Is this the world's most dangerous campsite?

[moshquerade]

Pitching a tent on the side of a 4,000ft cliff face

For many people, a camping trip is enough to get them sweating before they've even put up a tent pole.

But for these daredevil explorers, scaling cliffs and pitching tents at the height of more than 300 double decker buses is just a normal day at the office.

Hanging precariously in tents off a 4,000ft sheer cliff face, these climbers are chasing the most dangerous big wall climbs ever attempted.

As these stunning images show, the climbs can last for weeks and the explorers must set up tents on the edge of monstrous cliff faces to grab some much needed rest.

They were taken by adventure photographer Gordon Wiltsie, 57, who risks his own life to capture thrill-seeking moments.

He said: 'During this climb it was the Arctic spring so melting snow on both the summit and a ledge midway up the cliff constantly sent rocks and chunks of ice flying down.

'One the size of a car even came crashing down around us. Several times I came within inches of being hit which almost certainly would have been fatal.

'Falling objects are constantly on your mind and if you look carefully at the picture of the hanging tents, or Portaledges, you can see the camp was below an overhang for shelter.

For serious big wall climbers simply being this far off of the ground isn't scary or dangerous in itself.
'And although the climb was hard enough that it was possible to take a big fall, the cliff was so steep there were a few ledges to hit and modern ropes are stretchy enough to absorb most of the impact.

'Camping in the Portaledges is a lot less scary and dangerous than it is climbing outside of them. They're pretty comfortable and you don't actually see the drop below.

'I find it similar to sleeping into a regular tent. You're always harnessed into a separate anchor from the tent so I felt quite safe - unless I had to lean out to get food or supplies from our haul bags hanging outside.'

The amazing collection is part of a brand new summer-long exhibit of work by Mr Wiltsie at the famous Mountain Light Gallery in California, U.S.

The exhibition features an array of stunning images from climbs over the past decade including the first ascent of Great Sail Peak - an overhanging granite wall on Canada's Baffin Island.

Hanging around: Three tents are suspended off a 4,000ft vertical cliff in the Arctic as climbers get some much needed sleep

Don't look down: A climber peeks out of his tent high up on Great Sail Peak, on Canada's Baffin Island

Home comforts: Jon Catto, Greg Child and Mark Synnott set up their Portaledge camp site, complete with baggage, at 4,000ft

Looking for the perfect spot: The climbers have to pitch their tents to get much-needed rest during big ascents




http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...e-world-Pitching-tent-4-000ft-cliff-face.html

 

[waggy]

they are insane

 

[Numenorean]

They're nuts.

 

[moshquerade]

they are insane

it makes me anxious just looking at the pics.

 

[SandEagle]

Darwin contenders

 

[AeroEngy]

That might be the most dangerous now but I bet this was right up there (at least for women or small children) until it was shut down.

 

[highland145]

Darwin contenders

Hope they don't sleep walk. That dream of falling might come true.

 

[Cogman]

Wow! There is something that I would never even consider doing.

It said the climb could take over a week... What do you think they do with poo? Also, what about coming down?

 

[Possessed Freak]

I guess you don't have to worry about bears there.

 

[Bignate603]

There was a really good article about climbers on El Capitan in National Geographic in the last month or two. There are tons of speed climbers scaling it without ropes.

 

[Miklebud]

I climb mountains. But you won't see me sleeping in a tent on the side of one...

 

[JulesMaximus]

it makes me anxious just looking at the pics.

I know a cure for that.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Hope they don't sleep walk. That dream of falling might come true.

"You're always harnessed into a separate anchor from the tent so I felt quite safe "

 

[highland145]

"You're always harnessed into a separate anchor from the tent so I felt quite safe "

Murphy's law, ftl.

 

[spaceman]

 

[FallenHero]

I'd rather charge into gunfire naked then do that.

 

[BoomerD]

They do the same crazy shit in Yosemite...

 

[crashtestdummy]

Bivouacs nowadays are fairly safe, as long as you have good cracks in which to set anchors.

You have to remember that the equipment they use to set the anchors is intended to stop 30+ ft falls on a single piece. Several pieces can easily hold a human's body weight overnight.

The biggest problem is human waste. It's kind of rude to poop down the cliff side, so you poop in a tube and carry it up the cliff with you.

That said, I'll probably stop trad climbing when I have kids. I can take that sort of risk with myself, but I won't leave my kids fatherless.

Edit: It also looks like they bolted their bivouac. Not really great for the rock, but incredibly safe. I'd have no problem sleeping on a properly drilled bolt.

 

[FallenHero]

Bivouacs nowadays are fairly safe, as long as you have good cracks in which to set anchors.

You have to remember that the equipment they use to set the anchors is intended to stop 30+ ft falls on a single piece. Several pieces can easily hold a human's body weight overnight.

The biggest problem is human waste. It's kind of rude to poop down the cliff side, so you poop in a tube and carry it up the cliff with you.

That said, I'll probably stop trad climbing when I have kids. I can take that sort of risk with myself, but I won't leave my kids fatherless.

How did you ever get interested in it and built up to that point where you are climbing cliff faces?

 

[moshquerade]

I know a cure for that.

Me too, but he's out of town.

 

[crashtestdummy]

How did you ever get interested in it and built up to that point where you are climbing cliff faces?

Took an ROTC mountaineering course in undergrad (I'm not ROTC myself). Class was taught by an army ranger and we learned climbing, rappelling, anchor building, etc. I kept climbing indoors after that. When I got to grad school, I started spending time with the outing club there and climbed outdoors a lot more, and began to lead climb (first sport, then trad). From there, it's not much of a jump to larger cliffs except for fitness, confidence, and learning how to bail from routes when needed. I should say I haven't truly done a bivouac, as there are only a couple routes out east that require it, but some of my close friends have, and it didn't seem to phase them as much as the rest of the climbing did.

While it took me a while (I'm a relative scaredy cat and like to take baby steps), there are friends of mine who went from not climbing at all to 1000ft cliffs in less than a year.

Sadly, grad school as consumed my life, and I've rarely gotten to climb in the past year, and my fitness is shot. :-(

 

[AstroManLuca]

Climbing the little rocks in Taylor's Falls, MN in 7th grade was enough for me.

 

[ViperXX]

That's nucking futs!