solo attempt on space shot

Yo peeps!
I am thinking I am gonna go try to solo spaceshot next month. Looking for any beta on the upper pitches mainly the two before earth orbit and the descent. I have been on the route before but not up onto the headwall.
Any info or words of encouragment would be cool. This will be my first wall solo so I am pretty siked on the attempt.
Cheerios!

Is there a reason you are yelling?

John J. Glime wrote:Is there a reason you are yelling?

Is there a reason you have K.Y. jelly rubbed all over your chest in your photo? :-)

You must be one of those sensative folks that thinks all caps means your being belittled.
SORRY!

The two pitches before Earth Orbit are super straight forward for aid climbing and pretty moderate (5.10) for free climbing. It's just a bunch of leap frogging cams. Enjoy. It seems to be a great solo.

Michael Schneiter wrote:The two pitches before Earth Orbit are super straight forward for aid climbing and pretty moderate (5.10) for free climbing. It's just a bunch of leap frogging cams. Enjoy. It seems to be a great solo.

Thanks for the beta Michael. and for not thinking im yelling :)

I have heard it is a great solo aswell. We shall see.
Cheers,

#2 camalots

Get yourself a good rope bag such as the Fish Snake Charmer. They make rope management while soloing a dream.

ropebag

Triple set of cams, couple sets of wires, some offsets, small tricams and you should be fine.

Otherwise kept systems as simple as possible and have fun. Big wall soloing is a blast.

Here's a funny story from a friend who tried to solo the route a number of years ago. He thought he would pull off a night solo during July's hot temperatures. When he started up at 9 P.M. it was still 96 degrees. His plan was to free solo the first three pitches to the base of the headwall. Topping out on the ledge below the headwall he tried to mantle but his rope, trailed behind him, seemed to have snagged on something and offered great resistance. He pressed really hard, trying to make the final mantle. Harder and harder he pressed as the rope stretched against him. Suddenly, the force was released and he promptly stood on the ledge. He had just enough time to train his headlamp on the rope as it whipped through space and into the bushes below. The rope was clipped to one of his gear loops, not the full strength loop on the back of his Yates big wall harness. The gear loop ripped out, depositing all of its contents, including the rope. Certainly a lesson in the strength of gear loops.

After down soloing to retrieve his rope, two pitches below, and then re-soloing to the base of the headwall, he sat there, dripping in sweat in the 96 degree heat. He looked down at his car and thought of his girlfriend, waiting for him at camp, and made the rappels.

I get a kick out of that story. SAL, I'm sure your solo will go much better.

Also check out the piece in climbing mag 180 by Kathy Dicker. Its a classic wall solo story.

SAL wrote: Is there a reason you have K.Y. jelly rubbed all over your chest in your photo? :-) You must be one of those sensative folks that thinks all caps means your being belittled. SORRY!

1st, that isn't KY ;) did you miss the fluffer part?

2nd, I don't feel belittled, the way you titled the thread, I was expecting you to be announcing to the world that you were planning a free solo, not a 5.8 C2 aid solo... but now that you put it out there in caps, be sure to update us with a trip report.

John J. Glime wrote: 1st, that isn't KY ;) did you miss the fluffer part? 2nd, I don't feel belittled, the way you titled the thread, I was expecting you to be announcing to the world that you were planning a free solo, not a 5.8 C2 aid solo... but now that you put it out there in caps, be sure to update us with a trip report.

:) all smiles.
1. I never look that closely to photos men with thier shirts off. MOst likely the banner said somthing just as bad as your greasy chest :)
2. I work in all caps. Plus it stands out. I post for beta. If you want a response, take it to the limit. No one will miss my post that way and I will recieve great beta like everyone but you has already added to the thread :)

3. I will give you a trip report if you change your photo :)

John McNamee wrote:Also check out the piece in climbing mag 180 by Kathy Dicker. Its a classic wall solo story.

Hey JOhn,

I have that article in hand. That is what started this brigade.
I have a few of the BD speed bags which great for rope bags.
Thanks for you input and photo.
YOur geat selection matches pretty much dead on from what I thought. Thanks for that aswell.
Happy CLimbing.

