What could possibly go wrong?
- Thread starter Brains
- Start date
cavemanmike
Well-known member
Brittle stals could/would snap and no back up.
I've done some dodgy things in my time but not as dodgy as that.
No wonder cave conservationist kick off when they see something like that
I've done some dodgy things in my time but not as dodgy as that.
No wonder cave conservationist kick off when they see something like that
caving_fox
Active member
She's not clipped in and could slide down the pitch.
The ceiling could collapse.
The ceiling could collapse.
Roger W
Well-known member
If those things are genuine stal, someone wants a good :spank: for sheer vandalism.
On the other hand, they might just be man-made mud spikes.
(Again, :spank: for criminal misuse of cave sediments.)
But if they are, has the mud been given time to set?
At least, if one of them breaks off, there's another one there to break off too...
On the other hand, they might just be man-made mud spikes.
(Again, :spank: for criminal misuse of cave sediments.)
But if they are, has the mud been given time to set?
At least, if one of them breaks off, there's another one there to break off too...
Alex
Well-known member
Stals do make good natural belays in some places and probably less damaging to the cave then re-bolting the place every 5 = 10 years before the resin anchors came in.
I recall a lot of official guides using stals as belays. But as for that picture they do not look that substantial to take much weight, not sure I would want to trust my life to those two.
I recall a lot of official guides using stals as belays. But as for that picture they do not look that substantial to take much weight, not sure I would want to trust my life to those two.
PeteHall
Moderator
Alex said:
Agreed, I'm not sure I would trust my life to them either, however, if it's just a handline for a slippery muddy slope I'd not worry. Equally, it could just be preventing the end of a dragging dope getting pulled back down a dig.
The photographer must have been standing on something, so I don't imagine this is a 100m SRT pitch rigged to them.
andrewmcleod
Well-known member
PeteHall said:
I've never really bought that argument - if its something I am actually weighting (i.e. not a backup line I am sliding an ascender up but NOT pulling on and probably not going to fall onto) then I want it bomber just like a pitch, because normally failure of that line will result in me tumbling to the bottom of whatever it is rigged up, and probably breaking something in the process. I would rather free-climb stuff than weight something that could fail - as a climber rock is much more predictable (good or bad) than anchors that are 'probably' alright.
There are obviously always going to be exceptions (tight slots where falling down is not really a hazard).
cavemanmike
Well-known member
oh also unsupervized small person ( she only looks about 10) unless thats just my age showing 
Brains
Well-known member
Image culled from FB and is watermarked by the photographer.
Given where the pic is taken from, and the state of the knot I am inclined to feel there maybe a pitch going up nearby, and the tail end has been draped over the stals either for ease of retrival, or just for the photo. The young lady is gurning well but possibly acting.
The implication that it is a belay is obvious but I think it unlikely.
At least it has kept you lot amused for a bit, and unlike the video no body was hurt
Given where the pic is taken from, and the state of the knot I am inclined to feel there maybe a pitch going up nearby, and the tail end has been draped over the stals either for ease of retrival, or just for the photo. The young lady is gurning well but possibly acting.
The implication that it is a belay is obvious but I think it unlikely.
At least it has kept you lot amused for a bit, and unlike the video no body was hurt
Clive G
Member
I hope those are pop rivets and not bolts with nuts behind them securing the metal cable clip to the front side of her helmet . . .
You have to think what would happen if the helmet became pushed against the side of your head for any reason - in which case, with any degree of force involved, any protrusions on the inside of the helmet could end up inside your head . . .
Is this an entry for the joke photograph competition at the next Hidden Earth conference?! Nice one!
You have to think what would happen if the helmet became pushed against the side of your head for any reason - in which case, with any degree of force involved, any protrusions on the inside of the helmet could end up inside your head . . .
Is this an entry for the joke photograph competition at the next Hidden Earth conference?! Nice one!