Topic Author's Original Post - Feb 6, 2012 - 09:41am PT
Yosemite Valley climber, Dean Potter just finished a film with National Geographic. He slack lines, base jumps, and freesolos the upper section of the Freerider (from the Knights of the Round Table to the Summit)for the show. It's airing soon- I think. Cool trailer. Check it out.
Is that the story "Aerialist" that he was working on? He was telling me about working on the story a couple of years ago. Stoked to see that it got done.
Dean is a big inspiration to me. His attitude is very "spiritual."
I hope the film lets that shine through. That is what makes Dean so special in my mind. He is doing his own thing, on his terms, according to his philosophy.
I found him to be one of the most interesting climbers or jumpers that I have ever talked with, albeit a long string of emails.
Trust me. I have known the full spectrum of personalities in those sports. He really stands out from the rest. Not by ability, although that is strong. It is his philosophy. Buddha unaware or something. No sh#t.
Fantastic-can't wait to watch-was wondering what DP had been up to. He is just way out there. I'm glad he does what he does on his own terms and own way (as Base stated earlier). Not many who do... and it would be very hard to be the videographers... what a stressful situation...
Now he just needs to fire the lower pitches free and we will have the FA Free Solo of FreeRider.
What's amazing is how detached he is living in the pure moment. Bullshit'n with with the camera crew and asking them to move 2000 feet up hanging on a traverse.....
How far is this going to go until we get to sit back, hand in a bag of chips and watch somebody splat on our huge plasma screens? As bold and absolutely amazing these feats are, I feel like the "progression" is pushing these people into death. We'll, I guess I don't have to watch them.
Now he just needs to fire the lower pitches free and we will have the FA Free Solo of FreeRider.
bheller (from MPdotCOM) ...
The Huber variation boulder problem did experience some breakage... a large breadloaf like sloper broke off. It is probably solid v7 now. It can still be done, its just it may require a very commiting dyno and not offer a clipping stance before you soar. The Teflon corner is a water polished dihedral that requires crazy palm stemming and body english. Don't be afraid of it- once I chalked my palms REALLY well, I freed it right off... I did feel like I was going to fall the whole time though. I remember a lot of backstepping and dropkneeing in the smears.
Didn't Honnold already go over the route with a 'fine tooth comb' to try the solo, and decided against it? If so, I doubt Dean or anyone is looking at it as a candidate for first freesolo of ElCap.
I was there with Mickey that day. Dean was floating through the air, going back and forth on that line like if he was walking on a sidewalk. Simply breathtaking.
Only 26 posts, and the Warbler (in-particular) absent from the conversation? Potts must be still burnt-off in the climbing world I guess. The vid is misleading, cuz it shows him walking up over dirt etc on the approach. It's a bit of a cluster at this point in my eyes.
Mentaly haveing other people so close and haveing the ropes that close changes everything. It is still stunningly huge but it is aslo way less mentaly chalangeing than being alone. I do a fair bit of ice soloing and when I solo up with the rope on my back and then rig a rappel rope the subsequent solos up the same line next to my rap rope are way easeier than the first trip up with the rope on my back. Mentaly I almost forget that I am soloing and have to remind myself to be extra carefull. Same thing happens on summer rock solos When their are other climbers roped up next to me. I almost forget that I am soloing. Of course you have to be very comfortable at the grade for this to happen and what Dean does is hugely badassed. Just saying that the mental aspect of being in the same spot with no support team would be significantly more mentaly chalenging.
Just saying that the mental aspect of being in the same spot with no support team would be significantly more mentaly chalenging.
Yes, but he has to worry about the photo team being in the way, perhaps at the crux, or maybe accidentally bumping him off. And they must be a distraction.
Dean started on top. Down climbed the upper pitches of Lurking Fear till he hit thanksgiving ledge. He then traversed this across, mostly walking and scrambling to point point a couple hundred feet west of Knights of the Roundtable (which is the ledge below the 11d Freerider pitch). The last two hundred feet involved 5th class climbing. Not really sure how hard he thought it was. My guess would be in the harder 5.10 to easy 5.11 range, but again only my guess. From the ledge he followed the normal Freerider corners till he joined the Salathe again.
The whole climb was definitely the most amazing thing I've ever been witness to. Bear in mind I watched Dean solo Heaven, Honnold solo Cosmic and the Sentinel. Being this high off the ground on such steep and exposed terrain really ups the intensity.
The climbers at the top of the trade are really up there in a unique league of their own. Not for the weak of mind for sure. All I have is respect for them and also for my photographer friends who shoot them. I would just be too nervous to shoot close like that. Props to all!!
He then traversed this across, mostly walking and scrambling to point point a couple hundred feet west of Knights of the Roundtable (which is the ledge below the 11d Freerider pitch).
