Weekend Whipper: Back-slapping Fall Down Runout Slab
Readers, please send your Weekend Whipper videos, information, and any lessons learned to Anthony Walsh, awalsh@outsideinc.com.
Kanta Kawakami used to view climbing as the type of sport that revolved entirely around grades. If he could climb 5.12a, he’d soon aim for 5.13a. But as he learned more about himself he realized that, for him, “the true meaning of climbing is daring to take risks in the unknown.”
In order to put this into practice, Kawakami decided to try Mt. Mizugaki’s Die Hard (5.11d R) ground up. “I thought that by trying out the routes marked with an R, ground-up, I might be able to understand a little more about climbing as an adventure rather than as a sport,” he told Climbing (translated from Japanese).
Die Hard begins with a 15-foot runout to a ledge and a bolt, then another 15-foot runout to a bolt, and a final 30-foot runout to the anchors. On the day of the climb, mid August, the temperature and humidity were uncomfortably high and Kawakami was hesitant to commit.
After some deliberation he went for the onsight wearing a pair of Scarpa Boostics, but fell off just above the first bolt. The low-angle rock severely scuffed the toes of his Boostics, so Kawakami opted for some fresh rubber—a pair of La Sportiva Otakis—for his second attempt.
“The beginning part requires simple slab skills, but due to the change in shoes, the footholds felt different and I was unable to step on the crystals properly,” he said. “As a result, when I put my hand out, my foot came off the rock and I fell onto the ledge, which meant I couldn’t control my fall and ended up falling aggressively.” Kawakami was relatively uninjured in the fall, suffering only mild abrasions.
“What I learned this time is not to change the type of shoes when climbing slabs. When attempting a dangerous route ground up, it is better to do so when the temperature, humidity, and state of mind [including shoes] are all right. … However, by daring to try a dangerous route ground up, I learned not only the fun of climbing as a sport, but also the fun of climbing in an adventurous way.”
Happy Friday, and be safe out there this weekend.
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