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tweekept
Feb 1, 2011, 2:58 AM
Post #1 of 19
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Registered: Feb 1, 2011
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OK, so I am about 50 ft off the deck standing on a tied off knifeblade of questionable placement. I can see no decent pro without traversing up and to my left. No cracks, no seems, but a half inch flake is within a couple feet to my left. I place my cliffhanger on this tiny little 1/2 inch ledge and gingerly transfer my weight onto it. Reach back, clip my rope to the last knifeblade that looks as though it may drop if I fart in its general direction.
Now, I must insert my disclaimer here. I am pretty new to this whole aiding thing. In fact, this is my first nailing route. I have been trad climbing for several years, but as far as aid goes, I've sent a half dozen clean routes, but little more... I am learning as I go. I have practiced hook moves less times than I can count on one hand.. on top rope.
Gripped is an understatement, more like white knuckled. I can hear tiny crystals of rock crunching under the hook as I slither up the steps of my aider. I can hear my heart beating, and I repeatedly ask myself if there is any single piece of pro below me that will stop me if I were to fall right now. I don't think so, but even if there was, my imagination was running wild with thoughts of being scraped from the canyon floor.
Just out of my reach is a crack that would graciously accept a #1 Camalot. Just one more hook and I am home-free with a piece of bomber pro I could hang from all day. I reach up and place a grappling hook from the 3rd step of my aiders (Yes I know.. but this thing is terribly overhanging) I very gently place my toe into the bottom step and cam my foot down on the rung applying most of my body weight. I shift over. Yes... now all of my body weight is on one foot and I remove my foot from my previous aider.
CHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNKKKK!!!!!!!!!
The rock blows away and the friggin hook goes airborne at lightning speed!!!!! It happens so friggin' fast I don't even fully realize what happened until afterwards!!! The split second was just long enough to think, but not say, OHHHHH S#!T!!!!
My fall is violently halted sooner than I expect. Much, much sooner. I look up at my diasy, it's stretched taught, hanging from my first cliffhanger. I cannot believe what I see, that damn thing held my fall... My FREAKIN DAISY FALL. The hook is bent, but holding. The tiny little stabilizer legs aren't even touching the rock face. The hook is actually teetering back and forth by its tip only, as I swing slowly from the momentum created by the fall. I am shocked and in awe.
I have never moved so slowly and sloth like to climb back up. I replaced my second hook and transferred my weight onto it, finally reaching my camalot placement where I could take my first breath in 7 minutes.
I pulled my shit together and topped out my first nailing route taking 3.5 hours to climb 75 feet... AWESOME!
Now, this may or may not be a huge deal. After all, this is my first time hooking on lead. I have always laughed at the thought of people duct taping hooks as pro, but now it seems a little less far fetched. Im sure there are many more hardcores out there falling 470 feet onto a rurp in sandstone 3657 feet off the deck, but for me this was a big climb.
So, I lost my cherry, tell me about your first hooking experience.
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guangzhou
Feb 1, 2011, 3:24 AM
Post #2 of 19
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Registered: Sep 27, 2004
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I learned to hook on Chapel Boulder in Yosemite. Two days later, I hooked on Leaning Tower. Pretty straight forward stuff.
What's funny to me is that people argue about bolts constantly, but climbers, trad climbers specifically, still bang and remove pitons. What a messed up practice.
I still firmly believe, aid climbing on pitons does way more harm bolting.
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potreroed
Feb 1, 2011, 3:25 AM
Post #3 of 19
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Registered: Sep 30, 2001
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Welcome to the club. There is nothing, NOTHING, in climbing as exciting as top-stepping on your tiniest hook.
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rock_fencer
Feb 1, 2011, 3:48 AM
Post #4 of 19
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Registered: Jan 7, 2005
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nice! My first hooking was done on Glass Menagerie at Looking Glass. Blew it getting high into the step. Took a full length daisy onto a rusted piton that held. Missed the belay ledge. C1 my ass haha...have since gotten much better and more comfy, having done a few more routes on clean aid, that are usually done with pins
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milesenoell
Feb 1, 2011, 4:12 AM
Post #5 of 19
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Registered: Sep 19, 2006
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I've just recently gotten into aid, and I feel gripped enough just climbing on a sketchy little nut with good pro below it. I'm still working up the nerve to pick up some hooks.
