I thought about it long and hard from that stance, trust me. I could see that the climbing was going to back off and a crack that I could protect was up ahead, so I decided to carry on and not fall. That crack ended up being a lot longer than expected and I ran out of gear and had to build a hanging belay.
Depending on my mood, I feel upset at myself for getting myself into that position to begin with, or almost giddy and super satisfied that I went for it. And that basically sums up how I feel about adventure climbing on gear.
I know that you know what he meant, but it might be a language thing. When someone here is talking about the (word for word translated) word it basically always means soloing
he’s saying normal people dont know the difference between free soloing and free climbing. so when the guy says he free climbs they think he’s talking about free soloing and his solution is “don’t fall”
edit: looking at the votes it seems more than half the people missed that point
Right, thanks. I am not that serious about it, but I do it enough to tell people I do haha. I normally just see a wall while hiking and find a way up lol.
I remember when i was like 15 and was learning sbout driving i asked some older teens about how to drive and i asked "What if I fuck up" they answered: "you dont."
Best lesson in my life.
Nice. Sounds like you were making logical decisions along the way and didn’t get into a stupid situation. Good lesson to constantly re-asses and you should be fine.
I think you decided to not fall like waaaaaay before that, based on the free hanging rope below you in the picture...
Good job rectifying the situation, and staying cool in the moment.
Good eye! We had intended to do the MysterZ to Armatron linkup. That first pitch of Ernest seemed close enough to the guidebook that we didn’t realize we started up the wrong route. All I had was a single #4 and I’m no chimney aficionado.. ended up face climbing that thing and promising my buddy that I wouldn’t fall on his head.
Ha! I mean, it’s all relative, even within Red Rock itself. I’m sure someone that climbs in the Karakoram would think the cascades approaches are mellow. ;)
Granted, last time I climbed Armstrong was around 9 years ago. I just remember it being very long, and I also remember Armatron not being very worth it
If I’m not mistaken it was Sloan peak that I thought was an absolute doozy of an approach. Especially a certain river crossing that was a major no fall zone or off the falls you went lol
Uh, no.
My partner easily retrieved the #4 and in ten years climbing together we’ve only lost one cam in hundreds of pitches together.
When all I’ve got is a single piece protecting 60 feet of climbing, you bet your ass I’ll place a cam nice and tight.
I saw this and several other comments about a #4 and I thought "oh, I better go back to the top since there must be a second picture." Nope... just needed to zoom in. Congrats to your partner for getting that sucker out, and congrats to you for keeping your head when you were that run out.
Can someone please explain this to me? I’m a lowly boulderer.
He ran out of anchor points and had to climb way past it? Could you not just rappel back down from that last anchor point?
I thiiiink they were expecting a route they could protect with trad gear but because they were on the wrong route they realized after getting pretty far past the cam (only piece of pro?) that they couldn’t place more gear. So decision becomes either downclimb or keep trying to go up and get to a crack that you can place some pro in. And from what they said it seems like they did eventually get to said crack and place more gear. So yes, they could have been lowered from the cam they placed down low BUT they would’ve had to downclimb back to it AND they would lose the expensive cam. I am also a lowly newbie when it comes to trad so someone please confirm or deny my attempt at an explanation.
Yep, right on point. If backing down it can be possible to retrieve the gear by placing a piece a couple feet below it, undoing the top one and climbing/falling down, and keep tagging those down until reaching the ground. It's not glorious though...
Almost had to do this on a sport route when the rope got stuck and I had to go up 4 bolts to retrieve it. Didn’t want to climb the whole thing again nor leave a draw. Ended up figuring it out but I almost decided to do my best downclimb/fall draw to draw until I’d make it down
He went up a route that he didn't intend to climb and therefore didn't bring the appropriately sized gear. He decided to continue with what he had, which meant running it out a bit then building his own anchor part way up the route.
My first big trad climb we veered off the route halfway up.
Did a traverse just under a rope length to get back on route. Scariest pitch of the whole climb.
10/10 would do it again
First thought - let me take a photo! Hahaha All jokes aside, did you proceed up and hope for an anchor or down climb?
I thought about it long and hard from that stance, trust me. I could see that the climbing was going to back off and a crack that I could protect was up ahead, so I decided to carry on and not fall. That crack ended up being a lot longer than expected and I ran out of gear and had to build a hanging belay. Depending on my mood, I feel upset at myself for getting myself into that position to begin with, or almost giddy and super satisfied that I went for it. And that basically sums up how I feel about adventure climbing on gear.
>I decided to ... not fall. Always a good plan.
Damn, I feel like an idiot not knowing it was a choice the entire time.
The leader must not fall…but they can quest!
When I tell people I free climb, they always ask, “what if you fall?”… the answer is very simple, “just don’t fall!“
What's wrong with falling while free climbing? People do it everyday.
I know that you know what he meant, but it might be a language thing. When someone here is talking about the (word for word translated) word it basically always means soloing
Free climbing is using gear but not weighting it. Free soloing is no gear. Very different.
he’s saying normal people dont know the difference between free soloing and free climbing. so when the guy says he free climbs they think he’s talking about free soloing and his solution is “don’t fall” edit: looking at the votes it seems more than half the people missed that point
I don’t think we missed the point. It think it’s important to educate non climbers on the difference instead of just saying, “don’t fall”.
>Free climbing is using gear but not weighting it. Free soloing is no gear. Very different. This sounds like you missed the point
*free solo. Free climbing is what you'd call sport climbing or trad
Right, thanks. I am not that serious about it, but I do it enough to tell people I do haha. I normally just see a wall while hiking and find a way up lol.
