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weasel
Dec 10, 2008, 3:54 AM
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I'm currently doing research for a documentary on people's free soloing experiences, specifically free soloing ice. What I'm looking for are stories, experiences, detailed accounts, photographs, and just information of your soloing experience, or someone you know's experience. Happy, sad, life changing, or anticlimactic stories are all welcome. I want to ask the questions; What made you decide to solo the first time? How did it effect you? How did it effect those close to you? Did you ever solo again? How does your soloing philosophy relate to the rest of your climbing life? The rest of your life? If you'd like to share anything, email me at tomczakeric@hotmail.com or PM me here for other contact info. Thanks for taking the time. -Eric
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rockforlife
Dec 10, 2008, 4:23 AM
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My friend broke both his legs climbing, i will tell him about this for ya.
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flying_dutchman
Dec 10, 2008, 11:06 PM
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soloing is great when it's -25 or worse and no one else is stupid enough to climb with ya. Belaying sucks then. on ice, with confidence in your feet & tool placements, soloing is awesome. It's so fast, you don't get cold, can cover so much vertical terrain with minimal fatigue... I don't pose for pictures or brag to people about what i solo'd cause that sorta defeats the whole purpose of it all.
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weasel
Dec 11, 2008, 3:11 AM
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flying_dutchman wrote: soloing is great when it's -25 or worse and no one else is stupid enough to climb with ya. Belaying sucks then. on ice, with confidence in your feet & tool placements, soloing is awesome. It's so fast, you don't get cold, can cover so much vertical terrain with minimal fatigue... I don't pose for pictures or brag to people about what i solo'd cause that sorta defeats the whole purpose of it all. I understand. If you're interested in sharing your experiences, just telling a story or two, I'd be interested in hearing it. Like I said, I'm just trying to do research right now. Hear what people's opinions on the subject are. Thank you though.
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chossmonkey
Dec 12, 2008, 6:51 PM
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My wife gets mad at me if I solo, even on ice. I think soloing ice is a lot different than rock. I also think leading ice normally isn't far off from soloing it.
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angry
Dec 14, 2008, 3:39 AM
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I agree. I soloed ice all day, twas nothing special.
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redpointron
Dec 14, 2008, 3:47 AM
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chossmonkey wrote: My wife gets mad at me if I solo, even on ice. I think soloing ice is a lot different than rock. I also think leading ice normally isn't far off from soloing it. does your wife know my wife? you're spot on with your assessment...
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mattb1921
Dec 15, 2008, 4:19 PM
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chossmonkey wrote: My wife gets mad at me if I solo, even on ice. I think soloing ice is a lot different than rock. I also think leading ice normally isn't far off from soloing it. I hardly think that leading ice is similar to soloing or far off. I have soloed alot of ice usually nothing harder than WI4 and everytime I have roped up on the harder stuff I was always glad I had that rope. Just a couple weeks ago a buddy of mine was climbing a WI6 route that took screws but they seemed poor. When he was about 60ft off the deck the ice he was on detached and he came screaming down. His last screw placement held once the screamer blew. It blew my mind that it all worked. If properly placed ice pro does work and can save your life.
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notapplicable
Dec 15, 2008, 5:23 PM
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chossmonkey wrote: My wife gets mad at me if I solo, even on ice. I think soloing ice is a lot different than rock. I also think leading ice normally isn't far off from soloing it. Living in the south ice opportunities are rare so I have no experience in the area. What makes it different (other than the obvious) than soloing on rock? I guess what I'm wonder is, if the relative difficulty of two routes (one ice, one rock) are pretty close what makes the ice preferable to the rock?
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cfnubbler
Dec 16, 2008, 4:40 PM
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Anytime you take a lead fall on ice and walk away, consider yourself lucky. I agree that ice pro can be bomber, but after 18 years of leading waterfall ice, I'm still not 100% confident I can accurrately assess it all the time... I know a number of folks with many years of experience who've fallen on screws, including stubbies, and gotten away with it. I also know someone who fell on a seemingly solid screw which failed, resulting in a broken back. Unless there's rock gear nearby, or there are unusually good ice conditions, I treat all ice leads like solos. YMMV. Thread hijck mission Alpha complete. RTB.
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fresh
Dec 16, 2008, 7:33 PM
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cfnubbler wrote: Anytime you take a lead fall on ice and walk away, consider yourself lucky. I agree that ice pro can be bomber, but after 18 years of leading waterfall ice, I'm still not 100% confident I can accurrately assess it all the time... I know a number of folks with many years of experience who've fallen on screws, including stubbies, and gotten away with it. I also know someone who fell on a seemingly solid screw which failed, resulting in a broken back. Unless there's rock gear nearby, or there are unusually good ice conditions, I treat all ice leads like solos. YMMV. Thread hijck mission Alpha complete. RTB. I found this just today: http://strikerescue.com/file_download/1 this study basically concludes exactly what your 18 years have shown. if the ice is solid, and the screw is placed at a 10-30 degree angle, screws hold very well. including stubbies. as for how to identify "solid" ice.. I guess you find out when it breaks.
