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Peter Haan
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
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Jan 19, 2014 - 03:38pm PT
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That’s true McHale. But Alex does write frequently though and speaks publicly even more often. His “quantity” is well spoken for; perhaps he could go on a bit more on his aesthetics though as it is clear to at least me they are what make the man keep signing up for these adventures. The experiences must be so elevated, so satisfying, perhaps visions of power and grace so terrific that they would be hard to leave behind one day for anything else, even age.
Once again,
Alex is not alone in his endeavors. His achievements are in context with a long progressive history of extreme solo and effectively solo climbs, climbs even going on today, climbs that took place 100 years ago. There was a long argument after the turn of the century whether pitons should be used at all and many were just fourth-classing stuff that today would be very much harder fifth class. I am referring to nearly a century ago. And with lousy hemp ropes and bogus belays.
His mother even came on this Forum a couple of years back in his defense after some particularly gooey imploring by some of us. And her arguments were not benefitted by historical perspective but by the realistic grasp she knew Alex to have and the peerless abilities he possesses, all while loving him to bits, I am sure.
He is not crazed scrambling away in defiance of family and friends but instead is a breathtaking visionary who nonetheless stands among some peers. Because Alex is so accessible to us, we tend to forget there is a significant number of others accomplishing similar feats of genius and intuition quite regularly as well. And there is often an assumption by many that what Alex is doing is dangerous but what we are doing isn’t….and yet scores of regular climbers expire every year and often from big mistakes. You will notice he has not done the Salathe, Free Rider or the Nose solo-free and it’s clear that he knows there are some low-percentage pieces to each of these routes that are keeping him from “just doing it”.
We have very similar situations in aid climbing. We have pitches all over the place that are so severe that their ratings state they involve fall potential of “serious injury or death”, maybe even pulling out the belay too. Similar in ice. The whole of climbing has changed; what we thought we were betting forty years ago was only chimerical compared to what cutting edge leaders bet today, in aid, ice, and free climbing.
It is extremely cool for the rest of us that AH inhabits our era and is in such close proximity, that we get to know more about what this guy can do and is experiencing via his written and spoken accounts, videos too. I am particularly stoked he has established a non-profit foundation, as part of his general motive of sharing. He has made it thoroughly clear when he solos he is fully prepared and in total command of his massive prowess and knowledge. His outings are far from frivolous and pretty much involve all of the man.
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Guernica
climber
right there, right then
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Jan 19, 2014 - 03:43pm PT
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^That was a cool movie, but the original book by Jerzy Kosiński is a total classic. Read it if you haven't!
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go-B
climber
Romans 5:8
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Jan 19, 2014 - 03:57pm PT
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Get down!
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nah000
climber
canuckistan
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Jan 19, 2014 - 04:27pm PT
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+1 jstan
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McHale's Navy
Trad climber
From Panorama City, CA
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Jan 19, 2014 - 04:28pm PT
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Guernica, I actually acquired the book once (in the 70's) and was so put off by the initial rape/stalker scene that I never read it! Is that the book? Maybe I should try again.
Peter, well said. I'm trying hard to not judge Honnold in what I write here. I mean, I have no judging to do, and I don't want it coming off that way. The climbing media is the climbing media though. It is what it is. I am trying to keep what I say light, light as Levitation! I appreciate what's happening and what we're getting to experience. I actually hope Alex doesn't read all this stuff, and doesn't need to, but he probably is human. He may or may not be standing on the shoulders of those that have built climbing into what it is, but is something to look at. That reminds me of scenes in World War Z where Zombies are piling up and getting over walls.
Was it Alex that wrote a short story of a project on Middle Cathedral he was working on and finished? Or was he writing about somebody else over there, while he was on a near Leaning Tower project? That was a nice mellow piece if I have the author right. It seems that there were bolts involved though, but so where there in Mexico. It captured the side of climbing I like.
Hey, I'm going to give a plug for Mark Rodell's free-Solo bit in Stance of Wonder too. That was pretty well done it seems. I'm not saying that because of what you said in your Rodell review, but because we are talking free-soloing. I was right there with those guys! I have done very little free-solo, but enough that I can appreciate this all of this stuff.
