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| Messages 1 - 17 of total 17 in this topic |
Ain't no flatlander
climber
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 5, 2006 - 10:20am PT
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Been reading Walter Bonatti's book, On The Heights. That dude was bad ass!
When he soloed the Bonatti Pillar, he keeps mentioning using what he calls System Z for belaying(?) off his haul bag. But he never describes it. Anybody out there have an idea of what he was using and how he was rigging it?
PS it's interesting to compare his chapter on K2 to Lacadelli's new book. What a nightmare expedition, yet they pulled it off. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
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cintune
climber
Penn's Woods
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Well, yeah, just replace the "fallen climber" with the bag. What else could it mean?
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Brian in SLC
Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
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PS it's interesting to compare his chapter on K2 to Lacadelli's new book.
K2 The Price of Conquest.
Had a chance to meet Lino Lacedelli in Cortina back in September. He signed a couple books for me. Pretty cool. Still seems in good health and spirits.
-Brian in SLC
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Ain't no flatlander
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 5, 2006 - 12:20pm PT
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Here are a few excerpts:
"In actual fact the previous morning among the strange manuevers to assure my own safety which I improvised as the occassion demanded I had found one in which the sack had a very important part to play ad from then onward I did not advance a foot without making use of this system, which I shall call 'System Z.'"
"Then I drove in a piton, attached the sack to it and, after adopting my "System Z" for self-presevation, I tried and tried again to master an overhang on which I should have continued in free climbing."
"Then I came to the end of the rope; to stop was impossible, so without hesitation I again made use of the "System Z" to secure myself, tripling the amount of rope at my disposal and continued my way upward. Ten feet farther on, the rope got caught and stopped me suddenly. I was panting like a dying man so great was my effort and my desperation...."
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cintune
climber
Penn's Woods
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Huh. Guess some of the accomplished soloists will have to figure that one out. He's either A) Using "Z" to describe the path of the rope, attached to himself and the bag, which might be a counterweight or something, or 2) Using "Z" as in "last letter=last resort." Or both.
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cintune
climber
Penn's Woods
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bump. Been wondering about this all day, now. No one?
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cintune
climber
Penn's Woods
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aw, c'mon...
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marcussi
Trad climber
verona italy
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Dec 28, 2009 - 07:34am PT
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I know this is a very late reply :-), and probably you guys have already worked out what Bonatti's selfbelay Z system was, but here's my 2 cents, taken from what I've read and other climbers' guesses: lower end of rope attached to belay pitons, runs to harness and then goes back to belay system, to go back up to shoulder and finally to rucksack where the rest of the rope lays. In case of fall the sheer resistance posed by the "Z" path of the rope, and the additional action on the shouldered portion of rope ensures some safety. Obvioulsy this systems means that a 60 mt rope only allows for 20 mts range, after which you'll have to redo it if you have a good protection.
Cheers
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Dec 28, 2009 - 08:52am PT
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I think marcussi has it.
Note how Bonatti "triples" the amount of rope. I suspect he just pulled the extra rope through the lower anchor to extend it.
Italians have showed themselves to be remarkable soloists.
BITD people like Maestri (yeah thats right Ceasare Maestri), Emilio Comici, Marco Pedrini, as well as Walter Bonatti have done incredible mind blowing solos.
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Dec 28, 2009 - 10:39am PT
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Fascinating, but I don't get it at all. How 'bout a picture or sketch?
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Ain't no flatlander
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 28, 2009 - 11:41am PT
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Pretty sure the system is anchored by very large cajones made of steel. Not sure if it would work in this era of sport climbers.
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Ray Olson
Trad climber
Imperial Beach, California
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Dec 28, 2009 - 01:10pm PT
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remember wondering the exact same thing when I read his
book, too...
have a hard time imagining how it would/did work...
he "runs out of rope" and "uses the system-z"
do I have that basically right?
interesting.
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cintune
climber
The Utility Muffin Research Kitchen
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Jan 19, 2014 - 12:48am PT
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[Click to View YouTube Video]
A little hard to see, but maybe some clues here. Wonder if he reenacted this afterward or if it was filmed on the onsight.
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Ian Parsons
climber
UK, England
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Jan 19, 2014 - 08:39am PT
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Italians have showed themselves to be remarkable soloists.
To be slightly pedantic, Pedrini was actually Swiss. Messner, on the other hand, is Italian - which adds considerable strength to your argument!
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| Messages 1 - 17 of total 17 in this topic |
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