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

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

#241

Post by komali2 »

jeffdavis wrote: post #229
ChicagoBoy11 wrote: post #89

The thing that I've most loved while following Alex's exploits over the past few year is how he talks about his mental preparation. He always seems very well prepared for whatever route that he is climbing. To me, the biggest evidence of that is the fact that he quit doing this exact climb a few weeks ago because he felt conditions weren't right. That's really hard to do with media, etc. on your tail, even IF your li…

How do you quit a free climb?

"Help I'm stuck to the side of a mountain."

Yea I have no idea actually.

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

#242

Post by Florin_Andrei »

piptastic wrote: post #222
georgemcbay wrote: post #212

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And: Luck (because shit happens). I don't mean for this to in any way diminish his amazing accomplishments, but no matter how well he trains and how disciplined he is, he is always one unexpected external event (failing hold, rock falling from above, just enough loose dirt) from complete failure.

I guess, but I am one external event away from dying on my drive to work too.

Sure. Just a lot less probable.

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

#243

Post by kinkrtyavimoodh »

jeffdavis wrote: post #229
ChicagoBoy11 wrote: post #89

The thing that I've most loved while following Alex's exploits over the past few year is how he talks about his mental preparation. He always seems very well prepared for whatever route that he is climbing. To me, the biggest evidence of that is the fact that he quit doing this exact climb a few weeks ago because he felt conditions weren't right. That's really hard to do with media, etc. on your tail, even IF your li…

How do you quit a free climb?

By not attempting it at all. Or climbing back down from wherever you want to quit.

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

#244

Post by komali2 »

cbtacy wrote: post #207
specialp wrote: post #51

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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…

Speaking as a former sponsored, professional climber who happens to have been one of the first Americans to solo 5.13... sorry but I'm still alive and kicking. Listen... soloing is obviously very dangerous. Nobody who is out there soloing as a pastime is unaware of this. But comparing soloing to trying to jump gorges on rocket slides isn't doing justice to a complicated and nuanced subject. Soloing is a personal deci…

You would not be posting this if you were dead, this is selection bias.

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

#245

Post by throwaway91111 »

nthcolumn wrote: post #179
lflux wrote: post #29

Some great pictures from the climb: http://elcapreport.com/content/elcap-report-6317-special-edi...

Can you believe the first comment 'Now let's see it done with Total Commitment' dude? My god there are some asshats in this world.

It's not even sensical—like there was anything one could have done to help him in the event of a fall.

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

#247

Post by secabeen »

jeffdavis wrote: post #229
ChicagoBoy11 wrote: post #89

The thing that I've most loved while following Alex's exploits over the past few year is how he talks about his mental preparation. He always seems very well prepared for whatever route that he is climbing. To me, the biggest evidence of that is the fact that he quit doing this exact climb a few weeks ago because he felt conditions weren't right. That's really hard to do with media, etc. on your tail, even IF your li…

How do you quit a free climb?

He descended using fixed ropes.

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

#248

Post by s0rce »

jeffdavis wrote: post #229
ChicagoBoy11 wrote: post #89

The thing that I've most loved while following Alex's exploits over the past few year is how he talks about his mental preparation. He always seems very well prepared for whatever route that he is climbing. To me, the biggest evidence of that is the fact that he quit doing this exact climb a few weeks ago because he felt conditions weren't right. That's really hard to do with media, etc. on your tail, even IF your li…

How do you quit a free climb?

Die? I guess if you are low enough you could try to go back down. Some hikes also have a point of no return where going back could lead to death.

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

#249

Post by 2muchcoffeeman »

et-al wrote: post #226
zdean wrote: post #218

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Having never tried rock climbing, I'm curious what the potential causes of catastrophic events would be on this kind of a climb (that would necessitate safety gear for most climbers in the first place)...pieces of rock that give out under a hand/foot, appendage slipping out of place, etc.?

Like you said, it's not uncommon for people's feet to slip out from under them. A big part of climbing is the friction your shoes have against the rock, but move around, reach for something, and angle of your foot against the rock changes, along with the friction, and zoosh: your foot slides off. The rock can break off ("chossy" climbs, Pinnacles is notorious for this), but that's a less common occurrence than Hollyw…

Depends on the rock. The sandstone along Sydney's eastern beaches can be fragile in places.

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

#250

Post by kinkrtyavimoodh »

japhyr wrote: post #161
gnarcoregrizz wrote: post #117

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Dan Osman still died by falling off a cliff.. equipment failure though https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wY6YsM5Rh0Y

It's worth noting that both Dan Osman and Dean Potter died in part due to park service policies. The park service allows all kinds of activities that cater to motorized tourists, but bans specialized activities like base jumping. Yosemite is one of the best places in the world to base jump, not just because of its beauty but because the cliffs are oriented well for base jumping. The ban pushes jumpers to fly at dawn…

>> The park service allows all kinds of activities that cater to motorized tourists

That's a weird kind of jab. As if the BASE Jumpers walked their way to the park.

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