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yo
climber
NOT Fresno
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jan 31, 2005 - 05:50pm PT
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* fast: adv./adj.: not super F-ing slow like usually happens. Results may vary.
Just a thing that interests me, thought I'd start a little beta spraydown (hahahah, nature.) Clustiere and I recently done good in Zion, getting up some trade routes in a day solo. Not superhuman, just plugging away. I know Ammon and Chris Mac have blitzed some stuff solo. It'd be cool if they chimed in.
A few things I've learned:
1. Get your systems down. This means whatever aider/daisy/fifi/whatever thing you do. Duh. Know how to aid climb. But also belay, I use a Grigri mostly, which I find plenty fast for mostly aid walls. I have a Silent Partner but don't use it much. This also means (probably mostly means) figure out your rope management situation. Rope buckets are a must. I do one clove backup with the rest of the rope stringing back to the bag. I have a buddy who swears by a little backpack with the rope flaked inside. Don't know; never tried it.
2. Step up. Only pusses hang down in their third steps. Get high and you might do 60 placements a pitch instead of 80, which means you get up in 1:30 instead of 2:00. Repeat over four or five pitches and that's some serious time.
3. Stretch pitches. I did Moonlight because the beta is good and the pitches are long (6 with a 60m). You can spend your whole life dicking around setting up and breaking down belays. I know Chris Mac on LF (?) had a 70 and Ammon did something on Spaceshot that was similar, like setting up his own belays or something. So I've heard.
4. Leave all your shizzle on the ground. I went with a two liter Camelbak, couple Snickers, headlamp, hat and jacket, in a little pack I jugged with. It's not that brave--I would've rapped in a second if things went south. "But maybe I'll need a hammock and a bivy sack...just in case." Yeah, and maybe you'll end up bivying in both of them. Wouldn't that be sweet.
5. Free out. Yeah, well, it'd be fast, wouldn't it? Too bad I'm only good for about 5.4 solo.
6. Pace yourself. Slow and steady, my friends. It's not speedclimbing, it's EFFICIENT climbing, right? A little deydration or nightfall never killed anybody. Actually, I guess it has, but it probably won't be you.
7. Talk to yourself. I was doing the "Sweeeeeeeet" dude from the Dodge truck commercials, which would've annoyed a partner all to hell. Also, listen to something in the car right before hand that will stick in your head and annoy the sh#t out of you. Like Bad Religion. (I'm sorry, about the sun. I'm sorry, something-something...) Try 12 hours of that all by your lonesome.
Intrepid solo adventures to all! Sweeeeeeeeeeeeet!
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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Jan 31, 2005 - 05:56pm PT
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nice dude,
question...
did you wear the rack while cleaning and re-rack while moving,
or rack at the belays?
I allwats feel like dicking aorund with the rack eats alot of time.
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nature
climber
Flagstaff, AZ
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Jan 31, 2005 - 06:05pm PT
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"beta spraydown" - the day it makes it into Webster's is the day I take a bow for that one.
carry on....
"Leave the shizzle on the ground.". Geee... now you got me thinking I need to unpack the iPod. And to think swapping out lite-d's for neutrinos just saved me at least the 5.6oz weight of the "boom box".
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yo
climber
NOT Fresno
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 31, 2005 - 06:07pm PT
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Yeah, I wear the harness all the time and rerack all anal whilst cleaning. (One set Aliens each side going little to big, then nuts, then Friends, spare biners on harness, whatever your deal is.) Seemed to help. If you don't, after a pitch or two the rack is a trainwreck.
If you leave the superfat chick on the ground you'll go way faster too. Heehee.
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Spinmaster K-Rove
Trad climber
Stuck Under the Kor Roof
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Jan 31, 2005 - 06:09pm PT
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I have a hard time racking while cleaning simply because it is awkward and takes more energy a lot of time, at least on steep stuff. I find I move a little faster if I can take a couple at belays and just relax, grab a gulp of water and not be stressed. I'm no solo-speed master though...
