How to Lead 5.9*

Trip Report

I led my first 5.9 sports route on Friday, July 4th. It was “Souled Out” at Summersville. I had attempted 5.9 leads in the past, but had not finished an entire route before.

How did I do it? First, I spent much of the 3h drive from Pittsburgh envisioning that I'd lead a 5.9. I also told myself I was ready this season: I had good preparation climbing in the Baltimore gym in April and early May, and did well climbing outdoors and toproping harder grades in May and June. Then, after warming up on Hippie Dreams, where my performance was so-so, I did notice that Souled Out was open, and I decided I wanted to do it.

My main issue with leading above 5.7, really, is fear of falling. This is not an entirely irrational fear, since falling can result in injury. Now, Souled Out has several redeeming features. First off, after the first bolt, it is straight up, even has a small overhang, in the difficult sections. This meant that any potential fall would give me airtime but I wouldn't hit any ledges. Also, I had toproped this climb several times before. I never got it cleanly, but I trusted that I'd be focusing better on lead. So, I set out to do it.

I approached the climb from the ledge, which is about 12 feet off the ground and one can walk onto it from Hippie Dreams. The first bolt is another 12 feet or so above the ledge. Francesca came up to the ledge with me and insisted to stick-clip the first bolt for me. She did, but the when she pulled on the stick, it separated, leaving half of it hanging off the bolt. At this point, quite a few of the other climbers at Orange Oswald gave us doubtful looks... Nevertheless, and quite courageously, Francesca stepped up into the climb a few feet and pulled the stick off the bolt. Then it was time for me to climb.

Michelle put me on belay. I climbed up to the bolt, and sat on it. I sat on it for a very long time, because I just could not see how to get to the second bolt. The bolts at Summersville are quite far apart, 6-8 feet – see fear of falling above. I finally got a sequence worked out and went for it. I got the second bolt to Michelle and Francesca's cheers.

I sat again as soon as I clipped bolt #2. The next bolt was actually not too hard to get to, and I figured out the moves quickly. But then there was this mini overhang in the route. It was not a roof or anything like that, in other words, I thought it would not be hard to pull, and it wasn't. But it was enough of an overhang so that once I moved above it with my upper body, I could no longer see my feet. I spent a long time here, going up, and down, and assessing the possibilities. I finally used my friend Cindy H.'s advice, and put chalk marks on all the possible foot holds – makes them look bigger, she says. I also drew some lines downward from the three best feet so I would be able to find them once I stepped up. The feet I finally chose were to the left of the bolt, and the hand holds I found were to the right of the bolt. So, hands right, feet left, I stepped up. I found a handhold up and left and shifted my weight over my feet. Then I threw my right leg onto the lip of the overhang and cranked, hoping for the best. Well, it worked!

After that, the climb backed off to about a 5.8. Another 2 bolts, and I made the anchors.

Later in the day I also led That Eight, but felt pretty weak on it. I had rained lightly on and off, and water had collected in some of the holds. Or maybe I was just exhausted.

After climbing, Michelle, Francesca and I swam in the lake. It did start to rain in earnest finally, and it was fun to watch the shapes that the rain drops made hitting and dragging tear-shaped droplets back up from the lake surface.

And then Michelle and Francesca bought me some beer and pizza, to celebrate our excellent day together. Michelle and I exchanged our squids; and we are now squid sisters. (You have to ask her about Jose Jalapeño to understand, watching this clip might help you get an idea.) Thanks for your support, guys, and for a great 4^th of July, on a steeek!

* The title of this entry was adapted from the title of Eric Hörst's book “How to Climb 5.12”. His book “Training for Climbing” introduced me to two concepts which have been important to my climbing, sacrifice, and the Law of Practice. I now have to come to know the latter as the “10-year rule” (see “The Expert Mind” by Philip E. Ross in Scientific American, 2006, Vol. 295, No. 2, p. 64). It basically states that deliberate and prolonged practice is important in mastering any field. I also occasionally re-read Arno Ilgners' book “The Rock Warrior's Way”. Both, Eric and Arno, write about how to manage fear, and I continuously draw on their experiences to help me manage my fear of falling. Both point out how visualizing a performance helps achieve it. My successful attempt at leading Souled Out was definitely influenced by this advice. Arno talks about the importance of gathering information (cf. the chapter on Accepting Responsibility). I was able to open my mind to a lot more holds than I would have seen, had I not thought about Arno's insights. And perhaps two summers of trad climbing helped.

Leadership Reflections

Fear can result from taking risks, for ourselves, or with the lives or livelihoods of those whom we are trusted to lead.

Gathering and evaluating information is key in helping us manage risks. A technical risk has odds for which probabilities might be calculable. Many of the risks involved in climbing are technical in nature and can be managed with skill and experience. Yet in leadership, many risks are political. The relationships between people and their different cultures are often complex; the perceptions of an action, however well intentioned, not always predictable. Reading the politics of a situation is a leadership art much more than a leadership science.

All too often, accepting a greater risk holds promises of higher rewards. Risk for some of us, some of the time, can be a thrilling rush. Fear can be the warning sign that keeps us from trying to achieve our goals at a price we should not be willing to pay. This is when to back off may be the better choice.

But sometimes the situation requires us to act in the face of fear. Should we?

“Fear is the mind-killer.”^ In climbing and in leadership, when we fear, we loose clarity of thought. Knowing ourselves is instrumental in helping us to decide when fears are founded in reason, and when phantom fears obstruct our vision. Conquering the fears that stem for our inner dialog may be an ever-lasting battle. But, with deliberate and prolonged practice, we may yet best ourselves one day.

Choosing which action to take, in climbing and in leadership, requires skill, experience, and a calm and clear mind. Some call this wisdom.

To Grow List

I must not fear.

Fear is the mind-killer.

Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.

I will face my fear.

I will permit it to pass over me and through me.

And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.

Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.

Only I will remain. ^

^ Herbert, Frank (1965). Dune. ISBN 0-441-17271-7.