Michael Schneiter wrote:Here's a funny story from a friend who tried to solo the route a number of years ago. He thought he would pull off a night solo during July's hot temperatures. When he started up at 9 P.M. it was still 96 degrees. His plan was to free solo the first three pitches to the base of the headwall. Topping out on the ledge below the headwall he tried to mantle but his rope, trailed behind him, seemed to have snagged on something and offered great resistance. He pressed really hard, trying to make the final mantle. Harder and harder he pressed as the rope stretched against him. Suddenly, the force was released and he promptly stood on the ledge. He had just enough time to train his headlamp on the rope as it whipped through space and into the bushes below. The rope was clipped to one of his gear loops, not the full strength loop on the back of his Yates big wall harness. The gear loop ripped out, depositing all of its contents, including the rope. Certainly a lesson in the strength of gear loops. After down soloing to retrieve his rope, two pitches below, and then re-soloing to the base of the headwall, he sat there, dripping in sweat in the 96 degree heat. He looked down at his car and thought of his girlfriend, waiting for him at camp, and made the rappels. I get a kick out of that story. SAL, I'm sure your solo will go much better.

HA! Thats funny. I plan to free solo the first 3 aswell.
I will try to make sure i clip my proper loop :)
CLassic.
Did he ever go back to finish?
If not hopefully you posting his story will light his fire again. hahaha.
thanks yall.

SAL wrote:and I will recieve great beta like everyone but you has already added to the thread

FINE... THE CRUXES ON THE FOURTH AND FIFTH PITCHES ARE SEMI HARD. FINDING PRO THAT WILL WORK TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF EFFORT.

It's pretty much just pushing cams in front of you. I think I remember a lot of 1.5 Friend, but it's been a while. Basically just clip a few cams of similar size on one biner, attach to the end of each aider and push. Easy as pie.

I think the descent is pretty straightforward. We had heard it was epic and had zero problems. I don't want to give you specifics though because it's been a while. Several raps though, including one that lands on a sandy ledge that you have to scramble down to the end of to reach the next set of anchors. Probably wouldn't want to do it in the dark for the first time but otherwise it's fine.

John J. Glime wrote: FINE... THE CRUXES ON THE FOURTH AND FIFTH PITCHES ARE SEMI HARD. FINDING PRO THAT WILL WORK TAKES A LITTLE BIT OF EFFORT.

:)
Thanks. I really appreciate you using a tone I could hear :)
I am in another state after all :)hahahah. And I changed my font just for you :)
Cheers Mr. Glime!

SAL wrote:Did he ever go back to finish?

Sadly no. A few years after that he pretty much dropped out of climbing due to a serious back injury. Major bummer!

I solo's spaceshot this last october. This was me second solo, after moonlight. Here are some tips I would recomend. I freesolo'd the first "approach" pitch and roped up for the second pitch. There is one insecure chimney move that would be a little heady to solo, it was dark when I did it but would recomend at least a daisy with a few cams on it. I then solo'd up to the base of the bolt ladder. This took about an hour to get here from my car with all my gear. I carried a small backpack that I used for a rope back for my trail line that had water and food in it. The pack was light and I just jugged wearing it. The "crux" pitch is really not that bad, the red and orange tcu were clutch as were brass nuts. The upper cracks are super straightforward c1. When rapping the pitch to clean I re clipped most pieces at the pitches traverse some. I thought the last pitch was the crux. The anchor is a single bolt and I managed to get the smallest alien next to it as my anchor. You free off this anchor and then I clove hitched the first couple bolts to back up the original. Definitely not ideal. there is a fixed piece when pulling the roof on this pitch that is gone. I did two very very delicate offset nut moves to get to the bold. It is very awkward as your feet are below the roof and it is hard to balance, not to mention the somewhat marginal anchor and the exposure. Wear your free shoes on this pitch are there is some to do at the beginning and end. I topped out after 10 hours leaving my car at what seemed to be an average pace, not pushing it by any means. The first time I did the descent was after climbing equinox. It was dark and we had one headlamp between 3 people. kinda challenging but doable. in the light is ideal... to find the tree to rap off of you trend slightly climbers right but mostly back away from the wall. There are cairns but you traverse slickrock that is somewhat steep but not too bad. After the first rappell you traverse climbers right then after the 4th rappel you travers climbers right again. hope this helps, have fun

John McNamee wrote:Also check out the piece in climbing mag 180 by Kathy Dicker. Its a classic wall solo story.

John,
Did you bring a ledge or use naturals? I was thinking I would bivy at the base of the head wall then fix and fire to earth orbit. From there top out. Is earth orbit a descent place to sleep?
I understand that I am there to suffer :) If I can lay down I consider that quality rather then hauling a ledge with me.
Cheers,

Caleb Padgett wrote: I topped out after 10 hours leaving my car at what seemed to be an average pace, not pushing it by any means.

Bullshit. You are a stud, don't kid yourself. Soloing Spaceshot in 10 hours is not even close to average. Bravo.

earth orbit is fine for one, though a tad slopey...though if you can finish the last pitch..the bivy on top is way better. good luck. Enjoy the "spaceshot" cleaning the last pitch. it's airy.