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Post by EMP on Nov 23, 2019 9:32:23 GMT -7
I was recently watching a video of Dave MacLeod climbing the route "Hunger" in Scotland: www.davemacleod.com/blog/hungerThere is some footage of him in the first part of the movie clearly working the route alone on a fixed rope. I had a few questions about his tactics that I was unsure about in the movie. It's clear to me that he fixed a rope from the anchor to the first (or 2nd?) bolt and pulled it fairly tight, still a dynamic rope though. I'm wondering what device he is using? He does not appear to be using a mini or micro traxion. It also does not appear to be a gri gri. Is he using a Shunt? Also, at 4 minutes in the video, Dave appears to be soloing the first bolt or so of the route, then clips himself into his device which is pre-clipped onto his fixed rope. Am I seeing this correctly? Also, has anyone worked a steep route (sport or trad) like this and have other advice? I'm interested in figuring this out myself.
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erk
Junior Member
Posts: 83
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Post by erk on Nov 23, 2019 11:49:56 GMT -7
You must have a lot of psyche for wanting to repeat this, which is awesome!
I get drained working hard climbs by myself, plus the nightmarish logistics of rope solo-ing something this steep would further drain the psych.
Do you not have access to partners? Is it a secluded crag?
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Post by cozisco on Nov 24, 2019 12:24:33 GMT -7
Yeah, he's using a shunt. He even has a video on how to use it: www.davemacleod.com/blog/vlog4In the part of the video that you're talking about (@ 3:58), he uses one device on one rope to get up to the rest, then swaps onto a different rope and pre-clipped device for the second section. If he didn't to this, he'd have to figure out how to pass the clove hitch at that bolt. Clove hitches and a taught line are pretty essential to TR soloing something this steep and even then it's far from easy.
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Post by Charlie S on Nov 24, 2019 13:10:02 GMT -7
I get drained working hard climbs by myself, plus the nightmarish logistics of rope solo-ing something this steep would further drain the psych. Do you not have access to partners? Is it a secluded crag? What they don't tell you about training in general: -You become stronger, and so your climbing partner pool diminishes. -Nobody wants to go to the same crag as you because it's "too hard." -Things that used to be considered too far "out there," ability wise, are now on the horizon. Your old partners think that looking at your warmups are impossible. -People think you've become an elitist and go elsewhere. -But you're still not good enough for the "real" elite! What they don't tell you about having your own climbing wall: -Nobody will come over because it's "too hard." -You get freakishly strong, but really struggle to find motivated partners to go "a muerte" for the 1 Saturday you have this month where fitness and weather cooperate. -Your routes are so good and so specific to your goals that regular climbing gyms are a let down. All that to say, @emp, I feel your pain. This was a really tough season. I was in shape but weather and partners completely fell through. I saw this video too and was wondering how that would work. Definitely a secluded crag/not sent project. If I left a fixed rope on my projects, there would be torches and pitchforks.
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Post by emp on Nov 28, 2019 6:22:30 GMT -7
Thank you for that link to the video cozisco! I don't know why I didn't find that myself.
My motivation to figure this out on my own are for some routes at a seldom traveled crag. Also, sometimes I have time to climb but my climbing buddies don't. Also, I like climbing alone and being alone in general as I am introverted. I regularly go bouldering alone but if I can figure it out to try some routes I have my eye On, I'd like to try it.
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Post by jcm on Dec 1, 2019 18:20:05 GMT -7
Another video from Macleod showing him working a hard route on TR solo: www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUGOcH7VxZAIn general, I find that working projects on TR solo works great on routes up to about 25 degrees overhanging, provided you clip a few bolts as directions. As you get steeper than that it becomes increasingly nuisancesome and impractical. The other key factor is dialing in the details of your TR solo system. It should feed smoothly and hands-free (i.e. no stopping to yard rope through a GriGri), and be 100% reliable so you can safely and confidently fall over and over again. The ideal system for working a project also lets you descend short distances (to re-try moves) again without switching devices, but that is hard to fit in with the other objectives. There are a bunch of systems that work, but regarding the ideal system, there are as many opinions as there are climbers... find something that works for you.
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