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Chockstone Forum - General Discussion

General Climbing Discussion

 Page 2 of 4. Messages 1 to 20 | 21 to 40 | 41 to 60 | 61 to 70
Author
Soloing - A question of ethics?

DaCrux
24-Oct-2006
12:16:56 AM
It makes me really uncomfortable when I see people soloing – because as a nurse I’d be obliged to help them if anything went wrong. I don’t mind helping people, but I go climbing to enjoy myself, not to see blood and cracked skulls – I see enough of that at work (literally).
I saw a pretty good climber soloing a grade 19 climb a few months ago, and he looked really sketchy at one point. My partner and I actually packed up our gear and went to another crag, because the dude continued to solo other routes. I don’t care if people solo – it’s their choice – just don’t do it around other people.
prb
24-Oct-2006
10:48:09 AM
On 24/10/2006 DaCrux wrote:

>I saw a pretty good climber soloing a grade 19 climb a few months ago, and he looked really sketchy at one point.

PM me on that one if you like DaCrux, it'd be interesting...

I suspect most who solo ply their craft when few others are present - one reason being there's no-one else around to climb with! You don't see serious soloing all that often, even at Araps. I don't know anyone who enjoys watching it in the flesh. It's better for all concerned if it's done at quiet crags or at quiet times. Nevertheless, there's no rule you have to use a rope so if someone sets off nearby, wish him/her the best of luck, accept that it is a legitimate part of the sport, and try not to worry about it. If you saw serious soloing more often, would you be more relaxed about it or would you give up climbing?!
sydneymatt
24-Oct-2006
11:03:43 AM
Saw a guy free solo Kachoong once. Watched with all the interest of a car accident. Was quiet disturbed by it, but still could not look away. Really question peoples motives for soloing. Personally thinks its very selfish (if you f--- up someelse has to pick up the bits) for what reward. But whatever floats your boat. Guess if you inject herione long enough you wont get hooked or die either.

nmonteith
24-Oct-2006
11:14:01 AM
On 24/10/2006 sydneymatt wrote:
>Really
>question peoples motives for soloing. Personally thinks its very selfish
>(if you f--- up someelse has to pick up the bits) for what reward.

As someone who really enjoys soloing i am quite perplexed by this statement. I've known quite a few
climbers who have died - or been badly injured whilst roped climbing. I don't know anyone (personally)
who has had even a minor injury soloing. What most people don't realize is that soloists are usually
very much in control and incredibly focused. Thats the good bit about soloing. Yes - its incredibly
selfish - because your own life is DIRECTLY in you own hands. No responsilities are passed onto a
belayer, rope manufacuter etc. You don't have a partner getting annoyed because you are taking too
long. It is 100% up to you to do the route in your own time. It is dangerous but incredibly rewarding.
Pommy
24-Oct-2006
11:31:31 AM
But soloing above somebody else tied in on belay is a completly different matter.

shiltz
24-Oct-2006
11:34:48 AM
All climbing involves an element of risk. To a non-climber the experience of watching roped climbing is much like sydneymatt describes watching a solo climber. In contrast I find, as a climber, watching a solo climber does not particularly worry me. I get a lot more spooked watching a nervous leader who is obviously out of their depth.

Any high risk sport could be described as selfish because of the impact of injury on bystanders, friends and family. Everyone should consider this at various times and have a level of risk that they are comfortable with.

shiltz
24-Oct-2006
11:37:51 AM
By the way, I think soloing past a group without asking and then holding them up to extract booty is not normal behaviour. If someone is obvious moving faster and asks to climb through then I'll let them and not feel inadequate. However, I would have suggested the guy get out of the way when he propped above you to remove the booty.

Nick Kaz
24-Oct-2006
11:44:22 AM
On 24/10/2006 shiltz wrote:
>All climbing involves an element of risk. To a non-climber the experience
>of watching roped climbing is much like sydneymatt describes watching a
>solo climber. In contrast I find, as a climber, watching a solo climber
>does not particularly worry me. I get a lot more spooked watching a nervous
>leader who is obviously out of their depth.

True that, not many people solo outside their abilities.

Soloing ,generaly, is like walking on the edge of the freeway, keeping it to the side and you will be fine but crossing the white line is playing in heavy traffic. You don't that see many people on the side of the freeway, but the ones you do are rarely in the traffic.

BigMike
24-Oct-2006
11:52:48 AM
On 24/10/2006 Pommy wrote:
>But soloing above somebody else tied in on belay is a completly different
>matter.

The thing about soloing is that it's a confidence game. Soloists never work on the assumption that they're going to fall. This is why they don't see soloing above another climber as dangerous behaviour, because of course they're not going to fall...

I was in Thailand when BASE jumpers were leaping off the cliffs above the Tonsai overhang wall. There were heaps of people walking around on the beach etc, and then you'd hear a whoop and a big CRACK!, and look up to see some bloke had been plummeting towards you while you were unawares.

If he got it wrong - as BASE jumpers often do (eg yesterday's "Bridge Day" in the US) - he would have been a big meat bomb that could have killed anyone he hit.

But I didn't bother trying to mention to them in the pub later that they were putting others at risk, because, of course, nothing was ever going to go wrong...

nmonteith
24-Oct-2006
1:03:18 PM
I think Steve Kellys article about soloing in CRUX sums it up well!

