Trip Report
Widow's Tears solo (video)

by Vitaliy M.
Tuesday September 20, 2016 11:24am
I don't usually enjoy watching first person climbing videos, but someone out there may find it interesting, as it shows off a rarely done ice climb. Was my first and last time using a helmet cam and stitching together a long video, so don't expect much. I put in most of the climbing on the route into it aside from the lower angle thin bullshit at the start and the last 300 feet. The battery ran out there. The climb was talked about in a small podcast interview. If someone wants to hear what I thought of it (mixed feelings mostly), it is here (we start talking after about a 30 minute host talk. English is my second language and I am more shy than not, so don't expect much there too):

http://www.accidentalproductions.net/rants-raves-vitaliy-musiyenko/

Accidental podcasts have done interviews with multiple other members of ST, like Plaidman, Petons Pete, Chris Mac and many other cool interviews are on there.

[Click to View YouTube Video]

The ice climbing season is around the corner! Sharpen the tools!

  Trip Report Views: 5,327
Vitaliy M. 		About the Author
Vitaliy M. is an annoying gym climber from San Francisco.

Comments
micronut

Trad climber
Fresno/Clovis, ca
  Sep 20, 2016 - 12:00pm PT
Burly bro. I too get kinda creeped out watching that stuff but you look like you had it dialed. Proud send. Now don't ever do that again.
briham89

Big Wall climber
santa cruz, ca
  Sep 20, 2016 - 12:09pm PT
That's a ton of continuous ice climbing! Holy sheet!!!!

Nice job man. I'm glad you're around to tell the tale, that had me nervous watching.
NutAgain!

Trad climber
https://nutagain.org
  Sep 20, 2016 - 12:10pm PT
Dude, this is so beyond hard core.
You had to dig deep.
Pretty mind bending.
Sound track is epic for creating the emotional landscape. I'm not a fan of the hard stuff but I still found it moving and fitting.


Part of me just wants to pick you up like a little kid and give you a hug and say "be careful man! Take care of yourself!"
Oso Flaco

Gym climber
Atascadero, CA
  Sep 20, 2016 - 01:09pm PT
Bad ass. Big Iron.

I think I learned something about ice climbing too. Now I really want to climb that!
Nick Danger

Ice climber
Arvada, CO
  Sep 20, 2016 - 01:28pm PT
Well that's fairly badass, Vitaliy! I especially appreciate how you made sure you were comfortable with each and every tool placement before moving. Nothing quite like soloing steep ice to focus the mind and refine the technique. Boffo performance, dude.

I had a "come-to-Jesus" meeting with my wife a few years back over the subject of soloing ice, so watching your video is going to be the closest I get to that genteel pastime for the foreseeable future.
cheers
Brian in SLC

Social climber
Salt Lake City, UT
  Sep 20, 2016 - 02:01pm PT
Dude...I wouldna hit into the top of that one bulge...

Ha ha. Kidding.

Awesome!!!
anita514

Gym climber
Great White North
  Sep 20, 2016 - 02:11pm PT
TFPUUUUUUUUUUUU !!!!!!!!!!!!!11111111
snakefoot

climber
Nor Cal
  Sep 20, 2016 - 02:14pm PT
nice, thanks for putting this together and a great feat in itself. Unsolicited below... I think alot of us have realized that head cams can make the viewer dizzy as we are always looking around quickly. Belly cams have made a significant reduction in this factor as well as looking more with eyes than head turns. Climb on you wild man!
drljefe

climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
  Sep 20, 2016 - 02:21pm PT
This oughta bring out the polesmokers.
Already has!!!
;-)

I tip my hat to you on this climb, well done.
i-b-goB

Big Wall climber
Nutty
  Sep 20, 2016 - 03:18pm PT
Bold and beautiful!
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
  Sep 20, 2016 - 09:30pm PT
Surprised you miss hit so much. Some day you might just make a good ice climber. Now if you can only do it leash less that sh#t is aid bro. That would only be WI4 in the beartooths. Haha just kidding I watched every minute fast forwarding just a bit. Incredibably ballsy but God I bet it felt good to just climb ice for a third of a vertical mile.
Mark Rodell

Trad climber
Bangkok
  Sep 20, 2016 - 09:32pm PT
That was radical. Fantastic times ten.
this just in

climber
Justin Ross from North Fork
  Sep 20, 2016 - 09:36pm PT
Badass
Ed H

Trad climber
Santa Rosa, CA
  Sep 20, 2016 - 10:22pm PT
Oh man - that's hard to watch - all I can see is that ice popping right off. Glad you lived.
kunlun_shan

Mountain climber
SF, CA
  Sep 20, 2016 - 10:40pm PT
Wow, Vitaliy! I bet you had a lot of focus during that climb. Really like the diverse soundtrack. TFPU!
Gnome Ofthe Diabase

climber
Out Of Bed
  Sep 20, 2016 - 11:15pm PT
Ombré! OMINOUS! That you feel the need to speak of any short comings is endearing.

