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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Sep 29, 2011 - 12:23pm PT
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rock climbers are fairly parochial.
cosmic debris and heaven are bold, technical routes. and anyone spending enough time in the death zone is pushing it. but we're talking about a gifted soloist who climbs 5.14 soloing four or five letter grades below his redpoint and several below his onsight level on the sort of terrain he really likes-- short thin cracks on perfect rock in perfect weather.
folks wringing their hands over this better try not to even think about what's happening in serious mountaineering.
the bit of honnold's practice that i find spooky is the bit that edges closest to alpinism, namely the big mixed solos where he's doing stuff like tethering a cam and pushing it ahead of him as he goes. that sort of divided attention is harder for me to grasp. and in the aac mag article, when he writes about using a PAS as a safety cord on some of the bigger solos, he makes it pretty clear that at the time he didn't understand that the thing wasn't actually functional for catching solo falls. of course, having one helps mentally, because it gives you an option of clipping or aiding a move or two if things turn ugly.
still, that sort of thing is the one that most impresses me, and it is the practice (aside from hoping a PAS would catch a fall) that will carry over into alpinism.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Sep 29, 2011 - 01:06pm PT
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Good points all, Kerwin! Yeah and keep hammering on what is actually going on in alpinism these days---everybody wants to have a cow about Alex's ventures on perfect granite but meanwhile "allow" the pure insanity of current cutting edge mountaineering.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Sep 29, 2011 - 01:11pm PT
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everybody wants to have a cow about Alex's ventures on perfect granite but meanwhile "allow" the pure insanity of current cutting edge mountaineering.
Peter, wake up. It's a well-known fact that GOOD climbers don't climb in the mountains. I read that on Supertopo so it must be true.
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jstan
climber
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Sep 29, 2011 - 01:20pm PT
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Why do either of these pursuits fascinate us?
And why do we thus allow ourselves be made complicit?
We really do need to find out.
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MTucker
Ice climber
Arizona
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Sep 29, 2011 - 02:31pm PT
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ECIYAIs soloing cracks a full number below your redpoint ability all that reckless?
Seems like reactions are more projection that anything.
Few here probably know that an occasional poster on this board soloed the first pitch of Cookie Monster, the Rostrum, Nabisco Wall, and the Beaver recently, to no fanfare whatsoever.
Yep, soloing is dangerous. Ask the best of them. Bachar, Osman
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Alexey
Trad climber
San Jose, CA
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Sep 29, 2011 - 02:37pm PT
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Few here probably know that an occasional poster on this board soloed the first pitch of Cookie Monster, the Rostrum, Nabisco Wall, and the Beaver recently, to no fanfare whatsoever. Could you say his name?
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klk
Trad climber
cali
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Sep 29, 2011 - 02:44pm PT
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It is also a well know fact that most alpine "climbers" tend to embellish their stories, while Alex's accomplishments are witnessed by many.
heh.
yeah, all those photoshopped pix of the rupal face. thing's light. no 13a on it anywhere.
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steveA
Trad climber
bedford,massachusetts
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Sep 29, 2011 - 03:01pm PT
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I'm thinking now as a grandfather.
It seems like I have mellowed out a great amount in the last 5 years. I soloed since 1966 and at least understand the drive to solo; and in all honesty it is quite a rush when done well, (the alternative isn't an option).
Alex is his own man, and obviously, front and center now. I know of a few other notable climbers, when in their youth some 30 years ago, were soloing up to 5.11, without much fanfare up here in New Hampshire. Only a few of the locals here in New Hampshire were even aware of it.
Now these guys are in their late 50's to early 60's and all have kids--not quite teenagers yet.
I look at the pictures of Alex and think of all these guys who made it into old age. I sincerely hope he makes it there too.
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YoungGun
Trad climber
North
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Sep 29, 2011 - 03:19pm PT
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here is a man who is thriving at the upper threshold of his potential.
that is one of the most beautiful accomplishments that i'm aware of.
Well said!!
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Gene
climber
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Sep 29, 2011 - 03:21pm PT
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I hear you steveA. I was just thinking how cool it would be for my future grandkids to meet an older Alex, complete with appropriate paunch and receding hairline, in Yeller Pines at Facelift XV and tip a beer with him. That would be fun.
g
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tolman_paul
Trad climber
Anchorage, AK
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Sep 29, 2011 - 03:51pm PT
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I don't see why one can't be both impressed and awed by bold hard solos, and be concerned for the health and longevity of Honnold. Put me in that camp.
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Josh Nash
Social climber
riverbank ca
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Sep 29, 2011 - 04:21pm PT
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My noob two cents:
I was climbing a slab 5.9r a few weeks ago. I was completely comfortable leading the route. I brought up my second and we started talking about leading and following and how there really is no difference accept what's in your mind. Really I could have free soloed the route because I didn't take any falls.
I really don't think he's doing anything really dangerous. He knows his abilities. He knows what he can and can't do. If, God forbid, something horrible happens, it will be due to extenuating circumstances and not his inabilities.
I admire the guy for boiling climbing down to it's essence. It is just the human form moving up rock.
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Cole
Trad climber
los angeles
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Sep 29, 2011 - 04:47pm PT
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I really don't think he's doing anything really dangerous.
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Josh Nash
Social climber
riverbank ca
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Sep 29, 2011 - 04:54pm PT
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Let me qualify what I mean. Is it dangerous? Yes it is. Is it really dangerous? No. Really dangerous is free soloing with a thunderstorm overhead. Really dangerous is what's being done in the alpine arena. Free soloing a hard route on a beautiful day completely within your abilities is dangerous but not very dangerous.
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Chicken Skinner
Trad climber
Yosemite
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Sep 29, 2011 - 05:29pm PT
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The 60 Minutes piece is airing this Sunday.
Ken
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Gene
climber
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Sep 29, 2011 - 05:40pm PT
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Who is the color commentator on that 60 Minutes tease?
Sounds very familiar.
g
EDIT: Largo?
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John Butler
Social climber
SLC, Utah
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Sep 29, 2011 - 05:53pm PT
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Who is the color commentator on that 60 Minutes tease?
Sounds very familiar.
JL, I think
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Gene
climber
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Sep 29, 2011 - 06:26pm PT
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Squishy,
I just watched the video you linked.
Damn! Thanks.
g
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