Seriously impressive! Balls of solid rock!

Legionreturns

I don't often froth about climbing outside of the climbing community, but this is an achievement that bridges the gap and is worth sharing. Alex has been one of my favorite climbers for years, but as a free climber, I've always dreaded getting the news that he's finally fallen off something and died. I'm glad he kept this project secret, I'd have been having kittens if I'd known! 

Now I like to do the odd free climb, it's liberating and feels amazing. Really concentrates the mind. I've never free climbed anything near the top of my climbing ability grade wise, it's always something I know I can comfortably do and preferably something I've climbed a few times before. (My favorite free solo was Grooved Arete on Tryfan in the Ogwen Valley for anyone that knows their climbs. It's about 200 meters of rock but finishes 850m above the ground and has a couple of scary pitches, but plenty of places to sit and rest). 

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/features/athletes/alex-honnold/most-dangerous-free-solo-climb-yosemite-national-park-el-capitan/

Dominic

Impressive but rather you guys than me…….even if I had the ability I wouldn't have the balls

sinbaadi

It seems unnecessarily reckless.

Surely it's technically or physically no more or less difficult than if you have ropes to catch you.  I'm struggling a bit to think of a comparison.  I know a lot of sports are reckless to varying extents, but to free-solo seems a lot like a racing driver who elects to not wear a helmet.  No more or less challenging, just much more serious consequences should something go wrong.

Legionreturns

sinbaadi said:

It seems unnecessarily reckless.

Surely it's technically or physically no more or less difficult than if you have ropes to catch you.  I'm struggling a bit to think of a comparison.  I know a lot of sports are reckless to varying extents, but to free-solo seems a lot like a racing driver who elects to not wear a helmet.  No more or less challenging, just much more serious consequences should something go wrong.

Climbing is as much a psychological battle as a physical one. It's to do with forming the fight or flight response, which, when harness and controlled in a certain way makes you stronger, and with keener senses. Free solo climbing is about the joy of moving over the rock without having to stop and place protective gear every few yards. It's a very personal choice. 

Climbing is about assessing risk and then deciding whether the risks are acceptable for the rewards. The same is true of any sport or adventurous activity. There are far too many kids growing up without the ability to assess risk or even be exposed to it today. 

bodhi

Just reading that made my hands sweaty.

chrispy108

Seriously impressive!

Can't wait for the film the article mentions.

Danny1969

How did he get down afterwards ?

kin

Mountain rescue team as the fire brigade were too busy dealing with cats in trees

Legionreturns

Danny1969 said:

How did he get down afterwards ?

El Cap, like most big lumps of rock, has an easy way up and down as well as sheer cliffs. Just like Ben Nevis, you can walk up the tourist track (Yawn) or have an epic day climbing The Douglas Boulder and Tower Ridge. 

Moominpapa

Amazing achievement. Can you imagine how fit and disciplined you have to be to cope with the physical exertion and intense concentration for almost four hours?  

Emp_Fab

Brain of solid rock more like.

Goddamned irresponsible...  Playing games with life.

rocktron

Seriously Impressive!!!

jonnyburgo

I love watching free climbing although Great for a single guy, if you have kids then I think it's a bit dickish putting them at risk of losing a dad for the sake of ego.

fields5069

Legionreturns said:

sinbaadi said:

It seems unnecessarily reckless.

Surely it's technically or physically no more or less difficult than if you have ropes to catch you.  I'm struggling a bit to think of a comparison.  I know a lot of sports are reckless to varying extents, but to free-solo seems a lot like a racing driver who elects to not wear a helmet.  No more or less challenging, just much more serious consequences should something go wrong.

Climbing is as much a psychological battle as a physical one. It's to do with forming the fight or flight response, which, when harness and controlled in a certain way makes you stronger, and with keener senses. Free solo climbing is about the joy of moving over the rock without having to stop and place protective gear every few yards. It's a very personal choice. 

Climbing is about assessing risk and then deciding whether the risks are acceptable for the rewards. The same is true of any sport or adventurous activity. There are far too many kids growing up without the ability to assess risk or even be exposed to it today. 

I have assessed the risk, and I can confirm that it is too risky!

stimpsonslostson

jonnyburgo said:

I love watching free climbing although Great for a single guy, if you have kids then I think it's a bit dickish putting them at risk of losing a dad for the sake of ego.

I recently watched a documentary about Wingsuit flying & its evolution from skydiving and BASE jumping. Halfway through the documentary I realised that all the pioneers in this young sport were being talked about in the past tense. 

There's a good documentary about El Cap and climbing in Yosemite on Netflix- Valley Uprising. Loads of my mates are climbers, I'm fine with heights... but some of the stuff they do scares the life out of me. That said, none of them can understand why I like martial arts. 

Legionreturns

stimpsonslostson said:

jonnyburgo said:

I love watching free climbing although Great for a single guy, if you have kids then I think it's a bit dickish putting them at risk of losing a dad for the sake of ego.

I recently watched a documentary about Wingsuit flying & its evolution from skydiving and BASE jumping. Halfway through the documentary I realised that all the pioneers in this young sport were being talked about in the past tense. 

There's a good documentary about El Cap and climbing in Yosemite on Netflix- Valley Uprising. Loads of my mates are climbers, I'm fine with heights... but some of the stuff they do scares the life out of me. That said, none of them can understand why I like martial arts. 

I've got Valley Uprising, great film. Also worth watching is The Asgard Project, Leo Holdings film about a remote Alaskan mountain big wall climb.