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sick_climba
Jun 24, 2005, 6:20 PM
Post #26 of 39
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In reply to: I am currently working towards learning to aid climb and eventually doing a big wall. My dream however is to do a big wall on solo.
Climb on
Chris
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cire
Jun 24, 2005, 7:15 PM
Post #27 of 39
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My first big wall was a solo of Space Shot in Zion. It was a lot of work and not really a great time. Though you feel you accomplish something in the end there is know one there to F@#$ with and have a good time with. Wall climbing to me is about hanging with the bros and having a good time. Try and pick a climb you can do in a day such as in Zion. Most classic wall climbs in Zion are short, go clean and are not to difficult C1-C3. Pick a good solo technique and practice a little on a short crack before you go. But know need to wait the only difference between having a partner and not, is having a belayer, which you can fabricate. Though if you have time to do a few wall climb before hand it will diff help speed up your tech. a little.
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karlbaba
Jun 24, 2005, 9:03 PM
Post #28 of 39
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My third and forth walls were solo, Prow in 1981 and Zodiac in 1982. I had tons of experience practicing on single pitch though.
Still the majority of folks fail on their first walls. It's creating quite a mess on trade routes as so many folks go up there and clog things up and flail. Make sure you know how to aid pitches in less than glacial times before you do a popular route.
Peace
Karl
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ricardol
Jun 24, 2005, 10:15 PM
Post #29 of 39
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-- aww helll -- i removed my post because it was b.s. ..
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ricardol
Jun 24, 2005, 10:18 PM
Post #30 of 39
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In reply to: In reply to: I am currently working towards learning to aid climb and eventually doing a big wall. My dream however is to do a big wall on solo. K bro I have never climbed much lesss soloed a big wall . But I did use to solo all the time. largest ever probaly 150 feet of a 5.5. My 2 cents deffinatly not until you completly tust your self. Best bet at acctualy surviving. No matter how much experiance you have if you don't trust your self the solo is not good! Good luck bro Climb on Chris
umm -- i dont think we're talking about free-soloing ..
we're talking about rope-solo big walls.
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texplorer
Jun 24, 2005, 10:21 PM
Post #31 of 39
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Lots of good input and a few useless posts.
I say start with a wall or two with a partner and then see if soloing is still what you want to do.
I had done 9 walls before I soloed the Prow a few years back. No I'm going to finally solo el cap this summer.
Everybodys different in skill level, balls, and desire. Good luck and remember your not going to be "cool" all of a sudden if you do solo a wall so do it for fun and not bragging rights.
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ubotch
Jun 24, 2005, 10:49 PM
Post #32 of 39
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The shorter walls in Zion would be a good idea although eventually I want the muli-day experience. Who knows, maybe I will change my mind once I do a couple of walls with a partner, but for now I doubt it.
Texplorer, don't worry I'm not doing it for the bragging rights. I'm just one of those introverted people that at times can have more fun by myself than with others. I'm sure that attempting something that huge for "impure" motives would just set me up to fail and I would be back on the ground before the first night.
In case anybody is actually wondering my original post is about roped soloing.
Thanks again for the advice and encouragement.
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sick_climba
Jun 25, 2005, 3:57 AM
Post #33 of 39
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In reply to: In reply to: In reply to: I am currently working towards learning to aid climb and eventually doing a big wall. My dream however is to do a big wall on solo. K bro I have never climbed much lesss soloed a big wall . But I did use to solo all the time. largest ever probaly 150 feet of a 5.5. My 2 cents deffinatly not until you completly tust your self. Best bet at acctualy surviving. No matter how much experiance you have if you don't trust your self the solo is not good! Good luck bro Climb on Chris umm -- i dont think we're talking about free-soloing .. we're talking about rope-solo big walls. |
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lambone
Jun 25, 2005, 4:29 AM
Post #34 of 39
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I think soloing a wall is a bit overrated...
Seems to be the cool thing to do these days...and spray about it online.
Sure it is a big accomplishment and all, and it makes you feel pretty bitchen about yourself for a while...
...when your up there alone (for me at least) it tends to get a bit lonely, and it's easy to miss having good times with great partners and friends on a wall.
Never take a good partner for granted. For me soloing is something I resort to when I can't find one.
~bone
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climbhigher
Jul 10, 2005, 8:31 PM
Post #35 of 39
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I am with Lambone. Soloing is great as while as very Humbling.
But, the partner thing is pretty bitching. Sharing such a great experience with someone is priceless.
I only soloed one short grade 5 route - Prodigal son. And got my ass handed to me trying to solo Tangerine Trip.
I am with the rule...If you gotta ask how to rope solo. You are not ready. And should climb more with a partner first.
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lazide
Jul 10, 2005, 9:17 PM
Post #36 of 39
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Registered: Aug 22, 2002
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First wall (first anything > 4 pitches), first route in yosemite, I did Mescalito solo (and never pulled out the pin rack). In late august/early september heat hell :P
That said, it wasn't 'fun' - it was basically all 'dealing' as a couple of posts have put it. Definitely helped build character and an appreciation for the finer points of suffering - and I was spraying for about 3 mo's afterwards ;)
I had all the big wall logistics part dialed (I had practiced hauling 450lbs of sandbags for months in the gym, cleaned overhung gym bolt ladders, etc.), and I had put up a single pitch aid climb in Canada that showed me I had what I needed from an aid leading perspective (C3+ R/X - quartzite hooking/cam hooking above a cleaver flake) . I had also been physically training for over a year and a half to be able to tolerate the sheer workage without losing it. (nothing like leading/cleaning/hauling (350lbs) 26 pitches all by yourself for over a week to get you worked).
The latest two walls I have attempted (Jesus built my hotrod on LT, and the Shield), I had to bail due to speed issues (team dynamics), so soloing doesn't give you a free 'hardman' pass. :P
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epic_ed
Jul 10, 2005, 10:30 PM
Post #37 of 39
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Lazide and Ricardo are good examples of what training and determination can do for your fisrt big wall solo attempt. These guys persevered despite lack of previous big wall summit experience. I'm a good example of how training and determination sometimes aren't quite enough. As for when will be a good time to give it a whirl? It's up to you, but Ricardo and Lazide are examples of two guys who have beaten the odds -- most people who attempt to solo a big wall without more experience end up bailing for a variety of reasons. You can stack the odds in your favor by working through a more gradual progression, and even then there's no guarantee you'll succeed. Or, you can go for it as soon as you feel you know just enough to keep from killing yourself.
I've been up to attempt to solo Zodiac three times now and haven't succeeded yet. I've learned a lot in those trips, though, and only have a few regrets. Over all, if I lived a lot closer to Yosemite I'd be up there as frequently as possible and going for it. For me, there has been no greater class room to learn about my systems, my skills, and my character than on the walls of granite in Yosemite. And, frankly, there's no place I'd rather be.
Get out and get some solo pitches under your belt and eventually you'll know when it's time.
Ed
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far_east_climber
Jul 11, 2005, 3:46 AM
Post #38 of 39
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Lazide - did I happen to bump into you on my approach to the WFLT and your descent from Jesus? You were mentioning something about the route missing the pinaccle.
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lazide
Jul 11, 2005, 5:03 PM
Post #39 of 39
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In reply to: Lazide - did I happen to bump into you on my approach to the WFLT and your descent from Jesus? You were mentioning something about the route missing the pinaccle.
Maybe? I was a little distracted by the misquotos, so I can't remember :P It was some trippy hooking on the loose flake in the empty dihedral, thats for sure.
Were you heading up to the WFLT with a group? (I remember this group of like 4 or 5 we met about 2/3 of the way down)
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