Would You Climb In This Style?

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Messages 1 - 17 of total 17 in this topic
COT

climber
Door Number 3
Topic Author's Original Post - Jan 18, 2017 - 10:15pm PT
http://m.epictv.com/video/climbing-big-wall/claim-freedom-episode-1-gareth-leah-bigwallintotheclouds

I enjoyed the video, the sense of adventure and psyche of the climbers, but the trad climber in me had trouble seeing them drill bolts near what looked like decent gear placements. I have no idea about the rock quality of course (part looked real chossy).

When the fate of the expedition rested on repairing the battery powered drill, so they could use their generator to recharge and continue bolting up the wall, I must admit I started to lose interest.

If they were just trying to aid to the top, maybe they would have used different techniques. But when the leader looked scared, as he stood up on the big bolt he had just placed while standing on the ground, I had to wonder?

Anyways, I am pretty bold and condescending of other peoples chosen style of climbing while drinking my coffee in front of the screen here :)

Any thoughts?


edited for sp
Jon Beck

Trad climber
Oceanside
Jan 18, 2017 - 10:33pm PT
Is 1k feet a bigwall?
healyje

Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
Jan 18, 2017 - 10:41pm PT
Visiting exotic locales and bolting them - it's the very definition of adventure.
Clint Cummins

Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
Jan 18, 2017 - 10:45pm PT
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pico_C%C3%A3o_Grande
http://dmmclimbing.com/news/2016/06/big-wall-ascent-sao-tome/
http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13201213866/Pico-Co-Grande-Nubivagant (from the thread kunlun_shan linked)
kunlun_shan

Mountain climber
SF, CA
Jan 18, 2017 - 10:47pm PT
Its a climb from this thread:

http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=1664512 - Pico Cão Grande
thebravecowboy

climber
The Good Places
Jan 19, 2017 - 07:50am PT
I'm with DMT. Anything that starts with googling.....
Jaybro

Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
Jan 19, 2017 - 08:14am PT
I have no problem with the style. The bolting could very well be appropriate. But it's a weird video in that it's all about the bolting, only the last few minutes show any free climbing.

Definitely looks like an adventure though.
Spider Savage

Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
Jan 19, 2017 - 08:18am PT
No. I would not climb in this style.

The film seems to show the climbers leaning heavily on their power drill.


Looks like another "compressor" route to me.



Anyone up for going to climb this in better style?
looks easy from here

climber
Ben Lomond, CA
Jan 19, 2017 - 08:25am PT
5.13d? No, I wouldn't climb that in any style. ;)

Beautiful spire, beautiful setting, but as others have said, some of the editing decisions on the video detected from the vicarious adventure.
Al Barkamps

Social climber
Red Stick
Jan 19, 2017 - 09:01am PT
BFD....in 50 years, that thing will be under water.
mouse from merced

Trad climber
The finger of fate, my friends, is fickle.
Jan 19, 2017 - 10:14am PT
Hell no. Talk to Ed Cooper.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
Jan 19, 2017 - 10:20am PT
They bolted it because they're sane. Only a crankloonette would stick her fingers in those
unseen nooks and crannies to climb that pile.
couchmaster

climber
Jan 19, 2017 - 05:27pm PT


Got to see the world and put in some hard work. Good on the lads. Their gear looked brand new. Wonder if they got some sponsorship thing going.

couchmaster

climber
Jan 19, 2017 - 05:32pm PT



Oh, and to answer Dave Anderson's first question; sure. I have, in worse style, recently. Very recently. Living in a glass house means no tossing rocks.
nature

climber
Boulder, CO
Jan 19, 2017 - 06:16pm PT
great video. great adventure.

I'd never wish to suffer like that so no, I wouldn't climb in that style.

But they looked like they had one hell of a time. Going out and having a grand adventure VS armchair bitching about their style. I'll take the former every time.

Some really sweet drone footage in there as well.
COT

climber
Door Number 3
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 20, 2017 - 01:09am PT
I guess I was looking at the style in two opposite ways. One, the climb is really not that different than trying to free the Dawn Wall; or Two the climb is just bolting some choss to free the line that no one will do again. I guess my view lies somewhere in between. Thanks to those who gave their opinion.

couchmaster

climber
Jan 24, 2017 - 09:01am PT
Re: "when the leader looked scared, as he stood up on the big bolt he had just placed while standing on the ground". I think that's just the video work. Later in the vid, dude is clipping the first bolt to try the free ascent and it looks like the first bolt got drilled high up from a mini-tower, it's pretty high and not a place to boff. The tower is not close to the main wall and looks like a stretch to get over (for short folks). That kind of thing, drilling while balancing ontop of a pillar off the deck while stretched out, is difficult and a lot of work.
Messages 1 - 17 of total 17 in this topic
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