|
maddog
Jul 21, 2003, 5:00 PM
Post #1 of 31
(3054 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 28, 2003
Posts: 41
|
Ok, I just read the new rock & ice. I knew people free climbed, but jeezus, climbing a 3,000 ft 5.11 with no rope or pro whatsoever? Im boggled, you have to expect a 50/50 chance of living after climbing one right? ALso, you would have to be so into climbing that you diddnt care about loosing your life, with those odds. I dont know, guess i just had to say something, I dont understand how people can do that on somewhat of a regular basis.
drives me nutz boy
|
|
|
|
|
rrrADAM
Jul 21, 2003, 5:06 PM
Post #2 of 31
(3054 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 19, 1999
Posts: 17553
|
"Free Climbing" is what most of us do... It is where only hands and feet are used for upward movement. Rope and gear is used only for protection if one falls.
"Free Soloing" is Free Climbing with no rope. Those who do this climb well within their means. I free solo up to about 5.8, when the wife isn't around, as she frowns on this.
|
|
|
|
|
alpinerockfiend
Jul 21, 2003, 5:19 PM
Post #3 of 31
(3054 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 3, 2003
Posts: 598
|
In reply to: Ok, I just read the new rock & ice. I knew people free climbed, but jeezus, climbing a 3,000 ft 5.11 with no rope or pro whatsoever? Im boggled, you have to expect a 50/50 chance of living after climbing one right? ALso, you would have to be so into climbing that you diddnt care about loosing your life, with those odds. drives me nutz boy
Come on man! Doesn't your skill count for anything?? You talk about the climbing being unprotected... this is not the case. The climbs are protected very well, but not with nuts, cams, bolts and ropes. They are protected by the mental, technical, and physical skill of the climber and the quality of the rock. You mention a 3,000 ft. 5.11- I'm guessing Yosemite. Ever sunk a bomber hand jam into a clean granite crack? It feels, well, like a bomber nut placement!
|
|
|
|
|
tradmanclimbs
Jul 21, 2003, 5:22 PM
Post #4 of 31
(3054 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 24, 2003
Posts: 2599
|
With rock climbing my rule is that I will only solo up to 3 full grades (not letter grades) below my leading limit. this is no garuntee that i won't screw up and go splat but it should help a bit. Ice is a diferent story and I tend to do at least some limit soloing :shock: Most of the people soloing are doing stuff they are sure they can send. It does bear to keep in mind however that our eyes can be ocasionaly bigger than our stummachs :roll:
|
|
|
|
|
watersprite
Jul 21, 2003, 5:46 PM
Post #5 of 31
(3054 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 21, 2003
Posts: 1601
|
"you have to expect a 50/50 chance of living after climbing one right?"???
whaddya talk?you have 100% chance of living after climbing one, unless you fall, then it's 100% that you die!
|
|
|
|
|
alpinerockfiend
Jul 21, 2003, 5:57 PM
Post #6 of 31
(3054 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 3, 2003
Posts: 598
|
In reply to: Ice is a diferent story and I tend to do at least some limit soloing
Ice is a bit different in that the same general techniques are used from WI1 to WI7. If you're swinging into solid ice, you're not going anywhere.
|
|
|
|
|
newcanadianclimber
Jul 21, 2003, 6:11 PM
Post #7 of 31
(3054 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 30, 2002
Posts: 22
|
I know that climbing is a sport that involves lots of risks... but free soloing and using no protection at all, to me seems like a selfish thing to do...
its selfish why? cause if you die your family are the ones that have to suffer...
now of course people will say that there is alwyas a risk while climbing/bouldering or anything... yes but thats why you use protection.. it doesn't make it a 100% safe thing to do, but it helps a lot... i know my opinion is different from alot of people's but its mine
Brandon
|
|
|
|
|
trapdoor
Jul 21, 2003, 6:33 PM
Post #8 of 31
(3054 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 27, 2003
Posts: 183
|
I don't do it. But I've done some dangerous things at work and am confident. So I could understand how a confident climber could free solo.
|
|
|
|
|
watersprite
Jul 21, 2003, 6:43 PM
Post #9 of 31
(3054 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 21, 2003
Posts: 1601
|
I understand why when people start to free climb, their friends walk away...
|
|
|
|
|
maddog
Jul 21, 2003, 7:29 PM
Post #10 of 31
(3054 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 28, 2003
Posts: 41
|
YES!! free SOLOING....THANK YOU...I was having a major brain fart, i knew it wasent free climbing.
|
|
|
|
|
alpinerockfiend
Jul 21, 2003, 7:32 PM
Post #11 of 31
(3054 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 3, 2003
Posts: 598
|
In reply to: I understand why when people start to free climb, their friends walk away...
freesoloing. Please....
|
|
|
|
|
marks
Jul 21, 2003, 7:43 PM
Post #12 of 31
(3054 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 3, 2002
Posts: 376
|
soloing is sometimes easier than leading,no rope in the way and no gear to get pumped placeing.
some of my hardest climbs are solos after toproping.
i feel less scared soloing because you know excactly where you are going if you fall.
|
|
|
|
|
alpinerockfiend
Jul 21, 2003, 7:59 PM
Post #13 of 31
(3054 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 3, 2003
Posts: 598
|
It's great to hear from an English gritstone climber on this thread... represents an ethic in which the "headpointing" ethic and X-rated routes are the norm.
|
|
|
|
|
flyinghatchet
Jul 21, 2003, 8:33 PM
Post #14 of 31
(3054 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Aug 24, 2002
Posts: 742
|
In reply to: You mention a 3,000 ft. 5.11- I'm guessing Yosemite
I'm pretty sure it was in the dolomites, italy.
