Solo? Have you or do you?

[G-spotter]

John Gill quit bouldering for soloing. He's old and still solos.

[matt_warfield]

Was just in Bishop and watched Bachar (50ish and on the heels of recovery from his bad auto accident) soloing up to at least 10b. He's just adjusted his top end to suit his current age and condition but is still getting it done in complete control.

[kevbone]

What an interesting topic. I used to solo the SE corner at Beacon all the time……600 feet with a couple of 5.7 moves…..then one day I realized how insane it is and stopped. Really I did not want to solo the second pitch anymore due to loose rock. I have soloed Classic crack at Broughtons bluff multiple times but will not do that either anymore or any solo because I have a child now. Too much to lose if I fall…….

[Bug]

I used to do solo backpacks, rock climbs, ski mountaineering and alpine climbing on a regular basis and enjoyed it a great deal. On any real climb, however, there was always that moment when I found myself wondering why I put myself in that position and I didn't consciously decide to quit but I did rather suddenly stop doing it some time in my late 30's. I don't personally know any older climbers that still do it.

What is the cuttoff Matt?

I still solo peaks and recon trips regularly. I love going out and finding places where it seems no one has been in a long time.

The allure for me is the solitude and the ability to change plans on a whim.

If I ever need to be found, I'll be screwed. That realization is at the front of my mind with almost every dangerous step.

It is my last vice.

[mattp]

Bug, clearly everyone had to set their own cutoff.

 

My own? By "real" climb I meant to indicate climbs that posed more than simply physical endurance challenge - on many of these outings I experienced a heightened sense there was a real chance I might die. This occurred to me when soloing accross busted up glaciers that were not fully melted back to firn, climbing big steep rotten cliffs alone, or mountain routes where retreat would not be a reasonable option, or un-roped soloing even moderately difficult rock -- things like that just didn't seem like where I wanted to go alone as I got older.

[Bug]

That is all very interesting but I was inquiring about the cuttoff for "older climber".

[mattp]

36 1/2

[Bug]

That's harsh.

 

I am starting on my second wind.

Edited June 18, 2008 by Bug

[KaskadskyjKozak]

36 1/2

 

Screw that. I vote for 50.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

I am starting on my second wind.

 

yeah, you do break a lot of it

[RuMR]

sheesh...what would builder think of this thread?

[Bug]

I am starting on my second wind.

 

yeah, you do break a lot of it

Easy there.

I'll eat smoked oysters and elk steak and get ahead of you.

 

[texplorer]

Face it, soloing is cool. It looks cool in the mags, people that are around think your cool (and insane- but in a cool way), and you feel like a bad-ass after pulling it off. Maybe its only cool like smoking in the movies is cool or being the godfather is cool but we all love soloists. So what if it is irresponsible, inconsiderate, and obnoxious. It is also inspiring, pure, and makes you dream of what could be.

 

So yea, I solo. I don't talk about it much anymore however. It seems you always get heat from some holier-than-thou type. And yes the "old,bold" quote always comes up. I don't solo on a regular basis but sometimes a crack is so asthetic and calls to you. To be honest I probably do way more dangerous stuff on a rope now than whilst soloing.

 

Back in the NW I used to so the SE corner at Beacon, many of the climbs at the Columns in Eugene, and even some stuff at smith. Although I am not a huge fan of Dean Potter, I like his quote,"When my hand is in a crack, I'm on belay." I mostly do cracks now as they are my favorite type of climbing and probably what I'm best at. Probably my most impressive solo was an onsight of the Zip up in squamish but I have done stuff harder than that.

 

I really like the mental level soloing requires and how you can tap into an awareness and control of yourself that is hard to experience any other way... . and of course there's the badass component too. . . and of course the chicks, don't forget the chicks.

 

Solo in Red Rocks (chicks are just out of picture down in the bushes

Edited June 18, 2008 by texplorer

[billcoe]

...and don't forget the chicks!.....

 

 

 

(chicks are just out of picture down in the bushes

 

 

Of course!

 

 

ps, 50 is the new 30....:-)

Edited June 19, 2008 by billcoe

[pink]

...and don't forget the chicks!.....

