Discussion Topic |
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| Messages 1 - 56 of total 56 in this topic |
James
climber
A tent in the redwoods
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Topic Author's Original Post - Sep 25, 2007 - 05:02pm PT
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Last week, (Wednesday I think-which ever day NPS did the big controlled burn in the Valley) Alex Honold free soloed Astroman. Honold climbed the route doing the boulder problem pitch as well as the 11b variation higher. Later in the day he soloed the Regular North Face of the Rostrum using the unprotected 5.10 variation at the second pitch (there was a party on the 11a) Honold has also onsight free-soloed Pipeline (A Squamish Offwidth testpiece), the Lighning Bolt Cracks on the North Six Shooter, and soloed Chud a 13a at Rifle.
Just wanted to send some props out to Alex. He's pretty modest so I figured I'd spray for him. Good job man.
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Rhodo-Router
Gym climber
Otto, NC
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Sep 25, 2007 - 05:05pm PT
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What a day! (wiping palms on pant legs)
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GDavis
Trad climber
SoCal
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Sep 25, 2007 - 05:13pm PT
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Wow freaking impressive.
Lightning bolt.... mmmm.... just to do that on a ROPE is dreamy enough. Isn't that the route Ozturk did on one of mortimers movies onsight-solo? Pretty much the most badass style you can climb on. Wonder if he's going to get on Schultz ridge :)
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Sep 25, 2007 - 05:41pm PT
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Neat stuff.
I wonder how many people have done that cordless.
There is a soft-spoken guy out here in Colorado that did it; I've met him, but I forget his name, maybe Cameron.
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NinjaChimp
climber
someplace in-between
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Sep 25, 2007 - 06:54pm PT
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Nice Alex! Way to go man. Thanks for the update James. When are you coming up here. Send me a line when you do.
-Justin
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JuanDeFuca
Big Wall climber
Stoney Point
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Sep 25, 2007 - 09:02pm PT
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The man has death wish plain and simple.
Juan
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Riotch
Trad climber
Kayenta, Arizona
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Sep 25, 2007 - 09:53pm PT
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I believe that would make him the third person to solo it, behind Croft and Potter, I don't think Werner Braun ever soloed it, did he?
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bachar
Trad climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Sep 25, 2007 - 11:02pm PT
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BADASS I must say.... congratulations!
I guess Astroman is officially a boulder problem now.
BTW, what make of bouldering pad does he use?
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Strongerdog
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Sep 25, 2007 - 11:39pm PT
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"Later in the day"
I can't even fathom having any daylight left after Astroman.
I must have been born out of the kiddie gene pool.
Impressive!
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Ragz
climber
Tartarus, black hole of the internet
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Sep 26, 2007 - 12:15am PT
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:stunned silence:
F*#k dude, like Ali without the mouth.
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marty(r)
climber
beneath the valley of ultravegans
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Sep 26, 2007 - 12:17am PT
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Like Werner, he was probably Twinkie-powered.
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johnr9q
Sport climber
Sacramento, Ca
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Sep 26, 2007 - 10:01am PT
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This guy is for real and what a great person.
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mcreel
climber
Barcelona, Spain
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Sep 26, 2007 - 10:30am PT
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I once bailed off Astroman :-) I seem to remember a ledge right at the base of the boulder pitch, that gets narrower to the R. Popping off the boulder pitch would definitely lead to a long fall, or would it be possible to catch the ledge?
When I get home, I'm going to play Astroman on my guitar and do a looong solo!
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durban
climber
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Sep 26, 2007 - 11:04am PT
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Alex told me hard climbing is about saying "yes." Looks like he's taking his own advice pretty seriously. Echo what James said about him being unassuming. Much respect!
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Steve Grossman
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Sep 26, 2007 - 12:39pm PT
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Hats off and a bow to you Alex. Fabulous effort on an airy and committing classic! Had you been up on it before for a look?
Hugh Herr approaching the Harding Slot (his third chimney at any grade!) enroute to a casual afternoon ascent long ago.
Different story with no dental floss.........Change your name to Hon'dbold perhaps? Freakin' awesome job, man!
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Matt
Trad climber
never ever pissing into the wind
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Sep 26, 2007 - 03:22pm PT
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troll response #1:
"How many prepositioned photographers did he employ?"
troll response #2:
"No way, Peter Croft never did that, so I won't believe this guy is not a liar unless he has video evidence!"
real response:
"Wow"
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Hardman Knott
Gym climber
Muir Woods National Monument, Mill Valley, Ca
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Sep 26, 2007 - 03:34pm PT
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Matt - there have only been a tiny few who have had their ascents questioned, for whatever reason.
This guy is knott one of them.
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Matt
Trad climber
never ever pissing into the wind
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Sep 26, 2007 - 04:08pm PT
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don't try to be all rational when i troll, biatch!
and what about my other troll?
