What is the hardest part about learning to climb a bigwall?

kevin deweese wrote: Most likely when he's talking about weight, it relates to how hard it is to get your gear off your rack?

I'm guessing he is talking about cleaning, and how to get your weight off of the piece you are cleaning while jugging. I know this has presented some challenges to me when cleaning overhangs and traverses, especially if the leader has not managed their back cleaning well.

csproul wrote: I'm guessing he is talking about cleaning, and how to get your weight off of the piece you are cleaning while jugging. I know this has presented some challenges to me when cleaning overhangs and traverses, especially if the leader has not managed their back cleaning well.

Yeah! That's a whole lot more likely!

Right now one of the hardest elements of BW climbing is finding the appropriate partner. I have a couple of climbing partners that have significantly more aiding experience than I do. I think it is pretty easy/understandable that they don't want to deal with my clusters and slowness and also have different climbing goals. They don't necessarily want to do the beginner walls all over again at my pace (ie, not IAD).

Conversely, two complete bigwall noobs together present their own problems. I almost feel like this can sometimes work out better, in that they will be slow, but will work things out and learn together. The probability of success will be lower and the frustration higher, but so far having two beginner wall climbers has worked out somewhat ok for me as long as both people are motivated and have already master multipitch climbing.

IMO, I want my BW climbing partner(s) to be something more than my average cragging partners. The commitment is higher, the risks are higher, and the frustrations are higher. It's a lot of potentially stressful/suffering time in close proximity to one another, so I'd prefer it to be someone I really enjoy climbing with. And someone who has the same goals and expectations.

PS...looking for a N CA Bigwall partner...preferably someone in the Sac area...see my post in the partners page