Where's the best sport climbing in Virginia?

Quickdraw retrieval when sport climbing?

• I started climbing indoors a few months ago, and I've only ever done top roping, but I'd really like to try outdoor climbing, and especially sport climbing. One matter of ...show more

• Answer:

  Most sport routes have permanent bolt anchors with chains for belaying/rappeling at the top of the route. So you lead the route from the bottom up, get to the anchor, and clip in to the anchor with a sling. Attach sling to your harness with a locking carabiner. Have your partner take you off belay. Whew! Now you have to decide whether you will lower off, rap off, or walk off. Let's assume you want to be lowered off. Pull up about six feet of slack and tie a figure eight on a bit. Clip this to your harness with a locking carabiner. Now untie your figure eight from your harness, and run the end through the anchor chains, and tie back into your harness with a figure eight. Remember to do it in this order. If you don't and you drop the rope, you're screwed. Unclip the figure eight on a bit, untie it, and have your partner put you back on belay. Unclip your sling from the anchor, and lower away. You can unclip the quickdraws on your way back down. Obviously there are other ways. You could belay your partner from the top, and have them clean your gear as they move up the pitch. You could also set up a rappel and clean the gear on the way down. If you can walk off, walk off! Don't try any of this unless you are with someone who knows what the hell they are doing. Good Luck. PS- unless it's a matter of life or death, you NEVER lower off a single quickdraw.