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Watermann2
Big Wall climber
Saluzzo Italia
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Topic Author's Original Post - Feb 7, 2014 - 02:10pm PT
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Congratulations to you, Mr. HONNOLD one of the greatest Free-Solo of all time! Chapeau!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In my humble opinion, this big climb can be compared to another great free-solo of the great AUER (((On April 29, burgeoning free-soloist Hansjorg Auer made a ropeless ascent of Via Attraverso il Pesce (The Fish Route: 7b+/5.12c, 37 pitches, 850m) on the south face of the Marmolada, Dolomites, Italy. The route, considered one of the country's "extreme classics," was first climbed with aid in 1981 by Jindrich Sustr and Igor Koller of Czechoslovakia. Auer's recent ascent marks one of the most difficult, long free solos ever tackled.))) : Its one of Auer and Honnold two great masterpieces of the free-alone!!
Many greetings from Italy.
http://desnivel.com/escalada-roca/galeria-multimedia/video-de-alex-honnold-solo-integral-de-sendero-luminoso-500-m-7c
http://www.rockandice.com/lates-news/alex-honnold-reaveals-free-solo-failures
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telemon01
Trad climber
Montana
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my hands are dripping sweat, for real
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Laine
Trad climber
Reno, NV
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I think Reardon's solo of Romantic Warrior should be mentioned as well. Honnold climbed SL several times prior to the solo. I believe Reardon only did the first few pitches prior and had some beta on the crux. Rockstar status all around.
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BFK
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Hey Laine, out of curiousity, did Reardon onsight Sea of Tranquility or Romantic Warrior? or both?
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Laine
Trad climber
Reno, NV
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I read he onsighted all the hard pitches on RW, only having climbed (up and down) the first 2 or 3 pitches. He soloed Sea of Tranquility and bagged an FA solo of Shikata Ga Nai. Dude was BOLD!
Here's the cut n paste of his Mojo Club membership requirements
1. Know all the words to a Mojo Nixon song;
2. Climb a boulder problem naked;
3. Climb a sport route naked;
4. Climb a traditional climb naked.
5. Submit accomplishments here. http://www.freesoloist.com/
Merit Badges: A merit badge is encouraged and awarded to those who extend their membership privileges into bolder territories.
Merit Badge examples: Free soloing multi-pitches above struggling helmet and hexes crew, women performing stem problems (men are subject to banishment from the club for performing the same stunt), off-widths, tyrolean traverses, slacklining, multi-day aid climbs (again, banishment is possible for too much man-ass on a belay ledge), etc.
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Radish
Trad climber
SeKi, California
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We should probably contact all the major religions and tell them Jesus has come!! I'm serious!
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Levy
Big Wall climber
So Cal
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FWIW - Alex's accomplishments are amazing and well documented. Michael Reardon's claims are not very well documented at all. Many folks have grave doubts about that claimed solo of Romantic Warrior, as well as his claim of soloing the Vampire at Tahquitz. I personally enjoyed Michael's company and saw him solo some short routes at Malibu Creek but nobody I know claims to have seen him solo any of the big routes he claimed to have done. I have personally witnessed Alex's solo of the Chouinard-Herbert on Sentinel Rock and that was something else!
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WBraun
climber
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Reardon is not anywhere in the same class as Honnold.
Honnold is out there all by himself.
There's no one near him ......
If you've done a lot of these routes he's free soloed you'd know what I'm talking about.
Some of those routes he's free soloed whether he's done them before or on-sight are total mind blowers.
He's way way out there ......
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Laine
Trad climber
Reno, NV
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I never had the pleasure of meeting Reardon, but given what Honnold is doing now I have no reason to doubt Reardon's claims. Here's a quote from an article written by Duane Raleigh in a Rock and Ice article about Reardon.
I examined the data imprints in his photos, interviewed his various photographers and partners, and pulled archived weather reports and compared them to the day and time of his climbs. His claims checked out—it was the comments from skeptics that often didn’t add up.
Reardon welcomed the scrutiny and always quickly responded to my queries and in minute detail, even offering to solo Romantic Warrior again in front of a photographer of our choosing.
Soloing hard grade V seems to put him in the same class IMHO, but in retrospect the point to moot and the guy is not around to defend himself. Honnold is and, I hope, will be for a long time. More power to him, though he already powerful enough ;)
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PhilG
Trad climber
The Circuit, Tonasket WA
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Agree with WBraun.
I don't believe that most of us thought that what Honnold is soloing would have ever been possible.
Not in our wildest dreams.
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McHale's Navy
Trad climber
From Panorama City, CA
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It's too bad the film cuts away right in the middle of that move. We don't get to see him bring his left foot up. Oh, well, looks like there will be more.
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Johannsolo
climber
Soul Cal
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How about Reardon soloing the Pirate (12d) at Suicide. That one is hard and thin. I have only seen a picture of him up in the 5.10 section. The crux is low but you better have some pads there which I do not see in the picture of him up high.
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Kalimon
Social climber
Ridgway, CO
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Is this a Reardon thread or a Honnold thread?
Alex IS the state of the art in 2014 . . . 2011, 12 and 13 too.
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Johannsolo
climber
Soul Cal
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I see in that link he says "onsight solo of a two-pitch 12a at Suicide Rocks". Anyone know what route he is talking about?
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martygarrison
Trad climber
Washington DC
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What really impresses me in the video is his foot work. I can't tell what the holds are but he is just so precise.
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Ward Trotter
Trad climber
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I'm not anywhere close to being able to judge these kind of things but I'll go with Werner on this one.(As if it really mattered all that much.)
Besides, watching that video segment of Honnold made me f*#king cry---like listening or watching a great musician, or a great singer pull off an absolutely astounding piece of art, or a champion athlete accomplish the unthinkable.
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Kalimon
Social climber
Ridgway, CO
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This is not an act of comparison . . . we don't need a Stupor Bowl . . . everyone is a star . . . no one greater or lesser.
That being said . . . Alex has pushed the evolutionary envelope to "new" levels.
I am grateful to observe such greatness from the proverbial sideline.
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Valerio
climber
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Hi,
I would invite you to stop a moment and reflect without being caught by the "size" of this kind of extreme activities...
Play with life in this way and show it to the world? Sorry but I don't understand what is the message. A small muscle contracture or a hold that breaks and you're dead ... there are no alternatives or possibilities ...
I don't believe in such extreme activities where there is no margin of error. I can understand the A5 or the marginal ice but always with at least a chance to go back home to the people that I love.
No respect for life or extreme respect?
Time will tell...
This is just my opinion ...
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McHale's Navy
Trad climber
From Panorama City, CA
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Good point about what is the message. The most innocent message may be, " Come and join me! "
Haha!
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