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hollyclimber
Jun 27, 2002, 10:47 PM
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Hi guys...
Here is a question. Besides elcapbuzz (we know his cool story) how much experience did you have aiding and soloing before you soloed your first legitimate wall?
I ask because I have been thinking about soloing the Prow when I am in Yosemite this summer. I mentioned my idea to someone close to me and he discouraged me.
He said that I hadn't climbed enough walls yet-that he has climbed 20 and is just thinking about soloing something. He also said that my big aversion to blood and pain will make it hard for me to self rescue if needed (its true that I have a problem with blood and almost fainted last week when I got a major bloody nose from my 130 lb dog slamming into my face).
So, without making a list of my experience, its 2 big walls successfully completed, one "mini-wall" (7 pitches-one day), and a bunch of 1/2 the wall on big routes, bailing for variety of reasons including tired partners. With my goal of 4 more walls before the planned solo, I feel ready.
When did you solo your first wall? Would you have done it differently if you had it to do over (wait longer etc).
Thanks!
Holly
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spiffdog
Jun 27, 2002, 11:08 PM
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Registered: Apr 18, 2002
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I file this under stupid things I've done.
While clearly not a "wall" per se, my first and only aid route thus far was a solo two-day, six pitch grade III (C1) in NH. My previous aid experience was 3 single pitch climbs, the first of which had a top rope back-up. Why? You try finding an aid partner in the northeast!
Spiff
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bigwalling
Jun 27, 2002, 11:25 PM
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Well I can tell I haven't done a wall but I am going to do at least 1 this summer. After that I will be attempting to solo a much more complicated wall. I have never really done anything with a partner. I am really motivated so that helps. I am also kinda a loner. I have lots of friends but not many that climb. So I find all I want to do is solo.
Your buddy just doesn't want you to become better than him. Just be kinda crazy yet still be safe.
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passthepitonspete
Jun 28, 2002, 4:33 AM
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It is a fallacy that you must climb a certain number of walls and gain a certain amount of experience before you can solo a big wall!
Look at Ammon (elcapbuzz) - his first wall ever was a solo of the North America Wall on El Capitan!
Granted, Ammon is a bitchin' climber, but by definition, everyone who successfully solos a wall has to be bitchin'.
I had done eight El Cap routes before I first soloed it. The reasons for this now-unnecessary delay were twofold.
Firstly, the amount of literature available back then (pre-1997) concerning big wall soloing was virtually nil, and secondly, nobody had ever suggested it to me.
Until Chongo did.
You see, Chongo is Dr. Piton's Wall Doctor. He taught me much of what I know, and I went to the big wall arena solo to test it out to make sure it worked [thus saving Chongo the bother]. I also offered to edit Chongo's book so I could read it before it was first published!
Chongo told me that I should solo something longer and harder than I had ever soloed before, and this is precisely what I did.
Talk about an adventure! Not only did I lead my first A4 pitches solo, but I had to figure out how to deal with my first real expanding flake, and had to send an honest 5.10 free move twenty feet above my last piece of gear!
But having made the Big Announcement to everyone in the world whom I knew, plus everyone else for that matter, including a note on the Camp 4 kiosk board, bailing was simply not an option!
I also had an "ace in the hole" - my Wall Doctor was camped at the base of the wall, critiqueing my efforts each day, and offering on-the-spot mini big wall tutorials and problem-solving sessions.
So may I suggest to you, Holly, that you consider soloing your big wall sooner rather than later? You may be more ready than you think. Up your ante - try something longer and harder than you have ever tried before! Win or lose, you are guaranteed a real adventure - for nowhere is life more real than on the big wall.
Cheers,
Dr. Piton
Note:
If you are fortunate, you may be able to stack the odds in your favour by securing yourself the services of a Qualified Wall Doctor.
This is, in internet parlance, a [hint].
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krustyklimber
Jun 28, 2002, 7:18 PM
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Registered: Jan 25, 2002
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Though I am not a wall Dr. yet (I am in my residency!) and since Holly and I are neighbors (we live blocks from one another),
so she also will have someone who "get's it" to help her on her quest.
This is just one of the ways I am thanking you Pete, I am "paying it forward" and I hope the rest of you will too! A thank you goes out to Chongo as well!
Perhaps Holly and I can "convoy" our way up a little wall soloing together, from one pitch above I would definitely have the Beta! And a competent rescuer who isn't afraid of the sight of blood would only be a rappell away!
Jeff
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smellydude
Jun 28, 2002, 8:55 PM
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Registered: Jan 23, 2002
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Canabis Wall in Squamish was my first solo aid wall(5 pitches at least). Haven't done as much aid as of late due to time constraints with my main partner of choice but I felt fine and confident up on the wall by myself:)
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hollyclimber
Jun 28, 2002, 10:13 PM
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Registered: Apr 27, 2002
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Thanks smelly, ball nut and pete for your experiences...
I think I will do some practicing (both in Jeff's tree and in the real world of Index) really soon so that I have an opportunity to head up to Squamish before the Valley. I might make a big announcement here, but my detractors might not get the announcement until after its done...
holly
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tylerphillips
Jun 28, 2002, 11:10 PM
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Registered: Feb 20, 2002
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I would say solo your first wall when you are confident on what will hold your weight. My first "wall" solo was in Zion so its not as big as ol' Mr. ElCap. But it was a great time. No partner head problems, and best of all you can climb the wall YOU want to. Go for it!!! if your sketched pick a easy C1 or A1, and bring enough beer!. hope you send!
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passthepitonspete
Jun 29, 2002, 1:12 AM
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Registered: Oct 10, 2001
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Oooh, she has detractors.
I take this to be a very good sign, and highly suggestive that Holly is bitchin'.
I concur. Bring plenty of beer. Pack it carefully and always stand the cans upright. Laying them down makes them more likely to be punctured.
And watch out for bears! This big blonde bitch bear crunched two of my Guinness cans at the base of Excalibur last month, then proceeded to destroy some cans over by Shortest Straw a few weeks later!
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passthepitonspete
Jun 29, 2002, 6:15 PM
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Registered: Oct 10, 2001
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OK, OK - is it Scotland, or is it California?
How could anyone from Cali know the correct spelling of "draught"?
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natec
Jun 29, 2002, 7:18 PM
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Registered: Dec 13, 2001
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Like, it's on the side of the can eh! (In my best Canuck accent)
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