"You're gonna go flying!"

February 2010

Definitions:

Sport Climbing- Ascending routes of extreme gymnastic difficulty protected by closely spaced bolts.

Belay- Safety technique in which a stationary climber provides protection, by means of ropes, anchors and braking devices, to an ascending partner.

Introduction

I have a fear of falling. That's right, falling. That is not exactly the best fear to have in an adventure sport.

Facts

-My climbing partner and I have a 100 pound weight difference.
-I must free climb 40 plus feet, while dragging 4 pounds of rope.
-In order to pass the Lead Climbing test you must take a 15-20 foot fall.
-When gym climbing, the ropes are wrapped around a drum at the top of the route to provide extra friction. Basically the belayer feels 1/3 of the climbers weight.
-When lead climbing the only friction is the quick draws and ATC. The belayer feels 100 percent of the weight of climber.
Story

My climbing partner is an amazing climber, for months now he has wanted to start free/lead/sport climbing. The catch to being a bad ass lead climber, you must be a strong/confident climber. I'm not very confident in my climbing and have a fear of falling, so lead climbing wasn't something I was too excited about. However, after a trip to Yosemite I was definitely convinced and excited to begin training for this feat.

We made a climbing New Year's Resolution: pass our lead climbing test by February 28th. January came and passed, no lead climbing class. February came... still no lead climbing class. I think you are picking up on how much I was not looking forward to this class. Still, a resolution is a resolution and in order to finish by our deadline we needed to take the class, like yesterday. So on Friday evening I decided to inquire about lead classes. After a short conversation, I walked away with an appointment for 8:30am Saturday the next morning. Excited about our private lead class, my climbing partner started a conversation with our instructor... just as I walk up he asks, "What is your weight difference." I said, "100 pounds." Before I could think to myself, "I wonder why?" Our instructors face lights up, and says super enthusiastically, "You're gonna go flying!"

As you might imagine, I didn't sleep Friday night. The realization that I was going to have to take a 15-20 ft. fall, go "flying up into the air", be in control of someones life, and drag 4 pounds of rope up a wall was overwhelming.

We arrived for our class and learned how to tie the Yosemite knot, practiced clipping into quick draws, learned how to spot climbers to the first clip, how to shuffle the rope as a belayer, how to stop the rope as a belayer, and finally learned rope management and feet placement as a climber. In case you didn't know, you aren't allowed to practice true lead climbing in the gym until you have passed the test. So, if you never take the class or practice out doors, your first test could potentially be your first time ever actually taking a true fall and your first time being on the receiving end of a 20 plus foot fall.

As my climbing partner was ascending his first route, our instructor says, "You guys are my little experiment. I have never seen a weight difference quite as large as yours." I am thinking, "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Out of nowhere my climbing partner is ready to take his first fall, and BOOM my ass shot in the air, my ATC slamming into the first quick draw. The first quick draw is 15 feet up the wall, hanging about 8-12 inches from the wall. Remember fifteen feet is about 5 feet taller than the average bedroom ceiling. Awesome right?!

Now it is my turn to lead, let me tell you dragging four pounds of rope up a wall, let alone a wall that is not completely vertical is hard. Four pounds is about the weight of 1 gallon of milk. Would you want to drag a rope up a fifty foot wall, while stopping every five feet to clip the rope to wall, so that if you fall you won't die? Probably not, but I am crazy and this is what I do for fun! Anyways, I reached the top of the route and it was my turn to take my first fall... what was I going to do? Chicken out and say no no no I cannot do this, and climb down to the next clip?! Nope, I harnessed my fear and fell! It wasn't that bad! Totally ready to come down to the ground, they told me to climb to the top again and re fall!! After my second fall, I realized that falling isn't too scary... but that flying up into the air.. that is definitely scary!

Point of this story, I am a bad ass and there ain't nuttin you can do about it!