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Alex Honnold Scales El Capitan Without Ropes, and the Climbing World Reels

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71–80 of 527 posts

Re: Alex Honnold Scales El Capitan Without Ropes, and the Climbing World Reels

#71
post #4

As a climber, I wish this were less widely publicized. Free soloing is extremely dangerous, and dozens of climbers - including experienced ones die doing it every year.

I am not a climber. What's the chalk for ?

It keeps your hands dry when they get sweaty, making it easier to hold onto the rock. It's standard equipment for climbers.

Re: Alex Honnold Scales El Capitan Without Ropes, and the Climbing World Reels

#72
post #4

As a climber, I wish this were less widely publicized. Free soloing is extremely dangerous, and dozens of climbers - including experienced ones die doing it every year.

I am not a climber. What's the chalk for ?

Keeps your palms dry allowing for better grip

Re: Alex Honnold Scales El Capitan Without Ropes, and the Climbing World Reels

#73
post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a fairly experienced climber, this is a very difficult route; one that only the most elite climbers can free climb. But, free climbing it isn't necessarily rare and even as Honnold did this free solo, other parties were camping on the wall. There's little data on this sort of topic, but I'd estimate that less than 0.25% of climbers achieve the level of physical skill and technical expertise required to free climb…

If Honnold can solo this route in 4 hours, why do the free climbers need to camp on it? Do they take longer? Or need more rest time between sections?

3,300 feet of climbing is a lot of climbing. Most non-pro climbers will be winded and in need of a rest after a couple hundred feet of climbing. Also, it is easier to move without ropes since you never have to sort gear or re-coil your rope.

Re: Alex Honnold Scales El Capitan Without Ropes, and the Climbing World Reels

#74
post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Amongst the legendary free soloist rock climbers, here's the spread: John Gill, alive at 80 Peter Croft, alive at 60 Alain Robert, alive at 54 Catherine Destiville, alive at 53 Steph Davis, alive at 43 Alex Honnold, alive at 31 Dan Osmond, died at 45, not free soloing Dean Potter, died at 43, not free soloing Michael Reardon, died at 43, not free soloing John Bachar died free soloing at 52 It's a very small field, no…

It's a very small field, not many people make a discipline of it I wonder why ? But serious question : of the four top people alive, any data on when they stopped climbing ? I would guess that would correlate with longevity. I also recall reading somewhere that a disproportionate number of elite scientists and researchers in the 1930's - 60's were mountain climbers.

John Gill was doing long free solos on easy 5th class well into his 60s. Peter Croft is still working as a mountain guide out of Bishop, CA, I have no idea if he still goes out for jaunts sans rope in the high sierras, but he free soloed almost daily for decades.

Re: Alex Honnold Scales El Capitan Without Ropes, and the Climbing World Reels

#75
post #4

As a climber, I wish this were less widely publicized. Free soloing is extremely dangerous, and dozens of climbers - including experienced ones die doing it every year.

Especially so soon after Ueli Steck's death. I first heard about Alex's feat from FB, when I opened it up and saw "Alex Honnold" in the trending stories thing. I said out loud "oh god, no"...and then saw the headline about El Cap.

Re: Alex Honnold Scales El Capitan Without Ropes, and the Climbing World Reels

#76
post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a fairly experienced climber, this is a very difficult route; one that only the most elite climbers can free climb. But, free climbing it isn't necessarily rare and even as Honnold did this free solo, other parties were camping on the wall. There's little data on this sort of topic, but I'd estimate that less than 0.25% of climbers achieve the level of physical skill and technical expertise required to free climb…

If Honnold can solo this route in 4 hours, why do the free climbers need to camp on it? Do they take longer? Or need more rest time between sections?

The difference in skill between Alex Honnold and the majority of other climbers can't be overstated. But I think the main difference in speed has to do with familiarity. Alex didn't just go up to this wall and start climbing it. He's done it over and over and over and over again. He know what moves he needs to make and how to do them. You climb much quicker when you don't have to do any route finding.

Re: Alex Honnold Scales El Capitan Without Ropes, and the Climbing World Reels

#77
post #41
post #4

As a climber, I wish this were less widely publicized. Free soloing is extremely dangerous, and dozens of climbers - including experienced ones die doing it every year.

Amongst the legendary free soloist rock climbers, here's the spread: John Gill, alive at 80 Peter Croft, alive at 60 Alain Robert, alive at 54 Catherine Destiville, alive at 53 Steph Davis, alive at 43 Alex Honnold, alive at 31 Dan Osmond, died at 45, not free soloing Dean Potter, died at 43, not free soloing Michael Reardon, died at 43, not free soloing John Bachar died free soloing at 52 It's a very small field, no…

Dean Potter died in a squirrel suit, not soloing.

Re: Alex Honnold Scales El Capitan Without Ropes, and the Climbing World Reels

#78
post #4

As a climber, I wish this were less widely publicized. Free soloing is extremely dangerous, and dozens of climbers - including experienced ones die doing it every year.

I am a big Alex Honnold fan, but no matter how much your skill, free solo climbing will kill you one day. Alex Honnold is not the first free soloist, and won't be the last. He is great climber, and has no fear of heights it appears. Your average person or climber is not going to try to replicate what he is doing due to their desire to preserve their life. We do not see many people jumping gorges in rocket sleds like…

> A large number of them have died.

Paul Preuss (October 3, 1913) died during an attempt to make the first ascent of the North Ridge of the Mandlkogel free solo, fell a thousand feet

Re: Alex Honnold Scales El Capitan Without Ropes, and the Climbing World Reels

#79

> "I woke up one guy and he sort of said, 'Oh, hey.' Then when I went by, I think he discreetly woke up his buddies because when I looked down they were all three standing there like 'What the f *?' " What an awesome story for a climber: "I was woken up on the wall by the first guy to free solo El Cap"

Oh, I'm sure they recognized Honnold. There probably aren't many serious climbers who don't know who he is.

Re: Alex Honnold Scales El Capitan Without Ropes, and the Climbing World Reels

#80
post #4

As a climber, I wish this were less widely publicized. Free soloing is extremely dangerous, and dozens of climbers - including experienced ones die doing it every year.

I am a big Alex Honnold fan, but no matter how much your skill, free solo climbing will kill you one day. Alex Honnold is not the first free soloist, and won't be the last. He is great climber, and has no fear of heights it appears. Your average person or climber is not going to try to replicate what he is doing due to their desire to preserve their life. We do not see many people jumping gorges in rocket sleds like…

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