they were on the rope before letting them untie from the anchors (I always perform this check with my climbers regardless of whether I know them well or not, so long as I can see or communicate with them). Also, by the way, when one ties into the ancors it is called being "tied-in direct", not "being indirect". Your incorrect usage of the terms also evidences inexperience. All the commenter was saying was that, when you're inexperienced, please don't go on and do things of which you're not sure about. If you're not sure you understand your climber's system, it is your responsibility to either understand it or not participate. People, as you yourself saw, can very easily die. Unfortunately, climbing at "hard" grades like 5.12 gives some people the false sense of being "experienced" even though maybe they're experienced only at making hard gymnastic moves and not "experienced" enough to have developed some climbing safety common sense. Don't be one of them, and don't dismiss the commenter's advice and substance even though you disagree with the manner in which it was delivered. None of us wants to see another accident, so take things with the good intentions they were meant, and learn from them.

Stay safe.

Re: Living the Nomadic Life - Post 1

Amy — Thu, 31 Oct 2013 14:17:07 -0000

Just about to do the same thing right now... new country here I come!
Back to Tonsai to climb, climb and live some more :)

Re: Trip Beta: Squamish

Luis R. Izquierdo — Tue, 28 May 2013 11:42:03 -0000

What an excellent entry! I've been looking for information in many websites, and your blog has been extremely useful. Succinct, crystal-clear, and right-to-the-point. Perfect! Thanks a lot Crag Baby!

Re: Living the Nomadic Life: Best Car for the Road (Cont.)

Chas — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 00:59:51 -0000

HAHAHA.... I love this girl, have known her all of my life and think she is truly one of the most creative, fun people I know... Love Ya Prairie
Chas & Fam ;)

Re: Living the Nomadic Life: What to Pack

WasatchGirl — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:45:25 -0000

Great. Glad this could be of use!

Re: Living the Nomadic Life: What to Pack

Evan Smith — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 02:42:33 -0000

Okay. I'm doing this now (:

Re: On the Move

tyler — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 04:55:35 -0000

Hey, this blog comes up 1st when googling Rocktown Georgia, and I was hoping you could update this post. There are some new access issues coming up in 2012 for the land Rocktown is on. Check this out please,

http://www.georgiawildlife....

People looking to climb will need to pre-purchase a pass to use the land, I tried out most of the ordering process and it was fairly easy, the prices arent bad at all either. Since this is the first thing that comes up in Google for Rocktown I hope you can update the post so the rest of the climbing community across the nation can benefit.

Re: Elephant’s Perch Trip

Tv on web — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:55:20 -0000

Those photos are just amazing, can you imagine how lucky you are to have been in all those places. Look at me for instance, stuck in an office 24/7 in front of a laptop, and now way out anytime soon ... Enjoy your life even more and be thankful for such great experiences!

Re: Learning French. First stop … Fontainebleau.

WasatchGirl — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 05:16:47 -0000

Hey Ola,
Thanks for stopping by even though my blog has been dormant as of lately. I have a whole series on Fontainebleau including trip beta. It can be found here: http://www.cragbaby.com/cat...
Feel free to email me if you have any further questions.
Best.
Rachel

Re: Learning French. First stop … Fontainebleau.

WasatchGirl — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 05:15:39 -0000

Martin,
It looks like I never responded to this! Argh, sorry! I am in ZA now and in Rocklands every weekend (except the next 10 days as I am hiking Kili). I would love to catch up. Please feel free to reach out to me at wasatchgirl@gmail.com.
Cheers.
Rachel

Re: Learning French. First stop … Fontainebleau.

Ola Lindberg — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 10:08:30 -0000

I'm thinking about going to Font some weeks/months this fall. Do you have any ideas for what I should do and not do when I get there?

Re: Trip Beta: Red River Gorge, Kentucky

aj — Sat, 01 May 2010 14:05:32 -0000

What exactly is an outdoor shack shower?

Re: Trip Beta: HorsePens40, Alabama

WasatchGirl — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 09:55:55 -0000

Byung,
Cheers! Thanks for the link.
Rachel

Re: Trip Beta: HorsePens40, Alabama

Deadpoint — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:09:53 -0000

Hi Rachel, I have some updated info on HP40 from my last visit. http://boulderacrossamerica...

Re: TripBeta: Fontainebleau, France

WasatchGirl — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 02:24:42 -0000

Hi Rachel,
Yeah, the forest is big and the public transport is sparse. I would definitely rent a car. As for a crash pad, you can rent them from the gites. I list two on this post and I am pretty sure they both rent crash pads. Let me know if you have additional questions.
Hope you have a good trip.
Rachel

Re: TripBeta: Fontainebleau, France

rachelheiberg — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:40:50 -0000

Rachel,
This blog is incredibly helpful! I'm planning a trip to Font for Easter weekend. I wanted to try and do it without a car but everything I've read highly recommends renting a car. Do you know where I could possibly rent a crash pad?

Re: Learning French. First stop … Fontainebleau.

backflash — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:04:09 -0000

Hey Rachel, discovered your blog par hasard, recognised myself in many ways, chuckled, loved it! Would have suggested a couple of days bouldering in Bleau but you must be in ZA now. That’s great, maybe our ways will cross in Rocklands sometime this year, or should Ticino be on your ticklist ? I'd be happy to show you around there : )
Look forward to read more of your adventures
Cheers Martin

Re: Learning French. First stop … Fontainebleau.

lil chicka — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 14:58:38 -0000

Hey, just getting caught up on your blog, so fabulous! That home in La Vedoue looks simply magical, and I love seeing my pad in France! I can at the very least live vicariously through you and my crash pad :)

Hope to get to see you in between destinations!

Re: The Ultimate Backpacking List

WasatchGirl — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 07:19:49 -0000

Looking back through this list (as I am packing for a trip to Morocco) I would add the following...
- hair brush
- hair ties and bobby pins
- ipod
- all necessary chargers / cables

Re: Learning French. First stop … Fontainebleau.

WasatchGirl — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 03:32:15 -0000

Hey evilphil,
Well... I think I was able to drag myself away because it snowed. :) And... to be honest... I am really, really trying to learn French and it was so difficult in Font.

You should definitely head there one day. It is my favorite climbing destination!
Hope you are well.
Rachel