4 ms·

I was under the impression that Alex practices each free solo route multiple times while roped. I'm by no means discounting his accomplishments and skills, but

by hentrep 10y ago

I was under the impression that Alex practices each free solo route multiple times while roped. I'm by no means discounting his accomplishments and skills, but rather highlighting that it isn't quite as reckless as it first appears.

steveax 10y ago
Not all of them, for instance, he on-sight free soloed Fiesta de los Biceps (5.11d) [1] [1]: http://www.dpmclimbing.com/articles/view/alex-honnold-onsight-free-solo-spain http://www.dpmclimbing.com/articles/view/alex-honnold-onsigh...
Fricken 10y ago
Here's a video that touches on Honnold's prep for his ascent of El Sendoro Luminoso. Given that it's likely the most difficult ropeless climb in history (and on limestone, which is far more prone to breaking holds than Yosemite granite), he wasn't exactly super meticulous: https://youtu.be/Phl82D57P58 https://youtu.be/Phl82D57P58 At lower grades he has been known to just go for it.
- pierrec 10y ago
  It's pretty crazy with 11 pitches rated 5.12, but it's still not the most difficult free solo that's been done. For example Honnold himself free soloed 5.13, and Dave MacLeod free soloed a 5.14b. These are only single-pitch but they're still tall enough to classify as free solo (as opposed to bouldering/highball). And don't go thinking that 11 pitches of 5.12 is harder than one pitch of 5.14. Lots of people can do 11 pitches of 5.12 without falling. Only an extremely small portion of these can send a 5.14 - rope or no rope, when someone sends that grade it often ends up in the news (well, climber news, of course).
  - justinator 10y ago
    > Only an extremely small portion of these can send a 5.14 > - rope or no rope, when someone sends that grade it often > ends up in the news (well, climber news, of course). Rarely does anyone make even climbing news climbing 5.14, as the limit now for sport climbing is 5.15c and bouldering is V16. There are routes rated 5.14 at the gym I frequent that get sent nightly. Granted I live in Boulder CO, lots of pro climbers do as well, and grades at gyms are often soft, but still... The last time 5.14 was newsworthy was the first female ascent of a trad. route in Boulder Canyon http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web16b/newswire-china-doll-5.14-heather-weidner-interview http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web16b/newswire-china-doll-5.14-... and the Dawn Wall, which is 32 pitches, https://www.mountainproject.com/v/dawn-wall-free/109951912 https://www.mountainproject.com/v/dawn-wall-free/109951912 a few of which are rated 5.14. Perhaps Ashima makes news climbing 5.14's, but it's also because she's still a teenager. There's a dude that works as a routesetter at my gym that just sent 5.15. His instagram was pretty popular for a while, but he's just a dude. http://www.rockandice.com/climbing-news/jon-cardwell-sends-biographie-realization-5-15a http://www.rockandice.com/climbing-news/jon-cardwell-sends-b... 5.14 made big news 25 years ago with routes like Action Directe. Things have progressed since then. IMHO rating comparing a one pitch 5.14 and a 11 pitch 5.12 is comparing two different things. :shrug:
    - stinos 10y ago
      This is like metric vs imperial vs ... all over again. I had no clue what levles you guys are taling about until I looked it up and figured how they compare to the French system. Which then I subconciously converted to the color used for the routes at the local gym (well, it's not really a gym in the common sense, it's purely climbing oriented)
    - pierrec 10y ago
      You guys in Boulder CO have all the mutant climbers. You should see our little Ontario climbing news outlets! I'm pretty sure there's only one guy in the entire province that even sets indoor 5.14 (despite having quite a few gyms, I believe at least 15). Anyways, it was a bit overboard and in terms of international climbing news, I very much agree with you.
      - justinator 10y ago
        > You guys in Boulder CO have all the mutant climbers There's some truth to this. Just today, I was bouldering next to a dude that look somewhat familiar. Turns out it's Paul Robinson, just here traveling through town. Took a few tries to nail a V12 set, didn't even look like he broke a sweat.
- ufmace 10y ago
  Just wow. What do they even shoot that video with? Is there a helicopter flying around him while he climbs? Maybe a small drone or something? The helicopter would be pretty unnerving I suppose, and it's probably even more dangerous to fly a helicopter that close to a stone wall.

by hentrep 10y ago

steveax 10y ago

Not all of them, for instance, he on-sight free soloed Fiesta de los Biceps (5.11d) [1] [1]: http://www.dpmclimbing.com/articles/view/alex-honnold-onsight-free-solo-spain http://www.dpmclimbing.com/articles/view/alex-honnold-onsigh...

