[dpb]

Is it the done thing to start this with the first two bolts clipped?  Or is that just being a dirty rotten big wossy cheat.

[Johnny Brown]

as they said in The Thing... 'I know someone who has climbed down'

[dave]

A well known peak guide writer once said to me at the cornice: "I can tell you've not done many peak sport routes if you're worrying about having the first 2 bolts clipped". so there you go, thought i'm not sure how valid this is for those 3-bolt wonders.

[andy popp]

Aah, the halcyon days of the 'Keithpoint,' when it was considered bad form not to have the first two bolts clipped.

[BitterandTwisted]

I too, sometimes get confused between the numbers 'two' and 'five'

[dobbin]

I can remember pre eminent peak heroes clipping up to four bolts and then reversing to the ground. Anyway, who cares? its a sport route - the bolts are there for protection rather than as part of the climb.

[Jaspersharpe]

Indeed. If you could reverse then you could have as many bolts preclipped as you liked. Are you saying things have changed?! 

I remember when we were trying Les Mains Salle in about '92 we were all basically top roping it up to the hard bit cos you could reverse the whole slab meaning you only had to make one clip. The team was me, Gaskins, Smythe and Gresham with Arran and Welford also using the same tactics. Much hilarity was had as Gresham fell off reversing when 5 feet off the deck on some easy ledges and had to do the whole thing again. Despite the top rope we still all failed on it / got bored with trying as it's shit. Except Welford of course who stuck at it and got the tick.

[andy popp]

as they said in The Thing... 'I know someone who has climbed down'

And I quote the relevant passage (being a sad bastard with a collection of The Thing ready to hand)

'Clipping bolts and how to avoid it. Keith Sharples on redpoint.

7b+ I have climbed down
7c They climbed down
7c+ I know someone who climbed down
8a It looks possible to climb down
8a+ It would made it easier if I'd climbed down
8b Unlikely Keith (ed).'

Issue No. 4 has an excellent on 'Jessery' that is probably worth reviving/

[Johnny Brown]

someone with a flatbed should get them all online. I've only got about half but they still amuse...