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iamthewallress
Feb 6, 2003, 12:20 AM
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"Must someone have seriously risk their life in order to gain the respect of the aid climbing comminity?" I clipped this from the Beyer thread since it's a new topic, and one that I find interesting. My take on this is that boldness has always been revered, but sending a sweet and continuous natural line with minimal or no bolting/riveting/chiseling/bathooking up blank sections is perhaps even more special. On El Cap, though, the most obvious and spectacular continuous lines have already seen FAs. This leaves a select few to boldy venture up less obvious faces and discontinuous crack systems as the 'state-of-the-art' for the new FA's there. If someone could fine a neglected unbroken line up El Cap that was perhaps a mere C2, I think that person would get their due of recognition as well...perhaps more than the bolder climber because of the rarety of their find. Even though it was in a mud-pack camo, the thought that a spectacular 5 pitch 5.10 spitter hand crack was found on Royal Arches in the late '80s (Sons of Yesterday) gives me hope that there are still some beautiful AND moderate diamonds in the rough of both the free and aid variety just waiting for some folks with the right vision to lead the way up them. Edits...a gozillion typos. Sorry. Too tired to spell today. [ This Message was edited by: iamthewallress on 2003-02-05 16:29 ]
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flamer
Feb 6, 2003, 2:01 AM
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I think there are gems to be plucked! However! I think we will have to work a little harder to find them these days...not to many classic FA's right of the road these days! Well maybe not in this country! But even though climbing has "boomed" how many of these "climbers" are willing to put forth the effort? I think it's a small percentage. I recently scoped out a wall in the Neveda desert...it has 2 lines on it and roomfor at least 3 more...and I'm talking high quality! This wall is in a very popular climbing area! The catch? The approach is terrible! The number of people willing to do it with the gear required is minimal! And why should they when they can get all the fame they want by training hard in the gym and then sending some 5.14 sport line right next to the road?
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flamer
Feb 6, 2003, 2:05 AM
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The First ascentionist's(and I guess the climbers in general) I respect the most are the ones that find that perfect line and commit to it. I know I've made a broad statement here...maybe I'm just rambling....maybe I'll erase it! josh
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twrock
Feb 6, 2003, 3:30 AM
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"sweet aid line" = one that I got up.
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evoltobmilc
Feb 6, 2003, 4:25 AM
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It took my buddy and I only one weekend of scoping to find a beautiful, continuous line 600 feet tall in the desert on good sandstone. The approach is again a big issue: about 2 hours from the car and over half of it is off all trails. I still can't believe how easy it was to find once we started looking. I just hope every day that I'm away from it that somebody else doesn't find it and tick it before I get just one more shot at it. (we ran out of time about 200ft up.)
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skywalker
Feb 6, 2003, 6:38 AM
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I remember reading in Rock and Ice #1980's? of the first ascent of "The Big Chill" Half Dome, and confronted with a circitous A? lead, the leader said (or belayer) if we rivet 50ft left we can gain the same crack in less time. Bridwell said something like. " did we come here to speed climb or did we come here to establish a great route?" They chose the long way and I think that... that defines a respected aid climber from the others. Just push the natural line and see where it takes you. I'm just learning but that is how I choose my route. Cheers!!! Bravo to the bold too!!!
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skywalker
Feb 11, 2003, 5:29 AM
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What defines a great aid climber? I think that a great aid climber is one who will push the limits in terms of what is natural. Natural is loaded, but so long as the rock is not altered to allow a tool to be used (enhanced hooking)then concider it natural. However, I feel that the climber must weigh the 'natural' path with the artificial. It's all atificial when it comes to aid climbing, so I think that if you bolt or alter the landscape for progress one needs to be accountable for that alteration at least on a personal level, what was the motivation??? As for a definition...I'm lost, however I can relate to a few things I've heard. Robbins drilled alot on the Prow but told Herbert(?) "but look at the line." I also read of the first ascent of "The Big Chill" on Half Dome. When faced with a circitous line of A4(?) the leader said it would be faster to rivet 50ft left to the same crack. Bridwell replied, " are we here to speed climb or put up a great route?" With that I'm still not sure. I guess a great aid climber is one who is willing to commit to the most natural line and ensure that it's climbed in the most natural way. I hope that helps!
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evoltobmilc
Feb 11, 2003, 12:45 PM
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"It's all atificial when it comes to aid climbing" Skywalker, I disagree with this. Or I agree. It depends on whether or not you call all other forms of climbing natural or artificial. I mean, look, it just isn't natural for people to be scaling 1000+ ft. vertical rock faces. This is not a behavior that is "natural" for human beings. So, if you call free climbing natural, I have to argue that aid is also natural in so much as it is no more artificial to use your fingers to haul your butt up a face than it is to use a tool. OK, I'm mostly playing devil's advocate here, but do you at least see my point?
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