Finally, I'm gonna say it again, I'm waiting for a cool story about the Donini-Lowe NIAD, but who knows, maybe that could disrupt the future too! Maybe the way things work is that I'm supposed to go do my own damn NIAD when I'm 70! :>)
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
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Jan 19, 2014 - 05:09pm PT
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The article you (McHale) are recalling was actually about Mikey Schaeffer's new giant free climb he projected at length on MCR near Mother Earth. But Alex wrote a piece on a route he did on the lower section of Leaning Tower around then too. He climbed the route in homage to Todd Skinner, a friend of his now deceased from an horrific harness failure that happened to be on Leaning Tower too. It was the advent of his more emotional and reflective voice.
Yeah, I like Rodell's writing quite a bit. His strength so far is in shorter works though. His last story in Alpinist #42 pg 27 was particularly good, borrowing an O. Henryesque plot twist and consequent sudden infusion of strong human emotion that came completely undescribed but established a even mystical presence as the tale ends. Quite interesting.
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McHale's Navy
Trad climber
From Panorama City, CA
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Jan 19, 2014 - 05:17pm PT
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I bought Alpinist 42 just for Rodell's story but didn't 'get' the story....damn it! :>) I prefer simpler writing.
Where is the Honnold piece about MCR? Ha, it's probably in 42!
Here it is; The Alex Honnold tribute to Skinner is in the last issue of Ascent. The story is THE LEARNING CURVE and the bit about the MCR is inside of it....a must do-over read. I found the 2 magazines, Alpinist 42 and Ascent, stacked together by themselves on a chest of drawers - the coincidence of the day.
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McHale's Navy
Trad climber
From Panorama City, CA
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Jan 19, 2014 - 11:44pm PT
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I saw that film where Alex said he doesn't do drugs. My immediate thought was that he must get the biggest contact high! He's definitely standing on the shoulders of everyone else. There's Honnolding and now there's Shouldering; a new kind of high.
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Largo
Sport climber
The Big Wide Open Face
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Jan 20, 2014 - 12:57am PT
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Why would anybody care what Alex does?
Because so many of us are drunk, lopsided, sped up and porned up. We got Chinese plastic sh#t, free range pizzas, phones that think for us. But we've welded bars over the windows and killed all the risk. So with nothing at stake, nothing means anything.
Most “heros” only show up for an appearance fee. And only play to a crowd. Alex is different. He never asked to be anyone's hero. Real ones never do. Those who feel threatened, or done out of something, or diminished by what Alex does, resent the man - which has all the significance of a dog barking in the alley. The one with the power is the person in motion. The rest of us are talking about him.
To the staid, worn out, fossilized, and rigid among us, including those especially "reasonable" and responsible, Alex is like a caveman bringing home the fire. Strangely, some of us would rather shiver, and have an odd kind of virtue associated with being cold.
JL
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Wayno
Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
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Jan 20, 2014 - 01:12am PT
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Thank you Mr. Haan. I truly enjoy the rhythm of your eloquence. I like your insights on Alex. You saw how he wowed the old masters.
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McHale's Navy
Trad climber
From Panorama City, CA
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Jan 20, 2014 - 01:13am PT
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Why would anybody care what Alex does?
You mean in terms of drugs? I'm not sure if you are addressing me or not, but why shouldn't we be interested in Alex? He's at the pinnacle of a sport. Should we all shut up? I don't think so, not anymore than Alex should keep his exploits to himself. Nobody in this thread is jabbing him. Personally, I think the concept of a contact high is fascinating. I may be presuming that it's a contact high though. Maybe he doesn't need any of us. Maybe he is an island, but I don't think so.
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Guernica
climber
right there, right then
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Jan 20, 2014 - 02:35am PT
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Woah Navy! I definitely don't remember anything like that, though I haven't read it in probably 15+ years. You might be thinking of a different book... try again and report back!
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McHale's Navy
Trad climber
From Panorama City, CA
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Jan 20, 2014 - 03:05am PT
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I think what I did was try one of Kosinski's other titles and was turned off by the way it started out. I should try to find what ever it was.
In terms of this thread though, my homework tonight is to reread Honnold's THE LEARNING CURVE and report back.
