In the Navy, "gouge" is the term used to describe information that the wily person retains when all else is dumped from the noggin, i.e., what you take with you to a desert island. Brutus offers up a fine example of climbing gouge in a post on rec.climbing, responding to gamecat...

gamecat wrote:
 > Specifically when it comes to leading trad what are peoples thoughts
 > on the acceptability or likelyhood of falling. How do you build it
 > into your lead headology. Or to put it another way how close to your
 > absolute limit do you go when leading trad.

 It  depends.  Protection and difficulty are two separate skills, and both keep you alive. Never challenge yourself  in both at the same time.

 > Anywhere from aiming never to fall, even though you know it will
 >  happen one day,

 Although in the past 30 years I've logged over 500 feet of airtime, I aim never to fall. Falling on Trad invites injury. Most climbing injuries in Trad climbing occur during leader falls, and not surprisingly involve injuries to the feet, ankles and legs. Trad climbs are (for the most part) less than overhanging. Even catching an ankle on a hold enroute to the end of the rope can result in months of rehabilitation.  Worse, catching your foot on a hold while falling can turn you on your side or head-first. Many fatalities and most traumatic injuries in Trad climbing result from a very simple scenario: the leader hits something solid before his/her protection stops them.  Some result from the moves simply being too hard, and the protection too sparse. Some result from broken holds. Sometimes protection, even bomber-looking protection, fails. Sometimes the rock surrounding the protection breaks.

 In most cases of severe traumatic injury or death during lead falls, the cause is a severe blow to the head, neck or trunk. Laybacks and underclimgs are particularly dangerous. Loss of grip can throw you into a backwards, and headfirst, flight.

 Traversing falls are just as bad, and are as dangerous for the second as the leader. A 16-foot pendulum fall is the equivalent of being struck by an automobile travelling over 20 miles per hour, and almost consistently exposes vital organs to the bone-breaking impact.  You may have placed a good piece just before making that crux step-across, but will your second be forced to clean that piece, then do the crux? No matter how easy the subsequent moves, did you place gear to protect your second as well as yourself?

 How to fall (or climb) safely on Trad? It starts with the belay. Check every link in the belay chain from your harness buckle to the rock surrounding the anchor. Go over it with your partner. Is the anchor solid and redundant? Look again.  Are those two different crack systems simply different sides of the same, detached block?  Is the load shared? What happens to the system if the direction of loading changes?  What happens to the system if one (or more) pieces fail? Sometime in your climbing career, if you climb enough, and live long enough, you will have a belay piece fail.  Does your anchoring system take that into account?  Will the system be shock loaded when that happens? Is your belayer's tie-in snug and in line with the fall force?  Is your belayer experienced with that belay widget, alert and ready for a fall?  Do you and your belayer know techniques for belay or descent if there are no belay gadgets available?

 OK. The belay looks solid. Will you clip through a bombproof directional as you start to lead the pitch?

 > to the only way to push your limits to the max is to accept that
 > you will fall regularly, but as long as you set good pro in the
 > right places then don't worry about it too much.

 There is a skill to falling safely.  It won't help you in a 300-foot, air-thrashing bouncing screamer, but in routine situations it can be very important. Bouldering and gymnastics are a good places to start. Landing on your feet may not prevent injury, but in serious falls may make the difference between a broken leg and a severed spine.  If you choose to push your limits, find a route that is well-defined and easy to protect, put in extra gear, and be willing and equipped to back down.

 > Ok I ask this because I accept I will fall sometime but still
 > aim never to fall. For me this means that I'm probably improving
 > my trad leading more slowly, by doing a load of routes that I
 > find challenging but not right at my limit, then
 > throwing in a few that are closer to my limit that give my lead head
 > a real work out. Also because I think this is a good way to build
 > up good solid technique. I've been gradualy increasing difficulty
 > of the routes I climb as I gain more
 > experience, technique and confidence in my pro etc.

 It's good to see someone who is not in a hurry.  The important thing is to choose when and where you might expose yourself to a possible fall and protect accordingly.

 > I'm fairly confident placing pro, judging placements, setting up
 > hanging belays etc., not really worried about long run out when I
 > am confident about what I am climbing, but so far I have never
 > taken a fall onto my own gear. (Come close a few times though)

 You have plenty of time left in your career to do so.

 Route finding is another survival skill which you haven't mentioned. A mistake in routefinding can quickly put you in a serious situation in difficulty or protection, and frequently if off route you will find yourself over your head in both areas.  This can happen even on short climbs. This can happen on one-pitch climbs. Mis-interpretation of the guidebook is an error that happens to beginners and experts alike. And sometime even the guidebook is wrong.  Know how to mentally climb a piece of rock before you physically commit to it.  Rehearse not only the moves, but the protection opportunities and options.

 Know how to downclimb if you run into trouble; how to double-up, back- up or even equalize protection when at a good stance, where few pro opportunities and difficult climbing lurk ahead.  Learn how to wire moves from that good stance or rest,  climbing up and down until you have most of the sequence cold, before committing.  Know how to climb up, place protection in the hard section, then downclimb back to a rest. Know how to move a piece up with you when necessary, in consistent and parallel-sided cracks.  And know when to make the choice to keep moving, balancing muscle fatigue against exposure.  Be aware of the potential consequences of your choices.

 Prior to heading up difficult ground, have you looked at the pro? Have you taken the time, and had the presence of mind, to move those pieces you are most likely to need, to the front of your rack?

 > I just curious to know what how others view the whole falling deal,
 > and accept that I'll get the odd put down here and there.

 Hope this helps.

 Brutus