The day the Nose gets free soloed

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ground_up

Trad climber

mt. hood /baja

Topic Author's Original Post - Jan 28, 2013 - 12:06pm PT

It seems inevitable that at some point in time
someone is going to put it all together both
mentally and physically and 3rd class the Nose.

When?...

I'm not sure I'd wanna watch when it goes down...would you ?

I do not solo anymore...gives me the booboojeebies thinking
back to my soloin days ..yes Werner I am a stupid american
sissy :) I have only been up E.C. twice and the thought of
bein up there ropeless is mindbending. As part of the "earlier"
generation of climbing I look at what the "kids" are doin
these days and thinkin hoy cow ... it's gonna happen.
Curious as to ya'alls thoughts..

And yes , in the big picture....so what.

Ground

this just in

climber

north fork

Jan 28, 2013 - 12:13pm PT

Yes, I think it will happen by either Potter or Honnold. 5-10 years or next summer. I would love to be an eyewitness of such an event.

WBraun

climber

Jan 28, 2013 - 12:17pm PT

Nose gets free soloed

Won't happen anytime soon.

Go do the nose free with a rope and you'll understand why.

There are other El Cap routes that are much more possible than just jumping onto the Nose.

At this moment in time it's suicidal.

Only people who never even tried to free climb the entire Nose route would make up this fantasy in their heads and project them as free soloing ......

nopantsben

climber

Jan 28, 2013 - 12:18pm PT

neither honnold nor potter have even freed it.

if you look at the changing corners and have free climbed before, you'll understand that free soloing that section won't happen in the next decades.

JLP

Social climber

The internet

Jan 28, 2013 - 12:18pm PT

The Nose and Freerider both have insecure, low probability cruxes. These kinds of pitches rarely get soloed close to the ground. I'd say never. I doubt Freerider will ever get soloed, either. Even Alex still pops off the Boulder Problem crux. Dean isn't good enough to free the Nose with a rope, never has been. It doesn't appear to be his thing. Alex probably could, but it would be a project.

climbski2

Mountain climber

Anchorage AK, Reno NV

Jan 28, 2013 - 12:18pm PT

Soloing 5.14 that far off the deck? I'm all for progress and folks doing things that blow our minds. That is not something I have to see however.

I do not like the idea of soloing things you have any chance of falling on. (well there are always objective risks such as random falling objects). But the skill level of the climber shouldn't be in a bit of doubt. I always felt comfortable when watching Honnold. He never seemed close to pushing it too far. Which is part of what is so impressive

Being 100% certain of not falling on oddball funky 5.14 after a couple thousand feet of hard work seems.. much more impressive than anything I've heard of being done. Or much less if someone is sketching it whatsoever.

Regardless I don't think anyone is even close to being able at this time.

Gobi

Trad climber

Orange CA

Jan 28, 2013 - 12:25pm PT

Salathe would get done before the Nose. Maybe Freerider in our lifetimes...

Melissa

Gym climber

berkeley, ca

Jan 28, 2013 - 12:33pm PT

Being 100% certain of not falling on oddball funky 5.14 after a couple thousand feet of hard work seems.. much more impressive than anything I've heard of being done.

Yes, I think it will happen by either Potter or Honnold. 5-10 years

Add that the hero will be 50 per the prediction of the second quote to the first quote, and it gets even more impressive. ;-)

I'm probably not fit enough to jug to Dolt right now, so bless anyone who can do what they do.

ground_up

Trad climber

mt. hood /baja

Topic Author's Reply - Jan 28, 2013 - 12:41pm PT

I throw this out there merely as campfire conversation..
fantasy?....i don't know but think it will get done someday

another question is which route first , i mention the Nose
cuz' it's so iconic .. any route would be amazing..

I would imagine that 40-50 years ago astroman would have
seemed very unlikely ?

this just in

climber

north fork

Jan 28, 2013 - 12:43pm PT

Werner, I've never even aided the nose, lol. How many thought it was impossible for anyone to free it before Lynn did just that?

ElGreco

Mountain climber

Jan 28, 2013 - 12:49pm PT

Second what nopantsben and climbski2 said.

I asked Honnold in person at a talk he gave a couple of months ago at the local gym. He said that he wouldn't do it and that he didn't think anyone ever would. Said he solos stuff he's really confident on and that low 5.14 or high 5.13 doesn't fit that bill. It's so far from what anyone can free confidently that it's not on the cards.

climbski2

Mountain climber

Anchorage AK, Reno NV

Jan 28, 2013 - 12:53pm PT

I doubt anyone thought it was impossible to free since the late 80's at the latest. When or if someone would do it? But not that was doable.

Could a 5.15 climber have the confidence? The wall skills and determination to work the project? The endurance? I really don't know. A lot would have to come together in the right person at the right time.

5.14? 5.15.. Those numbers don't mean anything to me though. Very abstract. That is a level I have as much real experience with as walking on the moon.

WBraun

climber

Jan 28, 2013 - 12:54pm PT

How many thought it was impossible for anyone to free it before Lynn did just that?

Where have you been?

Living under a rock?

Lynn is not the first to even try or think about it what to speak of believing it was possible.

There's a whole succession behind the feat of free climbing the Nose itself ......

climbski2

Mountain climber

Anchorage AK, Reno NV

Jan 28, 2013 - 01:01pm PT

^^^ so says one of those who worked on it.

I've seen some old vids of you and Ron :) Very cool stuff.

this just in

climber

north fork

Jan 28, 2013 - 01:03pm PT

True, and I think the fact that it's freed is part of the succession to being soloed. I do think if honnold projected it, he would be the most likely. If Caldwell soloed anyone think he could do it?

Don Paul

Big Wall climber

Colombia, South America

Jan 28, 2013 - 02:03pm PT

Seems like a force fit. The nose has been done, it's been free climbed, speed climbed, and Dean Potter solo'd the soloable parts. I hope no one tries to solo the insecure 5.13 moves on the nose to get that record. Even for high level climbers its a serious risk of death.

There's lots of long hard routes that could be soloed, though, on Cerro Torre, Trango Tower, etc. There's other barriers that can be broken, aside from trying to free solo super thin face moves.

deuce4

climber

Hobart, Australia

Jan 28, 2013 - 02:15pm PT

Right now it's still fairly inconceivable, but I reckon it is inevitable the Nose will eventually get free-soloed.

Unless the end of the world eventuates first.

But it will be quite some time, and other El Cap routes will have become more routine free-solos before the Nose ever gets soloed.

(sitting comfortably in my armchair): I reckon the Nose solo within the next 15 years. Perhaps the first El Cap free-solo within the next 5 years.

In my short time as a climber, observing first as a beginner, then as intense as I could live it for some years, and now as an armchair enthusiast, the realm of the possible seem a bit like Moore's Law. The exponential talent and drive of guys like Potter and Honnold continue a clear pattern of pioneering the prior generation's inconceivable.

No doubt this will continue.

McHale's Navy

Trad climber

Panorama City, California & living in Seattle

Jan 28, 2013 - 02:37pm PT

This from the climb and punishment thread;

I'm also pretty sure Alex could give a hobos dickcheese what anybody on the taco says about what he does and where they think his head is at. Just my 1cent.

I doubt this is true. To the degree that we care about Alex, he probably pays the same attention to the climbing community.