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elrojobdugs
Sep 30, 2003, 10:09 PM
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In reply to: flamer wrote: Mel, I pretty sure he's talking about sport climbing....he's certainly not talking about climbing walls... josh In reply to: iamthewallress wrote: I realized that. I was just joking because a lot of my "walls" are free climbs for the exceptionally able...
whoops i posted before thinking... brain fart pfffft... scuse me :oops:
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rvega
Sep 30, 2003, 10:47 PM
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Bailed off Snake Dike which was to be my first big wall. Why? Took us six hours to find it. Did only the first three pitches and hiked back to Curry Village in the middle of the night. Lame.
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iamthewallress
Sep 30, 2003, 10:55 PM
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Word nazi alert....
If its < Grade V and goes free at 5.10 or less, most people probably wouldn't consider it a "Big Wall".
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braon
Sep 30, 2003, 11:04 PM
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So would less than grade V be a little wall? :wink:
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atg200
Oct 1, 2003, 2:02 AM
Post #30 of 76
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In reply to: Bailed off Snake Dike which was to be my first big wall. Why? Took us six hours to find it. Did only the first three pitches and hiked back to Curry Village in the middle of the night. Lame.
yeah, i sympathize. humping the portaledge and the pigs up to the base of snake dike is a lot of work, and the hauling sucks. next time try an easier wall like zodiac on el cap. good luck!
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lambone
Oct 1, 2003, 3:26 AM
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Every time I have had to bail off a wall (4), it has been because my partner(s) wasn't ready to commit.
This pretty much sucks ass, especialy when you are totaly gung ho for the climb...but when they are your good friends, what can you do...blaming them doesn't help things, and might end a good friendship.
Better just to let it go and try again sometime. After you go through enough uncommited partners you'll decide to just do it on your own.
Not until you try it alone, will you know if it was only your partners who were uncommited...or if you yourself was just as much to blame.
Any other reasons are just cheap excuses not to commit to the adventure.
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ecowain
Oct 2, 2003, 7:14 AM
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rvega, why back off Snake Dyke just because it got dark? It's a moonlight classic! Of course this does make it hard to see the bolts. (I think I can still hear Scott calling down "I think I missed the bolt" just before he reached the end of the rope :-))
One thing I did think seeing Half Dome in the moonlight was that it looked skiiable. I wonder how far down the summit slabs you could ski before any snow cover would slide off and down the side ;-)
On the failing walls bit, jugging on WFLT's lower pitches in the dark were nearly enough to make me call off my first wall!
ecowain.
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bigwalljunkie
Oct 3, 2003, 5:23 PM
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i am lucky that i have had more success then failure..i figure that you need to be mentally strong and accept the fact that your route du jour is fun yet dangerous and you'll be able to diminish fear and step up
1. Summit on "lurking fear"
2. bailed on "zodiac" in july due to shitty weather( rain and lightning), (3 fixed)
3. summit on "eagles way"
4. Summit "Zodiac"
5. bail on " PO Wall" due to partner problems ( 1 fixed)
6. Failed on " ten days after" washingtons column ( 2 fixed)
7. Summit on "the Sheild"
8. Failed on " wall of early morning light" due to weather ( rain/snow) ( rapped 6)
8. Summit on " Salathe" 16 hours
9. Summit on "jesus built my hotrod" leaning tower
10. Summit on " Reticent wall" el cap
11. failed on winter attempt of "Big Chill" Half Dome
12. Summit on "Nose" El cap 23 hours
13. Summit on " Sea of Dreams"
14. Summit on "Zenith"
15. Summit on " Magic Mushroom"
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ricardol
Oct 3, 2003, 8:24 PM
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In reply to: Not until you try it alone, will you know if it was only your partners who were uncommited...or if you yourself was just as much to blame. Any other reasons are just cheap excuses not to commit to the adventure.
.. i whole heartedly agreee ..
i was so scared to get on zodiac last month that i searched high and low foro a partner .. and twice i scored partners .. one at camp4 and one at the base ..
.. both partners bailed on me .. (for lots of different reasons) .. and so finally it came down to making a choice -- either go at it alone .. or not do it at all .. i'm glad i choose to have the adventure
-- ricardo
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nefarius
Oct 12, 2003, 6:58 PM
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First off, can't tell you how impressive your choice and climb were, Ricardo! When I hung out with Pete in Yosa week ago, it was all he could talk about for a few minutes. Right on, man!
After having bailed on my first wall attempt, only yesterday, this post hits home hard! My partner (janeofthejungle) and I were forced to bail off of Leaning Tower (before we got off of the ground) due to the number of parties ahead of us. There were 8 people on the wall, all of them on the lower half. The last group hadn't even gotten their last person on pitch one by 2:30.
