[Closed] Would you?

I struggle to climb step ladders so no not a chance.

Ah, I'm a bit busy...

No, I don't mind heights, but I get a strange inner thought of what would it be like to jump from here, you know it would end badly, but it doesn't banish the thoughts. Never tried climbing, done a little bit of abseiling.

Noooo way.

Yosemite looks stunning !

Amazing scenery and a great achievement but why would you risk your life on something like that?

Why not - if you can climb to that level! I've done some low grade lead climbing where the gear is probably more psychological than practical and a lot of un-roped scrambling where a slip (or a hold detaching) would definitely be fatal. If he didn't think he could make it I'm pretty sure he wouldn't solo it.
You can die crossing the road but it's not half as much fun 😆

Amazing scenery and a great achievement but why would you risk your life on something like that?

Because soloing and poorly protected climbing in general, even at my embarrassingly lowly level is one of the most intense and lasting sensations I've ever felt and people will seek out experiences like that. This isn't something that he's done on the spur of the moment, it's a combination of everything he's climbed before and the range of skills, experience and knowledge that climbing has given him.

By the by Heaven is, by Honnold's incredible standards, not a difficult route and is "safe" for soloing, it doesn't feature dynamic moves or snappy holds or any of the things which go beyond the technical and physical risks involved in climbing. It may be 3000ft up but it wouldn't be any less dangerous if it were 100ft off the deck, you're still not walking away if you've miscalculated.

I love the level of mind control he must have to exude that much calm.

Oh, and nafc

perhaps if i had the skill

It's a bit slow.. Can't he climb any quicker?

Cor.

Yosemite looks stunning !

Be even better on the new full Retina displays.

Serious lack of dopamine receptors in their brains! Hat off though, I don't do heights unless its a necessity.

 I get a strange inner thought of what would it be like to jump from here ...

Well at the right time and place, I have and would. It is a calculated risk, if you think you will fall, you don't solo, Honnold is not soloing at his limit and is very much in control, the feeling of moving well, over difficult ground, is hard to beat.

...hold my beer.

It's a bit slow.. Can't he climb any quicker?

I quite like his style, very considered.

B******s to that. Do fancy giving an indoor climbing wall a go, but as I have no upper body strength think I'd probably struggle a lot.

No way and the same as benji every time I get close to a drop my brain goes wonder what that would be like.

as I have no upper body strength think I'd probably struggle a lot.

What you're probably thinking of as upper body strength and the strength that you need to be a good climber are almost certainly not the same thing. Give it a go, you'll probably be surprised.

Look on the web for other crazy free solo climbs Honnold has done.
He's mind blowingly awesome at what he does

For those wondering - Heaven is a 5.12d so roughly equivalent to E6 6c in UK terms. So he's making something that is actually fairly tricky and beyond the realm of most climbers look effortless.

That overhang is ridiculous too
Superb technique and strength

Bloody hell E1 outside or 6A on a wall was my limit with a rope !

😯

roughly equivalent to E6 6c in UK terms

And would probably have something like "pleasant route with an airy top-out" in the guidebook.

Based on his ability that's probably equivalent to me soloing Brown Slabs at Shepherds. Did that aged 15, wouldn't do it now. Although that was probably more down to recklessness of youth than supreme control and confidence in ones ability.

Apparently it's a control and focus thing that motivates these people. I can understand that.

He makes it look effortless, because he pre practiced the route first, this is not to say his onsight skills are lacking, such as his nonchalant onsight solo of the sustained peg scared finger crack of London wall, E5 6a in the peak district, his cajones are so big, it's amazing he gets off the ground.

he makes something epically bum-puckering sound inimitably dull

I want to know how the chalky hand prints got on to the BACK of his t-shirt!?!?! Are they from one of the 18 moves ? 😯

I like the delivery, it's like a lunatics, utterly calm as if day to day life bores them.
I could climb a 6c a couple of years ago, roped in inside. Sod doing that!

Really liked that. I have never really done much climbing so probably wouldn't be a good idea to launch straight into that.

