How to become a braver boulderer (aka get Wellsy up Crescent Arete)

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A somewhat sketchy tactic is to just hang from the top and even downclimb a move or two. Gets you used to the exposure whilst feeling in control. Not sure what the name for this style is, it's not really ground-up, but neither is it pre-practised. Dangle-point?
 
That tactic worked for me on The Pride.
Another is to traverse in to practice the high bit from easy ground if that's an option. This worked for me me on WSS.
 
Tom de Gay said:
A somewhat sketchy tactic is to just hang from the top and even downclimb a move or two. Gets you used to the exposure whilst feeling in control. Not sure what the name for this style is, it's not really ground-up, but neither is it pre-practised. Dangle-point?

Byron Connelly downclimbed Right Unconquerable prior to Brown doing it I believe. Bet that was an engaging first move or two off that rounded top.
 
Wellsy said:
Dunno how much I fancy Crescent Arete now tbh lads ;D

;D

I’ve done it and I’m totally not a bold climber, think it might even have been pre-pad days, so it won’t be beyond you with the right approach.

Will - sorry to hear about your accident, hope you make a quick recovery.
 
I know I said I was impressed by cat-like dismounts. I guess I was thinking of how I've seen Adam Long land on the couple of occasions I've seen him bouldering. But I was also impressed by Ross Cowie (who I think also highballs a lot) doing stunt-man style dismounts when doing loads of rapid laps on Rattle-and-Hump at the Tor. I don't know whether he was training for accidentally not landing on his feet, or saving his knees, or whether that is what he intentionally does if he falls off a highball. He sort of tumbled into the landing and ended up lying down each lap. He is legendary for having decked out when clipping high up on Boot Boys and then jumping back on and redpointing it straight away. So evidently what he does works.
There are You-Tube videos about stunt man falling methods https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oe_pLp5iihc

And best wishes for your recovery Will
 
I'd be happy to carry/add three pads to the UKB sea of foam for Wellsy if he decides that is what he would like.
Since smashing my ankle into lots of pieces, I occasionally struggle with fear when bouldering more than a couple of moves up. I do still really enjoy being high up on easy ground or good holds or just when I am climbing well.
Being comfortable with the distance off the deck can feel really nice. If you don't have a lot of experience of that sensation, seek it out. It will probably be doing really easy stuff at first, but that nice feeling becomes reward and motivation once you find it.
Grades, lines, numbers, excitement, ego and all that are good in their own way, but the calm sub-thrill of being comfortable high up has less of a comedown and fewer side effects.

Edit - once you find something high that you like doing, do it lots of times and take time to reflect on the various physical and mental sensations. This might not necessarily make you climb harder, but it will help you enjoy your time more
 
I'm a bit confused, my impression was that Wellsy's aspiration was to climb on classic 7B/+s with the same lack of inhibition as on a kilter board. I took that to mean stuff like Old King Cascade, Famous Grouse, Ram Air, Monochrome etc.

I'm not even sure whether this advice people are giving to wander around in the no fall zone has any view towards the original aim. It sounds as though it is straying into saying doing that is a nicer way to spend one's days than on try-hard bouldering. That is fair enough but it might as well be saying the same for soloing the N face of the Eiger, or going fell running, or golf, or gastronomy or whatever.
 
stone said:
I'm a bit confused, my impression was that Wellsy's aspiration was to climb on classic 7B/+s with the same lack of inhibition as on a kilter board. I took that to mean stuff like Old King Cascade, Famous Grouse, Ram Air, Monochrome etc.

I'm not even sure whether this advice people are giving to wander around in the no fall zone has any view towards the original aim. It sounds as though it is straying into saying doing that is a nicer way to spend one's days than on try-hard bouldering. That is fair enough but it might as well be saying the same for soloing the N face of the Eiger, or going fell running, or golf, or gastronomy or whatever.

Is it not about getting up Crescent Arete as mentioned in the title?
 
lagerstarfish said:
Is it not about getting up Crescent Arete as mentioned in the title?
I think Cresent Arete was Fiend's idea. Wellsy was saying:
Wellsy said:
I'm definitely open to getting out of my comfort zone and plan to do so this year but honestly I feel like at the moment something like that would be really stressful and make me just want to walk away more, not less!
Doing Crescent Arete isn't something I particularly desire but doing less high/sketch things but potentially more high than I am now with an eye towards performing better would be what I want. I could happily go my entire life never getting on, say, Pebble Arete but I'd build towards it if it meant getting to do things I do actually want to do, like T-Crack and so on.
 
Actually CA was from the other thread, and chatting with Wellsy on FB. This thread is supposed to be a general one, hence posting it here rather than via messenger, but CA is maybe a good example of extrapolating bravery (into the "won't fall, but best don't fall" category, other forms of highballing are available).
 
Thanks for all the posts, DMs, and texts. I didn't want to say anything till I had all the results back. I've a burst fracture of my L1 vertebrae but nothing else seems damaged. Some bits of bone went outwards, some bits went inwards towards the nerves. Very fortunately there isn't any neurological damage. The fracture is stable under gravity so I can stand up and move around and have now been discharged from hospital.

So it looks like limestone season is a bust this year, but considering I've shared wards with people who have not sat up or been out of bed in two years, and have no use of their body beyond their hands, I'm pretty sanguine about it all.
 
Will Hunt said:
So it looks like limestone season is a bust this year, but considering I've shared wards with people who have not sat up or been out of bed in two years, and have no use of their body beyond their hands, I'm pretty sanguine about it all.

Good result, I think. Not being macabre, but remind me what you did last time you hurt yourself?
 
Glad to hear you're ok will.

Can anyone recall a video about a female projecting crescent arete? She takes a few trips to do it, there's narration or talking to camera. She possibly also does something at caley, but that might be another video. My partner remembers me showing them it about a year ago. Thanks in advance.

My advice to wellsy is go with a big crew with lots of pads and no pressure. Build up to it with a few other problems to build confidence. And set off with the aim of just getting as high as you feel like.

Also, if you don't fancy it then that's alright.
 
highrepute said:
Can anyone recall a video about a female projecting crescent arete? She takes a few trips to do it, there's narration or talking to camera. She possibly also does something at caley, but that might be another video. My partner remembers me showing them it about a year ago. Thanks in advance.

Found it

https://youtu.be/k2rdrOctiY0?si=qvBvQtzB5Vhq41ZX
 
Not wishing to hate on a geez, but aggressively downturned Hiangles wouldn't be my first choice of footwear for Crescent Arete!
 
When I bought my first pair of climbing shoes, from outside in hathersage, the person serving me refused to let me try on any bigger sizes than, what I would say was, the smallest shoe I could physically squeeze my soon to be crippled get into.

Apparently any bigger and theyd be rubbish.

So I used these inappropriately sized shoes on every grit VS I did until I'd saved up enough lunch money to buy something bigger.
 
I had the opposite - had a worn out pair of Vectors someone gave me till they were totally trashed, but got on really well with them.

Went to a climbing shop in Exeter while on holiday down there to buy my first proper pair and the guy serving me refused to let me try anything other than "beginner's shoes", so I ended up with a pair of Boreal Aces which I hated.
 

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