I used to be a rock climber, intermediate level, nothing amazing. I’ve long since hung up my rack. I followed the recent siege of the dawn wall (in Yosemite), with some interest, you? While I find the accomplishment astounding, it seemed that they were bending the definition of “free climbing”. Here are a couple of "grey area" questions:
1 - How much red-pointing is okay and within the bounds of “free climbing”? Is there no limit?
2 - How much can support teams help? Can they arrive with supplies mid-climb?
3 - Is it cool to intentionally leave gear behind? It seemed to me that on a few of those hairy traverses they’d be leaving some pro behind, and that they knew that going in.
4 - Is it cool to screw in new bolts or use old bolts for pro?
5 - Can you fall on a given pitch an unlimited number of times, and still call it a “free climb” ?
There are probably other questions as well. Any climbing fans in the crowd?
1 - How much red-pointing is okay and within the bounds of “free climbing”? Is there no limit?
2 - How much can support teams help? Can they arrive with supplies mid-climb?
3 - Is it cool to intentionally leave gear behind? It seemed to me that on a few of those hairy traverses they’d be leaving some pro behind, and that they knew that going in.
4 - Is it cool to screw in new bolts or use old bolts for pro?
5 - Can you fall on a given pitch an unlimited number of times, and still call it a “free climb” ?
There are probably other questions as well. Any climbing fans in the crowd?
