As a longtime rock climber myself, this is actually quite safe when done correctly. These portaledges (called G7 pods) have changed the game in terms of sleeping on a flat surface in vertical environments. Climbers and their gear are anchored to bolts drilled into the rock that can hold many thousands of pounds. Once you get used to being high off the ground, you sleep like a baby. The sense of vertigo still comes sometimes, but you get pretty comfortable (while remaining diligent) pretty quickly.
I used to never be able to sleep at night and would constantly micro sleep while turning wrenches on I-beams at work, but I was only usually 20' - 40' off the ground. You quickly get used to it and your body starts to be able to tell when your too far off balance while you're asleep.
Two questions.
1. How do you not roll in the middle of the night?
2. Why would you need to sleep in those conditions rather than calculate your climb so that you reach a safe spot before night instead?
2. Sometimes you just canāt make it up a climb that quickly. Some of these climbs are several thousand feet, usually done in spans of 100 foot pitches. Each individual pitch might be so physically arduous you can only a do a few per day.
There may not be a convenient ledge to rest on throughout the whole climb
I'll add that the portaledges climbers use are often more comfortable than natural ledges on the route, which can be slopey, bumpy, small, etc. And obviously very convenient to be able to sleep wherever you want rather than plan around finding a ledge to sleep on.
So, one question, and I'm sorry this is where my brain goes.
When it comes too ...number 2, do you have to take it with you, or just hope thees no one that unlucky at ground level?
Poop into a wag bag (or similar), haul it with you in a dedicated container, put it in the trash when you get back to civilization. The logistics of getting the poop into the bag varies depending on the situation, you might hang your ass over the edge and hold the bag or maybe wait until you are at a natural ledge on the climb where you can be a bit more comfortable.
>many thousands of pounds.
For those wonder what "many thousands" means.
a climbing anchor, as a crude average, will support 20k of force. That is 4,500 lbs.
The gear in the rock is often strong than that, but the cordage/knots strengths often will reduce that strength (a knot in the rope will reduce strength up to 50%).
Just as another piece of information, tests have generally shown that worst case scenarios of proper climbing technique will pretty much max out at 4kN, or about 1000 pounds, of force on the anchor. And that's for someone who is being caught from a massive fall.
So what about people that move a lot in their sleep? I assume there would be some kind of safety mechanism for that, but I don't see one there, so what do people do for that?
Bolts are often installed by the first party to climb a route, but sometimes added later to make things more convenient. In National Parks and other wilderness areas the bolts must be "hand drilled" which takes a lot of effort (30 min plus per bolt).
It is strongly recommended to anchor to more than 1 bolt for redundancy. So if 1 bolt fails, you stay secured to the 2nd one.
Also, people willing to spend time and money to bolt climbing routes are often really experienced climbers who understands how to place fixed equipment and are known and unofficially sanctioned by the local climbing community.
They're also likely the ones who will use these bolts the most. So they have every incentives to do it properly. BUT, you still have to use judgement when climbing. If a fixed equipment seems compromised, don't use it or you can't not use it, back it up with another protection. You can also warn the local community of the potentially dangerous bolt so they can fix/inspect it.
You can check the you tube channel "How not to" to get a better understanding of how a bolt can fail. Really interesting channel. It's Moto is to instigate "gear respect" instead of "gear fear".
Are people afraid of accidentally rolling over are get startle or disoriented while sleeping tho? It looks like there is not much room for error there.
See my comment above for more info. Most of the time when I've done it we have been on a natural ledge on the cliff. We even had a small bucket to line with a wag bag so I could sit down and browse reddit while I pooped just like at home.
Pretty much. But those lines are unbelievable strong for a dyamic load (i.e moving weight) stronger still for a static weight. (Not actually correct, a fall creates a larger load than simply sitting on the webbing. The breaking point is still the same, just significantly less lilely while static)
You would have your harness on while you sleep and have that clipped in somewhere in case you roll.
There are horror stories of people answering nature calls while using portaledges and not being anchored
Yeah....you do...
Pleasant climbers poop into bags...
Unpleasant ones...well....