Fricken 10y ago

Here's a video that touches on Honnold's prep for his ascent of El Sendoro Luminoso. Given that it's likely the most difficult ropeless climb in history (and on limestone, which is far more prone to breaking holds than Yosemite granite), he wasn't exactly super meticulous: https://youtu.be/Phl82D57P58 https://youtu.be/Phl82D57P58 At lower grades he has been known to just go for it.

pierrec 10y ago
It's pretty crazy with 11 pitches rated 5.12, but it's still not the most difficult free solo that's been done. For example Honnold himself free soloed 5.13, and Dave MacLeod free soloed a 5.14b. These are only single-pitch but they're still tall enough to classify as free solo (as opposed to bouldering/highball). And don't go thinking that 11 pitches of 5.12 is harder than one pitch of 5.14. Lots of people can do 11 pitches of 5.12 without falling. Only an extremely small portion of these can send a 5.14 - rope or no rope, when someone sends that grade it often ends up in the news (well, climber news, of course).
- justinator 10y ago
  > Only an extremely small portion of these can send a 5.14 > - rope or no rope, when someone sends that grade it often > ends up in the news (well, climber news, of course). Rarely does anyone make even climbing news climbing 5.14, as the limit now for sport climbing is 5.15c and bouldering is V16. There are routes rated 5.14 at the gym I frequent that get sent nightly. Granted I live in Boulder CO, lots of pro climbers do as well, and grades at gyms are often soft, but still... The last time 5.14 was newsworthy was the first female ascent of a trad. route in Boulder Canyon http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web16b/newswire-china-doll-5.14-heather-weidner-interview http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web16b/newswire-china-doll-5.14-... and the Dawn Wall, which is 32 pitches, https://www.mountainproject.com/v/dawn-wall-free/109951912 https://www.mountainproject.com/v/dawn-wall-free/109951912 a few of which are rated 5.14. Perhaps Ashima makes news climbing 5.14's, but it's also because she's still a teenager. There's a dude that works as a routesetter at my gym that just sent 5.15. His instagram was pretty popular for a while, but he's just a dude. http://www.rockandice.com/climbing-news/jon-cardwell-sends-biographie-realization-5-15a http://www.rockandice.com/climbing-news/jon-cardwell-sends-b... 5.14 made big news 25 years ago with routes like Action Directe. Things have progressed since then. IMHO rating comparing a one pitch 5.14 and a 11 pitch 5.12 is comparing two different things. :shrug:
  - stinos 10y ago
    This is like metric vs imperial vs ... all over again. I had no clue what levles you guys are taling about until I looked it up and figured how they compare to the French system. Which then I subconciously converted to the color used for the routes at the local gym (well, it's not really a gym in the common sense, it's purely climbing oriented)
  - pierrec 10y ago
    You guys in Boulder CO have all the mutant climbers. You should see our little Ontario climbing news outlets! I'm pretty sure there's only one guy in the entire province that even sets indoor 5.14 (despite having quite a few gyms, I believe at least 15). Anyways, it was a bit overboard and in terms of international climbing news, I very much agree with you.
    - justinator 10y ago
      > You guys in Boulder CO have all the mutant climbers There's some truth to this. Just today, I was bouldering next to a dude that look somewhat familiar. Turns out it's Paul Robinson, just here traveling through town. Took a few tries to nail a V12 set, didn't even look like he broke a sweat.
ufmace 10y ago
Just wow. What do they even shoot that video with? Is there a helicopter flying around him while he climbs? Maybe a small drone or something? The helicopter would be pretty unnerving I suppose, and it's probably even more dangerous to fly a helicopter that close to a stone wall.