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bigbird
climber
WA
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Jan 20, 2014 - 07:22am PT
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My advice for Honnold... Don't be overly selfish... don't get married and don't have kids... Accept the idea that you might not have a future... Plan accordingly...
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Bad Climber
climber
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Jan 20, 2014 - 10:39am PT
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Fortunately, this country and much of the world is free enough that people like Honnold can do what brings them joy. The rest of us can be inspired or horrified spectators. That's our right and freedom, too. I just shake my head, dumbfounded at such skill and audacity. I'll try to tap into some of that juice on my next 10b sport route--yeah!
I personally do have a problem with climbers/adventurers with minor children doing ultra-extreme activities--base, free solo, Himalayan stuff. Of course, these people have the right to live and risk as they see fit, children or no, but I think children should change the equation until they are adults. I can't imagine knowing my dad was "rad" would compensate much for a life without him.
As for Mr. Honnold: Wow.
BAd
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Jan 20, 2014 - 10:39am PT
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bigbird, my advice to you is to not give advice to others. From what I see, it appears to come from a selfish desire of your own, rather than a true desire to help others.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Jan 20, 2014 - 10:43am PT
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El Cap looms in the minds of a very few. So possible but sooo intimidating.
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bigbird
climber
WA
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Jan 20, 2014 - 01:36pm PT
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bigbird, my advice to you is to not give advice to others. From what I see, it appears to come from a selfish desire of your own, rather than a true desire to help others.
How so? Do you really want your death to harm more people then it has to? A grieving young widow and fatherless child only multiply the consequences of your passing...
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McHale's Navy
Trad climber
From Panorama City, CA
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Jan 20, 2014 - 02:42pm PT
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I would like to see this thread go in the direction of the psychological aspects of soloing. I was going to say more yesterday. While reading all of the free-solo threads, I get to thinking what it was like to actually take off and do one. I have done very little, but it is a buzz for sure. It is the take-off that is the crux. It is the takeoff when the booster rockets are flairing, since there is no takeoff probably unless all the prep is done and the Ts are crossed.
My most monstrous free-solo was simply the Finger of Fate in Idaho in the mid 70s. The crux was halfway up the 1st pitch and only 5.7 but it got a little thin and there was nothing but large jagged boulders at the base. I remember those like they were teeth waiting for me. But I was strong, this stuff was floating somewhere in my mind just before the hardest moves, moves maybe about the difficulty of the crux of The Wolfs-Head traverse in the Wind Rivers.
A couple of my Friends had started up the 6 pitch climb earlier in the day with ropes and all. I waited until they were almost to the top and I was there 20 minutes later to rap off with them! Halfway up, there is an option to do a slab pitch or a chimney pitch.....I chose the chimney....the slabby pitch I remembered to be a bit exposed, especially if the clouds might open.
After the rappel I bounded down that mountain in glee, like my legs were 20 feet long - an amazing feeling, leaping tall buildings in a single bound. But getting back to this thread, I'm not quite sure why I didn't continue pursuing that kind of fun. I simply had trouble working my way to the launch pad and was satisfied with normal climbing. Plus, I lived in Idaho and people weren't quite doing that stuff up there, at least my friends weren't. I think that's why I moved to Idaho, everything was still 10 years behind the rest of the world! I enjoyed being on the sharp end of trad, onsighting all the way - in the daze before guidebooks and topos. Onsighting, it seems, is no place for free-solo.
It is important to keep in mind that Alex climbed that rock in Mexico 4 times in rehearsal to do it free-solo. He prepares well enough he doesn't even need to talk to Houston! In my own mind I don't wait for his next big thing, but am fascinated by whatever it is, and at the same time........well, you know! I'm pretty satisfied with all the big things that are happening. It's just like the old days, not being able to wait to open the climbing mag to see who did what, and what new route got put up on El Cap.
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bigbird
climber
WA
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Jan 20, 2014 - 05:51pm PT
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Choosing to have kids under the assumption that they'd be cool with parents dying in the name of risky recreational joy is insensitive.
I concur, mostly in the context of activities with "extreme" risk, like free soloing, base jumping and modern free diving...
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