Vitaliy M wrote: We do not want to get into something we can't do safely. It endangers us, and others.[/quote="Vitaliy M"]
rhyang wrote:Vitaliy and Shane: my recommendation is this -- do not toprope on the Main Wall unless you are with a competent WI4 leader. And I agree with x15: this is serious shit. Slow it down, way down. If you are not patient enough to acquire the skills and apprentice yourself, you don't belong on the ice.
"It's a meritocracy out there, with gravity as the auditor.
Inconsistency, incompetence, and lies are all cut short by the ground. It will stop you if you can't stop yourself." -MFT
Seeing what I have seen recently, it may only be a matter of time before dire straits become a harsh, bloody reality. Taking rock, ice, and ski courses from any of the high quality guiding outfits in the Sierra would be beneficial in myriad ways. Don't be surprised if you don't even realize until 3, 8, 12 years later how much you actually learned...
But within lies the beauty of climbing. None of us are going to be on the field in a Superbowl, none of us waiting, crouched and poised and ready to explode forward, for the gun at the 400m sprint, nobody sprinting in the big ring catching the breakaway group atop Alp d'Huez, and we're likely not dropping in for the FIS win at Kitzbuehl. But we are all free to hop on any rock climb anywhere (in-progress projects notwithstanding) or ice climb, or alpine route regardless of difficulty, location, or history. Anyone is free to try. Corollary to this is to also accept and suffer the possible consequences of failure whether that means leaving gear, hubris, or your life behind.
Ice is truly the king discipline in that even top roping can have disasterous outcomes, let alone being on the sharp end. A slip and then a crampon in the calf? Drop your tool? TR anchor failure? Many old school ice climbers probably know a few people who took one whip and hung 'em up after that.
Long story short, be careful and take your time if you truly value your life and the lives of those whom you chose to enjoy the mountains with. The mountains are not going anywhere, and as skills and respect increase you will only enjoy being in their presence more and more and more...