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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Topic Author's Original Post - May 12, 2010 - 02:00pm PT
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Our man Alex Honnold has recently soloed unroped Rainbow Wall (Original Route 5.12b) and Prince of Darkness (5.10c) in Black Velvet Canyon then down soloed Dream of Wild Turkeys (5.10a) to reach the ground.
Rainbow Wall Original Route
Prince of Darkness (pink) and Dream of Wild Turkeys (red)
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Norwegian
Trad climber
Placerville, California
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May 12, 2010 - 02:02pm PT
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props,
this fella should try walking on water.
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Prod
Trad climber
Dodge Sprinter Dreaming
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May 12, 2010 - 02:09pm PT
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All in a day?
You messing with us Peter?
Prod.
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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May 12, 2010 - 02:13pm PT
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Pretty rad
What would walking on water be rated? Salt water is at least a number grade easier! and the Gulf of Mexico is now two letter grades easier than fresh water
PEace
karl
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 12, 2010 - 02:18pm PT
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Not at all Prod. I am a fan of Alex, have met him, and do watch his fascinating career the best I can.
This info just came through to me via an email news item from climbingnarc@gmail.com and the actual site, http://climbingnarc.com/ will have it up soon I imagine too. I get email news from this group almost every day and do recommend subscribing (free).
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Binks
climber
Uranus
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May 12, 2010 - 02:28pm PT
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That must have been fun. What a beautiful wall it is.
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Roxy
Trad climber
CA Central Coast
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May 12, 2010 - 02:35pm PT
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Wow!
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The Alpine
Big Wall climber
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May 12, 2010 - 02:37pm PT
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The dude has soloed all of my projects.
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Prod
Trad climber
Dodge Sprinter Dreaming
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May 12, 2010 - 02:38pm PT
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No way could it have been a push in a day? Was it?
Guess I could click on the link and find out myself...
Prod.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 12, 2010 - 02:40pm PT
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Prod, it was a day, apparently. Remember this guy has done the Salathe in 8 hours, free (with a partner--- Leary I think).
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cowpoke
climber
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May 12, 2010 - 02:44pm PT
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downclimbing that sandy crux move on Dream of Wild Turkeys would be freaky, at least for mere mortals. I was happy to get it on the way up...with a rope.
wow.
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brotherbbock
Trad climber
Alta Loma, CA
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May 12, 2010 - 02:48pm PT
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That bastard!!!!!
Rainbow wall is on my project list!!!
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DanaB
climber
Philadelphia
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May 12, 2010 - 02:57pm PT
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The rock on Dream and Prince is almost all very solid, but there are a few sections of smearing that would be unnerving - to say the least - to do unroped - especially going down.
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truclimber
Trad climber
Nevada/Washington
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May 12, 2010 - 02:57pm PT
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I already did that, climbing upside down with my feet above me the whole time. ;)
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karodrinker
Trad climber
San Jose, CA
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May 12, 2010 - 03:01pm PT
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Long live Alex Honnold. Another amazing send by a super nice dude!
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HighDesertDJ
Trad climber
Arid-zona
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May 12, 2010 - 03:03pm PT
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Downclimbed Dreams of Wild Turkeys. That's friggin hilarious.
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Burt
Big Wall climber
Las Vegas, Nv
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May 12, 2010 - 03:37pm PT
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having done all 3 routes, this just makes me sick. The cruxes on The rainbow are very insecure (at least I thought so) man that is a real talent... El Cap is looking more and more doable for the guy huh?
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Ontario, Canada, eh?
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May 12, 2010 - 03:43pm PT
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Nice work, Alex. See you on the bridge end of next week if you're around, eh?
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yo
climber
a tied-off Tomahawk™
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May 12, 2010 - 04:09pm PT
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In your face Drummond.
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le_bruce
climber
Oakland: what's not to love?
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May 12, 2010 - 05:11pm PT
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I wish he'd cut this sh#t out.
Signed, The Ninny
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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May 12, 2010 - 08:02pm PT
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Nothing like a few nice high-ball boulder problems...
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shipoopoi
Big Wall climber
oakland
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May 12, 2010 - 09:24pm PT
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I hope alex is being careful, he's such a great kid. the half dome solo, the 12b slab pitch up high, when i think of somebody soloing it, yikes. most the soloes that bachar and croft did and do, they had the ability to downclimb when uncomfortable. there's no downclimbing on that slab, and alex more or less admits in his article on it that he was pushing it.
hearing that the rainbow wall slab cruxes are insecure 12b also terrifies me. it seems that alex has taken it to a new level only by cutting the safety margin drastically.
i'd feel more comfortable if his hard soloes were cracks, even if they are tips.
one thing is for sure, he has courage beyond belief.