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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Jan 31, 2005 - 06:11pm PT
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I mostly just want to get the damn rack off as soon as possible, and hate jugging with it. so I ussualy leave it at the belay and re-rack after cleaning, but it probly wastes a little time.
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Blowboarder
Boulder climber
Sandpoint, Idaho
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Jan 31, 2005 - 06:16pm PT
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If you leave the superfat chick on the ground you'll go way faster too. Heehee.
Screw that (no pun intendre), I wanna take that super fat chick out to Jtree and sit her down on that rock underneath the crux of White Rastafarian.
Talk about the super cush spot.
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StyMingersfink
climber
the 51st state.... denial
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Jan 31, 2005 - 07:09pm PT
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bring the flowers.. err, flour.
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Ammon
Big Wall climber
The Mountains
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Jan 31, 2005 - 08:42pm PT
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Yo,
You nailed some really good points. Yes, I passed up belays on Spaceshot and made my own in the middle of a few. This was for two different reasons.
One: I passed two parties on the route and didn't want to share the belay.
Two: I had more rope left and didn't think it was necessary to stop just because that's where the fixed anchors were.
Every climb I approach a little bit different. On long routes I actually haul a light bag when I get to the belay. Yep, the old Fi attached to the bolt trick, it works pretty well.
On a shorter route like Spaceshot I carry a light back-pack but very rarely carry it on my back. Instead I use a sling and hang it below my feet.
I usually leave my gear rack at the belay when I rap down to clean. I use two shoulder length slings, one for biners and one for gear. When I clean I'm VERY orderly with how I rack. When I get to the belay I throw my gear rack on..... and throw the two shoulder lengths on top. I don't stop at the belay and rack, instead just pull the gear off the slings first. They are usually empty by the time I get to the next anchor.
That's about all I can think of for now.
Good job on Moonlight!!!
Cheers-
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clustiere
Trad climber
running springs, ca
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if you climb to the end or near the end of your line (or pull the slack through) on the silent partner you can rig the rope so that you don't have to redo the whole system. basicallt head out get to anchor pull slick through till a few feet from end tye end then yer ready to head off again with out re doing the silent partner (only taking off and putting on) does this make sence???
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david_webb_aus
Big Wall climber
Canberra Australia
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Yo that a great post. I have learnt from what was in it. Awesome pics while you were on the climb. Got any more.
Cheers
Dave
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bob
Trad climber
dallas
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I've been working out my systems to solo my first wall this spring, but haven't been able to find any really traversing pitches at my crag to play on. y'all have any advice on how to clean and haul these types of pitches most efficiently? thanks
also, any haulbag preferences? I've only used metolius and would like anyone's thoughts on other brands.
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yo
climber
NOT Fresno
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Topic Author's Reply - Feb 2, 2005 - 11:47am PT
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bob, in a standard solo deal you'll just rap the haul line, drag yourself back into the belay, release the bag (either reattach it to the middle of the haul line and lower out with the tail; or, what I do, have a 50' piece of say 6mm on the bag at all times as dedicated lower out) then jug.
Hmmmm, clustiere, yeah, so you basically just switch ends of the clove hitch coming off the SP? I may have to dig that thing out again. The clutch catches both ways, I guess, huh? Like I know what I'm talkin about, I are a reelee smart engineer.
Ammon, how's that work when you counterlower with a really light bag? How do you keep from rocketing to the belay? (I once watched this insane Belgian dude on the Dawn Wall solo like that, he had hardly any stuff with him and he looked headed for a big sufferfest but he was super fast.)
Webby, if you want more pics, mate, you'll have to get out here and take em yourself. Hop on one of those RAAF jets.
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Blowboarder
Boulder climber
Sandpoint, Idaho
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When I clean I'm VERY orderly with how I rack. When I get to the belay I throw my gear rack on..... and throw the two shoulder lengths on top. I don't stop at the belay and rack, instead just pull the gear off the slings first.
Ammon, great point. I don't rope solo but this is my prefered gear handling technique for multi pitch trad climbing, either swinging leads or simulclimbing. I figure it saves at least an hour every four or five pitches. Course it only works if your partner uses the same system and cleaning is orderly like you say.
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