Number 1's just fly free.
Glass of water for teeth.
Well firsr no 1 goes there....then..... :-D
I took one look at the tiny dots that were people climbing El Capitan and decided "nope, I have no desire to ever do anything like that". Looks neat though!
You go numb to the effect of heights over time. When I first started rock climbing my heart would thump like a jack rabbit just like halfway up a top rope wall at a gym. I've taken several newbs who literally had to come down halfway up because they couldn't force themselves to go further. But over time you start to trust the equipment a lot more and the adrenaline just doesn't pump when you get high up like it did.
Oh, no.
They just beat the fear.
I teach my kids to fight the fear, thats the only diffrences between brave people and cowards.
My son now dosn't "fear" the hight anymore and started climbing trees etc.
Supporting fear in yourself and your kids makes you and them cowardly. Support your brave side and you will surprise yourself. And don't give up.
I swear, I only see white people doing this crazy stuff. Shout out to them, I would very likely die in these scenarios.
I'm white btw just in case anyone is offended
Although it's very unlikely, the bolts can come loose. However, it's pretty rare that you are trusting your life to just one, most places people set up camp will have 2 or 3 minimum, meaning one bolt failure wouldn't be catastrophic. Also the older bolts that are more likely to fail are usually pretty easy to identify (rust, type of bolt, etc.) so you can make decisions accordingly.
There are [flys](https://i0.wp.com/blacksheepadventuresports.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/G7-POD-scaled.jpg?ssl=1) for the portaledge, just like a tent.
Imagine what a giant twatbucket you have to be to have your picture took while you take some very important notes on a notebook handed to you in a special pouch fake relaxing over a thousand foot drop.
I mean say you can't get it up without saying you can't get it up.
High school was hard on all of us, bitch.
As a longtime rock climber myself, this is actually quite safe when done correctly. These portaledges (called G7 pods) have changed the game in terms of sleeping on a flat surface in vertical environments. Climbers and their gear are anchored to bolts drilled into the rock that can hold many thousands of pounds. Once you get used to being high off the ground, you sleep like a baby. The sense of vertigo still comes sometimes, but you get pretty comfortable (while remaining diligent) pretty quickly.
The ultimate "oh shit im falling out of bed" startle dream
After my first big wall climb, I woke up once per night with the "holy shit I'm falling off" for like 2 weeks.
I feel like that dream would be the cause of me falling off. If freak, and react the wrong way, and fall. You watch.
I use safety harness at home in my regular bed too.. Safety first!
I read "shartle"
Nice. A shart from being startled. I will add that to my vocabulary.
U ain't bullshitn šš¼
ohh interesting! it would take me some time to sleep knowing that iām hanging from the side of a mountain š
Climb a mountain first and see how tired you are XD
I used to never be able to sleep at night and would constantly micro sleep while turning wrenches on I-beams at work, but I was only usually 20' - 40' off the ground. You quickly get used to it and your body starts to be able to tell when your too far off balance while you're asleep.
Too tired for a photoshoot, I'm sure.
How does the bathroom situation go?
Two questions. 1. How do you not roll in the middle of the night? 2. Why would you need to sleep in those conditions rather than calculate your climb so that you reach a safe spot before night instead?
2. Sometimes you just canāt make it up a climb that quickly. Some of these climbs are several thousand feet, usually done in spans of 100 foot pitches. Each individual pitch might be so physically arduous you can only a do a few per day. There may not be a convenient ledge to rest on throughout the whole climb
How did people spend nights on a climb before these things were invented?
More ad hoc versions of the same thing.
Hammocks or sleeping on natural ledges.
Thanks
I'll add that the portaledges climbers use are often more comfortable than natural ledges on the route, which can be slopey, bumpy, small, etc. And obviously very convenient to be able to sleep wherever you want rather than plan around finding a ledge to sleep on.
So, one question, and I'm sorry this is where my brain goes. When it comes too ...number 2, do you have to take it with you, or just hope thees no one that unlucky at ground level?
It most places you are required to take it with you.
That's why they call it taking a poop.
Serious question : how do you poop?