I can see where he's coming from. I've done a few different "risky" sports over the years and there is a certain sense of calm focus that comes from only relying on yourself and your own abilities. It is a very calculated risk.

Would I climb it? Get out of my way.

Would I freeclimb it? Not while I've got a hole in my arse.

Beautifully shot video featuring a climber I've not heard of before. He climbs like a girl (which is an ultimate compliment) and I could watch him all day.

Thank you, sincerely, for posting. That was lovely.

Tinybits- th 6c you refer to is different to the e6 6c mentioned above. That route he solos is prob around 7b+ to 7c+ sport grade wise. Pretty much impossible to compare to an indoor route though.

hmmmmm
[img] :medium[/img]

hmmmmm

Must be a preview of the 2015 Redbull Rampage course start point 😯

It's only 40ft of 6c. But... you're not going to land on a crash mat if you come off. I've soloed stuff in the past that was well within my technical (and psychological) limit. What always stuns me about the guys at the top is how close to their limit they are capable of going without a rope. Still, that's what makes them great and me crap.

I did Yosemite with a 1930s Zeiss Ikon 120 roll film. That's my limit.

I'm glad humans can do that sort of thing; in some ways it's what the species is about (what's possible?). I'm also glad it's him, not me.

Seriously beautiful place by the way. If you have the chance, go there. And Bryce, and Zion, and Grand, and Mesa Verde.

Cougar - Moderator
Would I climb it? [s]Get out of my way[/s] **** off!.

Would I [s]free[/s] climb it with a rope? Not while I've got a hole in my arse.

Beautifully shot video featuring a climber I've not heard of before. He climbs like a girl (which is an ultimate compliment) and I could watch him all day.

Thank you, sincerely, for posting. That was lovely.

If I was that good, yes every day of the week. I've soloed stuff rock climbing and indoors lead very close to my toprope grade, so don't have that big an issue with fear factor (stuff I was climbing at the weekend was very low grade, but the first protection was a long way up, so I'd have hurt myself quite badly if it had gone wrong - but I was no more likely to fall off than he was on that).

more honnold

7000 ft of Yosemite: Watkins, Half Dome ad El Cap in 19 hours.

And the Sufferfest with his mate: all California's 14,000 ft climbs by bike and climbing shoe:

http://www.epictv.com/media/podcast/the-sufferfest-with-alex-honnold-and-cedar-wright---the-full-movie/275335?header_b=1

While I was looking for that, I found they did something more crazy the next year:

http://www.climbing.com/news/honnold-and-wright-in-sufferfest-2-three-weeks-45-desert-towers-700-miles-by-bike/

Incredible.

In a way, I'm more comfortable with the idea of him doing that than watching someone solo something really easy that is right at their technical limit, or even someone leading something necky (poorly protected) at their limit. You could probably find someone jibbering away on relatively easy Peak gritstone most weekends of the year. It's horrible to watch.

I've soloed stuff in the past, only up to HVS/E1, which, on occasion, I ended up finding much harder than expected, and had a couple of close calls. The same with a couple of bold leads - ending up almost jumping for finishing holds or pulling over the top with fingers visibly uncurling from good holds through fatigue.

I've been climbing for 15 years on and off and even that made my palms sweat. Nothing to do with the soloing, just the exposure. As someone else pointed out, it's not where he is 30m or 3000m its going to end up badly either way. The grade is well within him, sure he may make an error, but probably not.

I dabbled a bit with soloing in a bad part of my life (parents divorcing and issues with alcohol myself at the time) and it was probably one of the worst things I did in retrospect. Unlike Honnald I wasn't in control and the likelihoods of something going pearshaped were high.

There is an interview somewhere with his mother talking about his climbing, it's really insightful to hear about his upbringing and how she is behind what he does - albeit not 100% happy that he may not come home. Every interview I've seen with Honnald he comes across as a really grounded, insightful chap.

I hope he keeps doing what some of us can only dream of, be it nightmares or not.