The guy who got me into aid has a hook that he fell on that looks almost identical to yours, except the final angle points 90 degrees out and not at all down.
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milesenoell
Feb 1, 2011, 4:15 AM
Post #6 of 19
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Killer first post by the way.
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climbingtrash
Feb 1, 2011, 4:16 AM
Post #7 of 19
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Registered: Jan 19, 2006
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tweekept wrote: OK, so I am about 50 ft off the deck standing on a tied off knifeblade of questionable placement. I can see no decent pro without traversing up and to my left. No cracks, no seems, but a half inch flake is within a couple feet to my left. I place my cliffhanger on this tiny little 1/2 inch ledge and gingerly transfer my weight onto it. Reach back, clip my rope to the last knifeblade that looks as though it may drop if I fart in its general direction. Now, I must insert my disclaimer here. I am pretty new to this whole aiding thing. In fact, this is my first nailing route. I have been trad climbing for several years, but as far as aid goes, I've sent a half dozen clean routes, but little more... I am learning as I go. I have practiced hook moves less times than I can count on one hand.. on top rope. Gripped is an understatement, more like white knuckled. I can hear tiny crystals of rock crunching under the hook as I slither up the steps of my aider. I can hear my heart beating, and I repeatedly ask myself if there is any single piece of pro below me that will stop me if I were to fall right now. I don't think so, but even if there was, my imagination was running wild with thoughts of being scraped from the canyon floor. Just out of my reach is a crack that would graciously accept a #1 Camalot. Just one more hook and I am home-free with a piece of bomber pro I could hang from all day. I reach up and place a grappling hook from the 3rd step of my aiders (Yes I know.. but this thing is terribly overhanging) I very gently place my toe into the bottom step and cam my foot down on the rung applying most of my body weight. I shift over. Yes... now all of my body weight is on one foot and I remove my foot from my previous aider. CHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNKKKK!!!!!!!!! The rock blows away and the friggin hook goes airborne at lightning speed!!!!! It happens so friggin' fast I don't even fully realize what happened until afterwards!!! The split second was just long enough to think, but not say, OHHHHH S#!T!!!! My fall is violently halted sooner than I expect. Much, much sooner. I look up at my diasy, it's stretched taught, hanging from my first cliffhanger. I cannot believe what I see, that damn thing held my fall... My FREAKIN DAISY FALL. The hook is bent, but holding. The tiny little stabilizer legs aren't even touching the rock face. The hook is actually teetering back and forth by its tip only, as I swing slowly from the momentum created by the fall. I am shocked and in awe. I have never moved so slowly and sloth like to climb back up. I replaced my second hook and transferred my weight onto it, finally reaching my camalot placement where I could take my first breath in 7 minutes. I pulled my shit together and topped out my first nailing route taking 3.5 hours to climb 75 feet... AWESOME! Now, this may or may not be a huge deal. After all, this is my first time hooking on lead. I have always laughed at the thought of people duct taping hooks as pro, but now it seems a little less far fetched. Im sure there are many more hardcores out there falling 470 feet onto a rurp in sandstone 3657 feet off the deck, but for me this was a big climb. So, I lost my cherry, tell me about your first hooking experience.
Good story and nice bend on that hook. So what route were you on?
