Deep Bush Soloing vs. Tree Branch Soloing

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Messages 1 - 48 of total 48 in this topic
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
Topic Author's Original Post - Aug 6, 2014 - 11:13am PT
Deep Bush Soloing or DBS is the practice of soloing above a thick bed of bushes in the hopes that the bushes will soften a possible fall.

Tree Branch Soloing (TBS), on the other hand, is purported to be a more narrow definition. Purists of DBS will say these are distinct sports. 'TBS is to DBS, is as aid climbing is to bouldering.'

Some assert that DBS started in Northern California with its deep and lush foliage. Others say the origin story of DBS came from the underthicket approaches endemic to the Escondido regions.

Legendary tree grabs like the Yabo hug on Castle Rock Proper come to mind.

What is your earliest recollection of a bush save from a route or problem?

What classic saves can you recall or heard about?

Water is for wooses!

PsicoBush Comp 2015!!! Sponsors are scoping locations as we speak. The Mallorca of Bush Soloing, ShutEye, is a front runner.

DBS is being looked at by many as a way to end the 'pad lightly' controversy by removing the pad and getting back to pure bouldering and soloing roots. <-- routes, get it!

It's an exciting time for DBS.


I can recall a bouldering fall that landed in the deep pine needle landings of the Eastern Side, but a true living bush save, has eluded me.

Long Live the "Scratchy Catch"!!!
kaholatingtong

Trad climber
Nevada City
Aug 6, 2014 - 11:15am PT
what about SLS( snow landing soloing) ?
or DSS perhaps? (deep snow soloing)
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 6, 2014 - 11:17am PT
whoa whoa whoa! Lets just stay on topic here!

Next thing you know we'll be talking about Drunk Geranium Aid climbing.


:)
drljefe

climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
Aug 6, 2014 - 11:21am PT
When I was elementary school age I would jump from my roof(+-18ft) into the bushes to test the theory.
It worked.
kaholatingtong

Trad climber
Nevada City
Aug 6, 2014 - 11:22am PT
sorry, ADD acting up again, what can I say. well, the only time trees ever caught me was when I was climbing up them in the first place. My understanding of these landings is they are more psychological protection than anything, but perhaps that's just me, based on the supposed legendary exploits of others ...
snakefoot

climber
Nor Cal
Aug 6, 2014 - 11:29am PT
for some reason, this makes me think of the route crawdaddies in flight (or something like that) at the leap...
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 6, 2014 - 11:39am PT
applying the theory to the practice in DBS is a long apprenticeship. Most get out of the game early on.

I mean, do you really know what is below that layer of manzanita?
Captain...or Skully

climber
in the oil patch...Fricken Bakken, that's where
Aug 6, 2014 - 11:46am PT
If you make it through that layer of manzanita, you've got bigger problems to worry about.
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 6, 2014 - 12:34pm PT
silver missile yuccas? oh my
Michelle

Social climber
1187 Hunterwasser
Aug 6, 2014 - 12:56pm PT
It has crossed my mind although not the trees. I'm more of a deep snow soloist myself.
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 6, 2014 - 01:56pm PT
Deep Snow is like Deep Bush Soloing, since there are crevasse like features under the first layer.


Probably the worst DBS plant to land in would be Chinquapin.
pb

Sport climber
Sonora Ca
Aug 6, 2014 - 02:15pm PT
I watched my buddy fall backwards into whitethorn. It worked to break his fall, but I didn't try it. The Iceberg was guarded by so much Green-leaf manzanita we felt compelled to retreat through the summit.
goatboy smellz

climber
लघिमा
Aug 6, 2014 - 04:01pm PT
Bushes and trees sound sketchy, now deep powder is another animal.

[Click to View YouTube Video]
karodrinker

Trad climber
San Jose, CA
Aug 6, 2014 - 04:23pm PT
Snow is easy, DBS is for those willing to push the bounds of what's possible. Only the most epicest among us will DBS.

In fact, I'm going to go find a sweet hedge to fall into right now.
goatboy smellz

climber
लघिमा
Aug 6, 2014 - 04:29pm PT
Do hippy chicks with bushes count?
Toker Villain

Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
Aug 6, 2014 - 04:48pm PT
Every year the number of us that climbed the rotten log on Royal Arches gets fewer. I wonder which we'll run out of first, log climbers or Korean War veterans.
Michelle

Social climber
1187 Hunterwasser
Aug 6, 2014 - 06:41pm PT
I would think poison oak would be the worst.
karodrinker

Trad climber
San Jose, CA
Aug 6, 2014 - 07:43pm PT
Poison oak is a vine, not a bush. Provides virtually no protection from a fall.
Michelle

Social climber
1187 Hunterwasser
Aug 6, 2014 - 08:12pm PT
I should have been more specific, any brush surrounded by the dread po.
neebee

Social climber
calif/texas
Aug 6, 2014 - 09:12pm PT
hey there say, mungeclimber... say, now this was very interesting and different, :)


lots of neat shares here, too, and such...


yep--i'd have to agree, karodrinker... poison oak = not good,
as, my mom sure told me that, ;)

edit:
nice edit, michelle, :)
Climberdude

Trad climber
Fresno, CA
Aug 6, 2014 - 09:20pm PT
I do not know whether Pinnacles remote climbs or Shuteye climbs take the gold medal for deep bush soloing, but at both locations I have been forced to jump from rocks into unknown bushes in my approach. You just hope that all branches are pointing downward rather than up. If you are in Shuteye on an "approach" and cannot find cairns or lose track of them, then you known you are in for at least one deep bush solo.
clinker

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, California
Aug 6, 2014 - 09:28pm PT
into unknown bushes in my approach

Munge has brought the conversation to this.

