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rodeomountain
Nov 24, 2003, 2:02 PM
Post #26 of 38
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Registered: Oct 23, 2002
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Pete, I'm a BWT. I know in your beginning post you suggested BWTs not post, but I find it important to tell you that your writing has motivated me to make the attempt to join the "solo club". In the past few weeks I have been reading many of your post and have fount them very informational.
I have read "Big Walls" by John Long several times. I think it's a very good book, but after reading it I still had a lot of unanswered questions (with all your notes you should consider updating this book). I live in Texas so as you would think, there is pretty much nobody here that big walls or would even consider attempting to solo one, leaving to answer questions. Several people have told me I'm insane for even thinking about it.
I'm going to spend this winter getting a system wired, putting many of your recommended "Better Ways" to good use. With any luck I will be at Yosemite this Spring.
Thanks for taking the time to reply to us BWTs when we ask the dumbest of questions.
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pewf
Dec 2, 2003, 9:06 PM
Post #27 of 38
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Registered: Nov 26, 2003
Posts: 5
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I used to, haven't been on a wall for a few years. In my opinion, the biggest reason for the increase in soloists is the popularity spike in big wall climbing that happened in the mid-late 90s. Not to discredit Chongo's work, (I know he put a lot of effort into his book) but I doubt that the majority of folks that aren't connected to the Valley community have heard of or read it.
Personally, I taught myself to aid climb by soloing short things, then taught a friend, and then we epic'd on the Leaning Tower. I can't remember really reading anything in order to learn how to solo... just picked stuff up from partners or trail and error.
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alikb
Dec 3, 2003, 12:07 AM
Post #28 of 38
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Registered: May 8, 2003
Posts: 20
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Thought I'd jump on the bandwagon here.
This July I soloed WFLT over three days as my first wall. It wasn't actually planned as a solo but my partner (my Dad) bailed in the parking lot just before we started up the approach . So, after a quick re-packing of the Pig I started up the wall alone, not entirely knowing what I was doing mind you. For some reason all the soloing and big wall systems came to me quite easily and I was able to make it up with minimal clusterf***age in a leasurely three days. Unfortunately, since this was not planned as a solo, I hadn't read any of Pete's articles on solo aid, although having read some now I'll deffinetly be using a few of his techniques on future solos. I did however use the frog ascending system for jugging and this was a big help jugging all those overhanging pitches :D .
I'd also like to mention that WFLT is possibly the best first solo wall in the valley do to its low difficulty, shorter length, and, most importantly, super easy hauling. So any beginner wall climbers out there wanting to solo a wall, this might just be the wall for you.
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cire
Dec 3, 2003, 1:31 AM
Post #29 of 38
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Registered: Nov 21, 2003
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Never heard of the book your refering to. I have soloed a few wall routes. My first time in aiders or aid climbing was a solo climb of Zions "Space Shot". I don,t feel solo aid is any more difficult than having a belayer although you do work much harder. Aid solo is so much slower and more controlled than free solo. Most people solo probably because it is difficult to find a dude you want hang and suffer with on a route you both agree to do.
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alwaysforward
Dec 3, 2003, 1:45 AM
Post #30 of 38
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Registered: Oct 22, 2002
Posts: 979
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Strokefest.
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elcapinyoazz
Dec 3, 2003, 8:49 AM
Post #31 of 38
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Registered: Nov 8, 2003
Posts: 93
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Lame bunch of chestbeating clownpunchers...that's what this amounts to.
Chuck's book didn't have any real effect on the number of soloists. Most people have never even heard of it.
What you've got here is a bunch of self-congratulatory mental masturbation, all instigated by a guy (Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater) who:
1. Dropped his pin rack off the Sea and was essentially rescued by someone on the ground
2. Dropped his pig off Aurora because he's got too much going on in his systems to keep up with
3. Aids the Hollow Flake at a snail's pace thereby causing a traffic jam clusterfrig on the Salathe and causing the party they edged in front of when the routes merge (BD and Salathe) to have to bivy on some shite bivy because they were hauling so much unneccesary CRAP that they wouldn't share the ledge so they could spread out their huge cluster
4. Chestbeats about hard routes where he somehow missed leading the defining pitches. i.e. The A5 pitch on Reticent, the runout free pitch on JollyRoger.
5. Drops more stuff than a hippie in an acid lab
6. ....aww screw this, I;m wasting my time. Clueless gumbies like that kid he had nailing on C1 will continue to eat his crap up until they get enough miles under their belt to see through the BS.
Carry on wankers....
