by CBee » Sat 06 Aug, 2022 2:20 pm
Free solo masters (rockclimbing without ropes or gear), generally speaking they rehearse the route on rope until every single move is dialled. The route is usually few or many grades below the climber's technical limit and most importantly, the rock has to be very good (bomber), because the mental challenge of making a move in a position where a mistake means death, is already huge and you don't want to add the odds of holds or blocks crumbling on you. That's why I don't get it when people play russian roulette with routes like the Comino-Waring, unroped. They are obviously not free soloists and most of the time not even rock climbers, because even a beginner rock climber thinking is invincible, would not free solo a obscure route where a slip or a rock coming off (highly possible event) means certain death. But this is from a rock climber perspective.
Now from an alpine perspective, the Comino-Waring route is the obvious line of least resistance to bypass the vertical cliffs of Leaning Peak (the hiker's abseil) if you coming from Barney North Peak and you want for some reason make your descent via Short Leaning Ridge. If this is the case, aside from the mandatory 50m rope, you'll need a small rack and few slings to protect the traverse. To me personally it doesn't make sense to travel that direction for a number of reasons unless climbing the Comino-Waring is the dream of your life or your cup of tea. It looks uninteresting, ugly, vegetated and the rock seems very poor. But by looking at it, to me is perfectly climbable providing is protected properly. My 2c.
