How many are rock climbers?

[Adk_dib]

I have a slight fear of heights. Not so bad I won't climb a fire tower but bad enough that I have stopped before reaching the top of some towers. Mostly becouse the wooden steps are sometimes spongy. I have never gotten close to the top on Wakley! I dont mind climbing the rock face on saddleback becouse I dont have to go back down. The reason I ask is becouse I was on chimey mtn this weekend and there was a guy with his 10-12 year old son on the summit. I commented that some people are crazy enough to climb that chimney. He said I think I will do it right now. I watched him go up and was so glad he made it back down becouse his young son would not be able to do anything if he fell. Anyone else have a "slight" fear of falling?

 

[cbcbd]

Ok ok, I'll be the first to say the cliched quip "I don't mind falling, the landing is what I'm afraid of"

I rock climb, but to me that is different than climbing a rotting fire tower. On the rock I am roped and usually won't be coming down.

I think a lot of it has to do with exposure too. If I'm climbing a 5.8 steep chimney I'll probably feel less exposed and "safer" than climbing a 5.3 face.

But its all mental, and that can be trained.

 

[Tom Rankin]

Anyone else have a "slight" fear of falling?

I've been on a few places (and W Saddleback is one of them!) where extreme caution was warranted. I've always made it up, but it can be nerve wracking.

Another place that gave me trouble was the 'ladder' section going up Armstrong from the Wolf Jaws. I put that in quotes because the ladder was rotted away the day I was there, and the rocks were wet. We inched our way up the rock face and made it, but a slip there would have been a nasty fall.

Old fire towers are another place where you should always be cautious. I hold the railing with both hands and step to the outside of the wooden stairs to minimize the stress on the planks.

 

[lumberzac]

Anyone else have a "slight" fear of falling?

I found out yes on this day:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/470385462XqPHcw

There's a reason the sequence doesn't continue.

It's funny, but going down Saddleback doesn't bother me as much as going down Gothics (cable section; actually just above the cable section).


PS I don't advocate anyone climbing the Furnace. Many of the stones on the face are loose and could break free very easily. I was part of a team that documented the condition of the furnace for stabilization.

 

[DougPaul]

For me personally, it's all in my head.

I am terrified of edges... anything with a defined edge like a bridge (white knuckle) or roads with a severe drop off on the side.

I will never have the shot of myself on the rock of Bondcliff. The dizziness is too much and I simply can't stand up or I'll fall right off!

Keeping this in mind, tie me into a rope and I'll rappell right over the edge without batting an eye.

How weird is that??

Not weird at all. You have learned to trust the rope.

Climbing is a con game. If you believe you can do it, you can.

Doug

 

[Chip]

Keeping this in mind, tie me into a rope and I'll rappell right over the edge without batting an eye.

How weird is that??

My wife is afraid of heights and it's not a rational type of fear, like an old ladder or creaky bridge. During the "Flags" events, she'll hike up fine but can not tolerate the "exposure" above tree-line. Rationally she knows the mountain is not going to collapse under her but she can not spend much time up there and that time is spent sitting or crouching closer to the ground.

NO WAY could I get her to back off a cliff with any amount of gear and guidance. MAYBE if a child's life depended on it. It's just not something she can control.

 

[Chugach001]

Im with CBCBD - it is all mental and can be trained. I was scared to death of heights until my mid-20's and one day saw some guys climbing a huge route and said "I should be able to do that - they're no stronger than me so it must be mental". And ended up being able to climb big rock and alpine walls within a few years. But, prior to that, a ladder or steep trail would horrify me - because I let it.

Jeff

 

[Mad Townie]

For me personally, it's all in my head.

I am terrified of edges... anything with a defined edge like a bridge (white knuckle) or roads with a severe drop off on the side.

I will never have the shot of myself on the rock of Bondcliff. The dizziness is too much and I simply can't stand up or I'll fall right off!

Keeping this in mind, tie me into a rope and I'll rappell right over the edge without batting an eye.

How weird is that??

Well, I guess it's just as weird as the fact that I feel really nervous near the edge of a flat-roofed building even one or two stories high--much more nervous than I feel climbing Cathedral (OK, so I stick to the 5.6 and 5.7 routes, but still). It IS about trusting the rope . . . and your belayer!

 

[Darl58]

I love to do crack climbs, chimneys but don't have that secure feeling on slabs, even easy ones. It's all a mind game and what each individual's comfort zone is.

I am still not comfortible on high ladders or rickety fire towers but put be on a long exposed climb and I'm fine.

It's also a "control" thing with me, I feel more in control when climbing, I can check my knots, gear and feel confident in my belayer. I also can know the chance of decking or not on climbs, depending on the climb.