So does this mean the hardest moves Dean soloed were 11d? Or am I confused as usual.
Mikey, thanks for the description of the route Dean climbed!
I can't wait to see the program on Sunday.
Ha, slippery .12d, waaaay off the deck, will be the climb of the century.
Admitting ignorance here- does the route stand a higher chance of getting free solo'd with a parachute? The boulder problem seems high enough on the route to deploy a jump into some treacherous trees, but I gather there's more to it since you don't see jumpers on the SW side. The question is about the non-legal logistics.
As for the legal logistics, will NPS fine a free base climber for having the intent of using a parachute as a backup, or do they actually have to catch you having made the actual jump? Like reverse suicide- not arrested if attempted and arrested if executed.
S.Leeper...this is who I am, nothing more intended. This is only my reply to, "what else is there?" for The Man Who Can Fly - Dean Potter:
Ephesians 3:17-21 KJV
"That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen."
My response is no different in that it expresses how I feel, as in others responses. Although some will take it that way, there is no offense intended. It's who I am. Peace.
"Right now there are some lessons that I haven't quite learned, and the answers are on the walls or in the mountains, and I think that's why I keep going back is to try to figure it out, try to have some higher meaning in life" - Dean Potter
Even Dean is searching for, "what else is there?"!
Ah, I see you missed the point, for"its not about me/you." Now that Christ has paid the ultimate price, it's about God and others, Matthew 22:37-40 KJV...
"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
This is a commandment that I, as one that is written in the Book of Life, am to be obedient to. God's love is to willingly sacrifice yourself, for the benefit of others, with no thought of return. Believe you me, my suffering (love) for others continues everyday that I'm alive on this earth by exhibiting a fruit of the Spirit, longsuffering, an enduring temperament that expresses itself in patience with the shortcomings of others. I'd say I chose to take on quite a responsibility and far from, to " give up seeking."
2 Peter 3:9 KJV
" Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance,"
All I gotta say is I'm super happy to see Dean getting the recognition he deserves. He has had more than his share of resistance from small minded people that have none of the talent, vision or balls that he does. He's one of the best examples of the spirit of climbing I can think of.
Dean has walked a thin line with unmatched cool and focus for years, and it's awesome that National Geographic can see through the petty slander and show Dean for what he is - an exceptional example of the things humans can do when they ignore the noise and negativity around them and move forward in their calling.
Awesome feature. I love watching earthy people burn fuel and increase their carbon footprint to contrive a flight that the mountain wasn't naturally shaped for. Makes me feel better about myself.
...He's one of the best examples of the spirit of climbing I can think of....
Amen, brother...
From a climber's perspective.
Interesting aside, though, how the mainstream media seems to have suddenly embraced free soloing. National Geographic, 60 Minutes, etc. They've discovered(rediscovered?) mass spectator appeal that other forms of climbing cannot offer.
Hard to say if this enhances the image of rock climbing in the eyes of the general public, though. When I mention my climbing to non-climbers these days they immediately want to know if I "free climb", usually followed up by "that guy on TV is crazy".
Yet the one thing Potter does not seem to be is crazy.
Like Bachar, the experience seems to have focused him and given him something few have.
I remember decades ago as a kid talking about the possibility of combining parachutes and climbing. the BASE packs hadn't been invented yet as far as we knew. that Potter has taken up the hybrid is tremendous. Great respect, Guys.
He's a real deal in a world of circus acts and digital blue screens.
Whereas BITD soloing was done more for personal reasons, or for the climbing community...
Interesting perspective. Of course when Bachar was soloing on "That's Incredible" TV show (wildly popular show at the time btw, which was the case when you had a total of about 4 channels to chose from) or when Bachar was in Gilette commericials, that was more for "personal" reasons...like the balance in his personal checkbook. This is almost a direct 1:1 correlation with Honnold's recent media...a popular general interest show and a commercial for a giant corporation.
People like having this romantic view of the old days, that bears little resemblence to reality.
I'm looking for it tonight on "Nightline" at 11:30pm. It was originally listed to re-broadcast that same night, but Nightline isn't broadcast on Sundays, we'll see.
Mind blowing!
Walking the plank!
When he put the stick / tree branch under the slackline creeped me out the most because they can split or shift, which could give an unexpected movement of the line!
Well done, Dean!
The ramp might have been some sort of travesty, but at least we left no bolts whatsoever, holes yes... Putting the ramp in place was one of the most gripping bits of rigging I have ever been involved in, truly a 400 lb 40' long aluminum razor blade. Matt M. is an impressive rigger and person! Good Times!!
I dug it. The ramp idea is not new at all. There are lots of them in place at base sites in Europe. They didn't leave this one.
