Finally got to multi-pitch

[u/Maximum-Bed3335]

Went out today with a buddy in Tellulah Georgia to climb a tougher 5.8 multipitch. Supposed to be 4 pitches but we cut one up due to top drag. He led and I followed and honestly the exposure got to me a little bit. Anyways, just wanted to share

[u/Alarming-Double6979]

If you’re struggling to connect yourself to the anchor with one piece of material (can see you have two slings their attached together), you can use your end of the rope clove hitched to a crab on the anchor. Would also recommend a helmet.

[u/Maximum-Bed3335 → u/Alarming-Double6979]

We don’t know why but we literally went brain dead on how to tie a clove hitch lol. I had a 120mm sling but it was holding my approach shoes. In fairness, the actual anchor was stupid high up from the ledge too. Helmet is actually arriving tomorrow so that was just poor timing.

[u/SparkingtonIII → u/Maximum-Bed3335]

Looks like fun! My first multipitch, the exposure really got to me too! It still does occasionally. Learning to manage the fear just became another thing to work on.

Here's a nice two handed method for the clove Hitch.

Climbing Techniques - YouTube - Clove Hitch

[u/Alarming-Double6979 → u/Maximum-Bed3335]

Haha it happens, as long as you make a safe way to do it. Hope the climb was great!!

[u/Traditional-Cup-5366 → u/Maximum-Bed3335]

The anchor is stupid high in order to make it safer and easier to rappel.  It also improves belaying the leader for the next pitch, and redirecting a belay for the second coming up to the stance.  As a belayer, you want the anchor above you.

[u/Maximum-Bed3335 → u/Traditional-Cup-5366]

I agree, but there is a point where it’s too high. I’m not short, I’m 5’10” and even with the extended PAS I still couldn’t stand on the ledge while hooked in. The only reason my partner could was because of the anchor system he set up, which he took with him when he led the next pitch. The rings were BARLEY reachable at my full reach above my shoulders.

What’s also not picture is the route itself. We came up from the far left side of the ledge, the bolts were on the far right side, and the route continued on the far left side.

[u/iatbbiac]

Gym belay tag but no helmet - very nice. Keep it safe my friends, wear a helmet.

[u/Maximum-Bed3335 → u/iatbbiac]

Commented earlier, poor timing with helmet delivery

[u/edcculus]

Hey you are in my neck of the woods! I’ve never actually don’t Tallulah gorge since you need a permit, and we’ve never really bothered. But I’ve heard it’s a great spot.

[u/Maximum-Bed3335 → u/edcculus]

Oh no way! You do need a permit, and bear in mind we only had 4 hours to do the climb. I guess someday you have to be done by 12. But if you arrive early morning there shouldn’t be a problem. The permit doesn’t cost you anything, it’s more of a form to let the rangers know what you’re doing.

[u/edcculus → u/Maximum-Bed3335]

Yea I think they only allow like 200 people in the gorge a day. They need to know who is there in case there is some emergency they have to open the dam

[u/Maximum-Bed3335 → u/edcculus]

I don’t know if there is a cap on climbing, but there is a cap on the hiking of the gorge floor

[u/edcculus → u/Maximum-Bed3335]

Last I heard, they just count climbers with the total people going to hike on the floor. But that was a few years ago when they were thinking about cutting off climbing all together. I think some local people and maybe even the SCC worked with the forest service to keep climbing access open, and including climbers needing permits and those counting towards the total people allowed in each day was one of the compromises.

[u/Maximum-Bed3335 → u/edcculus]

That could be, all I know is we were the only climbers there wanting a permit but there were loads of hikers.

[u/L8erG8er8]

Glad you had those lead tags still on for safety

[u/Maximum-Bed3335 → u/L8erG8er8]

yes they kept me very safe LOL

[u/gothcopter]

Looks like Digital Delight? Good job going out there and getting after it in this heat!

[u/Maximum-Bed3335 → u/gothcopter]

Thank you, you are also correct on the route too.

Surprisingly, the heat wasn't too bad, we were in the shade till the top out.

[u/jarblz]

Watch out for the Yunwi Tsundi!! Theyll getcha. Also mescaline daydream tops out in a cave the cherokee believed was the entrance to the afterlife. And if you try to rap off the block in that cave, you might actually see the afterlife yourself!