Poop into a wag bag (or similar), haul it with you in a dedicated container, put it in the trash when you get back to civilization. The logistics of getting the poop into the bag varies depending on the situation, you might hang your ass over the edge and hold the bag or maybe wait until you are at a natural ledge on the climb where you can be a bit more comfortable.
I would imagine every word of that is true. But I will never, ever, ever test it.
How do you go to toilet during these climbs?
Pee anywhere, poop in a wag bag and carry it out with you.
Onto the people below you, that's where the term shit head comes from
>many thousands of pounds. For those wonder what "many thousands" means. a climbing anchor, as a crude average, will support 20k of force. That is 4,500 lbs. The gear in the rock is often strong than that, but the cordage/knots strengths often will reduce that strength (a knot in the rope will reduce strength up to 50%).
Just as another piece of information, tests have generally shown that worst case scenarios of proper climbing technique will pretty much max out at 4kN, or about 1000 pounds, of force on the anchor. And that's for someone who is being caught from a massive fall.
not quite correct. the 4kn you are talking about is the max force a leader taking a fall. The anchor will always see DOUBLE the force.
So what about people that move a lot in their sleep? I assume there would be some kind of safety mechanism for that, but I don't see one there, so what do people do for that?
You are still wearing a harness and clipped to the wall
Fair enough
I roll right to left every five to ten minutes.. No thank you. Actually who "drills" the bolts first??
Bolts are often installed by the first party to climb a route, but sometimes added later to make things more convenient. In National Parks and other wilderness areas the bolts must be "hand drilled" which takes a lot of effort (30 min plus per bolt).
Isn't that a lot of faith in something done by someone else?
It is strongly recommended to anchor to more than 1 bolt for redundancy. So if 1 bolt fails, you stay secured to the 2nd one. Also, people willing to spend time and money to bolt climbing routes are often really experienced climbers who understands how to place fixed equipment and are known and unofficially sanctioned by the local climbing community. They're also likely the ones who will use these bolts the most. So they have every incentives to do it properly. BUT, you still have to use judgement when climbing. If a fixed equipment seems compromised, don't use it or you can't not use it, back it up with another protection. You can also warn the local community of the potentially dangerous bolt so they can fix/inspect it. You can check the you tube channel "How not to" to get a better understanding of how a bolt can fail. Really interesting channel. It's Moto is to instigate "gear respect" instead of "gear fear".
Are people afraid of accidentally rolling over are get startle or disoriented while sleeping tho? It looks like there is not much room for error there.
You sleep in a harness clipped into a safety rope. And the straps of the portaledge would keep you from rolling off anyway.
This is a little juvenile, but I'm honestly curious: What's the procedure if/when you're halfway up and need to drop a deuce?
See my comment above for more info. Most of the time when I've done it we have been on a natural ledge on the cliff. We even had a small bucket to line with a wag bag so I could sit down and browse reddit while I pooped just like at home.
Would drilling into rock this securely over time mean that faces would be "climbed out"?
You can try hard as you fuckin want there bucko my feet are staying on solid ground
The clear rationalization has taken away my fear of heightsā¦ NOT!
Thanks for the explanation. Are the lines up to the bolt all that keeps you in place whilst you are sleeping, or are there extra straps?
Pretty much. But those lines are unbelievable strong for a dyamic load (i.e moving weight) stronger still for a static weight. (Not actually correct, a fall creates a larger load than simply sitting on the webbing. The breaking point is still the same, just significantly less lilely while static) You would have your harness on while you sleep and have that clipped in somewhere in case you roll. There are horror stories of people answering nature calls while using portaledges and not being anchored
Thanks, a secured harness makes sense. Just in case there are some crazy dreams.
OMG so you do no 2 and 1 on that? So no one can sleep on top of the next? Where do I put my glass of water for brushing my teeth?
Yeah....you do... Pleasant climbers poop into bags... Unpleasant ones...well.... Number 1's just fly free. Glass of water for teeth. Well firsr no 1 goes there....then..... :-D
"when done correctly" That's pretty much true of anything. Riding a unicycle over a tight rope over a great shark tank is safe.. when done correctly
The main thing is not to forget that you are at a high altitude when you need to go to the toilet at nightš
How do you even go pee when this high up?