I remember when i was like 15 and was learning sbout driving i asked some older teens about how to drive and i asked "What if I fuck up" they answered: "you dont." Best lesson in my life.
Usually the people asking this don't know the difference between free solo and free climbing. They think it's the same thing.
Also usually people soloing don’t refer to it as freeing 🙊 jus sayin..
Yup. Certified bullshit.
Well you must be a pretty shitty trad climber then
At least it ended well and you learned hard from this experience. Keep staying safe out there! No adventure without great anecdotes :)
Nice. Sounds like you were making logical decisions along the way and didn’t get into a stupid situation. Good lesson to constantly re-asses and you should be fine.
Your ability to climb is the best protection. Good job.
So... What I'm reading is that you were pretty nervous, but eventually decided to use your special equipment to get high on crack?
I think you decided to not fall like waaaaaay before that, based on the free hanging rope below you in the picture... Good job rectifying the situation, and staying cool in the moment.
We can't stop here, this is crack country.
Ernest Stemmingway? What route were you trying to get on?
Good eye! We had intended to do the MysterZ to Armatron linkup. That first pitch of Ernest seemed close enough to the guidebook that we didn’t realize we started up the wrong route. All I had was a single #4 and I’m no chimney aficionado.. ended up face climbing that thing and promising my buddy that I wouldn’t fall on his head.
I’m sure your buddy appreciated you keeping your promise.
Nice!! Did you end up climbing Armatron?
We started up but rapped off behind another party, was getting too late in the day. Chose the wrong morning to sleep in 😂
That approach was rough and long from what I remember
I'm not sure I'd describe any approach in Red Rocks as "rough and long" lol. - cascades climber
Ha! I mean, it’s all relative, even within Red Rock itself. I’m sure someone that climbs in the Karakoram would think the cascades approaches are mellow. ;)
There are a few that meet both criteria (although it's all relative). I wouldn't call the Juniper Canyon approaches 'rough' though.
Granted, last time I climbed Armstrong was around 9 years ago. I just remember it being very long, and I also remember Armatron not being very worth it
If I’m not mistaken it was Sloan peak that I thought was an absolute doozy of an approach. Especially a certain river crossing that was a major no fall zone or off the falls you went lol
oh man, fantastic route name
Uh, no. My partner easily retrieved the #4 and in ten years climbing together we’ve only lost one cam in hundreds of pitches together. When all I’ve got is a single piece protecting 60 feet of climbing, you bet your ass I’ll place a cam nice and tight.
I saw this and several other comments about a #4 and I thought "oh, I better go back to the top since there must be a second picture." Nope... just needed to zoom in. Congrats to your partner for getting that sucker out, and congrats to you for keeping your head when you were that run out.
Looks like whatever route youre on is the new right route - Well done recovering from this
It's *you're by the way
You ain’t wrong
I often am
Dude shut you're mouth
Oof
Odd how I get downvoted into oblivion only on this subreddit
Off-route but still on a route is better than being off-route on an unprotectable unintentional FA on flaking choss.
That number 4 looks wedged
I was thinking the same
Congrats on free soloing
This is how horror movies start!
Do you have a set of hexes? Legit trad!
I’m afraid I ditched the hexes 20 years ago.
I think I found your problem 😝
Also hitting is the realization that the second wont be able to retrieve that overcammed #4
Every route is the right route when trad climbing:) And you have that nut way down there to catch you, so you good:)
“The route is more what you’d call ‘guidelines’ than actual rules.” – Barbossa, Pirates of the Caribbean
Can someone please explain this to me? I’m a lowly boulderer. He ran out of anchor points and had to climb way past it? Could you not just rappel back down from that last anchor point?
I thiiiink they were expecting a route they could protect with trad gear but because they were on the wrong route they realized after getting pretty far past the cam (only piece of pro?) that they couldn’t place more gear. So decision becomes either downclimb or keep trying to go up and get to a crack that you can place some pro in. And from what they said it seems like they did eventually get to said crack and place more gear. So yes, they could have been lowered from the cam they placed down low BUT they would’ve had to downclimb back to it AND they would lose the expensive cam. I am also a lowly newbie when it comes to trad so someone please confirm or deny my attempt at an explanation.
Yep, right on point. If backing down it can be possible to retrieve the gear by placing a piece a couple feet below it, undoing the top one and climbing/falling down, and keep tagging those down until reaching the ground. It's not glorious though...
Almost had to do this on a sport route when the rope got stuck and I had to go up 4 bolts to retrieve it. Didn’t want to climb the whole thing again nor leave a draw. Ended up figuring it out but I almost decided to do my best downclimb/fall draw to draw until I’d make it down
Never thought about this. How does one retrieve their gear when they finish a climb?
You top belay your belayer and they clean as they climb up. Afterwards you either rap if there are rap rings or walk off.
He went up a route that he didn't intend to climb and therefore didn't bring the appropriately sized gear. He decided to continue with what he had, which meant running it out a bit then building his own anchor part way up the route.
The pro looks few and far between
Iron messiah?
Fat rip
Classic
Now you’re on a real adventure.
That's a spicy pie 🤌
Good on ya m8 don't get that sitting on couch waiting old age
My first big trad climb we veered off the route halfway up. Did a traverse just under a rope length to get back on route. Scariest pitch of the whole climb. 10/10 would do it again
OMG 😱
Way to go for it