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hoipolloi
climber
A friends backyard with the neighbors wifi
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May 12, 2010 - 09:39pm PT
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Wonder how his mom feels about all this...
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reddirt
climber
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May 12, 2010 - 11:20pm PT
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oh no... here comes the self-righteous-I won't-so-you-shouldn't haterade...
I'd much rather see this thread go "downward" with thoughts like - I'm sure this is supposed to be inspiring in some way but it just makes me wanna sell my rack, take up bowling & be like the "Dude" (that's how a friend of mine reacted... and I'm sure we're not the only ones feeling a bit deflated... in a good way, I guess.) Way to send, Alex Honnold!
oh yeah, Mom seems quite supportive of his climbing.
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illusiondweller
Trad climber
San Diego, CA
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May 13, 2010 - 02:35am PT
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Pate, "Besides, death is the easy way out. It's living that's hard."
Oh, what a misconception that statement is for most!
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Norwegian
Trad climber
Placerville, California
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May 13, 2010 - 08:17am PT
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pate now illusiondweller is making threats on your eternity.
sad.
yea, honnold. be wise man! be wise and patient because eternity matures slowly.
i cannot fathom your inspiration level, but i have most respect for you and your drive and your abilities.
you might step back, now and then and sit. just sit and recount your travels and dream of your path ahead. the now is grand, but sometimes it is blinding.
you've accomplished so very much. congratulations.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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May 13, 2010 - 09:39am PT
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Down climbing DOWT is pretty sick stuff. POD is pretty secure and good solid rock but overall its a sick day out. Downclimbing Turkeys really blows me away... Rainbow dosen't affect me much because i never been there and 5.12 is way over my head anyways...
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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May 13, 2010 - 09:57am PT
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Wonder how his mom feels about all this...
Or dad, grandparents, brothers, sisters, lovers ... it's never only about us.
Alex has shown awesome skill and control in accomplishing such climbs.
I hope he will dial it back down again, with pride.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 13, 2010 - 11:20am PT
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Apparently his Mom and family are thrilled shitless about his activities, according to his own telling. All positive.... jesus.
Quite a bit different from how mine reacted--- they basically had a continuous cow for about 5 years until I turned my focus elsewhere and got all muddled up in construction. And the whole time, strife between us and the worst sort of anger, the strangest. I even didn't talk to my effing mother for two years because of her horrendous attitude towards my art. But in the end, she started bragging to her friends though, about this amazing son. All too ironic. Very costly to me emotionally.
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drljefe
climber
Old Pueblo, AZ
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May 13, 2010 - 11:31am PT
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Haan~ that's unfortunate...
Amazing accomplishments for sur by Honnold, WOW!
Shipoopi and Coz tell it straight~
But let's remember~
when we're soloing, it doesn't really matter if it's
200ft or 2000ft, if something goes wrong, that is.
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Burt
Big Wall climber
Las Vegas, Nv
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May 13, 2010 - 11:34am PT
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the beauty of life is you get to do what you want, if you have the balls to do so. He is very talented, and yes he must wear a harness to hold up the boys. Right on Alex I say. He is taking climbing to the next level just as Bachar, Croft, Coz, and Steve (and all the other silent solo-ers out there) did back day. It is just a level that man of us can't quite rap the ole hat holder around. I am glad to see the new kids embracing climbing at it's roots, adventure, trad, and rad. Climbing is about pushing it a little and it seems that is lost with all the "safety police" out there. Go to any crag nowadays and it seems everyone is so hell bend on being "safe" that they forgot why they are there in the first place. So f*#k man find an adventure and rock it proud style. Make the godfathers proud. The Bridwells, Robbins, Hardings, Salathe's, the everybody who pushed into the layer between safe and not so safe and kept going. So cheers to Alex I hope that you solo for you, cause it is a dangerous game you are playing but like a wise man once said... "it is better to burn out, then fade away"
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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May 13, 2010 - 11:49am PT
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"Know when to say when..."
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le_bruce
climber
Oakland: what's not to love?
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May 13, 2010 - 01:54pm PT
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Dude two spots above said:
Climbing is about... bla bla bla
Always good for a laugh when someone makes a categorical statement on what climbing is about. But I thought the Hokey Pokey is what is was all about?
