Free solo at KP

Re: Free solo at KP

feeds@yuku.com (olafben) — Fri, 10 Aug 2007 17:18:35 GMT

Ross, no sorry, I haven't seen balls of steel. Does it involve demolition work/cranes?

The thing with soloing is that the risk is fairly obvious and with the exception of Alpine Climbers, soloists rarely fall.
It would be interesting to see some statistics as I personally believe more accidents come from inexperienced parties or the perception of being safe because of your...

Re: Free solo at KP

feeds@yuku.com (steff looi) — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 18:50:53 GMT

No person is a self contained entity. Whilst a soloist accepts responsibility for their own actions, do they accept responsibility for the impact they have on others? You can't tell me that watching someone ground out is not traumatic. Do you think that the only person hurt by a soloist falling in a crowded place is the soloist? Surely not.

I fully accept soloing as self-expression, as a personal right and as something people...

Re: Free solo at KP

feeds@yuku.com (Neil Monteith) — Thu, 09 Aug 2007 18:31:31 GMT

I think its a wild generalization to say that a solo fall will result in a instant death. Plenty of people deck out when all their gear fails and they survive. In fact, roped falls can swing people head first into the ground, or against ledges which can result in more serious injuries. A sub 10m solo fall will result in broken legs, hips, back - but probably not death.

Re: Free solo at KP

feeds@yuku.com (wombby) — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 18:00:03 GMT

Just had a look at that link Phil, thanks, it's pretty cool. Kinda puts our climbing history to shame - 150 years!

Re: Free solo at KP

feeds@yuku.com (thisrod) — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 11:43:02 GMT

Could be better he solo's a K.P. with an Ambulance only 15mins away, compared to some out of the way crag.

If by "better" you mean "safer", the answer is no, because the safety brief for soloing goes as follows. Don't fall. The end.

Re: Free solo at KP

feeds@yuku.com (Yurtle the Turtle) — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 11:28:59 GMT

If a tree falls in the forest with nobody around does it make a sound? If a soloist falls off a cliif with nobody around would he make a sound? Could be better he solo's at K.P. with an Ambulance only 15mins away, compared to some out of the way crag.

Re: Free solo at KP

feeds@yuku.com (ribmanq) — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 10:03:47 GMT

Casual addition to this thread, came though on one of those (lounge-chair conservative) "philosophy du jour" mails today:

A woman in the hospital was weeping after being told she was terminally ill with cancer. When a friend sought to console her she replied, "I'm not weeping because I'm dying. I'm weeping because I never lived."

The awareness of limits and wasted time means we can take up a conscious stance with regard to our own inevitable...

Re: Free solo at KP

feeds@yuku.com (catch22) — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 13:37:55 GMT

Catch22. Of the new bolts at KP 98% of these routes have been re-bolted not retro-bolted.

haha ok whatever all i wanted was a safer crag to lead which it is now

Re: Free solo at KP

feeds@yuku.com (thisrod) — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 12:05:06 GMT

The scary thing about the Solby lot is that they're normal people. Death still is an everyday thing for most people, and it's only modern freaks like us who make a big fuss about it. Hmm ... I wonder what a year in Siberia would do for my lead head?

Re: Free solo at KP

feeds@yuku.com (ross ferguson) — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 09:28:28 GMT

Catch22. Of the new bolts at KP 98% of these routes have been re-bolted not retro-bolted.

Off Topic. Olafben. Have you seen "Balls of Steel"?
Ross..

Re: Free solo at KP

feeds@yuku.com (Simon Moses) — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 15:24:43 GMT

When a soloist falls, it is natures way of cleaning up the gene pool.

Re: Free solo at KP

feeds@yuku.com (phil box) — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 07:20:20 GMT

Bwahahahaha, best post this month Trent, gold mate, gold. I'm lovin it.

Re: Free solo at KP

feeds@yuku.com (Trent) — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 15:18:03 GMT

Wow, this is what Bert Salmon was all about. This is real climbing.

This reminds me of my home town near Cairns. The locals used to do a lot of crazy things near the swimming holes. As a kid you were slowly 'introduced' to the various jumps, rock slides, tree swings, solos etc. The tourists would watch and try to join in. Usually one would die every year, trying to copy the locals. This eventually lead to the closure of one of the best swimming holes in Australia. What...

Re: Free solo at KP

feeds@yuku.com (phil box) — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 14:14:14 GMT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwCyM84HCcA&mode=user&search=

End of discussion, yeah.

Link to vid of a 150 years history of Russian free soloing Stolby style. I wish I was born there.

Re: Free solo at KP

feeds@yuku.com (catch22) — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 13:47:33 GMT

Whats the difference between soloing and climbing to the first bolt? not much at a lot of KP climbs.
Also some climbs rely on RP placements etc in rock not exactly suitable for placing RP's so therefore its probably more dangerous messing with the gear than just soloing it.
A lot of the climbs are bolted/protected in a fashion which...

Re: Free solo at KP

feeds@yuku.com (olafben) — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 17:33:20 GMT

Whats the difference between soloing and climbing to the first bolt? not much at a lot of KP climbs.
Also some climbs rely on RP placements etc in rock not exactly suitable for placing RP's so therefore its probably more dangerous messing with the gear than just soloing it.
A lot of the climbs are bolted/protected in a fashion which doesn't provide that much protection due to the less than vertical nature of the crag.
The trouble with soloing in the wilderness is...

Re: Free solo at KP

feeds@yuku.com (mattrix) — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 10:39:02 GMT

Is throwing rocks at these guys PC? I mean, what's the accepted ethic?

Re: Free solo at KP

feeds@yuku.com (duncan steel) — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 07:41:39 GMT

While everynone has the freedom to choose what they want to do and when, within the law of cause. If I was into Soloing it would not be at KP with a crowd of people under me. 20 years ago I was at Araps and Peter Croft was there, he did a lot of Soloing. He quietly went about what he wanted to do without endangering anyone else. On of the nicest guys I have met.

Re: Free solo at KP

feeds@yuku.com (jjobrien) — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 17:20:39 GMT

Freedom for all.

Re: Free solo at KP

feeds@yuku.com (TerryS) — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 23:01:11 GMT

Soloing is total self-indulgence. It should be respected that people are doing this for their own reasons, but I do agree that doing so at a very public crag during rush hour is not the best thing and can only be seen as 'wanting to show off'. A bit like masturbating in public, really......... Now, if you want to do it, have a ball, enjoy yourself and really, you're not doing anything wrong, but choose to do it in front of unconsenting others, then don't expect a good...

Free solo at KP

feeds@yuku.com (catch22) — Thu, 26 Jul 2007 11:44:18 GMT

I was down at KP at rush hour last wednesday and saw some young dude free solo FOBS.

He was pretty safe on it but with the amount people around at the bottom I thought it was pretty stupid.

I thought of saying something when he was starting up but i guess by the time i'd thought of it he was long gone

I'm all for free soloing but surely people could pick somewhere less populated and with less chance of a hold breaking. I know i've had holds break off...