In simplest form
Good god man, there Is something wrong with you. whatever else it is
It is Greatness.

Thanks for the nod, and I'm with you in spirit.

Thank you for inspiring posts and sharing the ways you go and the things you climb.

Old ankles, knees and eyes Thank You,


tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
  Sep 21, 2016 - 04:09am PT
Amazeing accomplishment that highlights how superior fitness and strong possitive mental attitude can carry the day.. as for tool placement it looks like perhaps you are fairly new to the water ice game????
Huge Congrats!
Stewart Johnson

Gym climber
top lake
  Sep 21, 2016 - 05:40am PT
Practice makes perfect! Nice work
Blakey

Trad climber
Sierra Vista
  Sep 21, 2016 - 08:24am PT
I have no idea how you managed to solo that thing with all of that appallingly sh+t music playing........ Amazing concentration.

You lost me in under 10 seconds......

Regards,

Steve
limpingcrab

Gym climber
Minkler, CA
  Sep 21, 2016 - 08:38am PT
Holy balls.

I hope you got that out of your system, I'm low on backcountry partners so you're not allowed to die.

Thought you did a great job on the interview, especially for a foreigner!

Practice with those new skis and we can go hunt some backcountry ice this winter! (I'll just watch, though, I have not the guts to climb water)

Impressive...
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Author's Reply  Sep 21, 2016 - 08:56am PT
I had a "come-to-Jesus" meeting with my wife a few years back over the subject of soloing ice, so watching your video is going to be the closest I get to that genteel pastime for the foreseeable future.

I didn't have a meeting like that, but after thinking about the amount of risk I wad taking by going after a climb notorious for only forming partially, without any report on condition, I think this was a bit too much. Not planning to do anything as risky in the near future. Family would be devastated if I did not 'send.' There are plenty of a friend's who would be sad, but I can't even imagine how painful would it be to my mom. This had already happened, and I feel great that it went the way it did, but have to make better decisions in the future.

I am not a great ice climber, yes. And it was my second or third outing on ice that year. We don't get much of it in CA. But later that year I went to Ouray and got better with milage. Climbed 9 days straight, sent my first M8 and did a few cool long mixed climbs (Birdbrain Boulevard and Rusty Cage). Hope to continue getting better a little at a time. Ice/mixed climbing is fun.
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
  Sep 21, 2016 - 09:25am PT
dont get me wrong, you did an amazeing job but it did look like you were learning on the job. A lot of those placemets did not look like you climb ice for a liveing but you did damn fine! This video certainly proves the old adage that ice climbing is often mostly about fitness and a strong lead head!
limpingcrab

Gym climber
Minkler, CA
  Sep 21, 2016 - 09:44am PT
I give a compliment!!!



and then I give a tiny insult because I'm insecure!11!!!
I still like you. Idiot.
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
  Sep 21, 2016 - 01:45pm PT
OMG it's not an insult! Its simply the facts. the swings in the video do not look like the swings of a full time professional water ice climber. What it does look like is a world class alpine rock climber grabbing some shiny almost new tools and ticking one of the biggest prizes in ice climbing in the best style possible. Fcking amazeing..
estwing

Trad climber
montreal
  Sep 21, 2016 - 03:08pm PT
Very proud send! But please, please, please! Don't place your tools so close together, or on such a similar horizontal plane. You got lucky on a few of those man. Could have broken off the whole chunk you were hanging from multiple times.

I'm not sure if you have read it or not, but Will Gadd wrote a great book about ice climbing. You have the head and the endurance, just work on a bit of technique to stay in the game longer.

Stay safe, if only because you are one of the few people who males this forum still about climbing ;)

Sam
johntp

Trad climber
Punter, Little Rock
  Sep 21, 2016 - 03:25pm PT
Nice! You really need to get out of the gym and try some real climbing.
WBraun

climber
  Sep 21, 2016 - 06:37pm PT
This is how it was done.

There's no time for second armchair analysis.

All armchair analysis useless.

