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Efficiency did improve. I was becoming more confident about spending so much time alone on the climb. In fact I was so confident and comfortable, I decided that instead of aid climbing or stepping in the webbing ladders I mentioned earlier and walking my way up the climb, I would "free climb" this crack using only my hands and feet to hang onto the rock.

Once the rope was secure I began to wedge my hands and feet into the crack and climb. Except after about thirty feet I realized that this crack I was climbing was harder than it looked. In fact, it was so hard for me I thought I was about to fall. Falling while soloing was way too scary for me, so I built an anchor to rappel from and I lowered myself back down to the portaledge.

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