Why are you asking this? I hear you questioning in your heads… Well, recently I poured my heart into a project, my longest yet, after successfully completing my project, I began to wonder whether the long and tiring process was truly worth that five minute high at the end.
For any non-climbers or new climbers out there, let's quickly revise the basics: projecting is the process of repointing a route or boulder. This means if you are unable to complete the route in your first go, then the route becomes an open project. It is very typical in climbers to have all sorts of projects short and long ranging from 1 day to years.
Take a look at Melissa Le Neve who recently featured in the latest RealRock, the projecting process of Action Directe in Frankenjura took her over 6 years. Personally I have not had such a long project, but I've shared in a vast amount of projects ranging from days to months and my longest between 2-3 months.
The projecting process gives us the ability to do a climb that is harder than we can achieve in 1 or 2 attempts, it gives our bodies time to learn the movements, our brain the time to remember the sequences and our mind the time to overcome any anxious moments.
Now to really open up the process of projecting a route below I have addressed a series of motions that typically a climber will encounter during this time. I've tried to stick to the more typical sensations that are experienced by most climbers - obviously these could be less or more dependent on who you are and your skill level.
1. Open day
When you first step into your project it's very exciting, you may even be going for an on sight attempt, super ecstatic to jump on and try the moves. And this tends to be the case even if you have been thinking for a while about this route or if it simply appeared to you at the crag. Regardless you're super driven to get on and maybe a little anxious to start but the overwhelming excitement definitely overthrows any nerves.
2. Your go
Now if the grade is a little hard for you, it's likely it will feel impossible, big and a bit terrifying. Well, they do for me, especially if I push my grade limit.
For me the first go is always a mess, I'm falling everywhere, missing obvious jugs, getting extreme pump in my arms and in most cases I'll give up before I even get to the top. And it usually takes a good belayer to encourage me to get back on and give it one more go.
3. A few attempts
But after that first, second or third those tiny details start to appear, like little promises
of hope in the climb which makes your perspective change.
These small details, maybe in the form of noticing holds that were not in your sight before, linking a section or even realising you can actually get to the top. As I said before, I never get to the top of my projects in the first go, so for me this is a very good sign. Even if I am pulling on quick draws the whole way!
4. Evaluation
This stage of the process varies for everyone and has many variables, however the overall objective remains the same. You’ve finished up at the crag for the day and evidently you have opened a new project. Now it's time to “sleep on it”, there are so many reasons you may abandon ship before the process has really started. Might it take too much time? Is it pushing your limit too far? And ultimately, do you find it stimulating and interesting enough to commit to this project?
Many questions, I know and it’s likely you will quiz yourself subconsciously. And the next time you are at the crag and come face to face with your new potential project, this is when you will really choose, then, at that moment. There have been so many instances when I discuss a project the night before with my climbing partner and I’ll say something like “meh, I’m going to try something else…” to which he will normally nod, and pass me the guide book. The next day at the crag, I will go with every intention of trying a new route and more often than not I’ll find myself staring up at the potential project and turn to give him a sly smile. Before you know it my shoes are on, I am tied in and I've already clipped the first clip.
5. Climbing Confident
After the first few goes you become aware of what the route is asking of you and quickly work out the areas that you should focus on. For some it's the ridiculous boulder problem, others the insane endurance and for some it's mental. But the rest of the route will start to come together, some moves will begin to flow and not feel as hard as you begin to learn the sequences, this feeling asserts your confidence and makes you begin to wonder, "This is possible" or if you're like me, you will be more like "hmm could this be possible??"
Now with this new found confidence, things are going surprisingly well. And a day will come when you are at the crag, you feel strong and stress-free, having done all your warm ups. The weather is quite adequate, the rock does not feel greasy and you're excited to jump on the project. So you think "venga" and hop on the project, to see what happens.
You start climbing with every move you feel as light as a feather, you remember your sequences, every section you pass goes with ease you may even pass the crux. But to everyone's surprise and horror you fall off.
You might scream, be angry a little, especially if you fell off high up the route. But deep down you are over the moon. This project just went from a partial mess to a solid possibility and your climbing exceeded your own expectations!