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Handjam Belay
Gym climber
expat from the truth
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Sep 26, 2007 - 07:38pm PT
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Tarbuster,
I believe Cameron may have soloed AstroDog some years back. Amazing and humble guy. Watched him solo the cruise as well.
Cheers
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Sep 26, 2007 - 09:50pm PT
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Handjam Belay:
Thanks for that tidbit. I need to look into this a little further. Yes, amazingly humble, I think we're talking about the same guy, is his full name maybe Cameron Cross?
When I was repping out here one of the kids we sponsored told me that Cameron had solod Astro Man and that after doing so, upon reflection, he didn't think it such a smart thing; it surely seems plausible that the young reporter of Cameron's solo climb didn't know the difference between Astro Dog and Astro Man.
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bachar
Trad climber
Mammoth Lakes, CA
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Sep 26, 2007 - 11:35pm PT
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I'm lost...and old....and crinkly...but what's Astrodog?
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Sep 26, 2007 - 11:47pm PT
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John,
Astro Dog is a climb in the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.
Also, Handjam Belay may be talking about Cameron Teague (RIP).
(I'm going to get to the bottom of this reportage thing on Astro Man.)
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Tripod? Swellguy? Halfwit? Smegma?
climber
Calyfucinphornya
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Sep 26, 2007 - 11:58pm PT
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I climbed with Alex a couple of times about a year ago. I don't find it hard to believe that he has soloed both these routes in a day. To watch him on the rock is impressive. He has remarkably smooth granite technique, a very cool head, and needless to say gobs of strength and endurance. I though while watching him that he was the next Caldwell. What is perhaps most suprising is how young and what short time on the rock he has had. Alex was a gym monkey since age 13 and didn't even start climbing outside until 3 or 4 years ago. I'm guessing he's 23 at most. That he could climb so well so fast is pretty amazing. I've seen and read of a lot of young, hard gym climbers that tranfer to real rock at high grades, but almost always on sport routes. To master the difficult techniques that traditional granite requires in those high grades just blows me away. I don't think he has hit his ceiling yet by any stretch of the imagination. Perhaps most concerning is the pressure that inevitably comes with notoriety on such a young head. The need to continue to outdo himself interms of not only difficulty but boldness. He's a very cool young guy. Hard not to like. I just hope that the next big heading isn't about falling off the first free solo attempt of Freerider. I just know it's going through his head. Take a breath Alex.
Regards, Aidan
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Salamanizer
Mountain climber
Vacaville Ca,
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Sep 27, 2007 - 12:51am PT
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Watched him onsight the Silly Willy crack (Lovers Leap .12c) a few weeks back, very impressive. Then belayed him while we backed off a .11+R route right after. He knows his abilitys and climbs well within his means. I'm pretty sure he knows the brightest flame burns quickest.
Alex is the guy out there who's having the most fun, plain and simple.
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Degaine
climber
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Sep 27, 2007 - 04:42am PT
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Aidan,
This is the young Alex from Granite Arch, right? If so I think he was around 14 years old in 2001 which puts him at barely 20 at the moment.
Climbed a bunch in the gym with him in Sac (Granite Arch and Pipeworks), been smooth and talented...and super humble since the beginning.
In any case, nice work, Alex! Hope all is well with you.
Darin
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Lostinwoods
Trad climber
Lahaina, Maui
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Sep 28, 2007 - 04:23am PT
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Alex, you are a fierce beast!
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Lostinwoods
Trad climber
Lahaina, Maui
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Sep 28, 2007 - 04:28am PT
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A couple of years ago, alex broke his wrist...ill let him tell u how... He was climbing 12's soon after cast and all (he modified it of course)One of the nicest, and most genuine people I've ever met.... miss u bro...
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James
climber
A tent in the redwoods
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 28, 2007 - 11:10am PT
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Yesterday Alex and I walked into the ledge on the Rostrum and climbed the Excellent Adventure to the Rostrum roof. Alex onsighted the 5.13 trad pitch.
He's 22 now.
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Tahoe climber
Trad climber
a dark-green forester out west
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Sep 28, 2007 - 11:34am PT
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Props to both of you. Keep it fun!
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itso
climber
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Sep 28, 2007 - 01:19pm PT
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Amazing!
Big Props to you Alex!
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WBraun
climber
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Sep 28, 2007 - 10:09pm PT
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Yes, excellent Alex.
It's not an easy thing to do. The mind starts to talk when you get to the base.
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Handjam Belay
Gym climber
expat from the truth
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Sep 28, 2007 - 11:42pm PT
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Not Cameron teague...the youngster from Montrose.
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Shack
Big Wall climber
Reno NV
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Sep 29, 2007 - 12:16am PT
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Ever since I heard the story about that guy who died when he got wedged in the Harding slot, and the SAR guys had remove his bloated corpse in the summer heat....
well, never mind.