And for those of you who hate the term "free-climbing" instead of "free-soloing" you would go crazy if you were me. I am the only person I know of that climbs in this town, and people ask me all the time if I "free-climb".
In reply to: maddog location:Apple Valley, Minnesota
Holy crap! An RC.COM member within 10 miles of me??!!! A late welcome to you maddog! I feel your pain living in our area, where do you climb?
|
|
|
|
|
keinangst
Jul 21, 2003, 8:39 PM
Post #15 of 31
(3054 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 1, 2003
Posts: 1408
|
You have a 100% chance of dying after climbing anything.
Do the math. :wink:
|
|
|
|
|
petsfed
Jul 21, 2003, 8:50 PM
Post #16 of 31
(3054 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 25, 2002
Posts: 8599
|
Soloing is more often than not the ultimate expression of the mastery of a route. Some of the people my father talked with (but never climbed with, they always wanted to do stuff he would just flail on) were of the mindset that if they fell on any route, they would never return to that route. Falling simply was not an option in their stylistic mind set.
To be sure, soloing is a selfish exercise, but then again so is climbing in general. You will find that many talented soloists started because they could find no one to climb with. Peter Croft pin points his beginnings when his friends started smoking pot and going to the bakery more than climbing. Who's the selfish one, hmm? Secondarily, it is my opinion on soloing to not knock it until one tries it. The freedom provided by going cordless is something that will stick with you. Unfortunately, its like a drug that will not soon let you go. I should know, I've tried it.
My point: soloing is a personal exercise. If you have any reasonable expectation that your argument (on the internet no less) will convince anyone to not solo, you should get out more ("Really, hamburgers could kill me?! Why thank you citizen, I almost felt a moment of real joy!" - Drew Carey).
|
|
|
|
|
watersprite
Jul 21, 2003, 8:58 PM
Post #17 of 31
(3054 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 21, 2003
Posts: 1601
|
The old timers used to only free solo easy routes, then Doug Bachar and others started soloing 5.11's and .12's, which even Doug now says was crazy. Say what you like, any endeavour in which one mistake means you die is not to be taken lightly. and what have you accomplished if you make it? On the other hand, what does it mean if you die for such a foolish goal?
(If I can stop one idiot from free soloing my work is done)
|
|
|
|
|
jumpingrock
Jul 21, 2003, 8:59 PM
Post #18 of 31
(3054 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 16, 2002
Posts: 5692
|
In reply to: (If I can stop one idiot from free soloing my work is done)
A noble goal.
|
|
|
|
|
alpinerockfiend
Jul 21, 2003, 9:26 PM
Post #19 of 31
(3054 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 3, 2003
Posts: 598
|
This is reminiscent of the marijuana thread, in which those who had not smoked were the strongest advocates against it.
|
|
|
|
|
watersprite
Jul 21, 2003, 9:32 PM
Post #20 of 31
(3054 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 21, 2003
Posts: 1601
|
B.S.
don't mix apples and oranges. when has anyone died from smoking weed?
|
|
|
|
|
alpinerockfiend
Jul 21, 2003, 9:47 PM
Post #21 of 31
(3054 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 3, 2003
Posts: 598
|
If you want to talk about death, look in any Accidents in North American Mountaineering. Check out the accident analyses. See how many DEATHS you can come up with this as the primary cause: FALL ON ROCK, UNROPED. I assure you that you will find hundreds more attributed to other causes.
You seemed to have missed the purpose of the message to which you responded. Try reading after the comma.
|
|
|
|
|
ricardol
Jul 21, 2003, 9:51 PM
Post #22 of 31
(3054 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 11, 2002
Posts: 1050
|
i'm sure someone has died from free soloing after smoking weed .. does that count?
------------------
free soloing is something that you can approach like anything else in climbing .. (you can work up to it)
for example i wanted to free solo the upper pitches of after six (abiove the 1st pitch) .. so i kept on going up there with partners .. every time setting less and less pro .. until me and a partner set only 1 piece in 3 pitches (including belays) .. -- then i was ready.
.. its a very freeing experience to be up there with no pro .. you can really take time to experience the rock, the air, the view, since you dont have gear, and systems taking up your concentration. -- also its much more enjoyable to do a climb in 30 minutes that would normally take hours to do roped.
-- ricardo
|
|
|
|
|
watersprite
Jul 21, 2003, 9:53 PM
Post #23 of 31
(3054 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 21, 2003
Posts: 1601
|
do you rappel down? downclimb if you can't go up? what if you dyno up - do you then have to dyno down?
guys, I just don't have the balls to do this, maybe I am just jealous.
|
|
|
|
|
alpinerockfiend
Jul 21, 2003, 9:56 PM
Post #24 of 31
(3054 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 3, 2003
Posts: 598
|
In reply to: do you rappel down? downclimb if you can't go up? what if you dyno up - do you then have to dyno down?
You descend the same way you would as for any other climb! Carry a rope in a backpack coil and a harness to rap down with, walk off the top, downclimb, whatever! Hopefully you would be familiar enough with the route or the grade that you would not have to downclimb.
|
|
|
|
|
petsfed
Jul 21, 2003, 10:03 PM
Post #25 of 31
(3054 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 25, 2002
Posts: 8599
|
In reply to: do you rappel down? downclimb if you can't go up? what if you dyno up - do you then have to dyno down? guys, I just don't have the balls to do this, maybe I am just jealous.
If you don't know how to get down, what business do you have going up, hmm?
The second part is the really important one. Just because you lack whatever it takes to solo does not mean I don't, nor will it stop me. What will stop me is those who care about me asking me to stop (and that's about all I will give up for my loved ones).
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