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i_h8_choss
Dec 16, 2008, 7:59 PM
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chossmonkey wrote: My wife gets mad at me if I solo, even on ice. I think soloing ice is a lot different than rock. I also think leading ice normally isn't far off from soloing it. Ill second that about the wife......I told mine I was going to solo this 3 pitch 5.6 on rock and she lost it, was pissed at me for days.
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mattb1921
Dec 17, 2008, 4:25 PM
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cfnubbler wrote: Anytime you take a lead fall on ice and walk away, consider yourself lucky. I agree that ice pro can be bomber, but after 18 years of leading waterfall ice, I'm still not 100% confident I can accurrately assess it all the time... I know a number of folks with many years of experience who've fallen on screws, including stubbies, and gotten away with it. I also know someone who fell on a seemingly solid screw which failed, resulting in a broken back. Unless there's rock gear nearby, or there are unusually good ice conditions, I treat all ice leads like solos. YMMV. Thread hijck mission Alpha complete. RTB. Well you have been climbing ice longer than I have but I still a % of trust in the gear. I am not saying that I think that i won't get hurt or that I am willing to take a fall. I just take a very different approach to soloing as compared to roping up. Its just how I approach it and everyone does things differently. Safe climbing out there folks!
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the_climber
Dec 17, 2008, 7:09 PM
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i_h8_choss wrote: chossmonkey wrote: My wife gets mad at me if I solo, even on ice. I think soloing ice is a lot different than rock. I also think leading ice normally isn't far off from soloing it. Ill second that about the wife......I told mine I was going to solo this 3 pitch 5.6 on rock and she lost it, was pissed at me for days. My wife's watched me solo rock many times. Though she doesn't watch ice climbing due to the cold. Typically it'll be me saying see ya later on my way out the door to go soloing ice(with her knowing I was going soloing), only have have a "have fun" or "OK that's nice, see you later" responce from her as I toss my pack in the truck.
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the_climber
Dec 17, 2008, 7:11 PM
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cfnubbler wrote: Anytime you take a lead fall on ice and walk away, consider yourself lucky. I agree that ice pro can be bomber, but after 18 years of leading waterfall ice, I'm still not 100% confident I can accurrately assess it all the time... I know a number of folks with many years of experience who've fallen on screws, including stubbies, and gotten away with it. I also know someone who fell on a seemingly solid screw which failed, resulting in a broken back. Unless there's rock gear nearby, or there are unusually good ice conditions, I treat all ice leads like solos. YMMV. Thread hijck mission Alpha complete. RTB. Hammer, nail, head. That about sums it up
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the_climber
Dec 17, 2008, 7:18 PM
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weasel wrote: I'm currently doing research for a documentary on blahblahblah What I'm looking for are stories, experiences, detailed accounts, photographs, blahblahblah I want to ask the questions; blahblahblah If you'd like to share blahblahblah -Eric Soloing rock, can be shittacular. Soloing Ice, routine, nothing special, not something to write home about, not even news worthy, not really even the slightest bit impressive below WI5 and even then not impressive untill it's 4+ pitches long (even that can be debatable depending on the route) and I'm not talking about small steps on some canyon climb. Overall, *yawn*
(This post was edited by the_climber on Dec 17, 2008, 7:20 PM)
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shoo
Dec 17, 2008, 7:41 PM
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Where the hell do you climb in Indiana? I lived there for 12 long and flat years. It sucked. I moved. Trying to explain the flatness of Indiana to the many ultra-bible thumping residents who have never left their respective city/town and have no clue what a mountain might look like is a challenge. If you know anything about Terre Haute,* the following description is especially apt. On the seventh day, when the big dude took a rest, he used Indiana as a mattress, and Terre Haute as a seat. * Terre Haute is well known for smelling like butt.
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redpointron
Dec 17, 2008, 8:49 PM
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shoo wrote: Where the hell do you climb in Indiana? I lived there for 12 long and flat years. It sucked. I moved. Trying to explain the flatness of Indiana to the many ultra-bible thumping residents who have never left their respective city/town and have no clue what a mountain might look like is a challenge. If you know anything about Terre Haute,* the following description is especially apt. On the seventh day, when the big dude took a rest, he used Indiana as a mattress, and Terre Haute as a seat. * Terre Haute is well known for smelling like butt. i travel to ouray for two weeks EVERY january. here's a hidden spot in southern indiana...near english... as far as rock...3 and a half hours to the best climbing in the world...the red river gorge. yeah. terre haute does smell bad...
