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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Great tales Pat. Thirteen years old! Kor must have reckoned that you had good survival potential to pull that one off! If your parents had any idea.....too funny.
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Speaking of Soloing when it suddenly threatens to rain, I have a few!
Here's one about the East Butt of El Cap (roped a few of the tougher pitches)
http://www.yosemiteclimber.com/ElCapEastButtress.html
I was onsight freesoloing the 5.7 Harding route on the Glacier Point Apron (the routefinding was tough to boot) and I was many hundreds of feet up when it started to sprinkle. Fortunately I was able to get to the oasis before it got too wet.
Peace
Karl
Edit
Gotta throw in one more kinda weird one, when I soloed to Lucifer's ledge and beyond to the Oasis. Started late and enjoyed the unplanned bivy
http://www.yosemiteclimber.com/LucifersLedgeSolo.html
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deuce4
Big Wall climber
the Southwest
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Here's some old Josh pics, of me soling with Lechlinksi. What fun those days were, the funnest!
Can't remember the routes, though they look pretty familiar. Anybody know these climbs? I would like to be reminded of what a badass I used to be.
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jerr
climber
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This place is like the super hard man area.
Yo i once heard of the route "sea of holes" at hueco tanks that the FA bra did onsight solo . I decided in order to do the route proper id have to free solo onsight .Otherwise it would not be a true ascent. Oh well, i got to the top easy peasy when this chill wind came up . Harshly it blew ,until my shirt went right over my head in the instant i was on the only hard move off the route, Had to rip it off. Sheewww.
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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May 10, 2007 - 02:03am PT
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I've posted this link a few times in some older threads but I think this is my best stupid coulda died solo story so I'll link it here too. This was my onsight solo of the Direct on Washington Column. Routefinding is the crux!
http://yosemiteclimber.com/Washington_Column_Solo.html
It was a miracle I survived that one.
I must be protected or something cause I have so many stupid solo stories.
Freesolo on the 5.7 face pitch on East Butt of Middle, I see a full water bottle and biner header right for me. I wince and try to program my head to hold on if I get clocked but there would be little hope. The water bottle hit the stone about 2 feet above my head and bounced right over me. I caught up with the party who dropped it and they turned out to be some of my friends, YI instructors. Stuff happens
On the other hand, I'm free solo on the first pitch of Kor Beck and rocks absolutely start raining all around me. Rocks to the left, rocks to the right and rocks behind me. Total rock shower! I'm pissing my pants and scrambling up to hide under a roof. Then a second huge volley of rocks.
Enough is enough, I bailed. Later a couple old time Valley climbers rap down and admit that they trundled a few large loose boulders so the "Safety" of the route would be enhanced. Coulda fooled me.
Peace
Karl
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Mazzystr
Gym climber
Homeless...
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May 15, 2007 - 02:42pm PT
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Back on mt wilson FA. Al says we're going to take the fast way up. we're going to take the catwalk. Whos in? The Mule says no way, i'm out. Bike Rack says I have a bad shoulder. I'm out too. I'm like I'll join you I'm not gonna get wet in that damn waterfall. Next thing I know we're on the catwalk. The gully 50ft down is filled with yucca plants. I look down thinking if I fall I'm going to get stabbed by those yucca's. aint no way anyone can survive that. the catwalk is a shear face straight and straight down with a horizontal crack about waist high that is sandy and chossy. there is about a 1" wide slopey ledge to use for feet. Al dances across the catwalk and goes around the corner. I'm thinking Maaan, on monday I have that meeting at work. The oracle cluster will need to be brought online and production databases moved over... A bunch of time goes by and I hear...Hey Chris, are you still there? I'm like yea, I was thinking about work.
So in my Lowa's I cross the catwalk. scariest two moves i've ever made in my life... The whole time my mind was on falling into the yucca's, nevermind the fact of falling, lol.
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Tahoe climber
Trad climber
a dark-green forester out west
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May 15, 2007 - 03:46pm PT
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jerr:
Man, I've been on Sea of Holes, and that wind sure does blow up that thing! I've been on it and been lifted off my feet by that wind - and it frequently turns your chalk bag upside down, too!
And the descent in the dark can be a touch sketch, too!
For those of you that don't know, it's in Hueco Tanks, near a corner in the North Mountain area. It goes at 5.10, and Jerr's right - Mike Head put it up, free solo. It's bolted, but still a trad route! First bolt is 45 feet off the deck! 2 pitches, with the crux about 2/3ds up P2.
Classic route!
I, uh, didn't free solo it.
