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superbum
Mar 12, 2003, 12:16 AM
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I am working at a summer camp in McCall, ID this summer. There is a good granite cliff with a few dihedrals that is very climbable. Last year when I was there I had a partner. This year...I don't.
The cliff is two pitches long in all spots. I am open to any tips on soloing. Time saving techniques, extra safety techniques, etc....Basically, what do you do when you solo?
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easysteve
Mar 12, 2003, 12:21 AM
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Well, if you're feeling brave, then do it.
Tip:
Don't let go.
Steve
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hellbent
Mar 12, 2003, 12:28 AM
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Buddy,
If its your first time soloing atleast have someone with you to assist in case of emergencies. Be brave but - live to climb another day.
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stinky_lizard
Mar 12, 2003, 12:30 AM
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start on stuff like walking down any street in the ghetto with a thousand dollars glued to the outside of your pants .. if you live through that try jumping trains blind folded till you get the hang of it :twisted:
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estwing
Mar 12, 2003, 1:15 AM
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Setup a top rope and self belay. I think this might be what he means guys, it is in the trad section.
Have a nice day,
Sam
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twrock
Mar 12, 2003, 1:17 AM
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Assuming you can't hang a toprope (you said it was two pitches), you are going to need some type of lead solo device if you plan on any protection (otherwise just free solo it and the only potential extra cost will be the hospital or funeral bill). The Silent Partner will cost you $225. The Soloist, which will not catch an inverted fall, will cost you $100. The Grigri, which is not designed for soloing, will cost you $65. There are possibly other devices.
In any case, you better be 100% sure of what you are doing, because solo climbing is extremely dangerous. If you buy one of these devices, you need to really study the manual (except for the Grigri, which isn't made for soloing). You also need to be prepared to "rescue" yourself from whatever problem you might encounter.
Do a search here on the topic of soloing. There have been a number of threads, some of which go into a bit of detail on the methods.
Or you could just forget the whole thing and go bouldering instead.
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crackaddict
Mar 12, 2003, 3:01 AM
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Clarification on what kind of soloing would help here.
If its rope soloing there are a bunch of threads about self belaying on here. Just do some searching. All I can suggest to speed things up for rope soloing is to only bring the gear that you need. Build good anchors. And if you are going multipitch you have two options to clean your route. Rap and TR solo the route again. Or jumar up your fixed line and clean it aid style. I would just climb it twice. Hauling all that gear up for climbing two free pitches sounds like a hassell.
Now if its free soloing..
Well my tip for that is don't get in over your head. Never climb at or beyond your limit. Be focused and don't be affraid to climb down if your head is not on right or if you realized that today is not your day.
Remember you can always come back and do it again when you got it together.
Hope this helps.
Later...
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alpinist
Mar 12, 2003, 6:06 PM
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You can always solo aid up the line. If nothing else it would give you more pratice placing gear.
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jer
Mar 12, 2003, 6:14 PM
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don't fall.
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marks
Mar 12, 2003, 6:34 PM
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just stay well within your limits.there is nothing more enjoyable than a bit of soloing around.its the most pure ethically aswell.
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mcfoley
Mar 12, 2003, 6:34 PM
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here is a good one...
DON'T FALL!
mf
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onbelay_osu
Mar 12, 2003, 8:33 PM
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my feelings on soloing dont do it! too dangerous, and not worth the risk.....but hell have a good time climbing.
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hroldan
Mar 12, 2003, 8:51 PM
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superbum:
Being your first time soloing i would say go for it BUT, take some things in consideration:
- look for the fun of the climb and not challenge yourself, at least for this time, i mean, don't climb at your top level. Try an easy route first. You will notice the rush of doing it alone. depends each person.
- Double check everything
- do top rope solo climbing, self belay and test your device until you feel you can set all and feel safe about it. I have used the gharda knot (i think is spelled this way) and once i setted it up wrong and took an ugly fall, obviusly, it didn't catched me but it was at the start so i'm ok.
- This will sound weird but take your cell phone with you and make sure it has good signal. If you can, put it on your harness. Once I was solo leading a very hard route to downclimb. I had to leave and I was at the middle of the route. I decided to lower so i started setting up all but by accident, i let go the rope, fortunately, got stucked near enough to retreive it, i was resting, clipped to a bolt in an ugly way, unclipping was unbalancing. I know is hard to explain here but trust me, it was an ugly situation.
- Even if you are not practicing leading while in top rope or solo/leading, always take with you at least two quickdraws and an atc, or something to lower, you may need it.
- If it doesn't feel fun, stop!! and think about it again or re-set everything.
Why taking so much in count? well, have you leaded before?? maybe you can remember leading a route that is piece of cake for you but by accident you sliped, it happens, accident happen, so always double your safety measures if you can.
done properly, it can be as dangerous as top roping with a partner so is not like you are going to kill yourself.
Now if you are talking about free soloing, no rope, nothing more than the rock and you, well, is too dangerous. to me it doesn't matter how good you are, accidents happend so even the best climber can die not because he or she were doing crazy stuff, an accident is something that happened without being planned, is a potential danger.
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wv5ten
Mar 12, 2003, 9:22 PM
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jer nnd mcfoley took my advice...
don't fall
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wlderdude
Mar 13, 2003, 12:10 AM
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Wear a Helmet.
