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Free Soloing Ethics?

trailridge · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 20

I agree this guy is way too sensitive to be a safe soloist, I would not want to climb underneath him. What if some wind just comes and it really pisses him off and he starts yelling how life is so unfair. I mean he is soloing how could nature do that. Or maybe a bird flies by and he gets filled with emotion and just starts crying at this beautiful display of nature.

trailridge · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 20

Yo Dre, NESteve has something to say,

Doug Hemken · · Madison, WI · Joined Oct 2004 · Points: 13,668

It's rude to pull up to the base of a route where another party is racking up, and begin hurriedly racking up without saying something to the first party.

We can't talk about falling, and possible risks? We can only climb by burying reality?

NESteve · · Westport, NY · Joined Aug 2015 · Points: 0

Fuck that I got the cool for soloing and all kinds of shit I bet the dude here who are worried about a soloest falling should go back to the GYM and be pussys there they dont have what it takes for real climbing

trailridge · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2012 · Points: 20

Damn, you are so boss! I need to get my lame ass out of the gym, so I can real rock climb, like a bad ass, on real rock with no rope. And knock out anybody that says I am not nearly as cool as I think. Word..

Marc801 C · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Feb 2014 · Points: 65
Seth Jones wrote: I'm not against a good ass whoopin if it's warranted but this is just stupid. You're gonna fight someone over a rude comment? I have to agree with others in that it doesn't sound like you have the cool to be a safe soloist.
Nah. He's just so insecure that he feels he has to constantly swing his dick on-line to prove how badass he is.
Bill Kirby · · Keene New York · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 480
Marc801 wrote: Nah. He's just so insecure that he feels he has to constantly swing his dick on-line to prove how badass he is.

And he's not from Lake Placid
Greg D · · Here · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 883

Its really not that complicated. I have been in both positions many times.

General climbing etiquette says whomever is at the base of the route first preparing to climb has the right of way, solo or roped. If she was hoping to pass, she should ask to do so. You can oblige or deny her request. You could simply say "I'm not comfortable with you climbing above us". She can respect your wish or not.

Or you could say "Go ahead. You're probably going to move a lot faster than us. Have fun!"

Soloist do fall on occasion. And, in one case that I know of in Eldo about 10 years ago, a soloist fell and landed on a roped leader. The roped leader suffered shoulder injuries. The soloist was uninjured. Then there's the other example mentioned up thread about the soloist falling in front of people mourning the loss of their family member on the route two weeks prior.

I do solo above others and I let soloist climb above me. But, not in every situation.

IT DEPENDS!

Greg D · · Here · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 883

^^^^ Really? Advertising mid thread?

The Blueprint Part Dank · · FEMA Region VIII · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 460
Greg D wrote:^^^^ Really? Advertising mid thread?
is that realistically any less productive than the past few pages of comments though?
Greg D · · Here · Joined Apr 2006 · Points: 883

Good point.

Freddy Brewster · · Humboldt, Ca · Joined Jul 2010 · Points: 40

^^^^
my point exactly

Zac St Jules · · New Hampshire · Joined Dec 2013 · Points: 1,188
Max McKee wrote:I would say it's pretty fucked up to even mention falling to somebody about to attempt a free solo. I would be pissed off too!!!
This statement seams strange to me ^

If you're about to solo something, and someone saying "the wrong" thing to you can cause you to blow it on the climb, shouldn't you not be soloing?

