Incredible Climber Makes History

[Joyce Gearhart]

Okay, I know not cycling related but you just have to read about this guy:

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/features/athletes/alex-honnold/most-dangerous-free-solo-climb-yosemite-national-park-el-capitan/

Joyce

[Adam Goldberg]

I'm shaking just thinking about that climb, free solo. 

Adam Goldberg
202-507-9900

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[Doug Scott]

Ugh!

Not to stir a hornet’s nest, but as the parent of a climber….

First and foremost this guy is an incredible climber, the Yosemite routes he took were 5.12 & 5.13 grades.  This is doing Alp d'Huez in an hour and a half - within the reach of mortal athletes but not assured.  His toughest climbing is at 5.14c, think top ten on Alp d’Huez.  There are less then 100 active climbers over 5.14 in the US, add another 100 or so that are retired or inactive.  The scale is more logarithmic than linear at these grades.  You will see dozens of people pulling 5.12 routes at Earth Treks on any given night.  Sometimes there is a 5.13c route up, not always.

Second, Alex is freakishly smart, really bright.

Finally, while this article hints of it, some coverage of him in the past (60 minutes) does not disclose how many roped practice runs he does before each free solo.  About a dozen after he has figured out each crucial move.  If you followed the 60 Minutes piece on Alex, you would assume you just jump on any climb you want and go at it…..

Free soloing is controversial.  The challenge is that many climbing areas are on private property and owners will cut-off access when/if they hear of free soloing on their property (or any other behavior they do not like).  The Park Service is not all that thrilled either.  One response has been to limit car passes to the Park to 7 days, so Alex parks his van outside the Park and shuttles in and out with friends.  One idea behind 7 days was to deny climbers the practice time for free soloing.  

So, while this is a big deal incredibly fast ascent accomplishment, free soloing is not necessarily a form of climbing people want to see grow as the rest of the sport has…..

What do climber’s parents worry about?  They’re kid coming home one day and saying they want to try an old route free solo….

There is sort of alternative as well as a few spots in Majorica where climbing over water provides a safer spot to goof.  She will attest to the fact that hitting water from 45’ up can hurt but it is the only way down.

[Mike and Joan Divine]

To me this is just another example of a sport for danger addicts which I choose not to pay attention to.  I once watched a girl about 6 years old free climb at a popular spot at Carderock.  I was amazed and horrified at the same time.  If either of my grandchildren start that, I would definitely worry.  They both do climbing walls indoors so I hope neither decides to ever get into anything like this.

 

 

From: peda...@googlegroups.com [mailto:peda...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Doug Scott
Sent: Sunday, June 04, 2017 9:39 PM
To: Joyce Gearhart <jo...@joycegearhart.com>
Cc: Pedalers <peda...@googlegroups.com>; Thursday Pedalers <weekday-...@googlegroups.com>; Book Club <bookpe...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [pedalers] Incredible Climber Makes History

 

Ugh!

 

Not to stir a hornet’s nest, but as the parent of a climber….

 

First and foremost this guy is an incredible climber, the Yosemite routes he took were 5.12 & 5.13 grades.  This is doing Alp d'Huez in an hour and a half - within the reach of mortal athletes but not assured.  His toughest climbing is at 5.14c, think top ten on Alp d’Huez.  There are less then 100 active climbers over 5.14 in the US, add another 100 or so that are retired or inactive.  The scale is more logarithmic than linear at these grades.  You will see dozens of people pulling 5.12 routes at Earth Treks on any given night.  Sometimes there is a 5.13c route up, not always.

 

Second, Alex is freakishly smart, really bright.

 

Finally, while this article hints of it, some coverage of him in the past (60 minutes) does not disclose how many roped practice runs he does before each free solo.  About a dozen after he has figured out each crucial move.  If you followed the 60 Minutes piece on Alex, you would assume you just jump on any climb you want and go at it…..

 

Free soloing is controversial.  The challenge is that many climbing areas are on private property and owners will cut-off access when/if they hear of free soloing on their property (or any other behavior they do not like).  The Park Service is not all that thrilled either.  One response has been to limit car passes to the Park to 7 days, so Alex parks his van outside the Park and shuttles in and out with friends.  One idea behind 7 days was to deny climbers the practice time for free soloing.  

 

So, while this is a big deal incredibly fast ascent accomplishment, free soloing is not necessarily a form of climbing people want to see grow as the rest of the sport has…..

 

What do climber’s parents worry about?  They’re kid coming home one day and saying they want to try an old route free solo….

 

There is sort of alternative as well as a few spots in Majorica where climbing over water provides a safer spot to goof.  She will attest to the fact that hitting water from 45’ up can hurt but it is the only way down.

