Runout Solo Hooking on Native Son

Hooking is both scary and fun! This photo was taken on my solo ascent of Native Son.

When you use a hook while aid climbing, it's not like a pin or a head or a wire that you can leave behind for pro. Generally speaking, once you use a hook, you remove it.

Have a look at the lead rope running diagonally beneath me. Not much pro, eh? You can see the hook that I am standing on - it's visible just in front of my stomach.

The hook placement I'm making looks pretty bomber, though, at least for a hook placement! Note that the hook I'm placing is slung too long - the sling should probably be about an inch and a half shorter.

Directly behind my helmet you can see my pigs and my Wall Flower. And that's the ground two thousand feet below.

This photo was taken by Chris Falkenstein, who dragged six hundred feet of rope up to the summit so he could rap down and take these bitchin' shots!

You can click here to see more bitchin' shots by Chris.

Thanks, mate. Chris also shot some footage here that was used in the Don Reid Video Guide to Aid Climbing.

This photo was manipulated and brightened by Karlbaba.