But I did solo Bear's Reach at Lover's Leap, on my 30th birthday. It wasn't sketch, though - every move, calm and collected. Straight up in the zone! One of my very favorite memories.
-Aaron
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John Vawter
Social climber
San Diego
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May 15, 2007 - 07:01pm PT
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The Idyllwild thread reminded me of a day I spent at Tahquitz in 1999 trying to get in 35 “pitches” to get ready for Dark Star. I started on White Maiden Direct with chimney start and the 5.3 exit, then the East Lark. On the East Lark there was a man and his young son to my right. He made a friendly comment about my old Fires, and I told him they were my favorite shoes. I was about 40 or 50 feet up and as I replied to him the hold I weighted came off in my hand and I started to pitch. I recovered but it scared the hell out of me because I realized that by listening and replying I had taken my mind off what I was doing. But I kept going and once they were behind me I felt focused and in control again.
I did the North Buttress/Uneventful combo next, then the Maiden Direct again, and finally the Long Climb with the 5.8 start. I had another scare above the Mummy Crack. I couldn’t commit to the blind reach on the 5.7 overhang. I backed down and found a way around on the right and came back in just above the overhang. Further up at the wedge shaped block near the top, I watched a guy above me make the insecure face move on the left side of the wedge. I climbed up to look at it, but couldn’t bring myself to try. Discretion being . . . . I finished by climbing way right then up to the shoulder, and to the top again for the fifth time that day.
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crazy horse
Trad climber
fresno, ca
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May 15, 2007 - 10:59pm PT
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I have a tradition to solo the tree route on Dome Rock naked every year during the big SSCA (Southern Sierra Climbers Association) slideshow in June. One year when I was about 130' off the ground a lizard came out of the crack, and I was startled to the point that both my hands came off and I was on only a jam and a smear!!! Luckily I am a footwork maestro and pulled it off only to swear not to solo anymore. Animals freak me out when I don't know they're coming.
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Joe Terravecchia
Trad climber
Lebanon, Maine
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May 16, 2007 - 07:30pm PT
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As a young climber in the mid 70's, I was fascinated with the with the Tetons and especially the North Face of the Grand with it's rich history. My first trip west from NH was straight to Jackson on a Greyhound .
In the mid 90's I free soloed the north face of the Grand . I had beautiful weather but conditions on the top 1000', above the first ledge were exciting to say the least for this lad. The previous days thunderstorm had coated the upper face in an 1/8th inch or so of crystal clear verglas. The 5.8 pendulum pitch and especially the traverse into the V were decidedly desperate. At the start of the traverse into the V I had a good, dry, right hand jamb in the back of an otherwise very slick and icy-walled crack and was about to move left when both feet and then my left hand cut loose off of icy holds. Fairy exposed there, and with rock shoes paddling on ice was mighty exciting. A loud chorus inside said "Run away !" but down climbing 2000 ft seemed like a lot of work. I regained composure and like an idiot continued on to finish the climb, but not without more excitement at the last move on the face, an icy mantle to easier ground. Made the summit by noon and enjoyed a nice lunch with a big group that had come up the Exum. Wonderful to bask in the warm sun. Alive.
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Rick A
climber
Boulder, Colorado
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May 27, 2007 - 10:49am PT
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Lots of amazing stories here, thanks all.
Two masterpieces of climbing writing that feature soloing are Largo’s “The Only Blasphemy”, which deals with the folly of competitive soloing and Jim Perrin’s “ Coronation Street.” The latter describes a common theme of soloing stories, the consequences of breaking the soloing rhythm, allowing the terrible penalty for failure to flood the mind, and the resulting paralysis.
Here is my story.
When the Stonemasters visited Tahquitz in the old days, we had a list of projects to try almost from day one, so even by the middle seventies I still had many of the established Tahquitz jewels to do, including the first climb at the crag to earn the YDS 5.9 rating, the wonderful Open Book. At some point,I had resolved to myself that I would save the Open Book for an onsight solo.
One day, Tobin, John and I were fooling around at the base of the South Face and the time was right. I mentioned my ambition to free solo the Book and minutes later, Johnny, Tobin and I were starting up as a group solo (a contradiction in terms?), Largo in the lead. We got past the crux down low, each in his own focused world, no talk between us; but once we were securely established in the main crack, we were back to the usual bantering and cruised the rest of the way up.
