So you want to be an aid climber?
You’re strung out a good 30 feet above your last good piece of pro on pitch 7. Thinking back on the micro cam you plugged into the last remnants of that solid crack, you wonder how awesome that placement actually was. It seemed fine an hour ago when you placed it, but now you are separated by several hook moves, some rotting copperheads, and some fixed mank from who knows when. As you sit on your talon hook and look up at the next available piece you curse under your breath. Staring at some expanding and rotting flakes, you wish that someone would have placed a chicken bolt so you could clip it.

You’d never place the chicken bolt yourself, but if it was already there it would be OK to clip it, wouldn’t it? You’re sweating and have just realized you haven’t done anything for the last five minutes and you’re getting achy from hanging in your stirrups. Let’s check out that flake. Let’s just give it a little tap with our hammer to see how crappy it is...
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