Flattened chaparral, now I know who, some Climberdude.
msiddens

Trad climber
Aug 6, 2014 - 09:47pm PT
Yeah munge I admit, I read this and straight to the crotch I went, my mind that is. I mean come on, deep bush soloing, no pro and all? I'll stop now....
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 6, 2014 - 10:12pm PT
This is legit!

Cruxing over bushes!
NutAgain!

Trad climber
South Pasadena, CA
Aug 7, 2014 - 04:36am PT
I thought deep bush soloing might be something like what Em is doing here:

Or le_bruce is doing here:
justthemaid

climber
Jim Henson's Basement
Aug 7, 2014 - 06:03am PT
The Manzanita catch is definitely NOT for pussies.^^^

The rhododendron thickets of the south come to mind for a softer landing. Chigger bites are a bonus!
karodrinker

Trad climber
San Jose, CA
Aug 7, 2014 - 07:59pm PT
Good suggestion justthemaid, worth a trip just for a soft bush! I've recently planted some nice boxwood hedges under some of the high balls and sport routes at castle rock, gonna be so epic when they grow out a bit! DBS for life!
clinker

Trad climber
Santa Cruz, California
Aug 7, 2014 - 08:45pm PT
Not in vogue.
Ghost

climber
A long way from where I started
Aug 7, 2014 - 09:19pm PT
There are valleys in BC's Coast Range where you can spend hours sweating through slide alder without having your feet ever touch the ground.
Spider Savage

Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
Aug 7, 2014 - 09:33pm PT
Um... So if the highball in question lacks bush, is it okay to cut and stack bush instead of a pad pile?


Does anyone have a list of Yose highballs with trees as spotters??
karodrinker

Trad climber
San Jose, CA
Aug 7, 2014 - 10:41pm PT
If cutting and stacking, I prefer to find old growth junipers like Joe Kinder, they make a nice thick landing zone until they die off and get too scratchy.
ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber
extraordinaire
Aug 7, 2014 - 10:49pm PT
... Yose highballs with trees as spotters?
http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/1183231/Body-found-in-tree-near-Absolutely-Free
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
Topic Author's Reply - Aug 7, 2014 - 10:55pm PT
DBS should be distinguished from the dreaded BM.

Bush mountaineering is dangerous business. Some think it's the shit!


karodrinker

Trad climber
San Jose, CA
Aug 7, 2014 - 11:47pm PT
BITCH with the win! Ouch.
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 2, 2015 - 06:49pm PT
Scratch Catch bump
climbski2

Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
Jun 2, 2015 - 06:57pm PT
Deep snow soloing works pretty well.
Ksolem

Trad climber
Monrovia, California
Jun 2, 2015 - 07:09pm PT
I soloed a route in Josh I had no business doing rope-less. I deluded myself into thinking that if I biffed it I could land in this tree. About halfway up I looked down at said tree and realized the insanity of this proposition.

Water is probably okay to a certain height, I've jumped from a bridge into a river from about 60 ft. Not much but you'd better not flop it. Deep snow? Hmm. Trees, brush? Forget about it.

Did a tree slow Lynn Hill's fall at Boux?
ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber
extraordinaire
Jun 2, 2015 - 07:33pm PT
Deep Bush Soloing
Today one of my bosses was referring to lesbians as a rug munchers.
healyje

Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
Jun 2, 2015 - 07:46pm PT
In the mid '70s we bouldered a roof route with a twenty-three foot fall at the crux. My partner and I each took 25 rides into a 12' high linear pile of leaves which ran under the length of the roof. Finally stuck it on the 26th go and the route is called 'Leaves of the Failing Faith'. But then I suppose that would be 'Deep Leaf Soloing' (DLS).
Ed Hartouni

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
Jun 2, 2015 - 08:54pm PT
refer to the descent off the Cupcake boulder at Vedawoo

not sure what the option is once the tree goes...
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 2, 2015 - 09:09pm PT
healyje, this is the first reported instance of Deep Leaf Soloing!

solid work!
MisterE

Gym climber
Being In Sierra Happy Of Place
Jun 2, 2015 - 09:17pm PT
Great thread, Munge - missed this the first time.
tripmind

Boulder climber
San Diego
Jun 2, 2015 - 10:06pm PT
Oh yes the "Fall once, climb once" school of thought. Love it
Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber
Out Of Bed
Jun 2, 2015 - 10:10pm PT
Munge, your photos are great,

Plants that cause a skin eruption are the biggest pain






Those waterfalls






inspiring!
Mungeclimber

Trad climber
Nothing creative to say
Topic Author's Reply - Jun 2, 2015 - 10:18pm PT
thx Gnome

couldn't agree more on the evil plant rating adjustment.

DBS++
healyje

Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
Jun 3, 2015 - 12:26am PT
Found it:

OR

Trad climber
Jun 3, 2015 - 06:40am PT
Hhahaha I love Nuts Manzanita pics. I remember the Manzanita swim technique. Too thick to walk through so you swim on top with feet never touching the ground. Brutal
kev

climber
A pile of dirt.
Jun 3, 2015 - 06:50am PT
Late one night (well 2AM might be early one morning) I had a nice Manzanita catch on Chimps in Negligee at CRSP.

A great TBS route is Leaning Tower Traverse.
Messages 1 - 48 of total 48 in this topic
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