Just how badass are you, anyway?

It's extremely illogical, but I am more scared of falling itself than of the consequences of falling. I'm scared shitless leading something really overhanging even if it's a clean fall because the likelihood of falling is high, despite the low consequences. Meanwhile, I tend to keep my cool much better on a runnout slab where the likelihood is low but the consequences are quite high. I'd feel better climbing a 5.9 runout slab than a well protected super overhanging 5.6 with clean falls.

As for the badass part, I've got 1 or 2 proud leads under my belt, but I know I'm nowwhere near close to the badass I would like to be and sometimes think I am. I have dreams of climbing Southern Belle, but the more rational part of me knows I'll never be able to climb hard enough to repeat it, even if I could gain the mental fortitude. 

I soloed the third flatiron several times, that used to feel  badass enough for me... 

I'm so badass I lead approach in jtree this past Spring!

I hate computers but I am a software engineer. I have climbed multi 5.8 60+ ft run outs, free soloed 500ft climbs... life makes no sense sometimes.

I'm more afraid of heights that won't kill me as opposed to heights that will definitely kill me. 

As for being badass, getting a compliment from a better climber for what was a tough send (for me) makes me feel pretty damn good, and taking safety seriously enough where I don't freak my fiance out too badly is more worth it to me.

TBlom wrote:

I soloed the third flatiron several times, that used to feel  badass enough for me... 

2nd is good enough for me :)

Sometimes I can't top out v0's because who wants to put their heel up there on dirt covered rock and mantle? 

I also meet all of my climbing partners on Tinder.

caughtinside wrote:

Every time I go to the crag and there's one or more babies there it is a good reminder that there is nothing badass about what I am doing.

Literally the only people who have ever called me hardcore have been witnessing my wife and I managing our toddler and two kids while also climbing.

And yeah, I am pretty badass.  Sure, sure you climb 5.14b.  BFD.  I climb 5.10 with a freekin' baby, dude.  

Knott.

Burcheydawwwwwwg wrote:

Pictures?   

Eplumer400 wrote:

I'm more afraid of heights that won't kill me as opposed to heights that will definitely kill me. 

That sound like my wife. She'll hang off a pink tri-cam  but the 4th class scramble to get to the base of a route is epic.

I'm so not badass.  I have no problem going for a hold at the top of a boulder, and falling 10-15 feet.  But if I top out and look over the edge, I think to myself, "now how am I supposed to get down from here?"

I'm a total fatass! Just ask me and I tell you......

huh? What's that? Oh ...you said badass... not fatass ?!?, well that's def not me....quietly slinks outta room

Baba Fats wrote:

I'm so not badass.  I have no problem going for a hold at the top of a boulder, and falling 10-15 feet.  But if I top out and look over the edge, I think to myself, "now how am I supposed to get down from here?"

I couldn't find a good photo but I climbed this route at rumbling bald and made the mistake of following at the top center that small clean path another 20ft + to the tip top (hard to tell but it gets alot steeper in the back) of the climb. Being scared of heights it took me about 4x as long to down climb the back side of the slab to get down. From the videos I have seen it looks like most people just drop off after topping it out, it is only 1 move V5 start and a V2 mantle (I call it V3 if you skip the start and do the V2 version and top it own / down climb)... to me the down climb on the slab from the tip top felt harder than the climb to get up (but than that is likely because I am scared of heights and sliding down 30+ ft of slab isn't fun).