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chossmonkey
Dec 17, 2008, 8:56 PM
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the_climber wrote: i_h8_choss wrote: chossmonkey wrote: My wife gets mad at me if I solo, even on ice. I think soloing ice is a lot different than rock. I also think leading ice normally isn't far off from soloing it. Ill second that about the wife......I told mine I was going to solo this 3 pitch 5.6 on rock and she lost it, was pissed at me for days. My wife's watched me solo rock many times. Though she doesn't watch ice climbing due to the cold. Typically it'll be me saying see ya later on my way out the door to go soloing ice(with her knowing I was going soloing), only have have a "have fun" or "OK that's nice, see you later" responce from her as I toss my pack in the truck. You should really pay more attention when you are climbing. That isn't rock or ice fall coming from above. Its your wife trying to knock you off the cliff.
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chossmonkey
Dec 17, 2008, 9:00 PM
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mattb1921 wrote: chossmonkey wrote: My wife gets mad at me if I solo, even on ice. I think soloing ice is a lot different than rock. I also think leading ice normally isn't far off from soloing it. I hardly think that leading ice is similar to soloing or far off. I have soloed alot of ice usually nothing harder than WI4 and everytime I have roped up on the harder stuff I was always glad I had that rope. Just a couple weeks ago a buddy of mine was climbing a WI6 route that took screws but they seemed poor. When he was about 60ft off the deck the ice he was on detached and he came screaming down. His last screw placement held once the screamer blew. It blew my mind that it all worked. If properly placed ice pro does work and can save your life. You convinced me!
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redpointron
Dec 17, 2008, 9:05 PM
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the_climber wrote: redpointron wrote: [image]http://www.redriverclimbing.com/album_pic.php?pic_id=2179[/image] Is that thing tall enough to be considered a climb? I guess beggers can't be... Hmmm I was known to climb trees with ice tools in University.... Carry on. you KNOW it. and that was GOOD year. i know it's not the icefields parkway, heck it's not even the icefields parking lot but it's all we got
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the_climber
Dec 17, 2008, 9:05 PM
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chossmonkey wrote: the_climber wrote: i_h8_choss wrote: chossmonkey wrote: My wife gets mad at me if I solo, even on ice. I think soloing ice is a lot different than rock. I also think leading ice normally isn't far off from soloing it. Ill second that about the wife......I told mine I was going to solo this 3 pitch 5.6 on rock and she lost it, was pissed at me for days. My wife's watched me solo rock many times. Though she doesn't watch ice climbing due to the cold. Typically it'll be me saying see ya later on my way out the door to go soloing ice(with her knowing I was going soloing), only have have a "have fun" or "OK that's nice, see you later" responce from her as I toss my pack in the truck. You should really pay more attention when you are climbing. That isn't rock or ice fall coming from above. Its your wife trying to knock you off the cliff. I made sure she was below the route..... with a camera, not a gun.
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chossmonkey
Dec 17, 2008, 9:12 PM
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the_climber wrote: chossmonkey wrote: the_climber wrote: i_h8_choss wrote: chossmonkey wrote: My wife gets mad at me if I solo, even on ice. I think soloing ice is a lot different than rock. I also think leading ice normally isn't far off from soloing it. Ill second that about the wife......I told mine I was going to solo this 3 pitch 5.6 on rock and she lost it, was pissed at me for days. My wife's watched me solo rock many times. Though she doesn't watch ice climbing due to the cold. Typically it'll be me saying see ya later on my way out the door to go soloing ice(with her knowing I was going soloing), only have have a "have fun" or "OK that's nice, see you later" responce from her as I toss my pack in the truck. You should really pay more attention when you are climbing. That isn't rock or ice fall coming from above. Its your wife trying to knock you off the cliff. I made sure she was below the route..... with a camera, not a gun. Yeah, but where was her hit man?
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the_climber
Dec 17, 2008, 9:16 PM
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chossmonkey wrote: the_climber wrote: chossmonkey wrote: the_climber wrote: i_h8_choss wrote: chossmonkey wrote: My wife gets mad at me if I solo, even on ice. I think soloing ice is a lot different than rock. I also think leading ice normally isn't far off from soloing it. Ill second that about the wife......I told mine I was going to solo this 3 pitch 5.6 on rock and she lost it, was pissed at me for days. My wife's watched me solo rock many times. Though she doesn't watch ice climbing due to the cold. Typically it'll be me saying see ya later on my way out the door to go soloing ice(with her knowing I was going soloing), only have have a "have fun" or "OK that's nice, see you later" responce from her as I toss my pack in the truck. You should really pay more attention when you are climbing. That isn't rock or ice fall coming from above. Its your wife trying to knock you off the cliff. I made sure she was below the route..... with a camera, not a gun. Yeah, but where was her hit man? No worries about that... she's Irish. If she wanted to off me she's do it herself. You're just jellous my Wife freely lets me solo while your's freeks out about it.
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