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SteveW
Trad climber
The state of confusion
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Jul 23, 2014 - 02:51pm PT
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Mike
Great thread
I always remember the Doug Robinson treatise on clean climbing in
the Chouinard Catalog--
"Besides leaving alone what one cannot climb in good style, there
are some practical corollaries of boldness in free climbing. Learning to
climb down is valuable for retreating from a clean and bold place that
gets too airy. And having the humility to back off rather than continue
in bad style - - a thing well begun is not lost. The experience cannot
be taken away. By such a system there can never again be 'last great problems' but only 'next great problems.'"
When you're ready to go back up, you will, and you'll do it in style too.
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overwatch
climber
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Jul 23, 2014 - 03:11pm PT
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Isn't that route notoriously difficult to bail from once started? Maybe it was as simple as that. Nice write up
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Jul 23, 2014 - 05:12pm PT
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Mike,
Please do knott misunderstand me when you read the words I write below, but someone needs to say them to you. Please know that I speak these words out of love, respect and concern for you, and I want nothing more for you to succeed in climbing a big wall. I have helped countless people in both big and small ways succeed in their goal of climbing El Capitan. I am, after all, a Wall Doctor.
First of all, Mike - will you please answer the fukkin' question that you have seeminly avoided:
"Do you want to climb this mutherf*#k, or knott?!"
And I feel I have to ask a second question of you:
"Are you a pussy, or not?"
Please be truthful! And yes, I am intentionally trying to capture your attention. Quit beating around the damn bush, and tell us. You came here, you asked, you have balls to bear your heart.
But do you have enough balls to climb a big wall, that is scary and intimidating, but not really that hard??
Love,
Pete
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Mikemcee
Social climber
Mill Valley, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 24, 2014 - 08:49am PT
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Whoa, whoa Petey, you're going all Law and Order on me now.
Yes, I want to climb it however...my motive for getting on it was more based on it being what I saw as part of the process of climbing the captain and my obsession with facing my fears. Not sure if the caveat changes things but it certainly may have.
As far as being a pussy? I am not. And I gave it a lot of thought because, you know, thats kind of an important question.
Maybe it's as simple as the point Overwatch brings up which is also troubling. If the reason I walked away was because it's a hard wall to bail from...oh man, thats a bad can of worms.
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overwatch
climber
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Jul 24, 2014 - 09:14am PT
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To clarify my point, sh#t happens no matter how "easy" something is. Maybe your intuition was telling you something. I would chalk it up to that and just try it again. Maybe keep a stick clip in the bag, for bailing only, just for some mental reassurance?
Check out Andy Kirkpatrick blog for advice on withdrawing (not retreating) from overhanging walls. Some good stuff there. Being confident you can get down from anywhere on the wall will give you the confidence to press on.
I am sure I will be flamed for suggesting a stick clip but it is just a thought. You wouldn't be the first to carry one.
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