 

 

 

(chicks are just out of picture down in the bushes

 

 

Of course!

 

 

ps, 50 is the new 30....:-)

 

looks like one of the bushes got her

[sobo]

...So what if it is irresponsible, inconsiderate, and obnoxious...

...It seems you always get heat from some holier-than-thou type...

Not trying to be a holier-than-thou type, but your first quoted passage generally only works if you're single or have a wife/GF/SO that you don't really care much about, or have kids that you don't really much care about. I found that I had to quit any high-end soloing once kids entered the picture. Even with a half million in life insurance, I'd feel like a real dick if I deprived my kids of a father because I wanted something that made me be irresponsible, inconsiderate, and obnoxious.

[Off_White]

I must be pretty selfish and inconsiderate too, since my first thought is how much I'd miss me if I were dead.

[sobo]

It's all right, Off. I'd miss you if you were dead, so you're covered.

[Dane]

It is only a guess on my part but I'd suspect being an out-of-shape, chickenshit is all that stops most from soloing Got nothing to do with their age or their responsiblities at home.

 

If you climb I bet I can find someone close to you that calls you irresponsible and inconsiderate to your face or behind your back. If you post on CC.com I already know you're obnoxious.

 

[billcoe]

I must be pretty selfish and inconsiderate too, since my first thought is how much I'd miss me if I were dead.

 

Hey whatE..V..E..R! talk to the hand on that stuff but if you bite it can I have your cams?

[Off_White]

 

What, are you chicken McFly?

 

Dane, I'm not sure what you meant, but this is what I heard...

 

 

[Dane]

Dane, I'm not sure what you meant, but this is what I heard...

 

Close enough, I was poking fun at the "solo" backpacker lean on this thread.

[texplorer]

Yes sobo there are always other people to think about in your life. I don't think most soloers are out to tempt death simply for the sake of it. It is really more about living life. Of course we could all play more "safe" sports like golf or tennis or whatever and save our families the risk. Isn't it funny no one ever talks about race car drivers, semi-truckers, or football players in these terms even though they are more "dangerous" than climbing. I think I even heard the getting life insurance for a vacation to go fly fishing is more expensive than for climbing.

 

The truth of the matter for me is that if I am not doing something that makes me feel like I am learning and progressing as an individual I am not a happy camper. So yes, I could give up soloing, climbing, and all the other "dangerous" things I do but my wife and future kids/family/etc would probably wish I was dead because of the discontentment that life would bring me. It is not always soloing up some route that I do this. I have been in a pretty intense school the last few years and have been really challenged intellectually in this way. On the other hand I have also gotten into FA's which is an entirely new way to expand yourself mentally on even moderate terrain while on a rope.

 

Safety is a relative term. My boldest solos are probably way safer than many of my first trad leads. In the end I think the individual has to decide what makes life worth living. I accept and have no problem with those that choose to solo or not to solo but I think we should leave that up to the individual as long as they are knowledgeable of what they are doing and aware of the consequences.

Edited June 19, 2008 by texplorer

[texplorer]

This is dangerous!

 

 

This would be a good "pic a caption" thread starter Pink.

My contributions would be:

Women of Seattle: A 12 Month Calender

Donna Topstep seeks hunky climberboy to take her up the Toof.

Edited June 19, 2008 by texplorer

[JosephH]

In the past my soloing was never premeditated - I'd be somewhere and I'd suddenly realize everything was lined up and I 'knew' the outcome before ever leaving the ground. Those moments of that solid outcome awareness are more what I remember and hold dear than the actual solos which, in hindsight, were completely secondary to the simple 'knowing' things would be fine.

 

Today, about half of my climbing is rope soloing when Beacon is open, but I'm operating under a promise to my wife and daughter not to free solo. However, on the rock that translates to rope soloing the first and second pitches of the SE Corner and just soloing off the last three. I make that trade-off because the rappels back to the start of those pitches are just too much of a hassle to be worth it and the risk they represent is likely a wash. If I weren't under that promise, then Young Warriors would probably be my standard solo given I have every nub, nook, and potential loose flake wired down to the point of unconsciousness.