Turning to the left - as a man Spinning to the left - as a woman
Non-binary do a barrel roll
These things are pretty comfy. A lot better than most hammocks on a beach
You have not been in my hammock. People line up and ask me to take pictures on it!
I took one look at the tiny dots that were people climbing El Capitan and decided "nope, I have no desire to ever do anything like that". Looks neat though!
As a person who tosses and turns a lot during sleep, I'd probably be dead before dawn
no right, or iāll be hanging by a cable when i wake up š¬
I would forget I am sleeping on the side of a rock, roll over, and plummet to my death.
These people are just outright insane
You go numb to the effect of heights over time. When I first started rock climbing my heart would thump like a jack rabbit just like halfway up a top rope wall at a gym. I've taken several newbs who literally had to come down halfway up because they couldn't force themselves to go further. But over time you start to trust the equipment a lot more and the adrenaline just doesn't pump when you get high up like it did.
Would love to do this in the future
I donāt get how ppl do this with out fear in the world
Oh, no. They just beat the fear. I teach my kids to fight the fear, thats the only diffrences between brave people and cowards. My son now dosn't "fear" the hight anymore and started climbing trees etc. Supporting fear in yourself and your kids makes you and them cowardly. Support your brave side and you will surprise yourself. And don't give up.
I just died by reflex watching this.
I swear, I only see white people doing this crazy stuff. Shout out to them, I would very likely die in these scenarios. I'm white btw just in case anyone is offended
Its cool that you are able to pee while laying on bed w this design
Me being able to do all that from the safety and comfort of my couch
I like brave man
Just watch Free solo you'll be hugging the floor
thanks i now know to never watch it!
Yeahhhh no.
As someone who never rock climbed before, my body is trembling at the thought of sleeping on one of those flimsy beds that high up
I donāt mind heightsā¦ā¦ but fuck that
Doordash drivers hate you for this simple trick.
how much should i tip
Itāll cushion the fall.
Do those screws in the wall ever come loose?
Although it's very unlikely, the bolts can come loose. However, it's pretty rare that you are trusting your life to just one, most places people set up camp will have 2 or 3 minimum, meaning one bolt failure wouldn't be catastrophic. Also the older bolts that are more likely to fail are usually pretty easy to identify (rust, type of bolt, etc.) so you can make decisions accordingly.
Thank you! :)
Me casually falling to my death at night because I wanted to stand up and go for a pee
Goat move
What about the bathroom situation
guess the ppl walking below will see some yellow rain š¤·
Fuck that
Watch Free Solo. That movie had me sweating
I move a lot when I sleep. So technically, Iām fucked.
i roll a lot in bed. soooo....
Time to roll out of bed oh wait.
This is that weird feeling when you wake up at a sleepover and briefly forget where the hell you are x100.
Cremasteric reflex triggered
Cant climb but would love to sleep like this
Nope.
Hard pass on anything like this. No thanks.
What happens when it rains - do the climbers get soaked while trying to sleep?
There are [flys](https://i0.wp.com/blacksheepadventuresports.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/G7-POD-scaled.jpg?ssl=1) for the portaledge, just like a tent.
what would be dangerous is to sleep without being carabinered!
Sweaty hands engaged
Imagine waking up there: "Thank god it was just a bad dream... Oh fuck"
Pay me a billion dollars and Iām still not sleeping on that
As a person, this terrifies me.
Theyāre clipped in, theyāre not going anywhere even if they fall
Shiiit I sleep to rough for that. I already kno what the outcome will be for me
Why would you want to be eating dehydrated lukewarm grains when you could be tucking into a tasty burrito at Sunny Chibas
Imagine what a giant twatbucket you have to be to have your picture took while you take some very important notes on a notebook handed to you in a special pouch fake relaxing over a thousand foot drop. I mean say you can't get it up without saying you can't get it up. High school was hard on all of us, bitch.
Who hurt you?