First On Rope post!

[bigalpha]

So, I have a fear of heights. It's not crippling [I don't cry and run away] but I sure as heck don't enjoy being close to the edge!

Well, it turns out I go rappelling the other day and it was pretty fun. I don't know if you'll get me to go rappell off a really tall open face, but in some place that does not have as much exposure wouldn't be too bad. Oh yeah, it can't be too high!

BTW: it's very scary!

[Mike Cato]

Learn your gear.

Learn to trust your gear.

Don't think about the height. Except for "free fall" rappelling, remember you're still "standing" on the "ground".

Do a balance test to make sure you won't roll over upside down when you do a "free fall" rappel.

[bigalpha]

Well,

I actually do not own any vertical gear; everything I used was borrowed.....and we didn't do anything fancy.


It's hard to trust the gear when you are hanging from a rope!

I did get taught a lot; and was not allowed near the rope before I knew the function of the equipment, how it operated, and how to use it. It was pretty fun!

[NZcaver]

bigalpha - welcome to the club!

I've always been a little wary of heights, too. Otac gave some good advice - learn to trust your gear. And check it like you're obsessive-compulsive!
If we're ever in the same place, I'd be happy to suit you up in some of my spare kit and go play on rope. (I think we need an "on rope" smilie...)

[bigalpha]

I would most definitely like to do that NZ! If we're ever in the same place, which would be a heck of a thing, the world is a big place (especially when I don't move around).

[wendy]

ok so tell us, where did you do it at? Did you also ascend? What kinda gear did you use?

[caverdoc]

I remember being at Philmont Scout Ranch in NM as a 14yr old and "chickening out" of a 40ft easy/sloping rappel.
Five years later I'm dropping an 800ft+ bridge in an Eastern state. Guess I got over that fear of heights.
A few years later I was routinely hanging out the door of a C-130 cargo plane hurtling along at 130knots, but that's another story...
Dr K

[hank moon]

I remember being at Philmont Scout Ranch in NM as a 14yr old and "chickening out" of a 40ft easy/sloping rappel.

ha! my first rappel was about 8 ft (sloping) between two segments of a switchbacky trail. I was terrified that something was gonna break, or I would slip and let go, etc. Never did get over that fear of heights, but at least I don't have vertigo any more...

[RescueMan]

I used to think i had a fear of heights (which is a very natural thing for a creature designed to walk on the ground), but once I started rock climbing I discovered that I only had a fear of FALLING. The heights are actually exhiliarating - and what a view!

So I made it a point to never fall - and I never have. In 16 years of trad climbing (I didn't start until I was 37), I've never had a leader fall (though I have taken some wingers on top-rope).

When I break in a new belayer, though, I take some controlled deliberate falls to make sure they can really catch me.

It's still the human factor that bothers me the most. I've learned to trust my gear and my knowledge of its proper use, but I always have to wonder a bit about my belayer and go with a "leap of faith".

That's why rappeling is so sweet - it's just you and your gear (and freak acts of Nature!).

- Robert

[bigalpha]

Well, lemme tell you; this incident didnt go down without much cursing [a vice, I know], thoughts of death, and a sudden uncontrollable urge to pee.

I don't know much about climbing -

I had on a harness, a brake [the kind with the bars that you can spread out to control your descent] a safety, an instructor helping me out, and a rope expertly tied to a tree!

Still needa work up to anything substantial though.

[wendy]

Well, lemme tell you; this incident didnt go down without much cursing [a vice, I know], thoughts of death, and a sudden uncontrollable urge to pee.

I don't know much about climbing -

I had on a harness, a brake [the kind with the bars that you can spread out to control your descent] a safety, an instructor helping me out, and a rope expertly tied to a tree!

Still needa work up to anything substantial though.

a brake aka in caver lingo as a rack

So was this in a cave? A wall?

[Nico]

I used to think i had a fear of heights (which is a very natural thing for a creature designed to walk on the ground), but once I started rock climbing I discovered that I only had a fear of FALLING. The heights are actually exhiliarating - and what a view!

Same here, I started doing vertical stuff almost 11 years ago when I was 10 years old and still cant overcome the fear of falling, and sometimes I still have vertigo if I look down while free hanging on a wall, thats why I like caving, you cant see anything else than what is lit by your own light.

and big A welcome to the club again

[Nuke]

Welcome, from a fellow member of the fear-of-heights club.

When I was a kid, I'd freeze up. Not sure why; perhaps falling down the stairs at an early age, or maybe being very nearsighted, or who knows what...?

As I got older, I got better. But the real turning point was about 30 years ago, working in a shipyard. The hulls were about 56 feet deep from bottom to deck, and I was one of the exalted few good enough to do vertical X-ray quality hull plate welds. But doing those required climbing five stories of loose planks inside the hull, and riding a "skyclimber" basket about six stories on the outside.

At first, I was terrified. But I forced myself to "be there" and gradually realized that being up high wasn't going to kill you. But forgetting you were WOULD.

Well, now I'm older, with dependents gone and no more worries, which means I can afford to do all the things I've always wanted to do - like crawl in caves and dangle from ropes.

It's said the best way to deal with fear is to confront it and stare it right in the eyeballs.

Nuke

[Stridergdm]

I love being on rope.

The first time I tried rappelling I was probably 11. On goldline. And using a body belay same day. Not so bad until we realized the rope had lain in some poison ivy.

A few years later I was all over our ropes course, including the zip line. Loving every minute of hit.

Never really had a "fear" again until tried to do "Australian" off the balcony of our student union. Something about staring straight down and not being able to see the rope (since it was out to my side). Reminded me of the fear that the beginners I was trying to teach were having. And really reminded me that it was the ROPE that really was so important.

Then there was dropping into Flowing Stone thinking... "well going DOWN is easy.. it's the climb UP 200'+ that's tricky."

Deepest so far is I think 330' (Mystery outside of Chattanooga). That was a fun one.

So of course where do I live... upstate NY where our pits are well... let's just say they ain't much.

As an aside, I'm reminded of a technique I developed to help beginners over the edge the first time. Most find it very hard to "lean back into space". Sort of a natural reaction if you ask me.

So.. I tell them to crouch down. Then, to straighten their legs again. But this time instead of straightening them up and down, to push OUT. This tends to get their body out into space with less fear.

[bigalpha]

I went to Pilot Rock.

I figured that the open face was too big of a step for me, so I decided to start on a smaller little ledge ~8ft. Nothing bad, really easy. After I went over the edge and hit the ledge under me, I had the option of continuing down -- it was where the rock had split apart vertically from top to bottom. I rappelled the whole split from top to bottom. Of course I didn't take any good pictures of the area, so it's hard to explain.

I don't really know how far it was....3-4 stories maybe? It was nice because I was surrounded by rocks; it was more of a safe feeling. It took me a little while to get a grasp of how I should sit in the sling....kinda relaxed sitting -- not a stiff ramrod straight thing. Pinched the heck outta my leg until I figured it out.

Strider - I agree with that. Leaning back over the edge was by far the hardest part. Luckily, I had someone to help me along! Thanks bud!