Some men go way before the armchair men even wake up .....
FRUMY

Trad climber
Bishop,CA
  Sep 21, 2016 - 06:41pm PT
Great post
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
  Sep 22, 2016 - 03:50am PT
That is exactly what I meant. That thing apparently comes in pretty darn rarely and goes out quickly. If you want to climb it you have to grab it when its in. It is not one of those climbs you can put off untill next season when you have more ice experience. Proud send!
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Author's Reply  Sep 22, 2016 - 04:14pm PT
For tool placements and suck I'd like to add that when one ice climbs he 'feels' the ice. There were some spots where it can look like I have a good stick but it does not feel right or when I swing close to my initial placements there were moments when the ice feels good and the feet are really good. Not trying to prove my technique is flawless! But it is a different thing when you actually feel the placements and know how solid the feet are. Thanks for compliments and critique, as I said I'd love to get better at ice in the next years, and not planning to solo anything like this! Would love to get some better tools/skills and get on the Man Yoga again. That climb is one of the few mixed things that inspire me to get better.
Radish

Trad climber
SeKi, California
  Sep 22, 2016 - 05:43pm PT
Wow!! I knew it was big when I first heard that you did it. On the first day of this year too! That's a way to start big! Crazy Video, everytime you looked down I could feel the thought of what it must have been like. That took some serious focus. Great Job and a most Monumental Ascent of frozen water.
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
  Sep 22, 2016 - 06:42pm PT
I Never said you sucked. Just that it looked like you did not have a lot of miles of water ice under your belt when you did this. For a pro ice climber this would still be a huge accomplishment and doing it off the couch as the first climb of the season is seriously rad.
zBrown

Ice climber
  Sep 22, 2016 - 06:45pm PT
Icy!!!!
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
  Sep 22, 2016 - 07:46pm PT
Not even close burch. This is not about me. Vitaly is the man. If Will Gad soloed that thing it would be front page news.
ms55401

Trad climber
minneapolis, mn
  Sep 22, 2016 - 07:48pm PT
Will Gadd has dissed far manlier tool placements, it's on youtube, you can check it out

but I regard this as a fine send. Chapeau!
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Author's Reply  Sep 24, 2016 - 08:46am PT
Tradman, I agree with you in many ways! And would be happy to go climb with you some day on rock or ice. Not to compare balls or cross examine tool placements but because I think you are saying what you are saying out of care. Would be happy to meet, as long as you are ok with roped climbing. I retired from soloing such ice routes and did so only because I was too stoked to climb it and had no partner that day. Was calm, confident but not perfect. :) Also, hope other climbers are not turned off by the route getting soloed twice last season, it is still an amazing route worth being on the bucket list.
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
  Sep 23, 2016 - 08:25pm PT
No way I could keep up with you on rock! Ice I would love to give you a tour of the north east if you are ever out here. I will even let you lead the hard pitches:) I was not trying to be critical at all, just observeing and playing detective a bit. Figured you did it because it was in. Big ice is like that;) I also have a theory that I like to toss arround that ice climbing is pretty easy for a fit person and that leading ice is mostly about fitness and haveing a strong mind. Know lots of folks who are way better climbers and much stronger but can't lead ice that well or at all because they don't have the head for it. (perhaps they are too smart?) Then there are climbers who get it done at a pretty high and serious level off the couch... I can have a fit rock climber or even some very fit non climbers top rope 5+ ice on their first day but there is no way in hell I am getting up a mid 11 rock climb that is not a slab after 35+ years of climbing....
Escopeta

Trad climber
Idaho
  Sep 23, 2016 - 08:27pm PT
And here I thought sandstone was crumbly....

Proud
StevenStrong

Trad climber
Seattle, WA
  Sep 23, 2016 - 09:33pm PT
Vitaliy, that was really amazing - I cringed often - way to live!
neebee

Social climber
calif/texas
  Sep 23, 2016 - 10:59pm PT
hey there say, vitaliy... wow... i saw the facebook share, wow!

say, and as to this quote:

I didn't have a meeting like that, but after thinking about the amount of risk I wad taking by going after a climb notorious for only forming partially, without any report on condition, I think this was a bit too much. Not planning to do anything as risky in the near future. Family would be devastated if I did not 'send.' There are plenty of a friend's who would be sad, but I can't even imagine how painful would it be to my mom. This had already happened, and I feel great that it went the way it did, but have to make better decisions in the future.


nice to hear this... :)
Mur of Opotrepus

climber
  Sep 23, 2016 - 11:31pm PT
He planning on doing something else CRAZY, soon.
fosburg

climber
  Sep 24, 2016 - 03:52am PT
Fantastic, thanks for sharing that! There should be a go fund me set up to get you some Nomics.
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Author's Reply  Sep 24, 2016 - 08:48am PT
Please! Nomics are a dream. Will be watching the eBay in the coming months. I top roped a few hard mixed pitches with cobras and nomics for comparison, it is not even fair how much easier the nomics make things. Great tools. Tried Fusions too, but they did not seem as good.

PS: also, this is the difference between highlight videos and raw record of over 1000 ft of ice climbing. It is how it really is, not the 'best of.'
tradmanclimbs

Ice climber
Pomfert VT
  Sep 24, 2016 - 12:53pm PT
X dreams are also very good. perhaps better price? more precise for ice but not as rugged for mixed as Nomics
WyoRockMan

climber
Grizzlyville, WY
  Sep 24, 2016 - 01:07pm PT
Bravo!

