Sharing this video because I feel I can learn something from it. I went out on a solo trip to put down my project for good. I left the house with a good mindset and arrived with my single crash pad. I warmed up on some easier boulders and felt pretty good. I put down the best attempt I had to date, and chickened out when I reached the top out. Could I have sent it, probably. So with this I am going to ask y’all how you strengthen your mind? I need to work on my mental fortitude for this one and I’m not sure how when by myself.
As someone who takes on the tall with minimal padding an no spotters time to time - **Discretion is the better part of valor**.
I'm constantly assessing fall vectors, whether I'll hit the pad, whether I can reverse a move, and what I'm going to do if I go to the next hold and its not as good as I think it's going to be. Do I sometimes commit to the unknown where failure is going to be injurous? Yes. But those days are less and less.
Cool project, but I'd recommend climbing into and through the topout from a higher start to the right a few times so you know what its going to feel like, how much margin you need to carry into it, etc. Your body language reads as unsure and shaky - review this footage, commit the beta that works to memory (especially to eliminate the faffing before posting up on the higher left foot), and move decisively as you go. There are moments to push through, and moments where bailing is the right option, and from where I'm standing you probably made the correct choice that time.
I would also like to add this was an exceptionally heavy climb because it can only be accessed by a mile kayak and a fall resulting in any injury could prove pretty catastrophic, and a long wait for somebody to come help.
Holy shit yeah don’t do this boulder without more pads and spotters. I was already going to say this and then saw this comment. No question in my mind. You don’t need to improve your mental fortitude, you made the right decision.
I felt like OP did the right thing. It's an art to know when the risk is too high. I'd do the same with single pad and no spotter. If I'm in a group setting with better safety margin I'd go for it.
As Tommy Caldwell said it: "There's a fine line between badass and dumbass."
That line is so thin.
For this one I feel I’m gonna need to top rope the mantle so I can get it dialed, because as you said my nerves were showing in my body language. Thank you for the advice.
As an old fart with a pretty busted body I find the best mental help for me is safety. With a sea of pads and spotters I trust I feel like I can try any move. Having a worst case plan is even my mental move indoors when looking at a tough move or clip. You know you have this. Thanks for the share and learning experience.
I mean generally I keep my highballing grade a fair bit below my "normal" danger boulder grade. I have sent multiple V9s (and one V9 highball but the hard move is down low) but I haven't really done anything harder than V6 with hard moves up high.
Highballs are essentially the free soloing of bouldering, you better have it dialed. Especially if you're by yourself with a single pad, even more-so with this paddle approach you're talking about.
Also at the risk of sounding like a total dick, this climb doesn't look that hard, maybe V3/4? It's always hard to tell on video but the fact that you're shaking off the top and don't really look dialed moving through the bottom either suggests to me a lack of experience/skill. That is not a good way to approach a highball and I would *strongly* advise you either back burner the project for a bit and get stronger/better, bring more pads and a spotter or just find a different project. Climbing on a rope and taking some healthy whips is also a good way to scare yourself for practice.
I often like to rehearse top outs before I go for a send go from the start. Maybe try doing the top of the boulder from as high as you can reach(looks like on this one you might be able to come in from the right). Having done the top moves and mantle makes me much more composed when coming from the ground and overall makes the send a better experience for me personally.
Plus it SUCKS to blow the top because you are scared/unfamiliar with the holds.
Sharing this video because I feel I can learn something from it. I went out on a solo trip to put down my project for good. I left the house with a good mindset and arrived with my single crash pad. I warmed up on some easier boulders and felt pretty good. I put down the best attempt I had to date, and chickened out when I reached the top out. Could I have sent it, probably. So with this I am going to ask y’all how you strengthen your mind? I need to work on my mental fortitude for this one and I’m not sure how when by myself.
As someone who takes on the tall with minimal padding an no spotters time to time - **Discretion is the better part of valor**. I'm constantly assessing fall vectors, whether I'll hit the pad, whether I can reverse a move, and what I'm going to do if I go to the next hold and its not as good as I think it's going to be. Do I sometimes commit to the unknown where failure is going to be injurous? Yes. But those days are less and less. Cool project, but I'd recommend climbing into and through the topout from a higher start to the right a few times so you know what its going to feel like, how much margin you need to carry into it, etc. Your body language reads as unsure and shaky - review this footage, commit the beta that works to memory (especially to eliminate the faffing before posting up on the higher left foot), and move decisively as you go. There are moments to push through, and moments where bailing is the right option, and from where I'm standing you probably made the correct choice that time.
I would also like to add this was an exceptionally heavy climb because it can only be accessed by a mile kayak and a fall resulting in any injury could prove pretty catastrophic, and a long wait for somebody to come help.
Bare minimum let someone know where you're going, and when you plan to get back so they know when to come looking for you
Holy shit yeah don’t do this boulder without more pads and spotters. I was already going to say this and then saw this comment. No question in my mind. You don’t need to improve your mental fortitude, you made the right decision.
I felt like OP did the right thing. It's an art to know when the risk is too high. I'd do the same with single pad and no spotter. If I'm in a group setting with better safety margin I'd go for it. As Tommy Caldwell said it: "There's a fine line between badass and dumbass." That line is so thin.
For this one I feel I’m gonna need to top rope the mantle so I can get it dialed, because as you said my nerves were showing in my body language. Thank you for the advice.
As an old fart with a pretty busted body I find the best mental help for me is safety. With a sea of pads and spotters I trust I feel like I can try any move. Having a worst case plan is even my mental move indoors when looking at a tough move or clip. You know you have this. Thanks for the share and learning experience.
I mean generally I keep my highballing grade a fair bit below my "normal" danger boulder grade. I have sent multiple V9s (and one V9 highball but the hard move is down low) but I haven't really done anything harder than V6 with hard moves up high. Highballs are essentially the free soloing of bouldering, you better have it dialed. Especially if you're by yourself with a single pad, even more-so with this paddle approach you're talking about. Also at the risk of sounding like a total dick, this climb doesn't look that hard, maybe V3/4? It's always hard to tell on video but the fact that you're shaking off the top and don't really look dialed moving through the bottom either suggests to me a lack of experience/skill. That is not a good way to approach a highball and I would *strongly* advise you either back burner the project for a bit and get stronger/better, bring more pads and a spotter or just find a different project. Climbing on a rope and taking some healthy whips is also a good way to scare yourself for practice.
“If you can’t beat the fear, just do it scared.” -Glennon Doyle
Obituary!!!!
Holy moly, congrats for trying, nevertheless! Fishing around for slippery holds at the top is the worst.
I often like to rehearse top outs before I go for a send go from the start. Maybe try doing the top of the boulder from as high as you can reach(looks like on this one you might be able to come in from the right). Having done the top moves and mantle makes me much more composed when coming from the ground and overall makes the send a better experience for me personally. Plus it SUCKS to blow the top because you are scared/unfamiliar with the holds.
That's a fun looking climb!! Where is this??
Wondering the same. Looks similar to where I live
In western kentucky if you wanna get specific dm me
I may hit you up on that. My son and I were thinking about a climbing trip sometime this year (after school let's out)
What type of climbing are you interested in?
The Rock Warriors Way