For me this is the biggest high in the process. It sets fuel to my fire. I'll be lowered off many routes with a gigantic grin on my face, yelling "high point!" with my arms in the air.
6. Obsessions
Every attempt now is a sending go, pressure's on.
Having reached a high point in your climb you are feeling confident, telling yourself that it’s close. You cannot get the project out of your head, clipping those chains or mantling the top of a boulder is all you think about.
This is the point when things start to take an epic turn, suddenly you cannot pass your crux, you begin to try the project more frantically, attempting it more times in one day than you normally would, putting your body at much higher stress. With every fall your frustration bubbles and it begins to get hard to feel stimulated by the project.
For some people I know that this is a difficult stage and they find it hard to push through this barrier and it can be a common moment when a lot of people will let it go, or take a break from the route. But we all know being a climber tends to mean we are quite stubborn in nature, so usually it's only a matter of time until we are back.
You may find yourself fixating on the crux of the route, running it over and over in your mind to ensure that you don’t forget it whilst you are away from the route. I remember one project which had a large dynamic move out of the crux, I became so obsessed with it that one night I got through the crux in a dream, upon waking it took me a minute or two to realise it was only a dream.
6. The impossibility
The ultimate low in a projecting process is the feeling of impossibility, it feels no matter what you do, nothing works. You may even start to look at other peoples beta, knowing only too well that yours works, doubt seeps into your mind. “Will I ever finish it…” and “Should I move on”. It might be that time to accept that you have bitten off a little more than you can chew. Acceptance of this releases your tension and your mind begins to relax, your body internally thanking you for relieving the stress load.
The pressure we apply to ourselves in the projecting process can be so harsh, we can be really cruel telling ourselves the likes of “I’m too weak” and so on. When in reality this is just not true, and the fact that we are here trying demonstrates that. When our bodies are relieved of that stress they are in a better situation to perform, with less tension and clarity of the mind.
So there you are at the bottom of your route feeling somewhat self content, today is not the day and that is okay. Although for some reason you climb again, whether it be for the enjoyment of the climb or like me it’s because you only went left a god darn quick draw at the top and no one else will retrieve it for you. Anyway this may not be the case, but that's what happened when I sent my first longer than 2-week project.
7. The Attempt
Now at this point it's only a matter of time before you send. As my friend used to tell me "the send is imminent".
This attempt is different, the pressure is off and you're relaxed, applying crimp power when needed, resting well and breathing steady. Although the sequences were executed it was by no means perfect, things felt off as you climbed, but nothing phased you. Pulling up the rope one last time to clip the anchors, a wave of emotions runs through you. You sent. It’s over.
The emotions that you feel and the stages of projecting are always somewhat similar no matter the duration of your project however the intensity will change between long and short projects. And some shorter projects you may miss the latter stages of the projecting process because you send earlier in the process.
Is it worth it?
The process is very intense and if not managed well it can make you have a lot of self doubt in your climbing and sometimes can actually hinder your process. It’s also been stated by many professionals that when you have dialled a climb so much and are at this 'attempt' stage, you are unlikely to be developing your climbing skills or strength on this project anymore. This is why it's important to keep doing other styles of climbing during your project in order not to lose any other skills. Such as on site climbing in the lower grades, this is a great way to develop your ability to climb on rock and has a very different feeling of accomplishment at the top. Knowing how to climb is just as important if not more important than just memorising moves. For me, keeping this balance is crucial to grow as a climber.
Projecting will teach you different things, it's a learning experience and this is one of the big highs of having a project. When you notice a small hold that you never saw before and it unlocks a delicate sequence, that now seems possible, the adrenaline of putting the puzzle together makes you joyful.
I wrote this post to work out if projecting was really worth it, and I believe it is. But it's evident it's so important to keep a healthy balance in varied climbing, especially for those who do not have so much experience under their belt. This will help psychological and physical strength to ensure you get reward when you are in the more strenuous parts of the project.
And not to forget a project is a commitment, especially when they are hard, so remember to be kind to yourself and take the smallest of details as a high points, like "I linked a move" and "I got to the top" or even "I found the bloody foot hold everyone was talking about!". And remember to have fun!
@Climbs_for_Pennys
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