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jonoj
Mar 8, 2002, 1:36 PM
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Anyone ever climb blinfolded?
I was at a busy crag last weekend, with the only open climbs being ones which I've done hundreds of times. To make it more challenging, I decided to lead (sport) a climb which I know pretty well, blindfolded.
What an incredible experience, to climb by feel alone!!
I found I trusted my feet a lot more than climbing sighted. If it sticks, use it and move up!!
Give it a bash, it does wonders for your confidence!
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jackflash
Mar 8, 2002, 2:17 PM
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I've gone blindfolded a few times on indoor gym routes, but never on rock. The gym was easy because all the holds stick out from the wall and you can find them by sweeping your arm or leg along the surface. Leading a sport route blind must be a far step up from that, unless, as in your case, you knew the route very well. I don't think I'd ever lead blindfolded regardless of how well I knew the rock.
Maybe a new extreme can be started: blindfolded free-soloing.
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ratstar
Mar 8, 2002, 3:01 PM
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I get blindfolded in bed and various other places.
Oh climbing blindfolded you say, well nope I haven't ever climbed blindfolded. Sounds kinda fun.
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rockjock04
Mar 8, 2002, 3:02 PM
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I heard about some dutchess or some lady that went rock climbing, and a blind guy led her up the face. Its pretty funky climbing without site but when you have someone elsees life in your hands its a different story.
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maculated
Mar 8, 2002, 4:31 PM
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Yes, I always wear a bandana when climbing and for a while there at the gym, I wanted to stop focusing on holds I knew were there, so I started climbing with it over my eyes. I think it's not only fun, but it teaches you to go for harder holds. I've not done it since I've been improved, but when I was doing 5.6-5.7 climbs, I think it was pretty useful.
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mightymucklebunk
Mar 8, 2002, 8:00 PM
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I've seen a blind guy climbing real rock, he had a spotter telling him where the holds were, but it was really cool.
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apollodorus
Mar 8, 2002, 8:47 PM
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Ah, GaussHoppa. You are wearning well. A true shodakan ahways cwimb wiff mind, not wiff ice, hands or fweet.
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treyr
Mar 8, 2002, 10:35 PM
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I have tried it. It is fun the first time but after a while it gets old. so i dont like it
TROB
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kaptk
Mar 8, 2002, 11:00 PM
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I've never climbed blindfolded before. I may try it. I have climbed at night with a headlamp. It was exciting. I could see holds for my hands, but I had to do my feet mostly by feel.
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beyond_gravity
Mar 10, 2002, 10:32 PM
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Back when I was learning to ice climb, my guide told me that he used to climb blindfolded...untill he swung his tool into the rope and ruined it. Kinnda funny really.
Me personally, I've done it in the gym before, but it's kinnda hard to find the clips.
Rock On,
Jeremy
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miagi
Mar 18, 2002, 8:36 PM
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That sounds like alot of fun. You cant dyno though...at least i dont think. There is no way you can tell where the next hold is.
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hang_man
Mar 22, 2002, 1:13 PM
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cool~! I did blindfolded at Outward Bound, climbing indoor with another climber linked to me with a long quick draw.... it was cool when u only climb using your feeling.... u are like crawling like a blind guy...
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case22
Mar 22, 2002, 9:21 PM
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I've tried it at the gym. It's fun, but myself personally, I don't think I'd want to try it outside. I'm not THAT familiar with my outside climbs. It's not warm enough for me to get outside that often!!
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verticallaw
Mar 22, 2002, 10:41 PM
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right on I havny climbed blindfo;ded outside but thats how i was taught indoors (for part) I was made to do 5-6 laps of a route and than was blindfolded and made to climb and downclimb the same route what a rush. Made me learn pretty quick. but leading sounds kinda painfull (at least you wouldnt see the ground before you hit it)
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bigevilgrape
Mar 28, 2002, 4:17 PM
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i've doone this with groups i've mentoured, but it was in our gym on their ropes corse. so the wall is like a 5.0-- but it was interesting experiance.
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jmlangford
Mar 28, 2002, 4:55 PM
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Check this link out. This is for a nice area above Fresno, CA in the Sierras. They have an annual get-together with all sorts of competitions such as climbing cracks with thick gloves, climbing faces with flippers on, and BLINDFOLDED climbing. Pretty neat concept.
http://www.rockclimbing.com/routes/listArea.php?AreaID=803
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tavs
Mar 28, 2002, 4:59 PM
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I've TR'd blindfolded before, excellent way to get you to really focus on movement and balance, and finding positions that require less effort (as you spend more time looking for holds).
As for leading, never done it. But anyone else know about Eric Weimayer (I KNOW that's spelled wrong), the blind guy from Maryland who summitted Everest last year? He does trad leads, there's video of him doing 30 Seconds over Potash on Wall Street in Moab in one of the Masters of Stone vids, # 5 I think. Pretty awesome to watch (he practices a lot on TR to get a sense for the climb and the gear placements).
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