Alex Honnold free solos El Cap

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onebyone
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Re: Alex Honnold free solos El Cap

Post by onebyone »

Incredible!

Dead man walking though.
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justiner
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Re: Alex Honnold free solos El Cap

Post by justiner »

Is, "idiot" a unit of weight used for brass balls?

I would think then that he is at least ten idiots per side.

The NG interview is great:

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adven ... l-capitan/

* bouldering sess. the day before
* felt the climb was a, "light workout" and planned to do a fingerboard sess. later in the day, since he does one every other day and that day was, "the other day"
* Would be tempted to do it again right afterwards, or the next day.
* doesn't know if his mom knows about the climb yet, or not.
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Marmot96
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Re: Alex Honnold free solos El Cap

Post by Marmot96 »

joe-g wrote:What an idiot.
Not like he just woke up and though "F*ck it, lets climb El Cap" and accidentally left his ropes at home. He has been training for years and years and had practiced this route. What seems insane to one person isn't always so to the next.

"There was no uncertainty on this. I knew exactly what to do the whole way. A lot of the handholds feel like old friends"
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Re: Alex Honnold free solos El Cap

Post by FireOnTheMountain »

joe-g wrote:What an idiot.
So was Copernicus for thinking the Earth wasn't in the center of the universe. Respect the dudes vision and keep your obvious biases to yourself. Can't believe all of us bit on that.
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XterraRob
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Re: Alex Honnold free solos El Cap

Post by XterraRob »

joe-g wrote:What an idiot.
joe-g wrote:
Re: JK's 2016 Ski Project
Sun May 01, 2016 8:16 pm
Why is there so much ill will toward this guy. I WISH I was doing some of these things that he is doing. Just because he seems reckless to you, you second guess his accomplishments? I don't know him or any of you, but I think you're jealous. Maybe he self promotes too much for your taste, whoop de doo, then don't hire him.

My accomplishments:
~Climbed all 58 14ers
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~married a hottie
RIP - M56
Re-introduce Grizzly Bears into the Colorado Wilderness™
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Phill the Thrill
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Re: Alex Honnold free solos El Cap

Post by Phill the Thrill »

Unbelievable! I cannot even imagine ... Beyond words ...
"Everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it." - Andy Rooney
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FireOnTheMountain
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Re: Alex Honnold free solos El Cap

Post by FireOnTheMountain »

XterraRob wrote:
joe-g wrote:What an idiot.
joe-g wrote:
Re: JK's 2016 Ski Project
Sun May 01, 2016 8:16 pm
Why is there so much ill will toward this guy. I WISH I was doing some of these things that he is doing. Just because he seems reckless to you, you second guess his accomplishments? I don't know him or any of you, but I think you're jealous. Maybe he self promotes too much for your taste, whoop de doo, then don't hire him.

I guess Joe wishes he was leaving business cards on summits over rock climbing. Understandable.
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xam_zerep
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Re: Alex Honnold free solos 5.12d Freerider on El Cap

Post by xam_zerep »

justiner wrote:The Hubert bros. aren't known to put up soft-graded routes - there is some contention that one of them actually climbed the first 5.15a/9a+, but graded it 9a.
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Re: Alex Honnold free solos El Cap

Post by mts4602 »

I was in the valley that day, but alas I did not know this was going on. #-o
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Re: Alex Honnold free solos El Cap

Post by peter303 »

Nice piece on CBS 60 Minutes a few years ago
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SR1jwwagtaQ
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Rollie Free
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Re: Alex Honnold free solos El Cap

Post by Rollie Free »

Seems a controversial subject but I'll chime in with the dissenters a bit.

I see no reason he can't do it with spotting ropes. He can still use his skills without one little, I won't even call it a mistake, but one little happenstance that ends his life. He may do everything correct just like he did on his route practices but at that time a bit of rock peels away. It seems just a matter of time.
Personally, I don't get it. I guess its admirable in some ways and not so much in others.

Saying this one the heels of an acquaintance dying yesterday who had a penchant for adventure and a little danger. In his case, a slight bit of carelessness cost him his lift. Already seeing the other side of it as I am sure many others on here have. All the awesomeness isn't so much when things go wrong.
"Quicker than I can tell it, my hands failed to hold, my feet slipped, and down I went with almost an arrow’s rapidity. An eternity of thought, of life, of death, wife, and home concentrated on my mind in those two seconds. Fortunately for me, I threw my right arm around a projecting boulder which stood above the icy plain some two or three feet." Rev. Elijah Lamb
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Re: Alex Honnold free solos El Cap

Post by kushrocks »

It really blows my mind how people can find the negative about something like this. In my opinion I would put this feat up there with the greatest Himalayan achievements and climbing world records maybe even above and I am not much of a rock climber.

Rollie . . . using ropes would not be free soloing which is the whole point of what makes this climb so insane and incredible.

He spent years practicing, training, going over sections of the route to know every hold and turn to accomplish this. You don't think Alex understands the risks? You don't think he knows that if he falls he will die? Part of what I love about being in the mountains is how your mind reacts to tough situations where you can truly understand yourself and your abilities while being at peace with your surroundings. Alex does this on a whole different level. Yea, its dangerous as hell and WAY out of my league. I would hope no one I know are care about would ever climb in this style. Hell I would never consider free climbing even a 5.7 BUT this is what he finds to be a pure way of climbing . . . just him and the mountain. Is growing old sitting on the couch watching TV eating potato chips watching life pass you by really living? Some people need to experience life on the edge to truly feel alive. This is his way, not yours, and I respect the hell out of it.
Last edited by kushrocks on Tue Jun 06, 2017 10:15 am, edited 2 times in total.
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