GH017576 GoPro Frame

Mammoth Trip, 2022

June 30

Clark Canyon Rock Climb



Lead belay is more complicated than top-rope. You're not only taking in slack, but feeding rope below the next bolt, keeping a slight tension except when she's clipping and needs slack. Below the first bolt she's on her own (I should have spotted her there, but we didn't discuss it and I didn't think of it myself - being prepared to steer her fall and protect her head if she did fall); between the first bolt and the second, keep a tight leash, but not so much as to pull her off the wall. The dynamic rope stretches and this could be a ground fall if there isn't enough tension. Above the second bolt, you can keep a small J slack. I pretty much just let her pull rope as she needed it, assisting when I felt her pulling. Lead belaying is a delicate interaction between the climber and belayer, and a good lead belayer has a fine sense of the climber's needs at any given moment. I did my best, but I'm a novice. -F.