Unbelievable achievement! Free soloist climber Alex Honnold

TimmyO

Legionreturns said:

Paul_C said:

It's a remarkable thing to do, and I can understand the drive some people have to do these things, but I wouldn't want to be a friend or family member, or the poor soul who gets to scrape him up if something goes wrong.

I've climbed without ropes when younger, but only up a climbing wall (20ft or so) that I knew well (and once when drunk, not big or clever), I wouldn't have gone higher without ropes.

It's a valid point, but my loved ones know that I'm careful and sensible.

I’m sure you perform the free climb as sensibly and carefully as possible, but is deciding to free climb careful and sensible? 

mikeyrob73

Is this the 2018 film ?  guys an absolute nutter 

Grumpyrocker

I can't even watch footage of people doing stuff like this, let alone contemplate doing it myself. 

BigBearKris

Vintage65 said:

 Free-soloing can be extremely dangerous

Deadly even

guitars4you

Agree unbelievable but I'm certainly no where near capable or mad - Nerves of steel or nutters - What was that film, based on the true story about the lad that went off on his own to some climbing area in California - Got trapped - Could not move his arm and so cut it off to escape 

Gassage

This reminded me of Doug Scott's brutal comment about his former climbing partner, the late, great  Tom Patey, who was a El Cap pioneer ...

"Tom died on The Maiden, falling 1700ft off an abseil....thus instantly transforming himself from Tom Patey into Tom Pâté...."

bertie

I remember watching some nature program where Steve (married to the cyclist) blokey was in South America somewhere and they had to climb up a  "lots" of hundred foot cliff to get to the plateau on top (to see some rare animal or other)

The ascent was so big/difficult it took 2 days, and they had to camp, overnight on the sheer cliff face,  on little metal framed camp beds,  "fastened" to the rock................. with a seat belt thing to hold them in....................hundreds of feet up...........

NO
NO
NO
NO
NO

Grumpyrocker

Fuck no

CHRISB50

Free Solo is an amazing film. Alex Honnold is a pretty amazing guy. 

If you think this is scary check out Marc Andre Leclerc. He free solo’d mixed alpine routes (until he died in an avalanche).

The film about him, The Alpinist is superb. 

guitars4you

Gassage said:

This reminded me of Doug Scott's brutal comment about his former climbing partner, the late, great  Tom Patey, who was a El Cap pioneer ...

"Tom died on The Maiden, falling 1700ft off an abseil....thus instantly transforming himself from Tom Patey into Tom Pâté...."

Seen Doug a couple of times at a 'night with Doug Scott' - Very interesting night and well worth seeing if you can - Very open and easy to chat with and likes a good pint as well

ElectricXII

It's impressive, but this guy has a delayed death wish. He'll keep chasing the next bigger adrenaline high until he kills himself. I feel sorry for his girlfriend.

Offset

Most of the nightmares I suffer are height-related and I've woken up shouting and screaming on more than one occasion.  And imagine my horror when boarding the cable car in Barcelona many years ago and discovering it had a glass floor.  Eyes closed the entire trip.

I visited Yosemite 24 years ago, and El Capitan is fairly jaw-dropping.  I really couldn't watch this.

Gassage

guitars4you said:

Gassage said:

This reminded me of Doug Scott's brutal comment about his former climbing partner, the late, great  Tom Patey, who was a El Cap pioneer ...

"Tom died on The Maiden, falling 1700ft off an abseil....thus instantly transforming himself from Tom Patey into Tom Pâté...."

Seen Doug a couple of times at a 'night with Doug Scott' - Very interesting night and well worth seeing if you can - Very open and easy to chat with and likes a good pint as well

Me too- great evenings, I was a member of the RGS for ages.

jonnyburgo

We've all done it.

rogd

Sadly Doug Scott died a couple of years ago. He lived in our village for a number of years and as guitars4you says he was a good bloke.

Vintage65

BigBearKris said:

Vintage65 said:

 Free-soloing can be extremely dangerous

Deadly even

It's only 200m 

tweedphan

Legionreturns said:

I've free soloed several low grade UK mountain routes. My favourite being Grooved Arete on Tryfan, which tops out at about 800m. 

(No, that's not me...just a random pic) 

I love the feeling of climbing without ropes but would never do it on anything close to my hardest grade. Only easy stuff I know I can climb comfortably. It is a great way to climb stuff quicker than fannying about with ropes and gear though and wonderfully exhilarating. 

Loved the Knight’s Move. Not so much the stretch across in the groove pitch below it. 

guitars4you

rogd said:

Sadly Doug Scott died a couple of years ago. He lived in our village for a number of years and as guitars4you says he was a good bloke.

Did not know he'd died - I bet it was 4-5 years ago when I saw him at a 'speakers night'

Benm39

guitars4you said:

Agree unbelievable but I'm certainly no where near capable or mad - Nerves of steel or nutters - What was that film, based on the true story about the lad that went off on his own to some climbing area in California - Got trapped - Could not move his arm and so cut it off to escape 

127hrs is the film,  soloing in Moab , Utah... tenacious..

Honnold is ridiculously calm under pressure and whilst he takes on some incredible projects,  he's not like some other thrill chasers... wise beyond his years (beyond obviously climbing without a rope... )

tone1

I’ve been watching Alex recently & he seems like a great guy too. The TED talk was a great watch also.