Comments on: Decision Points

By: Arno

Arno — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 11:24:18 +0000

Thanks for your extended description; it helps understand the individual parts of the risk you took. In all the decisions you made you need to consider the fall consequence, determine if it is no-fall or yes-fall, if no-fall (which sounds like it was) to determine that you can climb it without falling. One main thing I notice from your description is that you didn’t rush yourself but rather paced yourself well through the risk. That’s helpful. Arno

By: Michael R

Michael R — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 07:37:21 +0000

Hi Arno, the main decision points that i remember from the climb was when i had to crossover to the face. I feel i made a ‘mini’ decision here, as i had bomber gear in and even thou it was tricky to get to the good edges and had to commit to the moves once started, i felt secure. Once i was at the good moves, i feel i again made a ‘mini’ decision here to continue up as the edges felt solid even tho they looked brittle, and knowing i had to make the cross back over again at the top. I also think as i climbed up i was making ‘mini’ decisions with every move with my decision depending on the next next edge i grab, ‘Edge feels good – look for and grab next edge – edge feels good’. As i climbed higher i stopped and gathered info on where am i on this climb, where will i have to go next and how? Here i feel i was at a ‘mini/micro’ decision point, as even thou i was well above my last piece of gear, i was on good edges and only had to make afew more moves to get to where i need to cross back over. But once i got to the cross over point, the stress went up. The Micro Decision Point – i was starting to feel abit stressed at that point, as to get to where i wanted to go required a balancey lean/fall sideways to a jug type move, and an unbalanced fall from where i was would not of been a good option. I thought of having to down climb, but thinking of that made me more nervous as it brought negative thoughts, so my ‘micro’ decision was to relax, look and do. I found an edge to help me balance over and once i had grabbed the edge, i again made a ‘micro’ decision to keep going and commit to getting the jug and ledge.

By: Arno

Arno — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 12:06:19 +0000

Thanks for your reply Michael. What kind of decision points did you identify on this climb? Remember, there is a macro point at the base of the route, but what about the mini (at pro) and micro (between pro) for this climb? Arno

By: Michael Renggli

Michael Renggli — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 11:11:06 +0000

This reminds me of a climb i did where after a easy 10ft slab, a nice hand crack went for another 40, then you move right onto 15ft of runout face. When looking from the bottom looks ok with what looks like enough edges. With great gear in the crack section i can pace myself, looking what i need to do and relax no need to rush. I get up to the face section and place some solid gear for the runout section. The face does have enough edges to use but some of them have been broken and look brittle and its a commited stretch to get there. Gears good and im happy with going forward so onto the edges which seem ok. While on the face i told myself as i climbed’ hands feet hands feet hands feet’ just following the edges. It was nearly trance like, enjoying the movements heading upwards, until i got to the part where i had to move back. I was on ok edges to be able to relax abit but with being 15ft out and in a ‘no fall zone’ i was starting to tense up abit and with not automatically heading back across with security in the same way as i did on to the face, i was feeling abit panicky. Im in a No Fall Zone but im comfortable being where i am at the moment. So after looking at what i might need to do, then down to my gear and belayer, and generally look out at my suroundings as the view is usually fantastic, and makes me feel relaxed and centered. So i look back and notice an edge i didn’t see before, head across (nervously) and climb the rest to the chains. It felt great being on a climb where there was great safety aspects to it at the start, and being comfortable on the runout ‘no fall’ section where you hope all the holds are there, and ends with a committing move done with focus.
This was my first lead for quite a long time due to confidence problems and depression, and my second climb of the day with someone i just met a couple of hours ago during a climbing club weekend to an area ive never been to in the middle of the bush, which is very different to climbing on the coast as i mainly do.
Sorry about the long reply.
Michael R