We got down the trail and I was still high from the exhilaration of having soloed one of Tahquitz’ finest. I suggested we try another one none of us had ever done, the Mechanic’s Route. Now we all knew this was a face climb, but it was only 5.8, so how hard could it be? And we were all completely comfortable and solid on the Tahquitz/ Suicide granite. John declined in order to check out another project, so I started up, Tobin right behind me.
We motored up to what was clearly the crux, a simple, frictiony high step, but fiercely exposed. I dip my hands in the white courage, take a deep breath and remind myself that its only 5.8. I step up, over-gripping a bit and smearing the EBs VERY carefully. “Whewww… That seemed insecure for 5.8”, I think to myself. I get to a safe spot to watch Tobin.
Tobin steps up to the the crux and stops. He makes a tentative try at the key step, but backs down. He furrows his brow a bit, tries it again and backs down again. This is not like Tobin at all and now it’s me who is hit with the Fear. What if the unthinkable happened and Tobin slipped off a couple feet away, in front of my eyes? For a moment, I can see in Tobin’s eyes that he has met the soloist’s bane, that loss of rhythm that breaks down the barrier between focusing on the moves and the consequences.
“You got it man, it’s only 5.8,” I say.
Tobin shakes out a bit, and this time steps smoothly up, as if he were a foot off the ground.
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east side underground
Trad climber
crowley ca
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Dec 25, 2008 - 05:01pm PT
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my story is not technically a "solo" but here it is. I was taking a lady friend climbing, who had never climbed before in the meadows. I decided on the great white book since I had soloed it before ,since my partner had no belay experince. I was running the rope out with no pro on the "book" up to the point where the route moves over the dihedral. As I'm making the move I'm thinking this is strange it seams harder than usual. As it turns out, I made the move about 60 ft or so too soon ( dumbass, thinking about her ass not mine!!!) I get over the dihedral to a small foothold. There is a slight bulge with a bit of black lichen. I see the correct spot I should be up above, and think, ok just keep it cool you'll be fine. I start up over the "crux", make a few moves then to my surprise I start to grease off the lichen. So I start to slide. I'm clawing to stay in control as I'm slipping, I reach over and grap the small hold as I'm sliding by. I mantel the hold and get back on the stance. Fueled by fear. not thinking I fly up the rock as fast as I can to the belay. Once clipped in the realization of killing myself, and my friend sets in. I try to remain calm and act as if nothing has happed when my partner arrives at the belay. Never did tell her what happened. What a idiot!!! My moto " better lucky than good!!!"
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tom woods
Gym climber
Bishop, CA
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Dec 25, 2008 - 05:59pm PT
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How about a good solo story?
I like soloing, but I'm bad at it, and getting worse as the years go on.
Anyway, it was a day like today, snowing in Bishop and I was getting a bit of cabin fever so I headed to the buttermilks to look around.
Can't go looking around without shoes can you? The snow was light and hadn't yet stuck to much as I headed to something in the old orange guide labeld wall of 21 cracks.
With a name like that how could it be bad? I wouldn't call it good, but a good time can be had there for sure.
I did a few easy cracks, 30 to 40 feet high then headed for an obvious chimney on the tier of rock above.
I think I'll climb the chimney with light snow in the air and no one knowing where I am, but when I get up into I find all sorts of fins, knobs, and huecos on the wall. It's sort of like red rocks. I climb those fins to top, where getting off requires a jump into a sandy gully.
A 60 foot climb on good rock at a low grade in the snow and it's one of my favorite climbing memories.
I headed to peabodies after word, where I had the place to myself.
Tom
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nutjob
climber
Berkeley, CA
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Bump
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corniss chopper
Mountain climber
san jose, ca
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Mt Clarence King - alone... I took my gloves off to do the summit mantle, but the bulge they made in my coat pocket caught on the lip, when I jumped, and I slid down into that awful slot!
One leg actually went out the hole before I caught myself!
2nd try was cake, but OMG times a million.
It was 20 yrs ago and it still seems like yesterday. while the summit view and the wind noise are sort of vague.
And no I couldn't bring myself to actually stand up.
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Mark Hudon
Trad climber
Hood River, OR
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Peter,
Didn't you and me and maybe Dave D solo the Line at Lover's Leap on mushrooms once?
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Double D
climber
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Mark... You and Peter did the line whilst Eric Barret and I did another 5.6 deal to the left...can't remember the name but good times.
The shrooms??? Can't remember but wouldn't be surprised.
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hashbro
Trad climber
Mental Physics........
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Speakin' of Double D and shrooms...
Remember Moratorium Dave?
We shroomed before the rappel and laid in the meadow for hours looking upwards at what we had just done....
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