I am sooo bummed to have had to bail, ESPECIALLY when it was due to things beyond my control. Reading this post and seeing just how often it happens made me feel better. I think it's sympathy, not empathy that REALLY makes us feel better. When I got home, my fiance was really bummed too, and certainly empathized with me. And, even being a climber herself, I'm not sure she understands the undertaking we set out for, what it meant to us and how it felt to have to bail... It sucks A$$, doesn't it?
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climbingcowboy
Oct 13, 2003, 12:08 AM
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Count me in I bailed this year on my first attempt at a wall the Prow. Lots of issues why. I think next year I'm going to try to get someone who has summited before as my partner, so I'll have a kind of a back up to make sure we make it up, but I still want to lead all the harder pitches. I know I'm going up it this time. The first time was all good though I learned alot, and come this spring nothing will stop me from summiting, even if its just out of being to stubbern to quit. :wink:
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bandycoot
Oct 13, 2003, 12:41 AM
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I'm amused that this thread is up on the front page again. I just returned from a successful bid for the Regular NW Face of Half Dome. 3 days, including approach. I lead every pitch with the wife jugging/following. It was spectacular. I found the only thing that really scared me was the weather because that was out of my control. I almost suggested not doing it because we had been in Tuolumne the previous few days and it was COLD. Fortunately the weather was perfect down in the Valley and we were able to do it with 3 gallons of water between the 2 of us from car to car! Light is right....
Josh
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dirko
Oct 13, 2003, 1:51 AM
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I'm 5 for 9. That's about averege, I guess? It helps not to solo them.
Hey, but I'm 3 for 4 in the rain. That's the real stat.
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climbhigher
Dec 5, 2003, 12:18 AM
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If you solo, everybody is happy or nobodys happy. Here's my record.
1st wall 1st grade VI summit Diagonal to Dunn Westbay, Diamond longs peak (1996)
Summit Lunar X (No fixing Lines) (1996)
Summit 6hrs Touchstone (No fixing Lines) (1996)
Summit Moonlight Butt 11/2 days. (9 hrs. if you count speed accents like Pete does Ha Ha ha ha ha.....) (NO fixing Lines) (1997)
Failed soloing Prodigal Son only got one pitch off the ground (1997)
Summit Solo Prodigal Son in a Proud 5 days.(No fixing Lines) (2002)
Failed speed soloing Spaceshot (one pitch up the head wall) i wussed out (1997)
Failed with partner and soloing after partner left ,Idi odyessey Zion. rain and for the most part, i wussed out!!!!! (2002)
Summit Washingtion Column fixed 3 pitchs. (2002)
Failed Speed accent of Lurking Fear bailed 11th pitch. Once again didn't (2002)want to suffer partner was going to slow and it all came down to "I WUSSED OUT!!!"
Summit Zodiac - (No fixing Lines) 1/2 pitch when Orientals got in our way. (2002)
Summit The"Nose" My dream climb!!!!! (No Fixing Lines) proud 7 days sleeping on all the ledges. (2002)
So i have been pretty fortunate only to fail speed climbing walls
and i guess i got a pretty weak Wall resume..... Compared to some people.
I plan on spending another season in the Valley next summer and add to my big walling experience. I learned alot and have had no negative experiences on any of these walls success or failer.
Oh yeah i lead the 2 first two pitchs of Never Never Land....1st pitch 5.8 i lead or i guess you could say i soloed it since i used a 6mil static line because sean forgot the lead line and i was pissed and the 2nd pitch was a sandbag A1 170' foot traverse pitch with two pengi's and lots of hooking for Pete and gang. It was seans first real traverse aid clean and it was a difficult one. It only took him 5hrs!!! to clean it (LOL). It just Was not my GIG. Pete has a diferent kind of idea when it comes to wall climbing then me. I don't like fixing ropes and having stuff scattered from one end of El Cap to the other end. Plus, Pete has Ghetto gear. Get some new gear PETE!!! Hell, I lived in the dirt of camp 4 for 5 months and still I have better gear then yours.
I am glad you guys topped out. I thought you guys got the chop and was Talus food when i didn't see you guys for 3 days after you guys got to Thanksgiving ledge??? I was going to go up to the talus at the bottom of Lurking Fear and claim my Hybrid aliens back.
I send ground- up for the most part. I like Royal Robbins style of wall climbing for the added adventure.
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climbhigher
Dec 5, 2003, 4:25 PM
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Hey I love to Spray....LOL. No problem for me as long as you are honest with youself and with everybody else.
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ricardol
Dec 5, 2003, 5:08 PM
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that part is true ..
pete's gear is pretty ghetto ..
-- ricardo
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mtnjohn
Dec 5, 2003, 5:33 PM
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I so hope that I've been suckered into a troll,
I man people really aren't hauling & bivying on The East Butress of El Cap
or SnakeDike.
It's got to be a joke, right?
right?
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dirko
Dec 5, 2003, 5:40 PM
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Nevermind my top-outs...sometimes you're just fuct.