I was thinking a lot of the miss hits were due to light taps on sketchball ice. There were a couple sections that you worked your way around dinner plates, showing total focus of your surroundings.

I'm sure it is a few hours of your life that you will remember in great detail. What a special thing!
Stewart Johnson

Gym climber
top lake
  Sep 24, 2016 - 06:49pm PT
Watched it again
The hack technique will disappear
After a few seasons in Canada !
Todd Eastman

Social climber
Putney, VT
  Sep 24, 2016 - 08:02pm PT
Hard to climb stuff like that with huge balls!
Stewart Johnson

Gym climber
top lake
  Sep 24, 2016 - 08:16pm PT
After ice climbing and carpentry for over thirty years
I've found that modern innovations in
tools has made the tasks easier.
Sharpening picks en-route has proven
To reduce ice displacement,
Especially after thin opening pitches.
I think that ( and I've said this before
on this forum) if this route was in
Canada it would be soloed on
A regular basis .
But the fickle nature of the conditions in
Cali make it a different proposition
Altogether
I personnely used the hack tech
For quite a few years until I made it
up north and put in some time on the ice.
Not wanting to take away anything from
Vitals amazing ascent. Just Saying .
And yes I've soloed the Silver Strand but
There were no head cams in 1988.
ß Î Ø T Ç H

Boulder climber
ne'er–do–well
  Sep 24, 2016 - 09:03pm PT
Spider Savage

Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
  Sep 25, 2016 - 02:33pm PT
Definitely takes Selfies to a whole new level.

Here is my shot from the day before:
Stewart Johnson

Gym climber
top lake
  Sep 25, 2016 - 02:54pm PT
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Author's Reply  Sep 25, 2016 - 10:23pm PT
And yes I've soloed the Silver Strand but
There were no head cams in 1988.

No headcam footage + no instagram post = never happened braj.
I was hacking at the ice to make it easier for Brian on on the following day. Kidding..
Will you go to Canada this winter Paul (SJ)?
climbrunride

Sport climber
Golf Wall, CO
  Oct 12, 2016 - 09:52pm PT
I tried watching the video and it wouldn't play. It said it "contains content from WMG, who has blocked it in your country on copyright grounds."

Uuuummmmm, I'm in COLORADO. Are we banned just because we have more ice climbing than CA? Because I think that, even with all that we've got here, that climb was one of the most spectacular settings possible. I wanna SEE IT!!!
Stewart Johnson

Gym climber
top lake
  Oct 13, 2016 - 05:42am PT
Yep V
Try to go every year, about to put up the
Plice and start training for the ice.
Soloed the north peak couloir a few weeks
Ago it's in pretty good shape but a storm this
Weekend might change that!
JohnnyG

climber
  Oct 13, 2016 - 06:34am PT
V- the video is now blocked, maybe from the music you chose. Would love to see it.
-John
Vitaliy M.

Mountain climber
San Francisco
Author's Reply  Oct 13, 2016 - 11:07am PT
Stewart, when are you going? Man yoga time!!! Really want to get back on it. Didn't have enough time to finish last time, the trail breaking to the base was hardcore. More like swimming in powder.


Burchy, that was seriously funny. 2/10

Sorry the video must be blocked in Colorado. But it works here in CA. Or at least I can see it...if you really want to see I can share it with you through Google drive or something a bit later. Email me xxvitaliyxx@yahoo.com if you want...maybe I should have not put the music overlay, but watching go pro footage is annoying enough without audio stimulation.
groaz

Big Wall climber
italy
  Oct 14, 2016 - 06:25am PT
The best cold way to the HELL...
adikted

Boulder climber
Tahooooeeeee
  Oct 14, 2016 - 09:03am PT
Stuart you put my mad plice skills on the taco stand...good send V. I think I met you outside the Bearpen last season as per Brian's instruction... Stu is right...a couple weeks in Canmore and it all comes together...Def trying to get back up there this season. We have unfinished business!!
Stewart Johnson

Gym climber
top lake
  Oct 14, 2016 - 09:38am PT
The routes at Kirkwood are as good as it gets.
Too bad there only there for a few weeks !
this just in

climber
Justin Ross from North Fork
  Oct 14, 2016 - 10:15am PT
Had dinner Wednesday night with Mark Chapman, Rick Accomazzo, and Dave Vaughn. Fun listening to the FA story of this climb and how it took two (I think) wet and cold bivies. Mark was saying he didn't know much about ice climbing at the time and how relieved they were to be back in the valley. We were all quite amazed with this feat Vitaliy. Big respect to Kevin and Mark for going for it as well.

swinging old school axes
Ha, Mark was explaining how you guys had to customize them with files to get more grooves.
Bill

climber
Petaluma
  Oct 14, 2016 - 10:42am PT
I'm in California and the video is blocked for me as well.
Go
Recent Trip Reports