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General Climbing Discussion

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The Art of Onsight Trad Climbing 11-Nov-2005 At 2:13:33 PM MichaelOR

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1) If trad onsight climbing is your deal, how do you train? What techniques do you find most effective?
Onsight trad climbing is certainly how I measure my climbing … and what I aspire to. I’ve been climbing 17 years – the first 12 years only trad climbing at Arapiles and in the Grampians. In the last few years I’ve climbed sport routes as well as trad routes. My ultimate is ground up, onsight ascents of new routes. Over the past 8 years I’ve trained in gyms (endurance, power and even technique) to help me climb better on rock. It’s worked. Like Simey, I’ve spent a bit of time on Bluestone (Merri Creek at Heidelberg Rd Bridge). It’s great for body position, resting, footwork and especially endurance. Beware the crimp injuries though. I try to open hand as much as possible.
Lots of time leading on trad gear (especially on good rock eg Arapiles) gives you both the skills and confidence to keep going. The confidence and skills to find rests, find placements, place the gear etc. Not all placements are obvious! My onsight trad ability is the product of my experience doing just that.
A mixture of bouldering, easy leading, endurance and harder leading, all in the gym, helps. I have done campus training successfully. I used it to improve my open hand strength (which was close to zero). I only ever do it once a week, for 5 weeks. Any longer and my 47 year old body objects to the accumulated stresses. Campus training is of no use until you have a few years of training and climbing under your belt.
Bouldering in the gym is great for learning to do harder moves. It is hard to learn to do harder moves on the sharp end at the crags.

2) How do you differentiate the emotions and feelings you experience on a trad onsight vs. your first crack at a bolted line?
A trad onsight has more questions about gear and safety than most sport routes. Hence more anxiety possible when facing up to a trad onsight near my limit (or below if gear not so good). Some of my best, and most memorable, leads have been on routes a little below my limit with less than average gear. As Neil said ....The Good fight!
I’m still keen to onsight a sport route, but the anxiety may be less (although often harder moves and clips!) because the gear is visible.

3) Where does the future of the onsight trad lead appear to be going? (does not include preplaced trad gear) What role will it play for future generations?
Onsight trad climbing has a big future – it’s extremely rewarding. The catch is that you need to do a lot of trad climbing at lower grades before you can successfully trad climb near your sport limit. Repeating the classic trad routes is awesome. There are so many at all grades. I’ll never run out of trad routes to enjoy. As I improve many more become possible. Anyway, being able to trad climb means you can climb the mixed routes and not be restricted to the pure sport routes.

4) What sort of mental preparation and strategies do you employ when you are getting ready for an onsight trad lead at the edge (or beyond) of your current abilities?
Confidence is so important. I try to do warmup climbs that prepare me mentally and physically. My gym training will give me the necessary confidence in my endurance etc. Before onsighting Sandinista 23 ***, I warmed up by leading the nearby 17, 22 and 24 sport routes. They were repeat ascents and gave me lots of confidence as I cruised them.
I need to be ‘in the zone’ for trad routes with bigger fall potential. I can tell when I’m on song and then I will do them. Eg Blythe Street at Arapiles. I’m also prepared to back off and down climb when my head is NQR. I backed off the first ascent of ‘A Paler Shade of White’ ground up at Curiosity Crag by down climbing cleanly, only to return and lead it next trip. And yes, it was bold. The correct decision was made both days.

5) How do you get to that next level? The next grade?
I work on the principle that I consolidate one grade and then move on. The top of my pyramid is one 25, but I’ve led and even onsighted many 24s. I will try more 25s and so on. It’s a slow process. If only I could spend more time on rock!

6) Can the leader fall? Has this ethos changed?
It blows the onsight but you can fall. Well placed trad gear is safe. Some routes are best on double ropes. All routes require a leader who knows if his/her gear is good or not. If you don’t trust the gear then it’s very hard to go higher on a route. Taking time with gear, especially near the ground, is very important. I prefer not to fall off, but I do. The gear is there as a safety backup. I try to push myself on trad gear, as well as sport routes. Confidence in your climbing partner is also important.
Michael