 

[Kathy Kranzfelder]

+1 to Doug and Mike's perspectives. To each his own, but I hate these articles.  I don't see the exploits as healthy.  What would we be saying of him if he fell and died?

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 5, 2017, at 8:05 AM, Mike and Joan Divine <mikeandj...@erols.com> wrote:

To me this is just another example of a sport for danger addicts which I choose not to pay attention to.  I once watched a girl about 6 years old free climb at a popular spot at Carderock.  I was amazed and horrified at the same time.  If either of my grandchildren start that, I would definitely worry.  They both do climbing walls indoors so I hope neither decides to ever get into anything like this.

 

 

From: peda...@googlegroups.com [mailto:peda...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Doug Scott
Sent: Sunday, June 04, 2017 9:39 PM
To: Joyce Gearhart <jo...@joycegearhart.com>
Cc: Pedalers <peda...@googlegroups.com>; Thursday Pedalers <weekday-...@googlegroups.com>; Book Club <bookpe...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [pedalers] Incredible Climber Makes History

 

Ugh!

 

Not to stir a hornet’s nest, but as the parent of a climber….

 

First and foremost this guy is an incredible climber, the Yosemite routes he took were 5.12 & 5.13 grades.  This is doing Alp d'Huez in an hour and a half - within the reach of mortal athletes but not assured.  His toughest climbing is at 5.14c, think top ten on Alp d’Huez.  There are less then 100 active climbers over 5.14 in the US, add another 100 or so that are retired or inactive.  The scale is more logarithmic than linear at these grades.  You will see dozens of people pulling 5.12 routes at Earth Treks on any given night.  Sometimes there is a 5.13c route up, not always.

 

Second, Alex is freakishly smart, really bright.

 

Finally, while this article hints of it, some coverage of him in the pl (60 minutes) does not disclose how many roped practice runs he does before each free solo.  About a dozen after he has figured out each crucial move.  If you followed the 60 Minutes piece on Alex, you would assume you just jump on any climb you want and go at it…..

 

Free soloing is controversial.  The challenge is that many climbing areas are on private property and owners will cut-off access when/if they hear of free soloing on their property (or any other behavior they do not like).  The Park Service is not all that thrilled either.  One response has been to limit car passes to the Park to 7 days, so Alex parks his van outside the Park and shuttles in and out with friends.  One idea behind 7 days was to deny climbers the practice time for free soloing.  

 

So, while this is a big deal incredibly fast ascent accomplishment, free soloing is not necessarily a form of climbing people want to see grow as the rest of the sport has…..

 

What do climber’s parents worry about?  They’re kid coming home one day and saying they want to try an old route free solo….

 

There is sort of alternative as well as a few spots in Majorica where climbing over water provides a safer spot to goof.  She will attest to the fact that hitting water from 45’ up can hurt but it is the only way down.

 

<image001.jpg>

[Dan Lehman]

For me, climbing's more about the knots, so I want ropes!  (-;

Below is a URL and large quote from news of the most

famous unroped climber's (viz., John BACHAR's) death,

falling, on a well-climbed/-familiar route.  (2009-07-05)

(Something that I've thought : "Okay, so you know the

route, you know your ability, ... but do you know that

it will be the odd occasion when a nosey yellowjacket

gets trapped in your clothing and stings ...?)

--dl*
====

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[ quote from http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/story?id=8061175&page=1

Passion or Recklessness? Climber Falls abcnews.go.com After spending 30 years climbing without ropes, John Bachar recently fell to his death from a rock formation near his Calif. home -- again stoking debate over free ...

After spending 30 years climbing without ropes, the 52-year old Bachar fell to his death on July 5 while climbing a rock formation near his home in Mammoth Lakes, Calif.  It was a route he had taken dozens, if not hundreds, of times.

His death shocked and saddened the tight-knit climbing community. Tributes and testimonials have poured in to online forums. But there is also much debate about whether his style of free-solo rock climbing was worth the risk.

"Some people say that he was doing what he loved to do and they're proud of him for sticking with it," said Eric Waldron, a climbing instructor with Eastern Mountain Sports. "Some people thought ... it was ridiculous. It was inevitable that he was going to fall off eventually."

Bachar began climbing ropeless in the 1980s and was known for his incredible agility and strength. He could do one-arm pull-ups holding a 12.5 pound weight in his other hand. With a shock of blonde hair, shorts and tube socks, he climbed the most difficult rock formations with seeming ease.

Bachar was so sure of his singular ability that in 1981 he issued a challenge: He offered $10,000 to anyone who could keep up with him on a rock for a single day, ropeless.

No one dared.