BigMike
24-Oct-2006
1:11:07 PM
On 24/10/2006 nmonteith wrote:
>I think Steve Kellys article about soloing in CRUX sums it up well!

Did it have to do with bikinis?

muki
24-Oct-2006
1:25:25 PM
On 24/10/2006 nmonteith wrote:
I don't know anyone (personally)
who has had even a minor injury soloing.
Stefan glowacz once used to solo many routes,including the iconic katchoong, but alas for stefan a
well used and suposedly "solid" jug broke under a slight body weighting, he fell. and luckily only broke
his spine, I say luckily because he was able to recover from his injurys.but shite happens and can
happen to us all, it happened to me ,I was on Los Endos when after climbing for several meters to a
collection of large chalked jugs at the first gear placement,I had not placed the gear yet ,I grabed a
large well chalked jug and "snap"it and nearly I parted company from the face, if I had gone with it I
would have decked in the gully wich is not far down at that point. so choose to solo if you like, I have
many times, all very special moments for me , but watch your ass, cos as Ive said shite happens.
the bomb

Sabu
24-Oct-2006
1:25:25 PM
Yea i think this particular occurance was highly dangerous and outright irresponsible of the soloist. mpage would've been quite within his right to say something as his safety was without doubt at risk.
i mean he carried a rock in his pocket... WTF!!

in general i think soloists should have the manners to either: politely check if it's ok if they climb past or just avoid climbing routes that are taken by others.
Reguardless of whether or not soloing is a good thing, there are responsibilities to those around you which should be respected and also thats common with all forms of climbing, not just soloing.
gfdonc
24-Oct-2006
1:32:12 PM
Don't solo with a mobile phone in your pocket, either.

BigMike
24-Oct-2006
1:33:20 PM
On 24/10/2006 gfdonc wrote:
>Don't solo with a mobile phone in your pocket, either.
>

How else to call for a toprope when it starts to rain, you go off route, you don't fancy the next crux but can't reverse the last one, or you get The Fear...?


nmonteith
24-Oct-2006
1:41:27 PM
On 24/10/2006 bomber pro wrote:
>Stefan glowacz once used to solo many routes,including the iconic katchoong,
>but alas for stefan a
>well used and suposedly "solid" jug broke under a slight body weighting,
>he fell. and luckily only broke
>his spine, I say luckily because he was able to recover from his injurys.but
>shite happens and can
>happen to us all,

Although someone like Stefan is at the cutting edge of soloing and climbed full time! Peter Brock and
Steve Irwin come to mind - if you take high risks everyday as your job it will eventually catch up.

IdratherbeclimbingM9
24-Oct-2006
1:42:48 PM
On 24/10/2006 gfdonc wrote:
>Don't solo with a mobile phone in your pocket, either.
... & don't aid climb with UHF radios either ?

http://www.chockstone.org/Forum/Forum.asp?Action=Display&ForumID=2&MessageID=1374&Replies=18

Heh, heh, heh.
:)

mousey wrote 23/10/06;
>now i only solo very particular routes and spend a while preparing etc and the whole process is a lot more 'sacred' for want of a better word
A good post.
I see* you; ... as a certain indian tribe would say ...
(*I recognise your maturity brother).


HM33
24-Oct-2006
1:47:19 PM
here is an interesting article on 'decking whilst soloing'

http://climbing.com/exclusive/above/decking/


mousey
24-Oct-2006
1:51:19 PM
On 24/10/2006 gfdonc wrote:
>Don't solo with a mobile phone in your pocket, either.
>

normally that would be a good point, but had i not had a mobile phone in the pocket of some cargo pants while soloing in tassie i would probly not be here anymore...


i was somewhat 'off route'- i had just done a 110m rap off the organ pipes to get photos and was walking back on what i thought was a hardcore tasmanians excuse for a walking track to get to the top. well it had been raining so was all slippery & i had tevas on & a heavy camera bag slung over my shoulder. by the time i was horizontal in a flaring chicken-wings offwith and figuring out how to get through the large roof, i began to realise that it wsant a walking track. somehow this sudden realisation that i was well off the deck onsight soloing a hideous offwidth roof of unknown grade (in the rain with tevas on) caught me somewhat offguard & for the first time ever whilst soloing i lost my composure and caught myself only just short of panic. i managed to jam my entire leg into the back of the crack, but it was still too wide for my leg. i slipped down about half a foot in the slippery wet crack, and for a fraction of a split second i thought i was falling- i had time to think 'i wonder what my last thoughts should be'.
*ENTER THE POINT OF THE STORY* somehow the phone in my pocket seemed to slide in the way just at the right time & i managed to slip straight into a bomber thigh/nokia stack that allowed me to get almost hands free while i regained composure, looked down to realise that i was going to miss the ledge and fall 80 odd metres to the deck if i did fall, & then somehow i scampered/jammed/chickenwinged my way through this roof and did a crazy tevaheel-hook over a sketchy lookin boulder and matnled like ive never mantled before (since coming back from castle hill, anyway)
anyhow, thats my lunchtime story for you all, now get back to work

IdratherbeclimbingM9
24-Oct-2006
1:59:46 PM
Maybe this (above) experience is why ...
>whereas now i only solo very particular routes and spend a while preparing etc and the whole process is a lot more 'sacred' for want of a better word

... see comments above, (and in my post above that again).


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