I gotta meet Dean in person some day. I have emailed back and forth with him and he seems like a pretty down to earth guy.
He fer sure isn't cashing in. He is living the life, and if he can get National Geo to pay for a helicopter, great.
The mountain will be no worse for wear. As for the base jump itself, the jumper comes and goes in a few minutes. Even El Cap is like that, but for some odd reason, the United States has made it a mission to put a rule on everything. The biggest rule is that you do not have permission to risk your own life.
If climbing had started ten years ago in the valley, it would have been banned in 1 year.
Still the BASE jumpers come and go, talking of Michaelangelo..
Climbers have pounded and drilled nigh every damn flake on El Cap by now.
I've never been a big fan of Dean's but I certainly have to give him props for soloing those last pitches of Freerider. I haven't been on those pitches but I can't imagine that they are all safe, secure and cozy!
Okay, I fell asleep with my little one in bed before Nightline aired...did it show again, anyone? Someone please tell me if Potter broke the 2:50 mark, and what his time was either way.
Phenomenal! Fidelman really pegs it in his comment about a person not trying to prove anything, but to self-introduce (Fidelman's always been quite a philosopher). There's no way Potter could do what he does if he were seeking anything extrinsic. And that's the amazing thing, how Potter has been at the vanguard and pushed the limits for so long with the core experience as the sole motivator and without being influenced by the outer perception. Only a few, in any field of life, have truly been able to do this.
cragman quit workin so hard
and then you can stay upwright and alert for life's fireworks...
say,
i was just parked at the local hole-in-the-wall
and next to me seated a good man
we got to chattin and it turns out
this guy was
heidi wirtz's brother.
no shite he couldn't believe that i'd heard of her,
and i guess she got some air time with dean
on this documentary,
anyway he filled my cup when it was empty of it's beer
and i told him his sister is a hot doll,
but geez she's a badass woman.
Saw it tonight and thought it was great. The climbing footage on Butte is worth it right there. I would love to climb that. You gotta say that the tricked out van, to sail boat, to helicopter, to many thousand foot rock climb approach to your base jump is stylin it out.
He has had more than his share of resistance from small minded people that have none of the talent, vision or balls that he does.
This quote bears repeating, I'm not sure why so many people hate on Dean, jealousy perhaps? Maybe we all wish we could be a little more open minded about our limitations and get to live life as he does on his own terms. Its easy to whine and criticize from safe at home behind your computers but who if any of you has the balls to do the things he does? regardless of what his motivations are.
Its not new for people to questions the motivations for soloists, Bachar, Reardon, honnold, they all have their detractors but to think that they are doing this for money or publicity alone is preposterous, there are far safer ways of making more money. Like many before him, Dean is simply taking advantage of the fact that people are willing to pay to assist him in what are otherwise expensive pursuits. I for one hopes he makes millions off his exploits so that finances will never be what limits a visionary like Dean, the way it limits so many dirtbag climbers.
I think this thread needs a good Potter quote...
"What I get from pushing my limits is that I turn impossible to possible, I turn something I haven't done into something I'm doing. The possibilities of what we are capable of if we truly believe is... the most compelling thing I can think of."-Dean Potter
and you may find yourself ,,living in a shotgun shack,,and you may ask yourself ,,well how did i get here???when you get confused take a littel walk about,,maybe it:ll come to you ,,
I enjoyed watching the program and seeing Dean doing some rad stuff. I don't really buy into the "spiritual" stuff that he talks about--not saying that he is insincere or putting anything on, it just doesn't resonate with me personally. That fact doesn't diminish the stuff he is doing in my view though.
I really enjoyed seeing Matt M. involved in the rigging stuff--I have read about his "anti-cams" and a few other articles/blog by him and that is one incredible mind at work.
Jumping is not on my radar, but it's interesting to see what they can do and I am happy for Dean's success in sharing his skills and passion with the public. Climbing accidents/tragedies are misrepresented frequently in the media--I feel like these types of positive portrayals are good in a bigger sense, albeit atypical of what most climbers actually do.
I thought that the whole show was amazing & the cinematography was extraordinary. The high line footage over the north gulley gave me anxiety, the el cap footage shows the positions & exposure so well & the flight off Mt Butte might as well be on another planet the way it is filmed! Dean is the perfect subject for all three. So focused. I had the pleasure of meeting him this summer when my dog tried to chase his dog down in the bluffs & he turned out to be a very genuine, peaceful, friendly dude. He had a really positive energy. I can see why he probably has haters- he is doing what he wants on his terms despite other opinions, if any of them haters ever met Dean they would probably change their opinions a bit.
