Yes, it is harder going down. I discovered that at age 13 when I climbed a 15-foot boulder while the rest of the hiking group was eating lunch. My father came over to see why I hadn't come back down. The ranger leading the group let me down the slippery part, which I had climbed with friction, and talked me through another hard section that had been easy when I could look at it from below.
All year long, especially in winter, the wind blows against that aiguille and puts way more force on it than a few climbers do. Yes some day the wind will knock it down, but all the cracks looks very tight and not weathered. It's too steep to retain much water seeping into the cracks. If you are climbing up and don't hear any gritty noises, it's probably ok. Nevertheless, the first ascent took some outrageous boldness, as did the drilling of the holes to place the bolts, as did the first rappel. If I had done the first ascent, I don't think I would have put the top anchor bolts so close to the very top, why tempt fate?
why tempt fate? Considering how bad falling down can hurt, you have pointed out why I never even thought about trying that. I will admit to some stupid crap at the top of a drilling rig.
When you slip and fall I wonder how many times hitting your head on the rocks before you die?
ReplyDeleteFor you rock climbers out there, Is it harder going down than climbing up?
Yes, it is harder going down. I discovered that at age 13 when I climbed a 15-foot boulder while the rest of the hiking group was eating lunch. My father came over to see why I hadn't come back down. The ranger leading the group let me down the slippery part, which I had climbed with friction, and talked me through another hard section that had been easy when I could look at it from below.
DeleteAll year long, especially in winter, the wind blows against that aiguille and puts way more force on it than a few climbers do. Yes some day the wind will knock it down, but all the cracks looks very tight and not weathered. It's too steep to retain much water seeping into the cracks. If you are climbing up and don't hear any gritty noises, it's probably ok. Nevertheless, the first ascent took some outrageous boldness, as did the drilling of the holes to place the bolts, as did the first rappel. If I had done the first ascent, I don't think I would have put the top anchor bolts so close to the very top, why tempt fate?
ReplyDeletewhy tempt fate?
ReplyDeleteConsidering how bad falling down can hurt, you have pointed out why I never even thought about trying that. I will admit to some stupid crap at the top of a drilling rig.
Gravity ALWAYS wins - eventually .
ReplyDeleteEvery single time.
DeleteI am a skydiver with a thousand jumps and this makes me ill.
ReplyDeleteOH HELL NO!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's not the fall that hurts you...it's the quick stop at the bottom.
ReplyDeleteThat Delta V is a sumbitch !
DeleteFuck that and everything that looks like that.
ReplyDeleteWonder if it’s shear enough to BASE jump from…
ReplyDelete