Deep Water Soloing

What is deep water soloing? Lets break it apart...first you need some deep water. This can be a pool, river, ocean, etc. This pool of water acts as your safety net or your "rope" should you fall. Soloing is the act of climbing with out the use of ropes, protection, belayer, etc.

This outing was my first experience with deep water soloing. Amos introduced me to it and he is a big fan. I must say I was hesitant about it...maybe it was due to the 30ft fall or the 34 degree water that was catching us? Anyway the butterflies were scrambling about in my stomach.

The climbs were in a small little creek up on Independence Pass. We were climbing at the base of an underground waterfall (picture 1). The rock looked like plastic melted by a blow torch. The erosion over eons has eroded the rock to smooth polished glass. The climbing began just above this polished layer of rock ice.

Before we started soloing we first set up a top-rope to examine the rock and the routes. We each climbed the routes a few times before we took the harness off to solo. Once we felt comfortable on the routes we were lowered down on a simple webbing sling. At the bottom of the route we unclipped the sling and the rope was pulled up to the top of the cliff. That point is the moment of fight or flight. Fight back the emotions, fear, and doubt so that you can succeed. Or do the easy exit by letting go and swimming in the ice bath mountain water. Both Amos and I chose to succeed and chose not to fall. Each of us, one by one, sailed the routes, embracing summer, life, and the opportunity for adventure.