OT: Someone mentioned Matt M before & the anticam. Some of the guys who made the NatGeo special also did an online series prior called "the season" that profiles the anticam as well as some other climbers & athletes from other individual sports which has some pretty good episodes & athletes
Had anyone found a copy of it on the web yet? I thought by now someone would have put it up there but so far I haven't been able to find it... Some of us don't have TV/cable
I'd just like to add that if anyone is looking for a first rate climbing trip here's what you do:
1) Go spend a week or two in Squamish and get tuned up.
2) Wait for the splitter high preasure weather forecast.
3) 2 options - one, jump in a cessna at Squamish and fly straight to Homathko Camp or travel over to Vancouver Island and water taxi in.
4) Chuck will no doubt drive you to the trail head at Galleon creek where you can saunter into camp in Chuck's Meadow right under the west face of Bute.
5) climb splitter alpine granite. take your pick from 2000' to 6000' routes.
6) make sure you check out the view to Waddington from the summit.
I found it kinda funny how he talks about feeling connected and one with nature and then has a 40ft metal plank attached to the side of a mountain just so he can jump off it. I'm sure he wouldn't chisel holds on a climbing route just to make it possible.
Makes you wonder if he really wanted to do it or if maybe the producers of the show had some influence there... you know, they've gone all this way and then they are missing the money shot... that kinda thing.
"the metal pier thing" which was discussed in the behind the scenes link I posted, was to clear the initial section of the face which was deemed too low of an angle to clear upon takeoff. The solution was to build a "plank" lower down, hence the fitting phrase, "walk the plank."
Thanks for posting the link. That was a pleasure to watch. Dean Potter is brilliant, but I thought the real star of the show was Mount Bute. What an absolutely stunning mountain.
Whoa, didn't catch it before, but Dean slips a bit on "wet rock"? at 10:53. Even more incredible is that a bit more than a minute was edited off of Dean's flight.
Moonwalk - The ultimate full moon shot. Dean Potter walks a highline at Cathedral Peak as the sun sets and the moon rises. Shot from over 1 mile away with a Canon 800mm and 2X by Mikey Schaefer.
10b4me posted it earlier but I don't think anybody noticed. Mom says "Please don't try it." Drats - oh well, at least I got my excuse.
Dean is the man. I have asked about him when I meet someone who knows him and they all say that he is super kind.
His type of flying is a little different from the proxy flyers. Dean tries for distance and time. Proxy flyers are into buzzing things on the ground or along a wall.
The problem is that after endless searching on the internet, there just aren't many walls with enough relief to approach his Eiger jump, which was the tallest BASE jump.
In the U.S. we have a few walls with good relief, but nothing like the Eiger. The Eiger is massive, and beneath it is a long slope leading away for miles. Now even higher walls above sea level have been done, but I'm not sure if anyone has broken his Eiger record for longest flight. The one in the NG show is close.
The suit technology is improving rapidly. What was hot sh#t 5 years ago is now second hand.
Regarding the diving board, it was the only way to do this wall. Europe has many jumps that have artificial diving boards to make them possible, and in his case it was totally removed when finished. I heard that the rigging was pretty wild.
Funny that his dog's name is "Whisper." When out checking out sailboats I bet that Whisper was the most common boat name. Definitely not the most common dog name.
In the U.S. we have a few walls with good relief, but nothing like the Eiger. The Eiger is massive, and beneath it is a long slope leading away for miles. Now even higher walls above sea level have been done, but I'm not sure if anyone has broken his Eiger record for longest flight. The one in the NG show is close.
Just as a matter of interest, the original intent of the Butte Mountain jump was to fly right to tide water. thats about 10 km (?) horizontal for a 9000 foot drop. I don't have a clue as to how feasible such a thing is but I only know this as I know a number of the people involved. Obviously things evolved differently, such as the need for the diving board.
Anyway I thought that original concept was totally out of sight. I think the plan was to land in Chucks front yard or something.
Where do they land in Grindlewald? That must be a similar drop / horizontal ratio.
The Butte jump was about a 6000' drop into "Chucks Meadow" which is actually a swamp right at the base of the mountain, perhaps the equivalent of landing at Alpigen which is half way up the Cog railway. Tide water is another el cap lower than the swamp and a lot of horizontal to get there.
Almost completely irrelevant, but for what it's worth, I've met and talked with Dean at length on numerous occasions in the Valley and elsewhere and he's one of the nicest dudes around. (...Even to slightly overweight, mediocre climbers like me!)
"Great visionaries have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds" - Einstein
And then, I heard of how one of the most super nice guys I have met (a relatively pint-sized Alpinist and collegiate boxing champion from Estes) was provoked enough to near-go the knuckle with him once.
Can't believe I missed this one. I've been waiting to see this since summer of '11 when the crew was in Squamish filming it. I was most excited to see my buddy Jim Martinello climbing Mt. Butte and Damien Kelly too. Way to go boys!
Let us know!