"He just wanted to push it," said Richard Dena, an amateur boulder climber. "He took it to a level no one had before. I think that's pretty cool."

In an e-mail to ABC News, Bachar's father, John Bachar Jr., described his son's feats as "without peer."

"I've intimately followed every step for 40 years," wrote Bachar Jr. "Can you imagine anyone doing 1.5 MILLION FEET of unroped climbs up to the level of 5.13 difficulty?"

====================== *

[Christina Sklarew]

Reading these comments, I'm reminded of a Joni Mitchel lyric:  ". . .a thundercloud of judgment was gathering in my gaze."  If you can consider Alex's dedication, skill, daring--and, at the same time, irresponsibility (e.g. in relation to those who love him)--and resist the urge to come to a good-or-bad conclusion, I think that's a better perspective.  Was it nuts to climb Everest the first time?  Arguably, yes (although, in many ways, more sane than joining the crowd and doing it now).  But lots of people think I'm nuts for riding my road bike, or riding it fast, or riding it through traffic, simply because it's more dangerous than anything they chose to do.  I say congratulations, Alex, and celebrate his passion, while at the same time thanking my lucky stars that neither I nor anyone I love want to do what he does.

Chris Sklarew

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[Jodi Jacobson]

It's really true. So many people tell me they will not ride on roads because its too dangerous and think I am crazy for doing so.

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JODI JACOBSON President, Editor in Chief Rewire jacobs...@rewire.news @jljacobson   |   301.257.7897  rewire.news Follow us on Twitter

[Rudi Riet]

Jodi mused:

It's really true. So many people tell me they will not ride on roads because its too dangerous and think I am crazy for doing so.

My philosophy is: you take a risk simply waking up and getting out of bed every morning. Life is all an assumed risk, so why not live it?

This also reminds me of a quote from The Shawshank Redemption: "You either get busy living, or get busy dying."

I'll continue to choose the former.

Rudi

www.randomduck.com

[Jodi Jacobson]

And I agree!!

Sent from my iPhone

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[Steve Wartik]

I would rather be ashes than dust!
I would rather that my spark should burn out
    in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot.
I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom
    of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.
The function of man is to live, not to exist.
I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them.
I shall use my time.

http://london.sonoma.edu/credo.html

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From: Jodi Jacobson <jacobs...@gmail.com>
To: Rudi Riet <rdr...@gmail.com>
Cc: Pedalers <peda...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Mon, Jun 5, 2017 11:44 pm
Subject: Re: [pedalers] Incredible Climber Makes History

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[Geoff Silberman]

It is astonishing how Honnold reduces what appears to be a daredevil exploit to assess and mitigate every risk to a level beneath what all of us take when we ride our bikes on public roads.  He practiced and then chalked or memorized every single hand and foot placement for 3000 vertical feet.  He planned for weather, wind, sunlight, insects, moisture.  

There are a number of climbers with the technique, strength, and endurance to do what he does physically.  But where he stands alone is in subduing the biggest risk:  fear.  He climbs exactly the same way 2000 feet up as he does on a 5-foot boulder.  No other climber can manage that level of concentration for every second of a 4 hour climb.  Truly amazing.

[Mike and Joan Divine]

He planned for insects?  Did the insects know about that and were they in concurrence with his plans?

 

As to the risk which was pointed out for cyclists, I must admit that I take a risk every time I ride, especially when I ride with cars and more especially when I ride alone with cars which is more often.  I could swim in a pool or go to Planet Fitness and reduce my overall risk noticeably (I doubt I would ever break my clavicle twice in a pool or on an elliptical exercise machine).

--

[Geoff Silberman]

There are places, times of day, and times of year when danger from insects is higher than others--the same as for thunderstorms, wind, loose rock, other climbers ... and Honnold accounted for these and other factors.  I did not mean to suggest that he obtained informed consent from each insect, cloud, wind gust, and climber in Yosemite, and I apologize for not making that clear.  

Most on this list take some risk, and even the best among us make some misjudgments on every ride.  The vast majority of the time we get away with it because there is margin:  from observant motorists, other riders, well-designed roads ...  We subject ourselves to another set of risks which are virtually unquantifiable:  a texting teenager, the guy in the pickup who is having a bad day, the kid who is trying to impress his girlfriend or bro's by buzzing a cyclist, the odd fearless groundhog... Honnold, a few other big-wall climbers and top alpinists can choose to exercise essentially perfect judgment for extended periods.  It is like Sagan dropping other pros on a descent by dragging both tires through every hairpin, or freelancing a sprint by threading collapsing needles at 45 mph.  They look human, but you realize you are watching something transcendent.  

On Sunday, June 4, 2017 at 8:36:41 PM UTC-4, JmG wrote: