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Climbing and ... Climbing => Masters of Mud -- Pinnacles => Topic started by: Atomizer on January 20, 2026, 07:48:24 PM

Title: Hardest solo?
Post by: Atomizer on January 20, 2026, 07:48:24 PM
What is the hardest solo climb in the history of Pinnacles climbing?
Title: Re: Hardest solo?
Post by: Brad Young on January 20, 2026, 08:30:53 PM
Can we assume that you are referring to free solo?

I have no idea, by the way.
Title: Re: Hardest solo?
Post by: Atomizer on January 21, 2026, 05:45:48 AM
Yeah, free solo climbs. Surely someone has done POD at this point. Seems like the obvious target. I do remember seeing a Monolith summit check in from James Lucas and he had soloed some stuff that was a bit serious. I told myself that's crazy. On week later he had his epic fall off North Overhang in J-tree.
Title: Re: Hardest solo?
Post by: looks easy from here on January 21, 2026, 08:49:18 AM
I'll start the bidding at 5.0 with me and Brad soloing Smiling Simian Easy Route a few years back on the Tour of Mud.   :lol:
Title: Re: Hardest solo?
Post by: Brad Young on January 21, 2026, 03:08:18 PM

I'll start the bidding at 5.0 with me and Brad soloing Smiling Simian Easy Route a few years back on the Tour of Mud.   :lol:


The joke's on you - Smiling Simian Easy Route got bumped up to 5.2 in the new book. So, the soloing odyssey is two grades higher....
Title: Re: Hardest solo?
Post by: Atomizer on January 22, 2026, 06:08:20 AM
I've soloed the Monolith Regular Route. So you guys lost the glory, yet it is deserved for such an ascent.
Title: Re: Hardest solo?
Post by: looks easy from here on January 22, 2026, 06:30:26 PM
The joke's on you - Smiling Simian Easy Route got bumped up to 5.2 in the new book. So, the soloing odyssey is two grades higher....

Don't tell my mom! I'll be in more trouble than I already was. :lol:

I've soloed the Monolith Regular Route. So you guys lost the glory, yet it is deserved for such an ascent.

How did you descend? Downclimb the same route?
Title: Re: Hardest solo?
Post by: Atomizer on January 23, 2026, 07:50:36 AM
How did you descend? Downclimb the same route?
I rapped down Ranger Bolts to work the moves.
Title: Re: Hardest solo?
Post by: mynameismud on January 27, 2026, 02:57:04 AM
On the Monolith I have solo'd POD and Feed the Beast.
Title: Re: Hardest solo?
Post by: mynameismud on January 27, 2026, 08:47:21 AM
I tried to solo Rocket in my Pocket but just managed to scare myself in the middle of the crux.  Ended up a bit stuck not being able to go up or down.  That was a moment.  Had a knob pop on Terranian Tango <sp>.  Popped off of one of the routes on Upper Crust took a bad bounce and almost tumbled down to the trail, that sucked.  Cannot remember the name, ape or gorilla something.  The only route up there I could not solo. 
Title: Re: Hardest solo?
Post by: Atomizer on January 27, 2026, 10:31:47 AM
On the Monolith I have solo'd POD and Feed the Beast.

Winner winner chicken dinner!
Title: Re: Hardest solo?
Post by: NOAL on January 28, 2026, 10:01:43 AM
How many with Tevas and a beer?
Title: Re: Hardest solo?
Post by: mynameismud on January 29, 2026, 08:27:55 AM
Never wore Teva's or drank beer while soloing, or smoked anything. 
Won't say anything specific about our fungal friends.
Title: Re: Hardest solo?
Post by: mungeclimber on February 27, 2026, 04:42:38 PM
Simian is like 5.8++  :o


Solo as a first ascent or any solo?

Dragging a rope de-counts the ascent? what if its a mandatory rap? re-counts?
Title: Re: Hardest solo?
Post by: clink on March 08, 2026, 08:59:22 AM
Quote
(well, there’s that long section of trail in the Pinalenos that washed out in 2017 and which requires “class four” movement in places… but we’re climbers and how bad can a little “class four” be?).

Quote
Solo as a first ascent or any solo?

Dragging a rope de-counts the ascent? what if its a mandatory rap? re-counts?

 

 Hardest? Scariest? I suppose that a few guardian angels have resigned on the spot after certain escapades by the climbers here, probably in the aftermath of instances not mentioned above. Watching Bachar or Werner solo was therapeutic compared to what I've watched some of you do at Pinnacles. With or without dragging a rope.