The clock starts when the first person in the party takes off the ground or starting "ledge", the place where a "normal party" doing the route might begin roping up. The clock stops when the last person in your party gets to where a "normal party" would walk off.

It is cool to keep track of your "car to car time" in addition to the route time, just for musing. This is pretty self evident how to do, no?

Have fun.

* as defined by this webmaster, and through consensus of many Yosemite big wall climbers.- As with all "rules" there are exceptions. It's good ettiquette to point out if your stop and start times vary from the above "rules". some routes with known exceptions.

"CTC" demotes a Car to Car time.

If a topo of the route ends, but there is still 100 ft of 5.8 left, you don't stop the clock until you get to where a normal party would walk off the route, even if your team has coiled the rope and begun the solo/walk off.

If your haul bag or rope is stuck 80 or even 20 ft down from the finsh of the route, you can't stop your time until all your belongings are at the spot where you would walk off.

Stashing gear, food, water, on a route, with the intention of using it for a future speed ascent is not the "best style". - It should be FULLY noted in your report of the ascent. Lying only cheats you not me.

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