SummitPost.org

Good and difficult question mate

Sorry, I've never stop climbing with anyone yet

Nope, never had a bad partner either, but I really haven't been climbing that long. I think I would stop climbing with someone if either:

a. I really didn't like them, or
b. They behaved in a way that was fundamentally unsafe to either themselves, me or a third party.

Why? You got a partner you want rid of?

There´s a couple of people I know who I try and avoid because I don´t think they´re very safe. I´ve never climbed with them but been on a few ski-tours and that was enough.

I think a partner becomes an insecurity when you don't feel safe while climbing with him.

This could because of behaviour, mentality, lack of knowledge, ...

It's like climbing with gear you don't trust, maybe the carabiner you dropped is 100% sound, maybe it isn't, but that doesn't matter, if you're questioning it while building a belay, you should get rid of it.

I taught my dad to belay and an hour later as I was sketching out on a 5.10 at Vantage, I looked down and he'd dropped the rope and was talking to his girlfriend. Needless to say, I rappelled the route, then announced we were done climbing for the day.

By which I meant forever.

I'll second BrunoM's statement about needing to have trust in your partner, as you would a piece of gear.

If there are three things you MUST have absolute faith in when you climb, it would be this holy trinity: Yourself.... Your Partner..... and Your Gear. It is a three legged stool that will most certainly tip over, if any leg is too short.

If you are spending that much time questioning your partners competency (or a gear malfucntion, etc), then you are obviously not focussed on the job at hand.

When an individual poses bigger then they are actually prepared to climb...I find that kind of individual the most dangerous. I have had to say no or walk away on a variety of circumstances, but I climb full time and with a lot of folks. Right or wrong, unfortunately there are folks right here on SP who have witnessed me do it.

Dow Williams wrote:When an individual poses bigger then they are actually prepared to climb...I find that kind of individual the most dangerous. I have had to say no or walk away on a variety of circumstances, but I climb full time and with a lot of folks. Right or wrong, unfortunately there are folks right here on SP who have witnessed me do it.

+1

I don't climb with some people anymore just because they were all talk. When it came to make decisions, it was obvious what needed to be done, and they were clueless. I will never again presume and go with someone on a certain difficulty of climb if I don't have proof of their prior experience.

I got invited from them again and just politely declined. Easy as that. I still top-rope with some of them, but belaying is quite simple...I can trust them for that!

I'm not too sure if this was the proper time for this thread, with the distinct possibility that there might be a man up on Shasta who has lost his life and his climbing partner made it to safety. Sorry, just don't think this was right.

mvs wrote:I taught my dad to belay and an hour later as I was sketching out on a 5.10 at Vantage, I looked down and he'd dropped the rope and was talking to his girlfriend. Needless to say, I rappelled the route, then announced we were done climbing for the day.

By which I meant forever.

I'm not a climber, but I've seen enough basic instruction, to know that the instructors are forever bonking people on the head for inattention during belays. People often need some embarrassment to drum into them the "gravity" of the situation... before they hit the real deal. I don't think a 10 minute class will instill that sort of caution.

This topic is sort of like complaining about a previous employer at a job interview -- it doesn't reflect well on you or them

Great points from Nanuls, Dow, and Rob here!

On a side note, the best part about the a-holes we accidentally wasted time with while climbing are the laughs they provide us many years after the fact

Dow Williams wrote:When an individual poses bigger then they are actually prepared to climb...I find that kind of individual the most dangerous.

Would agree. Had that happen once - the guy talked a wonderful game but then high on the mountain we get up on some icy stuff (still easy class 5) and he's practically paralyzed with fear. Had to break out the rope for stuff I'd solo (and stuff he said he could solo) and belay for some 1500' instead. So we ended up more than three hours late to the summit. Descending in the dark I had to do all the anchor work while he just sat shaking and shivering. Great guy, but his misrepresenting his skill level might've caused a disaster.

Real simple. I draw the line where I draw the line.