Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

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

npr.org

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

431–440 of 527 posts

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

#431

Post by kyberias »

maolt wrote: post #153
AcerbicZero wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the end it's his choice.

"at his incompetence" ? Your nickname is aptly chosen, yet the same can't be said of the words in your post. Honnold climbs without a rope because he can afford to do so. He may well one day lose his life, but he knows it, and puts much more care in preparing and then stays concentrated on his climbs than most people do when driving a car. I encourage you to read articles about him, they should help give you some per…

What is this? Of course he stays more concentrated than most people when driving a car because one doesn't have to have that kind of concentration when driving a car. Most mistakes while driving a car are not fatal.

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

#432

Post by breatheoften »

Rapzid wrote: post #313
jojoo wrote: post #269

Earlier quoted context omitted.

there are actually a lot of people who can climb harder (on a rope) than alex honnold; he has done one 8c+; atm 350 people have done 9a or harder and a lot of people have done multiple 8c+ routes: http://escalade9.wifeo.com/par-nationalite.php i think what's so special about him are his mental abilities, not his physical.

In 2012 Alex solo'd Freerider, Watkins, and Half Dome in ~19 hours. He completed the Fitz Traverse with Tommy, who referred to him as the greatest climber of our generation(perhaps a bit of hyperbole, but still). He is the current speed record holder with Hans Florine for The Nose. Alex is the top ultramarathoner of rock climbing. Not only is his endurance of effort incredibly high, he is able to continually execute…

I think it's also worth pointing out how far out on the bell curve those 350 people with comparable or greater athletic climbing skills are as well. The modern day top tier or two of climbers are athletes with Olympian levels of talent/training.

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

#434

Post by fauria »

bogomipz wrote: post #8

If you are interested in this or the history of climbing in Yosemite and and El Capitan I highly recommend the documentary "Valley Uprising." Even if you aren't necessarily interested in climbing its a beautiful documentary. It's available on Netflix. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3784160/

If you like this, I highly recommend Sunshine Superman http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1322313/

It's a documentary about Carl Boenish and the history of BASE jumping, which is closely related to some of the events and places portrayed in Valley Uprising.

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

#435

Post by breatheoften »

virtuabhi wrote: post #143
chrisBob wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, he should not get wide publicity of this amazing accomplishment because HE is an idiot. The fact that he succeeded (survived) just means that he is still an idiot.

Honnold had practiced individual segments multiple times before this attempt. Those practice runs had left rubber marks on the walls, which helped him in following a specific route. Before attempting the complete climb, Honnold verified that the rubber marks were not removed by the rains. Plus, he has a daily regimen of specific exercises, so many freeclimbs before, etc. A complete professional, not an idiot for sure…

Chark marks explicitly put there to 'tick' hand and food holds -- to make it easier to see the holds and follow the sequence of moves needed. Not rubber marks from shoes.

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

#436

Post by [deleted] »

virtuabhi wrote: post #143
chrisBob wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, he should not get wide publicity of this amazing accomplishment because HE is an idiot. The fact that he succeeded (survived) just means that he is still an idiot.

Honnold had practiced individual segments multiple times before this attempt. Those practice runs had left rubber marks on the walls, which helped him in following a specific route. Before attempting the complete climb, Honnold verified that the rubber marks were not removed by the rains. Plus, he has a daily regimen of specific exercises, so many freeclimbs before, etc. A complete professional, not an idiot for sure…

[deleted]

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

#437

Post by zamalek »

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…

> his mental preparation

Honnold is special in that regard[1].

[1]: http://nautil.us/issue/39/sport/the-strange-brain-of-the-wor...

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

#438

Post by jjeaff »

msteffen wrote: post #385
kbenson wrote: post #306

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s all too easy for headlines about climbing to lean on clichés about the climbers themselves—that these people are daredevils, thrill seekers, adrenaline junkies. But to most climbers, nothing is quicker to trigger the gag reflex. Climbing is an intimate relationship with our world’s most dramatic landscapes, not a self-boasting fight against them. I don’t claim to understand the inner workings of Alex’s mind, but…

When you're free soloing, you climb much faster and with much less equipment. With safety equipment, climbing El Cap takes 2-4 days, and you have to pull up several bags of equipment behind you with pulleys. Without any safety equipment (i.e. free soloing) climbing El Cap takes a few hours and you just bring your body and some chalk. Plus it's just a cool thing to do (at least IMO). It's like, the dude is so good at…

I find it funny that you mention that climbing el cap free soloing, "just takes a few hours" as if it wasn't just recently free soloed for the very first time in known history by one of the most skilled climbers of all time.

It takes hannold 4 hours. It will likely never be tried successfully by anyone else.

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

#439

Post by ObeyTheGuts »

kbenson wrote: post #306
patejam wrote: post #130

By far the best article I've seen to supplement this: https://www.outsideonline.com/2190306/why-alex-honnolds-free... As a climber, there are very few people that I trust to have a more useful opinion on all this than Tommy Caldwell, a close friend and long time climbing partner of Honnold. It's so out there for most people that most jump to conclusions without proper knowledge of the subject. Caldwell is in an inter…

It’s all too easy for headlines about climbing to lean on clichés about the climbers themselves—that these people are daredevils, thrill seekers, adrenaline junkies. But to most climbers, nothing is quicker to trigger the gag reflex. Climbing is an intimate relationship with our world’s most dramatic landscapes, not a self-boasting fight against them. I don’t claim to understand the inner workings of Alex’s mind, but…

Ye dude...climb with 10 kg of ropes n shit is nothing like freeeeeeeeeeee soloing!!! Thats so stupid of u, just go take a helicopter to da top....fucking piece of shit retard!

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

#440

Post by jjeaff »

jonah wrote: post #136
patejam wrote: post #130

By far the best article I've seen to supplement this: https://www.outsideonline.com/2190306/why-alex-honnolds-free... As a climber, there are very few people that I trust to have a more useful opinion on all this than Tommy Caldwell, a close friend and long time climbing partner of Honnold. It's so out there for most people that most jump to conclusions without proper knowledge of the subject. Caldwell is in an inter…

One of the most striking quotes for me was: "Alex once told me that he had never fallen completely unexpectedly—meaning without at least some prior inclination that it could happen. When I told him that I had unexpectedly fallen at least ten times, he looked confused, like somehow that didn’t compute." It really illustrates what a professional Alex is and how in-tune he is with his skills and his craft.

Alex may be the standout that never makes a mistake. But a notable free soloist dies while climbing about once a year. And I'm sure they all claim to know their limits and understand their abilities as well.
Post reply on HN