Soloist on Diedre

[Kiely]

About 11:am on Sunday, a soloist passed numerous parties on Diedre. Given that Diedre is the most popular route on the Apron, especially on a nice summer weekend, I think this guy needs to give his head a shake. He would walk right up to whoever was leading a pitch, and stand there literally right beneath his. He could have bent forward and sniffed the next guys butt. Obviously he wasn't warning the climbers he was coming up to, because I saw on two seperate occasions the leaders he was climbing up to become startled (why their belayers didn't say anything either makes me wonder as well).

We all know climbing is as much a mental game than a physical one, and also that Diedre is typically going to be full of beginners. This guy obviously scared these other climbers. What if they fell? They would have knocked him off.

I was pretty apparent to me that this guy felt that he owned the climb with his pushy attitude. It looked to me that he had the attitude of 'I am a way better climber than you herds on Diedre, and I'm giong to show off by doing it solo. My contempt for you is obvious becauase I don't show you the respect of allowing you to get to a safe spot before I pass'. Like what ego.

This guy is climbing for the wrong reasons. What a dick. If I see him around town I'm going to give him a piece of my mind. He's a older skinny guy with brown curly hair and a goatee.

[Squamishmonkey]

We all climb for different reasons and all have different ethics and standards.

I believe all climbers should be more understanding and tolerant of others opinions and styles. Maybe the soloists actions were upsetting to you but "giving him a piece of your mind" will only lead to conflict.

Your post is midly threatening towards the soloist and reflects equally poorly on you. Other climbers ethics are not changed with threats and name calling.

I am not the soloist or know him personally but simply would like to avoid this site turning into the flame wars that other sites have become.

[Kiely]

I agree that name calling is not productive. I realized that shortly after posting the rant, and unfortunately cannot edit my post.

Certainly I am not threatening this individual, however I would like to discuss it with him, as I suspect he has no idea how he affected these climbers.

I met up with them in the parking lot after and they were certainly affected negatively, one was from the US and said he would not come back if this is how they are treated by the locals.

[Dooley]

I am willing to bet that it wasnt a local!

[Kiely]

Certainly I told the Americans that his attitude is not representative of the locals I have climbed with.

[Jason]

I think the soloist just wanted enough witnesses to confirm that he actually soloed Squamish's greasiest multipitch in 35 degree weather!!

[Peter]

Who cares about killing the soloist, I'm more worried about them falling off and hurting/killing me!!! (Regardless of how easy it is). I still find the person soloing above me concept one of the most offensive acts in climbing...........

[Climbingjunky]

I'll have to agree with meingh and peter, when soloing starts putting people in danger, either the soloist themselves, which is usually the case or another climber nearby, then this is borderline irresponsible, irrespectful and jsut plain idiotic. If you want to solo, then do it far away from others. Anyways, in general I'm totally against soloing, no matter how easy the route is, I value my life too much to make a mistake. My 2 cents.

[mr_staggerlee]

I think a clarification of terminolgy is in order:

climbing unprotected on Diedre on a sunny weekend is not "soloing", it is called "exhibitionism"

G

[Dooley]

Well put! IF you are goin to solo, then go early or late when there are no other parties that can be directly affected!

[J Mace]

would it have mattered if this guy was roped up and climbing so close to you he could sniff your butt..

seems to me that happens quite bit on the more popular trade routes...

[Brendan]

... but "giving him a piece of your mind" will only lead to conflict...

oh no, conflict!!
you're scared of conflict? maybe the guys a serious dickhead and needs to be in conflict w/ people(s) to have a real understanding that you don't solo when other people are in very close proximity to you (2 ft above/below you).

besides, who do you think will win when the conflict arises?
back in '98 someone soloed past me while we were both on the "crux" last pitch where it's a thinish finger crack. i was pissed cause he took an alternate way around me, on the left where you reach for that small ledge, and almost slipped off! he turned a 10a into a 11? crimp fest!
goofball...

[Brendan]

i was referring to Rock On^^