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moose_droppings
Feb 1, 2011, 4:49 AM
Post #8 of 19
(10423 views)
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Registered: Jun 7, 2005
Posts: 3371
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tweekept wrote: OK, so I am about 50 ft off the deck standing on a tied off knifeblade of questionable placement. I can see no decent pro without traversing up and to my left. No cracks, no seems, but a half inch flake is within a couple feet to my left. I place my cliffhanger on this tiny little 1/2 inch ledge and gingerly transfer my weight onto it. Reach back, clip my rope to the last knifeblade that looks as though it may drop if I fart in its general direction. Now, I must insert my disclaimer here. I am pretty new to this whole aiding thing. In fact, this is my first nailing route. I have been trad climbing for several years, but as far as aid goes, I've sent a half dozen clean routes, but little more... I am learning as I go. I have practiced hook moves less times than I can count on one hand.. on top rope. Gripped is an understatement, more like white knuckled. I can hear tiny crystals of rock crunching under the hook as I slither up the steps of my aider. I can hear my heart beating, and I repeatedly ask myself if there is any single piece of pro below me that will stop me if I were to fall right now. I don't think so, but even if there was, my imagination was running wild with thoughts of being scraped from the canyon floor. Just out of my reach is a crack that would graciously accept a #1 Camalot. Just one more hook and I am home-free with a piece of bomber pro I could hang from all day. I reach up and place a grappling hook from the 3rd step of my aiders (Yes I know.. but this thing is terribly overhanging) I very gently place my toe into the bottom step and cam my foot down on the rung applying most of my body weight. I shift over. Yes... now all of my body weight is on one foot and I remove my foot from my previous aider. CHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNKKKK!!!!!!!!! The rock blows away and the friggin hook goes airborne at lightning speed!!!!! It happens so friggin' fast I don't even fully realize what happened until afterwards!!! The split second was just long enough to think, but not say, OHHHHH S#!T!!!! My fall is violently halted sooner than I expect. Much, much sooner. I look up at my diasy, it's stretched taught, hanging from my first cliffhanger. I cannot believe what I see, that damn thing held my fall... My FREAKIN DAISY FALL. The hook is bent, but holding. The tiny little stabilizer legs aren't even touching the rock face. The hook is actually teetering back and forth by its tip only, as I swing slowly from the momentum created by the fall. I am shocked and in awe. I have never moved so slowly and sloth like to climb back up. I replaced my second hook and transferred my weight onto it, finally reaching my camalot placement where I could take my first breath in 7 minutes. I pulled my shit together and topped out my first nailing route taking 3.5 hours to climb 75 feet... AWESOME! Now, this may or may not be a huge deal. After all, this is my first time hooking on lead. I have always laughed at the thought of people duct taping hooks as pro, but now it seems a little less far fetched. Im sure there are many more hardcores out there falling 470 feet onto a rurp in sandstone 3657 feet off the deck, but for me this was a big climb. So, I lost my cherry, tell me about your first hooking experience. [image]http://members.shaw.ca/emailtech/hook1.jpg[/image] [image]http://members.shaw.ca/emailtech/hook2.jpg[/image]
I practiced hooking many hours on a brick building near here and had a pretty good idea of what to move onto and what not. I also learned that if I must take a look at a piece with any weight on it, try to have a hand between me and it to avoid a direct face hit from a missile coming at me.
The first rock I aided was on a 400ft wall behind the Remmington Needle and all my previous comfort I had in hook placements slowly slipped away as I put more air between me and the deck. Hooks, like most placements your standing on while aiding, pop so quick your there one sec and the next your in space.
Must of took me a couple of hours for my nuts to drop back out of my stomach after that first time aiding up that mostly blank wall.
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socalclimber
Feb 1, 2011, 5:01 AM
Post #9 of 19
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Registered: Nov 27, 2001
Posts: 2437
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Brilliant story!!! I remember my first blown hook placement, well sorta. I remember flying through the air while my pieces blew. I went a good 25 to 30 feet before a .5 camalot stopped me. That fall added a few pounds of fruit to my looms!
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socalclimber
Feb 1, 2011, 2:41 PM
Post #11 of 19
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Registered: Nov 27, 2001
Posts: 2437
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Hooking gets a little easier with time. One little tip is to lightly, repeat LIGHTLY tap the intended hook placement with your hammer if you think the rock quality is suspect. If it sounds hollow, all bets are off! Rather, you likely will be if you commit to it!
One other tip for ya, if you have multiple hooks in a row, some duct tape on the hook to the wall can help it stay in place when you leave for the next placement. On rare occasions they have held short falls that way. On rare occasions...
