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salathiel
Jan 21, 2004, 8:43 PM
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Registered: Nov 28, 2002
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Yesterday, I took my friend on his first multi-pitch trad climb at a local climbing area. The climb is a local classic and my friend was to lead the classic second pitch which ends in a two- bolt anchor. While he was climbing, the temprature dropped and clouds were starting to roll in so much so that visibility was becoming an issue. The lack of exposure caused a real unsettling feeling to well up in me due to the loss of horizonal perspective. While racking up for the third and final pitch I could not see the dihedral that was about 50 feet away and it was friggin cold. Dew had settled on the slab and I was really getting nervous. I had three options for climbing out:
1. lead up the 5.7 slab that was now wet.
2. lead over the dihedral into unknown territory.
3. go up the thin crack in the dihedral (familiar territory)
I chose option 3. I cast off and got one good piece and two marginal pieces in the fifty feet of traversing to the dihedral. I knew once I was in the corner I would need all of my medium stoppers for the dihedral until I got to the pocket that took the #2 metolius cam. I placed a #8 stopper and clipped it. My nervousness was growing with the numbness in my hands. I went to return the medium stoppers to my sling when I dropped the remaining stoppers. Swearing ensued and I felt panic begin to set in at the thought of climbing up the 70 foot dihedral with very, very, sketchy protection. I was going to flip out so I said:
Stop!!
This allowed me to realize that the fear I was feeling was a natural part of the situation and that fighting this fear was impossible. The only thing to do was to accept the reality of the situation without embracing it: I was going to have to climb out on crappy pro and I simply did not have the option to fall.
My self-talk turned to what I had to do: "Place feet high, right there is solid. Hand in that little pocket. Press with the right hand and stand up." I moved confidently and placed my smallest stoppers where I figured they would slow me down. The rock was slick, my hands were numb and in a few minutes, I was able to place my yellow metolius (in a placement where I actually needed the smaller blue one) Another 40 feet and I was able to fish in a bomber red metolius and then over a small hump to the final belay.
The fear never left and I don't think it will. The key here is fear management through accepting the truth that the sport is inherently dangerous and doing it anyway rather than lying to yourself. The warrior method may be difficult at first, but in the long haul a much more realistic way of dealing with the mental aspects of the sport.
Sorry this is so long but I thought it all relevant
Blair
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dirtineye
Jan 21, 2004, 8:57 PM
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Registered: Mar 29, 2003
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In reply to: My self-talk turned to what I had to do: "Place feet high, right there is solid. Hand in that little pocket. Press with the right hand and stand up."
Focusing on what you have to do to make progress in a difficult situation is a huge part of what Arno teaches, the way I see it anyway. Glad you made it.
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lemon_boy
Jan 23, 2004, 4:06 PM
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Registered: Mar 12, 2002
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excellent post slathiel. i have been in similar situations and have found that i am often more able to get down to business when there are no other choices. it seems that i spend a lot of time with self talk like "i wonder if i should bail, is my partner getting sick of belaying me, maybe this will be my last chance to bail...." there have been several routes where i have gotten into situations where i really couldn't back off. for the first few seconds i usually whimper a bit, but then i am like "alright, only one way out...". i start focusing on my breathing and on relaxing my face muscles and vision.
i wish i could apply this better to climbing all of the time. it is kind of scary, because i sometimes wonder what is going to happen if i get in one of those situations, try to punch through it, and get shut down.
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salathiel
Jan 23, 2004, 11:09 PM
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Registered: Nov 28, 2002
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In reply to: i sometimes wonder what is going to happen if i get in one of those situations, try to punch through it, and get shut down.
I too wonder and sometimes even morbidly want to know.
Blair
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