That is amazing.
Are there any spots to rest on Astroman?
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Matt
Trad climber
never ever pissing into the wind
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Sep 29, 2007 - 12:33am PT
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that might be more of a rural legend, no?
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Shack
Big Wall climber
Reno NV
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Sep 29, 2007 - 12:45am PT
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I'm pretty sure I heard it from Russ...but it was 20 years ago.
I think the story goes that the climber fell from higher up in the slot and got wedged in at the bottom, with his legs dangling free, and suffocated.
By the time the SAR guys got there, the guy had bloated up and he was wedged in super tight.
Werner? Russ? Details?
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Sep 29, 2007 - 03:05pm PT
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My buddies were high on the Rostrum when Alex breezed by. "Hey, do you want some beta for this pitch?" he said as he hung out at the .11b corner.
"Sure Mate!"
Alex at the Sentinel boulders:
Nothing like onsighting V4 in your tennies while taking a rest day...
Afterwards I felt kinda of small after saying how the V7 looked hard.
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Blowboarder
Boulder climber
Back in the mix
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Sep 29, 2007 - 04:41pm PT
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Astroman has good rests all over it. Every time I fell out of the Endurance Corner, I rested on the rope. Very relaxing.
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jsavage
climber
Bishop, CA
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bump
this is too significant to be four pages deep right now
props
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bldr
Trad climber
roseville
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Congrats to Alex.
Dgaine you are correct about alex, amazing climber. Not bad progress from that kid who always rode his bike to the gym.
For years it could be a struggle to get alex outside but he was always fun to climb with. I don't think there is a climb in existence that alex wouldn't try for a bag of M&Ms.
-jordan
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Mighty Hiker
Social climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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An extraordinary feat!
"Honold has also onsight free-soloed Pipeline (A Squamish offwidth testpiece)"
Considered hard 5.10, by those who know. The first free ascent of Pipeline was by Greg Cameron in 1979 - solo. (In case he's listening.)
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Oct 29, 2009 - 09:21pm PT
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bump for the best bold climber in the world right now.
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The Wedge
Boulder climber
Bishop, CA
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Oct 29, 2009 - 09:47pm PT
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Just mind blowing!
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MisterE
Trad climber
Canoga Bark! CA
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Oct 29, 2009 - 09:56pm PT
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Yesterday Alex and I walked into the ledge on the Rostrum and climbed the Excellent Adventure to the Rostrum roof. Alex onsighted the 5.13 trad pitch.
He's 22 now.
Thank you James.
The spirit of Wolfy lives again...
here too:
Rich Simpson
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Bargainhunter
Mountain climber
Central California
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Oct 29, 2009 - 10:46pm PT
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Rumor has that Warner took along only 4 stoppers as pro on Astroman "because you need to make the belays safe."
True Warner?
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TripL7
Trad climber
'dago'
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Oct 30, 2009 - 12:10am PT
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Has anyone got a copy of that shot of Werner leading, where he is at the top of the 'Enduro Corner' pitch, with the rope hanging below and just one piece of pro in place?
If you do, maybe you could post it?
It shows the steepness of that pitch, and the climb in general.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Oct 30, 2009 - 12:42am PT
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Climbing dropout
Trad climber
Vancouver, BC
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Oct 30, 2009 - 12:52am PT
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Wow thats a major run out in the above photo .....
The climber in my shots is Hamish Fraser from Squamish.
Unfortunately I am pulling the haul line into the shot because it would be almost completely out of it otherwise.
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TripL7
Trad climber
'dago'
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Oct 30, 2009 - 01:54am PT
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Thanks, Peter.
Spectacular shot of Werner, on a super spectacular climb.
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RyanD
climber
Squamish
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Bump, yeah some cool stuff here.
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Kalimon
Social climber
Ridgway, CO
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Cameron Cross is the fellow from Montrose . . . anyone know what he's doing these days?
Alex will probably have a big year in 2014.
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thebravecowboy
Social climber
Colorado Plateau
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A long time ago that photo of Werner scared and kinda pissed me off. I get it now though.
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enjoimx
Trad climber
Yosemite
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Jan 31, 2019 - 08:08pm PT
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Bump. 2007-2019.
Legend
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AP
Trad climber
Calgary
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Such a promising start. What has he done since then?
Just kidding. I forgot he was so young when he did Astroman
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JLP
Social climber
The internet
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Somehow I think I recall the very first time I had ever heard Alex's name - I think James posted something - here - about Alex sending the Alien on the Rostrum - with a rope at this point - but fresh out of the gym - maybe got it second try or some-such.
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Alexey
climber
San Jose, CA
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maybe some insignificant climb like Tale of Power- this is why you do not remember it JLP?
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