(This post was edited by socalclimber on Feb 1, 2011, 2:45 PM)
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billcoe_
Feb 1, 2011, 4:58 PM
Post #12 of 19
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Registered: Jun 30, 2002
Posts: 4694
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potreroed wrote: Welcome to the club. There is nothing, NOTHING, in climbing as exciting as top-stepping on your tiniest hook.
How about stepping off a hook to where your next piece is a lateral hook move you can't see well. You can't test it, you just have to trust it.
and pray.
Nice writing up there!
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shimanilami
Feb 1, 2011, 6:22 PM
Post #13 of 19
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Registered: Jul 24, 2006
Posts: 2043
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Good times! What route?
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sungam
Feb 1, 2011, 8:20 PM
Post #14 of 19
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Registered: Jun 24, 2004
Posts: 26804
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Fan-fucking-tastic story. No hooking here, yet.
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airscape
Feb 1, 2011, 9:11 PM
Post #15 of 19
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Registered: Feb 26, 2001
Posts: 4240
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That is the awesome!!!
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Adk
Feb 1, 2011, 11:26 PM
Post #16 of 19
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Registered: Dec 2, 2006
Posts: 1085
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Nice story and write-up.
Thanks for sharing.
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Colinhoglund
Feb 2, 2011, 12:10 AM
Post #17 of 19
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Registered: May 5, 2008
Posts: 338
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swoopee wrote: socalclimber wrote: Brilliant story!!! I remember my first blown hook placement, well sorta. I remember flying through the air while my pieces blew. I went a good 25 to 30 feet before a .5 camalot stopped me. That fall added a few pounds of fruit to my looms!
One of the best things I've seen here in awhile. And I mean both that ^^^^^ and the OP.
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the_climber
Feb 8, 2011, 6:02 PM
Post #19 of 19
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Registered: Oct 9, 2003
Posts: 6142
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Great story!
I learned to hook on limestone... Granite and many other rock types (maybe not all Sandstone) are typically much more forgiving.
Can't really remember when I first blew a hook move, but I've had a good number blow since. Cover your hook with your hand as you move onto it, hell, hold it in place if you need to; you're dental plan will thank you should it pop.
Hooks for pro can be viable, if used appropriately. Not recommending it, standard "Yer Gonna Die" caveat. I've always taken the "something is better than nothing" and "if you don't place it, then it definitely won't hold" approach to things... but hey, I climb Rockies choss (by choice). And yes, I have taken falls both free climbing and aid climbing on hooks. I have 3 of my more useful for pro hooks slung with 1" webbing; use a screamer. The deeper the placement the more likely it is to hold.
For example: Some placements are too small or funky to accept any conventional pro such as a small pocket, a solution pod in a crack, or between 2 slight bottlenecks on a flake that even your shortest pin would bottom out in a sphincter clenching rattle-and-pop placement <--- choose and place a hook at as full depth a placement as you can. The idea is to use a placement that locks the hook in position and also limits the leverage from the tip of the hook. Doing this will limit the potential "opening" of the hook. I have on a number of occasions used the smallest Cassin Captain Hook in a shallow 1/4"(or 3/8") drilled hole as pro on ground up FA's where I have been unable to maintain a stance to place a required protection bolt; the Cassin hook is the only hook that seems to have the right geometry to "Lock" into place in this application, tap the hook in with your hammer. Typically the second will finish the placement by drilling out to 3/8"x3" and placing the bolt in this scenario.
Tapping a hook can be a good indication of how good a flake is, but can lead to enhanced hook placement... which introduces the "ethical debate", do what is right for the occasion. Hooking is a very adaptive skill and is only honed into a fine art by mileage.
Now about that custom modified hook of yours... either hang it on a wall, place it on your mantle and tell stories about it to your friends and family.
OR, take a look at a cam hook, hack and file the sucker down and use your new custom, one of a kind, cam hook in that spot nothing else other than a bolt will work on your next heinous benchmark setting FA.
(This post was edited by the_climber on Feb 8, 2011, 6:06 PM)
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