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Talking About Heights

• November 2007
• Uncategorized

Hi Steph this is Corey King from Twin Falls, Idaho. I have been climbing for about 11 years now and would love to get to Yosemite just as would any climber. The main thing holding me back is my crippling fear of heights. It has been known to freeze me up on the easiest of climbs. How do you recommend handling this sort of a head game so that one day I may climb the great walls of Yosemite?

Dear Corey,
I love your town, and jumping off your bridge!

You are so right, about fear being a head game. And it is beyond maddening when it stops you from being your best, and doing the things you love. It sounds like your fear of heights at least hasn’t stopped you from climbing for the last eleven years. If you can, scroll down a few blog posts to the one called “Talking About Fear,” because I think you’ll be interested in some of the ideas we were talking about last month…..and as I’m sure you know, fear is perhaps the biggest thing that everyone deals with, in climbing and in life.

But maybe you get extra intimidated when you get way off the deck? I think to a certain degree, that can be natural. If you are always climbing short, low things, it can be very intimidating to get onto big stone and long routes. But it sounds to me like you are worried you will be too afraid to climb long routes in Yosemite, and so you are not going to the Valley because of that worry. But I would say, don’t think yourself out of visiting Yosemite! Just go there, with no expectations, and a guidebook. But also, make yourself a dream list of all the classic routes you’d love to do, starting with the very easiest–Royal Arches, which has to be one of the coolest routes ever, and is only 5.7, and progressing up through all the grades of difficulty. Don’t feel like you have to show up in the Valley and be onsighting the Nose–all you have to do is enjoy the granite and your days in Yosemite. Just start with some routes that are way way below your ability level. Get the super alpine start, even if the route is only five pitches long, so you don’t feel any time pressure whatsoever. That alone can really ease your mind.

I bet that after a few beautiful, cruiser routes, you will get more comfortable with the exposure and the Yosemite granite, and you’ll be ready to start thinking about the next route on your wish list. I may have missed the mark of your question, and if so, let me know, but I hope these ideas help a little? Have fun, and be safe.
xx Steph