I solo occasionally, mostly on ice, and if someone saying something to me is enough to cause me to freak out, then I dont belong up there soloing.
Zac St Jules · · New Hampshire · Joined Dec 2013 · Points: 1,188
John Tex wrote:It's not so much about messing up headspace as it's just plain rude. I don't think anyone said that they solo and a comment like that would mess them up or endanger them. If they did I missed it. And if they said that then everyone's right, they shouldn't be soloing. But who said that? It's just that it's plain rude. I would say 50% of the time that someone solos the first flatiron, someone says something just like that to them. It doesn't ruin a day, it certainly shouldn't make anyone more prone to falling, it just is pure haterade. And in my experience, everyone who has said something like that to me is either WAY overracked, crazy slow, or just plain incompetent, or a touron on the ground. I just had someone about 20 feet to my side (I was passing far right on similar terrain as to not have to be anywhere near the party) raise his voice to where the whole crag could hear him and say "I could do that whenever, I'm just not an idiot. I enjoy my life." I've had multiple comments just like that and it sounds like many others have had the same. In my opinion it just bleeds insecurity.
I may have made the assumption that that was what was being said. But I think that is a fair assumption since this is a thread about soloing, not about other styles of climbing. Much of the tone of this thread is "youre an asshole for saying that to someone about to solo." If nobody is suggesting what I had assumed they were suggesting, than why is the last part of my quoted sentence even included (the "to someone about to solo"). If what you are saying is the case, that the OP is just rude but not because the person was about to solo, than why does it matter that the person is soloing or not? Folks are definitely ragging on the OP because he said it to a soloist, and so I still feel like if a comment like that effects them, they shouldn't be soloing, I know you agree I just wanted to expand.
rob bauer · · Golden, CO · Joined Dec 2004 · Points: 3,929

Welcome to the show!

So, you wanted some "thoughts" from our community. Apparently, this is quite thought provoking indeed. After 2 days you have 4154 page views. (Your closest contributor 2 days ago only has 2911 views!) 86 posted comments. By my count, 23 thought you were an ass, 32 thought the soloist was an ass, and 31 posts were either balanced thoughts, witty sniping at each others' comments, or I couldn't tell what. That's pretty good.

I wonder what the other folks said to her? You probably got what she wishes she'd said earlier.

(I once had a woman threaten to push me off for soloing up to her belay ledge. She screamed wildly and didn't want me anywhere around, much less above her party. I was forced to climb around her on much tougher ground. She was scared I think. Another time I had to dodge a water bottle.) Anyhow, general etiquette applies, and the soloist should have said something since you were there first. Maybe next time the ice-breaker should be "Nice weather, eh?" (Though sarcasm would have worked on me.)

That's 33 who thought she was wrong.

gjmike · · grand junction · Joined Dec 2012 · Points: 5
s.price wrote:Leave the negative crap on MP.
Fixed.
Bill M · · Fort Collins, CO · Joined Jun 2010 · Points: 317

Typically we just discuss logistics about when and where they should pass. I make an extra effort to stay out of the way.

Marc801 C · · Sandy, Utah · Joined Feb 2014 · Points: 65
s.price wrote:The headspace could be as simple as not feeling like talking at the moment. She may have been deep into a training session and was truly in the Zone. Those who have experienced that sort of trance can relate.
Soloing a popular 5.7 at freakin' Lumpy Ridge on a weekend?
If she is that easily jarred out of her headspace and zone, she should:
1. reconsider soloing
2. pick someplace less popular/populated - like somewhere where she's, you know, solo.
3. reconsider soloing, especially around other people.

Yeah, not the smartest statement by the OP, but the responsibility here is 75% or more on the soloist.
Clif Clap · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2013 · Points: 862
ElGringo wrote: We only know the OP's side to this story and with that said he got off lightly.
Sorry dude but I find it pretty entertaining that you said the OP got off lightly. By the sounds of it he got berated pretty good so what more could she realistically have done? Attack him with a rock? Take a shit in his chalk bag? Call his mother a ho?
Ball · · Oakridge, OR · Joined Jan 2010 · Points: 70
Marc801 wrote: Soloing a popular 5.7 at freakin' Lumpy Ridge on a weekend? If she is that easily jarred out of her headspace and zone, she should: 1. reconsider soloing 2. pick someplace less popular/populated - like somewhere where she's, you know, solo. 3. reconsider soloing, especially around other people. Yeah, not the smartest statement by the OP, but the responsibility here is 75% or more on the soloist.
She wasn't jarred, she was POed because it's obviously happened more than once and for no good reason.

How about we let the free soloers gauge their own abilities and choke on your peanuts instead of throwing them.
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

Colorado
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