7/01--SFWC--A hard case of "solo thy first wall" disease, initiated by girl problems. Luckily the illness did not prove to be chronic. A 30-foot whipper and light rain provide justification for the bail. (Bail actually caused by my acute lack of climbing skill.)
7/01--HD(IAD)--Who was I kidding? The 25-pound back was not fun to jug with. Also we lack neccessary free-climbing speed.
7/03--SFWC(IAD)--Started a fight with climbing parter/girlfriend. Brilliant.
That makes me 4 for 7. Just do it.
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mauta
Dec 5, 2003, 6:44 PM
Post #44 of 76
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I have read this long thread about bigwallers and their stories about route bails...Very interesting indeed. I just want to add the following:
As a simple sport climber (and not particulary gifted, by the way...), i think that NONE OF YOU REALLY FAILED.
To have the commitement and mental strenght to afford those kind of routes is already a personal VICTORY. To make to the TOP is an "extra", just that.
:wink:
PD: AFAIK, the first time R. messner arrived at the base of nanga Parbat for his solo attempt, he realized he was not yet mentally prepared for such a climb, and bailed... Some years after, he returned and accomplished the first ever solo ascent of an 8000m peak.
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tradclmbr
Feb 23, 2006, 3:46 PM
Post #45 of 76
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1 for 3
1. bailed on WFLT > woke up on awahnee after a great first day and a starry night to find dark clouds closing in on the valley...partner and I (both new to this) decide to bail (instant decision...and suddenly both of us very happy). I have to go clean 5/6 that he had fixed the day before. Rap from 6 back to awahnee put heart in my throat. Luckily free climbing studs had fixed lines on 1-4 to ease our bail. Rain starts when we hit the 4th class traverse providing ego-salvaging validation for bailing
2. bailed on shield (actually 2 pitches above mamoth before turning off on shield). Moving too slow (me) and more experienced parnter (wisely) came to the realization that though I was eager and he wanted to believe > I was in no way ready to pull up onto that headwall.
(interlude) Confidence shot... friend makes comment from Eiger Sanction about me coming up with an exit plan since I have so much experience with bailing (forget exact quote).
4. Launch up Lurking Fear with two easy going guys and summit after 2 nights, no problems, much fun.
(post-script) Confidence restored and foolish enough to try again
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camhead
Feb 23, 2006, 4:37 PM
Post #46 of 76
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Whoa, this is quite a thread ressurection!
Anyway, the first and only wall that I tried was a bail. Tried to do the regular South Face of Mt. Watkins, took WAY too much gear, approach and hauling were miserable (imagine hauling on 1000 feet of chossy 5.4 to get to the base of the route). We got to just below the Sheraton Watkins ledge, but couldn't get to it, as a big rainstorm soaked the runout slab pitch below it.
So we bailed.
Next time, I'm sticking to the steep stuff!
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dingus
Feb 23, 2006, 4:51 PM
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OK then!
Lets see, since then, 3 more bails on 2 routes, summited on both courtesy of Brutus, haha. I'm sure I have many more bails before I sleep (hopefully!)
DMT
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alpinestylist
Feb 23, 2006, 5:43 PM
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I would hope I was 50/50
On just teh Diamond alone I would suspect Im 6 up 20 tries? Guess (all styles, winter/summer, aid/free, camp/push)
El Cap....probably 9 for 15?
The Black 4/6 (thats 2 heinous hate hikes out in winter!)
Other spots about the same
I bailed way more when I was younger, now I bail from my house, instead of 3rd pitch mostly. If I make it too the trail better success rate these days.
You only fail when you quit
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healyje
Feb 23, 2006, 5:47 PM
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In reply to: Bailed? Did someone say "bailed"? Oh yeah! I'm the freakin king of bail. Read some of my TRs to get an idea of why, but it genereally comes down to inexperience. I'm two for...six. Bailed off the Prow twice; Zodiac once; Prodigal Sun once; Moonlight Buttress once.
Ed,
Never met you or talked to you, only read your posts on ST, and I haven't done a wall yet. But for some strange reason I think, after I try a solo, that you're the one I'd rather get on a wall with than almost anyone else. Sure, there are the experienced dream partners like Werner, Ammon, Ivo (and Texplorer), but somehow I get the sense it would be all the more satisfying to top out with you than anybody else. Who knows? But you keep at it as you are actually a source of considerable example and inspiration for me...
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rockkid55
Feb 23, 2006, 5:52 PM
Post #50 of 76
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Would Snake Dike (aka Snake Hike) be considered Big Wall? I didn't think so. A buddy of mine got up one morning and said, "Let's do snake dike." We were stupid and did not get info on finding the climber's trail that leads to Lost Lake and all that.
So. We spent about five hours looking for it. When we found it, we ran our asses up the trail and then I stepped on a rattle snake and freaked out and fell down the hill. We decided to turn back.
But its a good thing we did, if, according to some posters, snake dike requires bloody portaledges. We just brought a minimal rack. We'd heard it was just long run-outs between bolts.
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