FortMental wrote:one time, this chick broke up with me..... so I made her solo something dangerous...

Awesome!!

For me solo'ing (rock/ice/mtns) is something I do because my mind is relaxed and I just want to move. I do have to say about 70% of the solo trips I attempt as I start up, I notice my mind isn't in the right place and I end up going for a hike instead.

Right now, I'm happier pushing myself and I know that I will more likely fall then not) so its not a time for soloing, but I go in cycles and I may go back to a period of time of soloing.

Lack of nooky make man brave! - eddie murphy

MarthaP wrote:
No, as a matter of fact we get smarter, since you guys never read the frickin' map.

Some times a woman must draw a map for the man.

Protect your sheep.

Jan.... I don't think your love life has anything to do with "free solo".

I think the more you climb, the more you free solo.

It's all about your comfort level.

I don't know of anyone who free solos above their comfort level.

They don't last long.

Free solo is an important part of climbing, IMHO.

And every climber needs to know where their comfort level lies.

gk

How many of the world's great solos are just because someone isn't getting any?

Just what kind of soloing are we talkinga bout here?

TheOrglingLlama wrote:

They're talking about soloing, Mr. Llama.

I once had a girlfriend that led me to want to do dangerous solos! I guess the relationship was good and bad in a way.

My current girlfriend makes me want to spend time with her and not alone on a mountain face.

Ok, so I suppose this is more of a rock climbing thing. I know that I have personnally soloed harder stuff when rather horny and frustrated than at any other time in my life. I know the same can also be said for some of my friends. If the rest of you are immune to this problem, good for you.

At the same time I agree with Guy that I solo more then more I am climbing, because I am more comfortable on the rock. But this is play stuff, not serious life threatening stuff and really isn't what I was talking about.

I suppose then the question is: what is dangerous soloing?

For me at least it has a lot to do with on-sight kind of stuff. If I've done a route a hundred times, soloing it doesn't seem too dangerous (though of course something could always go wrong).

Still, what comes to mind is soloing in the backcountry, probably on bad rock, certainly on something I've never seen before. Going up when you're not sure if it gets easier or harder. Going up when you're not sure exactly how you're going to get down. That kind of stuff is the most dangerous, in my book. And so it's even more important to know - as I think Guyzo said - what your comfort level is.

I remember going up to Squamish with a friend in 2006 .. we'd just gotten into town, grabbed a guidebook and went to a little cliff to check it out. There was a 5.4 route in the book and he initially suggested I lead it, just to warm up (he leads more like 5.10-ish). I said something like "oh, I solo 5.4".

Next thing I know, he said "oh yeah ! Let's go !!" Gulp, had to put my money where my mouth was But up we went. There were some anxious moments, but we made it. I learned not to say such boastful things around him after that

On some of the more alpine routes in the Sierra I think you really have to be willing to solo the fourth / easy fifth class parts to make good time and avoid thunderstorms & nightfall. Belaying each and every pitch will just take too damn long. And in the Sierra, "fourth class" can mean anything up to 5.6.

I went through a period when I free soloed a fair amount up to 5.11. I think that to a degree this behavior had it’s roots in a failed relationship, a divorce several years prior. This is weird, because I wanted the divorce, but I was left with a profound sense of failure and inadequacy all the same. After the divorce I had a couple of “torrid” relationships which just fanned the flames, and even though deep inside I knew my motivations were less than pure, I kept soloing.

Then I saw the writing on the wall when, being casual and overconfident, I very nearly skipped off the last pitch of Igor Unchained in The Needles. It didn’t really hit me right away, but after a while I started having these falling dreams which would wake me up in full panic.

Since about 2004 my soloing has been limited to alpine 4th and easy 5th class routes, and I am comfortable that I am there for the right reasons. Nothing to do with you know what...

cbcbd wrote:
My current girlfriend makes me want to spend time with her and not alone on a mountain face.

Our girls must be related or something.