Just how badass are you, anyway?

With Honnold's astonishing feat, many of us are probably reflecting on how badass we are...or...aren't.

As a newer climber, it has surprised me to discover that, while no Honnold, I am more bold in some ways than many that I climb with. Put a rope on me, logical or not, I'm good. Falls don't worry me at all. Friends I know loathe falling.

On the other hand, that approach trail with the exposure? Gives me huge pause. Such a wus...

What are your limits and fears? Logical or not, lol!

Have fun! OLH

Free soloing really isn't in my goals. I respect people who do it, but I have no desire to do it myself.

Old lady H wrote:

Put a rope on me, logical or not, I'm good. Falls don't worry me at all.

That may change if you begin leading on gear ... gripped and far above your last piece is much different than being on TR :)

As a new leader and climber, I'm so bad ass that the final bit on the Fifth Flatiron along the arete that's listed as class 4 caught my attention after leading the rest of the south side east face route once I realized that there was no place for pro. I also regularly do the same V0 problems near home and am yet to do anything harder outside. I've been to the new gym in Ft Collins once and decided to only climb inside now since the grades do more for my ego than any outdoor climbing ever.

Certifiable trad dad.

The only bad thing about me is my climbing ability, my ass is just fine, thank you. 

Old lady H wrote:

With Honnold's astonishing feat, many of us are probably reflecting on how badass we are...or...aren't.

I hope not. What other people do should have no bearing on how you approach your climbing. 

I climb just as hard as Honnold, Sharma, or Ondra.  I just do it on easier routes.  

+1 Radlawsk I am still nailing 5.5 classics

Did a solo 5 mile car ride through Compton once. That was badass. :)

Brian wrote:

I climb just as hard as Honnold, Sharma, or Ondra.  I just do it on easier routes.  

+1

Don't worry about your worring about "that approach trail with the exposure? Gives me huge pause. Such a wus..."  Well, maybe if it really is a "trail", .....but if it's one of those "Class 3 " slabs, then I think you're just being sensible.  A bit of gravel....a slip not expected....these and other things can all lead to the "end". 

I've lost a number of friends climbing, and with only one possible exception (where we don't know the circumstances, he was soloing) NONE "bought the farm" while climbing anything near their limit. One died due to a slip on a boulder on the approach, he fell only a few  feet and hit his head. Another in a canoeing accident nearly identical...a 4-5 ft slip-fall and hit head.   Two others on climbs 5 or 6 grades below what they lead.  Rap failure...

Just a month ago I asked to rap a slab that others were willing to walk down, even though there was 500 ft of cliff still below and no chance to stop a slip.  Ten minutes extra vs your life when there's no issue about a need to hurry, is sort of a "no brainer".  

Hobo Greg wrote:

I think that's why I'm not really blown away by what Honnold did. It's super duper mega awesome for him, but pretty meaningless to me. I've never climbed the route before, never met the guy, etc. Stoked for him, and laughing at the modern media coverage. "He defies gravity using just his fingertips.. the daring feat.."

I find the the best way to appreciate what he's done is go hop onto a 5.13 sport route, fail and fall off a bunch think about how horrendously hard this is. Now picture someone doing this 3000ft off the deck.

Old lady H wrote:

Falls don't worry me at all.

I can't imagine ever trad leading where I'm not terrified of falls.

I have climbed myself into a few solos where the outcome was not 100%...  mostly on  ice where conditions turned out to be  more funky than expected...

Guy Keesee wrote:

To properly emulate Honnold's feels it's more like taking your absolute hardest redpoint and then going down a few grades then imagine soloing that at 3000ft of the deck

Alex's is 5.14d-5.13a

This makes me 5.12c-5.10d (I will be onsight soloing 5.10b on a huge alpine face somewhat soon so i'm sure i will get to see how honnold sorta felt on half dome)

If you do this for your self It probably gives the most accurate feeling, I feel like this really lets me appreciate people like Honnolds skill and strength being able to be that comfortable on something that insanely hard.

Sorry MP, I'm an old lady with a short memory.

I forgot how seriously some of you take the word "badass", lol!

Guy, in the Honnold thread I certainly did express my admiration of his astounding focus, to the extent of not just his mental, but physical control, and the physical mastery too.

Me? Really, not much of a badass at all, except I'm still here, trying to keep chugging away at it, when "quit" is whispering in the background almost constantly.

That level/aspect of badassery I'm guessing is common to many of us, whether it's one boulder problem, or the whole shebang.

Best, Helen

In my limited experience, people who are badass don't think they are and people who think they are aren't.

Went to the taco truck for lunch, bad-ass is only a matter of time.

I got a compliment from a woman at the gym today concerning my crack climbing technique. That was pretty badass. From watching her, I"m pretty sure she could outclimb me in every way possible, then succinctly kick my ass with one hand tied behind her back while hopping on one foot and drinking a glass of water. I will never be badass enough to free-solo anything taller than I am. However, I will continue to push my own personal limits and appreciate a random compliment or two where I can get them. If my kids grow up confident, free, and content that will be badass enough I figure.