Aren't you the guy who upstream in this thread was saying El Cap would be the next progression for AH? Do you really want in on that?
We're not safety police, viejo - we're people stating our visceral reactions to some stunning news on-line.
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atchafalaya
climber
Babylon
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May 13, 2010 - 02:07pm PT
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Really cool news. Unbelievable. Awesome. Amazing. Inspiring.
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Burt
Big Wall climber
Las Vegas, Nv
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May 13, 2010 - 02:41pm PT
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wow le bruce took that a little personal huh? The El Cap observation is a long running joke on this forum and in talk, Alex himself has stated he doesn't think he is the man for that job. The root of climbing has been being part of an outcast crowd. The ones who didn't quite fit in to society, the ones who believed in a little danger and pushed the envelope of life a little harder then most. Climbing in many ways seems to have morphed into this game where the ones pushing it are outweighed 10-1 with the ones wondering what rope is strongest, what style to hold the hold, what biner is best for maximum clipability, blah blah blah. Then the ones who go out to the crag and act like this are the first to call people who run it out, who are attracted to the darker-side of climbing, the ones who still believe in it's roots. This is not a personal attack le bruce just as you stated, a personal observation with a heavy bias.
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Anastasia
climber
hanging from a crimp and crying for my mama.
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May 13, 2010 - 04:01pm PT
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Wow... That kinda hurt in a good way! I am in dumb struck awe.
~Congratulations!~
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Papillon Rendre
climber
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May 13, 2010 - 04:22pm PT
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Risk - Reward becomes more defined with age.
In our youth, the balance between risk and reward is even.
When we age, the reward no longer holds the same appeal, for the risk, because we are too vastly aware of our own limited mortality.
Extraordinary achievement. Wow, I am awestruck!
-PR
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tom woods
Gym climber
Bishop, CA
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May 13, 2010 - 04:40pm PT
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Very Cool.
I hope he knows his limitations and climbs within them.
Didn't Alex Huber solo 5.14? along with some big nasty 5.12 in the Dolomites?
Did internet people give him crap for that?
What other big solos are people doing that we aren't hearing about?
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nutjob
Trad climber
Berkeley, CA
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May 13, 2010 - 05:21pm PT
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Yet another uninvited armchair reflection:
I don't have the imagination to dream what is real for Alex, what he gets for what he gives. But outside of climbing, there are other cool adventures in life worth partaking: finding a kindred spirit, growing old together, creating the next generation... don't flame out before enjoying the rest of the show!
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wbw
climber
'cross the great divide
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May 13, 2010 - 05:23pm PT
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"Climbing in many ways seems to have morphed into this game where the ones pushing it are outweighed 10-1 with the ones wondering what rope is strongest, what style to hold the hold, what biner is best for maximum clipability, blah blah blah."
Man, ain't that the truth. This is another amazing accomplishment by a young guy with a vision. We should all be inspired at one level or another.
With that said, be careful out there Alex. . .
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r2d2
Trad climber
East Bay
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May 13, 2010 - 05:29pm PT
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Alex is strong, but he is not wise.
Use a rope, Alex, don't you want to climb for 80 more years?
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Largo
Sport climber
The Big Wide Open Face
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May 13, 2010 - 05:34pm PT
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Alexander the Great.
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Elcapinyoazz
Social climber
Redlands
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May 13, 2010 - 07:04pm PT
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Alex is strong, but he is not wise.
Pretty f*#king arrogant statement there. Unless you really know the young man, as in you're family or a close friend, you're not really qualified to comment on his wisdom or lack thereof.
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Norwegian
Trad climber
Placerville, California
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May 13, 2010 - 07:16pm PT
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no time to pause and reflect, when your strides have such grand momentum.
for a over a comma you will only trip - life should be a run on, or run out, or free solo sentence. let your grammer be your own.
the wrath of the individual's path is wrought with an insatiable curiosity towards wayward destiny(s).
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squatch
Boulder climber
santa cruz, CA
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May 13, 2010 - 11:06pm PT
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Ninny says: "oh but what about the parents, there's more to life after climbing, soloing includes more than just yourself you know, oh man one slip and you're lame-o"
Hardman says: "wow so inspiring, he's really pushing the roof of the sport and the logical progression, this dude's so nice he must be solid, you must live until you don't, you rock bro mad props sic!"
Honnold says: "rock climbing is fun!"
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GDavis
Social climber
SOL CAL
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May 13, 2010 - 11:59pm PT
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I'm not strong or wise... but I had fun climbing Left Ski Tracks today (no, not the one in Josh).
