Highball tactics

Just what it says...What are some tactics/techniques that you use to send highballs. This question comes after visiting an area replete with problems over 20' in height, and having serious issues committing to top-outs. 

So, do you stack pads, rehearse on top-rope, climb up/down until committing, or just sack up and go for it?  How did something like King Air or 2 Bolts get done?

And, if the prevailing method is to just go "a muerte," how do you avoid ending up as a mangled pile of flesh?

Totally depends on your style.

If top rope rehearsing doesn't bother you then that is a huge advantage. I dislike it as I prefer doing things from the ground so if something is hard to commit to or feels low percentage I will spend time breaking the line down into sections and getting the moves dialed in with multiple trips up and down the wall. This will give you a solid sense of what is actually going on as you get familiar with the line and with being off the deck in a given situation. I guess the goal for me is to find out if the fear is warranted or if it is just me lacking confidence. At some point you will need to push through it. I usually find that as I commit to pushing through the barrier the burden is almost immediately alleviated.

If it is purely an issue off top-out technique then obviously practicing turning lips on lil' turds will be worth your time. If it is an issue of fear I would spend time building your comfort level with your given abilities. Obviously the top-out is the end game but with highballing you can savor the experience even without it. 

I am personally drawn to highball boulder problems and find myself on them a lot.  Many of which have been first ascents over the years.  I love my body and have had back surgeries in the past from repetitive falls from high off of the deck.  These days I swallow my pride and rehearse anything with big fall potential on toprope solo until I become confident on the sequence.  Then I ditch the rope and hope to send soon thereafter from the ground up.  Not the most ethical in some peoples opinions but like I stated, I love my body and would rather get ridiculed than injured...

top rope that shit all the way.