El Capitan free solo

ramps · Joined: 07 May 2000 Posts: 94

Makes my hands and feet sweat when I watch Alex. So does this, and these guys do this for a living!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INbKYq0G9nU

J64TWB · Joined: 24 Dec 2013 Posts: 1685

What I don't understand about free solo is that I assume it's a one way ticket up. What happens if they reach a point where they can no longer go up?

swchandler · Joined: 08 Nov 1993 Posts: 10588

"What happens if they reach a point where they can no longer go up?"

Then it's time to go down. Alex Honnold can take another route down, because I'm sure that going down the same way he came up must be quite impossible. Yet, with those guys going up those antennas have only one way down, sans a helicopter. It's got to be a bit unnerving in its execution. Going down is less about seeing and more about guessing and feeling.

Regarding helicopter assists, one time while I was sailing in the Delta at The Access, helicopters were ferrying individual workers back and forth to and from the top of the nearby elevated powerline structures. No doubt, a bit unsettling, especially with the wind being a possible factor in the landings and takeoffs.

As an addendum, I failed to mention that the workers being transported were dangling off of long lines. It was a bit odd seeing them dangling by a line off of a helicopter. One can only imagine what the whole harness thing was about, and hooking in and out.

scottwerden · Joined: 11 Jul 1999 Posts: 302

J64TWB · Joined: 24 Dec 2013 Posts: 1685

I think this is the single greatest athletic accomplishment in human history.

swchandler · Joined: 08 Nov 1993 Posts: 10588

I guess I got somewhat off-track in my last post, yet I got to thinking about the challenge going down free solo instead of going up. I don't know if that fits into the rock climbing world today, but one has to wonder whether Honnold would ever consider free soloing down El Capitan from the summit. Its got to be a wholely different mindset to pull something like that off. Probably a death wish.

windoggi · Joined: 22 Feb 2002 Posts: 2743

On nearly every rock climb, down climbing is not an option. Especially climbs of this difficulty. Reversing moves is always much harder than going up. Being rescued on El Cap is a very complex process...not really an option in his case. His real risk is blowing a move, breaking a hold, or something as odd as a bat flying out of a crack into your face. (This happened to me once and I nearly peeled) Freezing up out of fear is not one of his problems it seems. As bluefish said, this is the greatest athletic feat ever performed. If you haven't climbed before, its amazing. If you know the game, its supernatural.

scottwerden · Joined: 11 Jul 1999 Posts: 302

The climbs that elevated Alex Honnold to superhuman status (Astroman, Moonlight Buttress, the Rostrum) were all in the 5.11 - 5.12 range of difficulty. Freerider, on El Cap was 5.13a so not only was it longer (30 pitches) it was a lot harder. Apparently he woke up some climbers who were on the route, sleeping on a ledge when he climbed past them. He left them totally flabbergasted as he climbed on up the wall, ropeless.

I really hope he quits soloing. I don't want to read about him cratering. He has earned a retirement. It is doubtful anyone will repeat what he has done.

nw30 · Posted: Wed Jun 07, 2017 6:21 pm Post subject:

Agreed, he reminds me of Jeb Corliss, the wingsuit flyer, who has had some very close calls. He blames himself, in that he said he lost his fear, which led to his near death several years ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hKhofOF_zo

windoggi · Joined: 22 Feb 2002 Posts: 2743

I'm loosely quoting someone who was referring to Alex quitting soloing..."the snake has been fed, but the snake will be hungry again".