I like to think that Alex has fun, too. And really, that IS what its all about.
...turn yerself around, thats waht its all ab....
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Port
Trad climber
San Diego
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May 14, 2010 - 12:04am PT
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Props to Alex. I hope he lives a long life. How were the conditions in Tahquitz today GDavis?
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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May 14, 2010 - 12:30am PT
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Sweet sends! Kudos to Alex.
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Nate Ricklin
climber
San Diego
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May 14, 2010 - 12:44am PT
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Wah Wah Wah, we're all old.
keep whining, old dudes.
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Euroford
Trad climber
Louisville, CO
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May 14, 2010 - 09:54am PT
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Alexander the Great.
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Magic D
Trad climber
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May 15, 2010 - 01:42am PT
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This is Alex's mom. Lighten up. Alex knows what he's capable of, understands what drives him, and is doing what he loves. We all choose our own path. We can only hope to choose wisely. I trust him to do that.
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mike m
Trad climber
black hills
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May 15, 2010 - 02:58am PT
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Right on Alex's mom. I only wish I could do what he has done.
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blahblah
Gym climber
Boulder
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May 15, 2010 - 10:53am PT
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wow I didn't know he hadn't done POD or DOWT before soloing them.
I suppose they are very easy for him compared to the much more difficult stuff he's done, but that's still incredible to me. Starting down on a long, unknown route with at least a little looseness just blows me away.
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noshoesnoshirt
climber
Arkansas, I suppose
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May 15, 2010 - 12:19pm PT
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Woof.
At least the approaches went quick with the solo rack (shoes and chalk, natch)
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eagle
Trad climber
new paltz, ny
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May 17, 2010 - 05:48pm PT
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i give this guy 1 year to get his issuses sorted out before he goes splat
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pedge
Trad climber
SW
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May 17, 2010 - 06:01pm PT
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I have heard people sitting around forcasting the failure of a marriage while enjoying the scene and the offerings and wishing them the best when face to face. Why not just wish him luck and say the same things here that you would say to his face? Maybe some people know him well enough to think they can see something going on with him that they need to confront him about, but that definitely isn't me. Is it you?
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Burt
Big Wall climber
Las Vegas, Nv
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May 18, 2010 - 01:52am PT
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internet tough guy syndrome. Gotta love it.
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bmacd
climber
Relic Hominid
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May 18, 2010 - 02:18am PT
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The H Bomb detonates again - Congrats Alex !
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lucander
Trad climber
New England
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May 21, 2010 - 11:25am PT
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Perhaps its my perspective as a professional historian, but in my field, all events need to be documented from multiple sources that share no conflict of interests.
I do not question Mr. Honnold's word as a man and a climber about his recent accomplishments and I believe that his personal climbing history make his big day in Red Rock Canyon quite feasible.
That said, I have to wonder if anyone was in or on Black Velvet Wall when he topped his day off on Prince of Darkness and down climbing the first half of Dream of Wild Turkeys. It's hard to believe that this very heavily traveled area would have no witnesses.
Lucander
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mooser
Trad climber
seattle
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May 21, 2010 - 11:41am PT
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Pedge: spot on.
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Peter Haan
Trad climber
San Francisco, CA
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Topic Author's Reply - May 21, 2010 - 11:48am PT
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I think it's time pilgrims for a little Helen Keller:
"Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. Security does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than exposure." - Helen Keller (1880 - 1968)
And no, there is nothing creepy or pathological about Alex; on the contrary, he just is terrifically inspired and in his heyday. He is pretty damned clear and clean. And this surely is not the first time we have a major talent doing some unroped ascents for christ's sake. Further, surely we are all hoping he doesn't get killed but should also remember we are hoping NONE of us get killed. The worry is not unique for the solo guys.
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7SacredPools
Boulder climber
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
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May 22, 2010 - 11:25am PT
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I think with Peter Haan's last reply we can put this baby to rest...
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reddirt
climber
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May 22, 2010 - 11:28am PT
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MagicD May 14, 2010 - 10:42pm PT
This is Alex's mom. Lighten up. Alex knows what he's capable of, understands what drives him, and is doing what he loves. We all choose our own path. We can only hope to choose wisely. I trust him to do that.
prove it.... how bout some embarrassing baby pictures?
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ydpl8s
Trad climber
Santa Monica, California
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May 22, 2010 - 12:19pm PT
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Lucander, aren't you the guy that was looking for Obama's birth certificate? :-)
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