[National Geographic] Alex Honnold - Free Climbing

They did a segment on this guy on 60 minutes a couple weeks ago. This dudes fingers look gnarly.

 

soloed El Capitan? That's ridiculous.

 

Do rock climbers in general have height or incline limits or something, or do they just pick random rocks?

 

What do you consider random rocks? Most of the time, they see a rock that is interesting, look for a line and follow it. If they are the first person to climb that line, they get to name the climb and rate it in terms of difficulty.

Soloing takes a special type of climber. They obviously are the loners and generally have the strongest minds. Soloing makes a normal 5.10 climb feel like a 5.12.

 

Balls are bigger than his brain.

 

As someone who has a fear of heights, this kind of thing is completely beyond my comprehension. I've only been rock climbing on a 30 foot wall with a tether and my nerves were still getting to me.

 

Some of the shots in the vid make me wonder that the camera man is actually the better climber?

Extraordinary skills, truly cold-blooded.

 

I get rock climbing.

But no rope, just to, what, feel more alive? Trusting your life to the randomness of an unseen wet spot? WTF?

$20 says dude never uses a seatbelt, or a condom.

 

I'm no expert, but me thinks the camera man is not free climbing.

 

I am deathly afraid of heights as well. No amount of money or sex with Sofia Vergara could convince me to do anything like this.

 

My buddy is a big climbing enthusiast so I've watched a lot of climbing videos including this one. The craziest part is at around 3:10 in that clip when he is leaning against the rock he was just completely overcome by fear. He started doubting himself and as the wind is rushing by him for like 5 minutes he just keeps mentioning he is freaking out. Then all of a sudden he just goes back to climbing and finishes. A family was at the top sightseeing and he just climbs up the wall and they ask where he came from. He just goes "climbed up from the bottom," and they all had about the same reaction as you or I would. Crazy balls, but rock climbers generally die climbing for a reason. One loose rock or foothold and it's goodnight.

 

Holy crapola!!!! I did some research on this kid and found out that soloed a 5.13d climb, which is just sick. 5.10 was considered the hardest climbs when the rating system was created. Here is a picture of him doing a 5.12d climb for perspective.

 

I used to be an avid climber and not that many die as people would think. The soloist are just nuts but normal climbing is actually safer than scuba diving.

 

Do you get sweaty palms watching the video? You should full screen it to get an even bigger rush. I got to find an HD version.

 

Man, my hands are dripping right now.

 

Got a headstart on his logo....

 

Thread title should be Free Soloing. Free climbing involves a safety rope.


Just taking this opportunity to pay homage to Dan Osman, my personal favorite. He died rope jumping, not free soloing, which is somewhere on youtube.

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Anyone interested in climbing should read With Bare Hands by Alain Robert. He's known for free-soloing skyscrapers, but he has a unique mentality and approach to life.

 

I have trouble believing anyone could be as good as Dan Osman.

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How can you believe this crap?!?!?! This is straight out of a Jerry Bruckheimer movie!

Spoiler

Translation: AWESOME HOLY MOTHER OF THE COSMOS, my pansy ass just broke a nail watching this. That is exponentially awesome.

With my sister, the hooker down the street, or with your mom?