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rogueclimber
Dec 3, 2003, 9:41 AM
Post #32 of 38
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Registered: Jan 10, 2003
Posts: 150
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In reply to: Lame bunch of chestbeating clownpunchers...that's what this amounts to. 1. Dropped his pin rack off the Sea and was essentially rescued by someone on the ground Carry on wankers....
Yeah, the sound of those pins fallen while leading the second pitch of South Seas made me think I had made a very serious mistake! (the sound is everywhere)
I was very releived to see my rack intact while looking across at pete scratching his head like WTF?
Chongos lines saved him cause we were able to shout to the deck and have his gear retrieved via Chongos lines. Huh ......chongos lines were also used on one of the hardest free areas of the route as well.
Yeah Pete, we heard ya saying "Grab Chongos line!" I almost spit beer through my nose! :lol: Hangin on the ledge with my Bro!
Hey Pete, your a cool jerk!
Gabe, the mutha fuquin rogue!
Beat It!!
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socalclimber
Dec 3, 2003, 12:00 PM
Post #33 of 38
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Registered: Nov 27, 2001
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In reply to: 6. ....aww screw this, I;m wasting my time. Clueless gumbies like that kid he had nailing on C1 will continue to eat his crap up until they get enough miles under their belt to see through the BS.
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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jdub
Dec 12, 2003, 11:37 PM
Post #34 of 38
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Registered: Dec 12, 2003
Posts: 5
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Dr. Piton - I soloed Lurking Fear this fall, just before you and others were on Aquarian (which was my 2nd choice, btw). It was totally awesome! I have also soloed Monkeyfinger and Touchstone in Zion, but most folks call those Grade IV's.
I read a BUNCH of your stuff here before I went, but didn't have time to get it together to put much to practice, although on several I SURE AS !!!***?/!!! WISH I HAD!! I did take your advice on using a static haul line, and the Petzl Pro-Traction, both of which worked great. I wish I had learned the load-release knot, and the far-end hauling thing. I don't think the hauling on LF is as bad as people say, although I did have to rap to unstick my bag two or three times (enough to make me want to learn a better way).
Since the last time I did El Cap was 1982, I also used your East Ledges descent description.
So thanks for putting all your advice up here. I for one plan to use more, as now I think I'm stuck on this soloing thing, and ain't gonna be able to shake it!
Cheers, J-Dub
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seldomseen
Dec 28, 2003, 3:15 AM
Post #35 of 38
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Registered: Mar 5, 2003
Posts: 5
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Last time I checked Pete, Soloing a wall ment carrying ALL your gear to the base. It also ment carrying ALLyour gear off the summit. In case your missing the point, that means doing it all YOURSELF"soloing". So by that definition of soloing wall climbing, what name would you give yourself, "BIG WALL PANSY who can't do ALL the work."??
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pywiak
Dec 28, 2003, 3:59 AM
Post #36 of 38
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Registered: Dec 5, 2002
Posts: 105
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Old Skool Valley Solo Tick List:
Leaning Tower West Face
Half Dome Regular NW Face
Misty Wall (1st solo ascent)
Tangerine Trip (1st solo ascent)
Horse Chute
Self-Rescue Learning Adventures:
The Prow (dropped aiders)
Electric Ladyland (heat exhaustion)
Dorn Direct (factor 2 fall & bad sprained ankle)
Advice:
Know your systems
Be fit
Want it
It's faster and easier with a partner
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bvb
Dec 30, 2003, 11:50 PM
Post #37 of 38
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Registered: Mar 3, 2003
Posts: 954
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alan has a pattern in his posts of being either incredibly modest or outlandishly brash and knuckleheaded. in this case, it's the former.
if you want to know what it was to be a hard man -- and i'm talking the real fukiing thing here -- in the late 70's and early 80's, you'd do well to look up alan's write up on his solo of tangerine trip, entitled "taking the trip", published in climbing in 1981, i beleive. you'll also learn a little somthing about self rescue.
hats off, alan. job well done. to bad you've gone over to the dark side. sport climbing? no bouldering??? oy vey, oy vey......
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glockaroo
Dec 31, 2003, 3:39 PM
Post #38 of 38
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Registered: Nov 28, 2001
Posts: 149
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In reply to: Advice: Know your systems Be fit Want it It's faster and easier with a partner
Fellas this is everything you need to know about aid soloing, distilled to its essence. It is apparent that Pywiak is a BTDT type, even without reading his profile.
Sometimes I think the main benefit of soloing is to make climbing with a partner feel so much easier. After a soloing phase, having a partner feels like a toprope.
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