I would be very uneasy climbing alone. There is no one to save you from hypotheria when you get stuck or break your leg. Having someone along, even if they are not a climber, could very well save your toes, fingers or life.
As I am learning to top rope solo, I only climb in areas where there will be other climbers or hikers.
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graniteboy
Mar 13, 2003, 4:45 AM
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Buddy!!!! If you hafta ASK how to solo, you aren't ready yet. I would strongly suggest that you do alot of bouldering this summer and get your technical moves up to snuff. Once you've been around a while longer, you might start to solo. I tell people not to solo until they've been climbing for at least five years, but for some people that should be ten. Until you've climbed awhile, you don't know exactly where your ability edge is. And SOLOING, whether roped or not, is EXTREMELY unforgiving.... :? Find a partner. even create one (teach them to belay, buy them beer, etc.). I solo all the time, but it is not to be taken lightly.
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bigdan
Mar 13, 2003, 6:56 AM
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soloing isn't something you can break down technically. either you're into it and you don't have questions, or you're not and you're taking too much of a risk because you've left room for anything but confidence. if you need to ask, i'd save it for the unplanned future...
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straightedgeteen
Apr 4, 2003, 4:24 AM
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dont fall !
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rwaltermyer
Apr 4, 2003, 4:41 AM
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I agree...the one thing you shouldn't be doing is getting advice on a WEBSITE on how to do ANYTHING technical!!!!
This is becoming a reoccuring problem on here. I guess I'll keep on lecturing user after user.
God bless...and for goodness sake...stay safe!
randy
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crimbin2
Apr 4, 2003, 7:18 AM
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in the end it is your decision. people will judge. most go with the social thing though, and i think people will go out of their way to climb with you just so you have a partner. i have trouble with groups, and sometimes indeviduals. Consequently, i solo (rope and free) often. to me it is the best thing in the world. the rock does not judge, or feel threatened.
My advice is to climb very easy stuff. If you use a rope, never untie and place back up knots every 25' or so, also feeding rope out the top of your pack really cuts down on drag. My first free solo was 5.7 with clove hitches up Petite Gripon. I had a great time, but I do not recomend this type of commiting climb for your first time.
If you feel yourself thinking too far ahead or behind, and you are not living in the moment and very comfortable with it, come down. Soloing for lack of a partner is not the same as soloing to be there.
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superbum
Apr 7, 2003, 12:11 AM
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To clarify...This is a climb that I have done numerous times before. Actually, I climbed it (with a partner) last summer, about every other day for 7 weeks. (We worked as camp counslers, so we lived in the woods and would do the climb so often to stay in climbing shape and used it as an outlet for the stress hundreds of screaming kids caused.) It is a climb that I would feel comfortable free-soloing, if it weren't for one cruxy move...even though I've never fallen off the route once. This summer I won't have a partner but would like to fly up this amazing granite cliff just as often. That's where rope-soloing comes in. I understand the risks and total commitment involved. I am comfortable with the specific knots and techniques involved. I trust myself and my gear. I trust the rock. So where's the problem? I shouldn't be looked down upon for seeking advice and support from experianced veterans via this site. I do understand the value of real life experiance and hands-on learning when it comes to new climbing techniques, gear, etc. but feel that it couldn't hurt anything to post here.
Thanks to ALL those who have responded, even in the "negative." I realize you just want me to be safe. This message is to assure you that I will.
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njbourne
Apr 8, 2003, 4:53 AM
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The desire to solo must come from within!
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timpanogos
Apr 9, 2003, 2:42 AM
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Dang, been on the road too long - dieing to get back out and solo! I have to hide from my teenage boys to avoid partnered sport climbing!
super –
1. does the very bottom of the climb provide a means of building an upward pulling bombproof factor 2 anchor at the deck?
2. Is the bottom of this climb easily accessible – like for easy access to bring along a rock filled haulbag?
3. Is the climb vertical to over-vertical or is there ledge/deck potentials after the first few placements?
4. Is the $225.00 for a solo device too much for you budget?
5. What would you say the route is rated at, not crux, but overall? (i.e. standing 5.6 type placements – or totally pumped 5.10x trad placements).
Chad
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trenchdigger
Apr 11, 2003, 8:29 PM
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In reply to: You could DIE down there! And dying when you're not really sick is really sick, ya know? Really!
what movie?
I have no productive advice... some others have provided much of that.
~Adam~
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matthew
Apr 13, 2003, 6:24 AM
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If you want to ROPE solo, set up an ancor at the bottom with oposing crap ment to be pulled upwards. Dont skimp on this anchor, put hella more than you think is necessary. Clip a gri-gri into this and tie in, setting it up so that you are pulling the rope through the side labled climber. Make sure the rope is coiled nicely so it doesent snag. Trail another rope up behind you. When you get to the anchors for the second pitch, rap down, clean your bottom, and clean the anchor too...then do the same sort of set up for the next pitch as you jug up. It's cheep, its prob stuff you have, and its totally unauthorized by petzl, but its worked before. If you get stuck, scared, pumped, whatever, then tie the two ropes together and rap down. One of the few problems with this that you might not think of is that if you have to commit to something, you have to pull some slack through, else the gri-gri will lock up.
Dont die, be safe, good luck.
Matthew
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