UKC

Some great footage of Steve House soloing the New Hampshire classics, Repentance (WI5) and Remission (WI5+), in February last year:

http://video.patagonia.com/video/Repentance-Remission-2

Personally, I thought it was among the most honest and nervy winter soloing footage I've watched. It's interesting to see Steve out of his usual big mountain context and hear him talk about the things that are important to him.

I think anyone who has had thought-provoking moments while soloing will be grinding their teeth at him struggling to make some of his placements....

In reply to Patrick Roman: Finished his book a few weeks ago, so cool to see a good vid.

I've only solo'd some very easy stuff, but I get very nervous watching other people do it!

In reply to Patrick Roman:

An excellent short vid . Cheers Patrick . . . 80) a few sketchy moments for Steve , all part of the fun I suppose ?

Thanks very much for sharing. I greatly enjoyed that and am always interested to hear Steve speak. Some scary moments there.

In reply to Patrick Roman:

Another soloing video that, like the Honnold one, I did not like because of the queasy feeling it induced. Maybe my perspective on watching these things is changing. Hm.

Stunning routes though.

In reply to Patrick Roman: Ugh... the top out of the first route off of that fist jam.... felt for him there.

In reply to Patrick Roman: Brilliant film - Got me sweating and shaking my head

In reply to Patrick Roman:

Was properly shitting myself watching that! Great video.

In reply to Patrick Roman:

I wouldn't be worrying about the placements. That's just ice. The finish to the first one looked pretty dubious without a nice bomber nut in that crack though!
Good vid. The routes look fantastic.

In reply to Patrick Roman:

Enjoyed that. Couple of sketchy looking placements there but I'm sure he felt pretty solid on everything. Worst bit for me was when he was biting on the Grivel tool while pulling over the chockstone. I could just see him dropping it!

In reply to Wee Davie:

That's what did it for me- no lanyards! Is that common?

In reply to Patrick Roman: Hell that was scary at the end of Repentance

Great vid but slightly grueling to watch! The shaky gloveless hand jam, the tool between the teeth (while the other tool looked less than securely planted?), the crampon placement slipping. Very impressed, but didn't look 100% solid to me compared to Jeff Lowe for example on Bridal Veil falls. But maybe it was just because the camera was closer, and maybe harder routes but looked pretty close to the limit to my inexperience eye.

In reply to all:

Agreed, there was a real sense of desperation to that last pitch of Repentance. I think his heavy breathing and subdued "that was scary" said it all! In a way, I was more concerned about what his feet were doing under the chockstone!

By his own admission, Steve had climbed Repentance a week earlier but had taken an alternative right-hand finish. I think it shows the difference between soloing ground you're familiar with and soloing onsight.

In reply to Patrick Roman:
Yeah one point where his foot was sideways smearing on f all, one tool in, moving his foot, I just felt sick watching it.

In reply to Patrick Roman:

im wondering about the switch in tools. both why and how?

great stuff tho. considering not much more than a year ago he was smashed to pieces and has only been back in serious training 3 or 4 months, which includes time on makalu.
according to him hes still in 'recovery'....

In reply to ice.solo:

The solos aren't recent, they actually took place six weeks before his accident on Mount Temple. After his fall, he talked about how in the weeks prior, he had been climbing well, referring in part to his soloing, and how he didn't foresee his accident:

"I did not expect to meet my demise on Mount Temple, on a training-climb. A simple winter excursion in the Canadian Rockies, one chosen because it was close to the road, because it fit with the avalanche conditions and our weather window. Here is where hubris steps in.

I fell because I was 100% sure I would not fall. Or at least I fell such a distance, around eighty feet, for that reason. I did not give as much attention to my protection as I would have if I was scared or intimidated by the pitch. I wasn’t scared at all. Quite the opposite: I was rushing. I was climbing as if I couldn’t fall. As if I was invincible. I was being cocky."

In reply to Patrick Roman: Brilliant video and genuinely scary.. Cheers

In reply to ice.solo:

why - sponsor?
how - it was a back to back effort, rather than a continuous enchainment

In reply to Patrick Roman:

Awesome video , being a low grade climber what the top guys do is like watching a super hero movie .

In reply to Patrick Roman:

Eek. I really liked the look of Repentance (not soloing it mind!), and the chockstone at the top would have taken a lovely big hex placement just nice.
I felt a bit squeamish watching him on the second route though. Similar feeling that Ive had soloing grade III & the odd pitch of IV.

Great vid, thanks Patrick.

In reply to Patrick Roman:

For House's account of the accident and aftermath, see
http://www.stevehouse.net/Site/Training_Blog/Entries/2010/5/9_Fall_off_Moun... and subsequent entries.