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View Full Version : Alex Honnold.

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06-06-2017, 05:14 PM
http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/06/05/531584651/alex-honnold-scales-el-capitan-without-ropes-and-the-climbing-world-reels

I bouldered a little when I was a kid. I grew up near Stony Point in Chatsworth and as a teen messed around in Joshua Tree. Nothing serious. Learned a few moves but by my mid 20's had moved on to less rigorous pursuits.

Still, guys like Royal Robbins remained heros of mine.

I first heard of Alex Honnold as a clean living razor focused badass about 4-5 years ago.

This climb is probably the most jaw dropping accomplishment I could imagine. Around 2300 feet there are nothing but thumb holds on El Capitan. This kid just joined the pantheon.

I know climbing isn't mainstream and this thread will float down into obscurity but I want everyone to know that something HUGE happened Saturday.
PaceAdvantage
06-07-2017, 11:09 AM
That's pretty wild. How did he get down? :eek:
Inner Dirt
06-07-2017, 11:33 AM
I got a sinking feeling in my stomach just looking at the picture.
_______
06-07-2017, 05:33 PM
That's pretty wild. How did he get down? :eek:

Probably the trail down to Tamarack Flats though you could also come down the Yosemite Falls trail. I've hiked up from Tamarack flats a couple of times and it's weird as you get near the top hearing people talking below you who are coming up the face.
proximity
06-07-2017, 07:02 PM
i don't really follow this but frequently there's a lot of carryover to grip/ chinning strength. sometimes you hear about a good female climber who can only do a couple pullups but more frequently even the "only" numbers are actually at the top of (or off) the chart.

good luck in vegas _________!!! :cool:
_______
06-07-2017, 07:39 PM
i don't really follow this but frequently there's a lot of carryover to grip/ chinning strength. sometimes you hear about a good female climber who can only do a couple pullups but more frequently even the "only" numbers are actually at the top of (or off) the chart.

good luck in vegas _________!!! :cool:

Thanks, Prox!!

Getting excited about Saturday. I'll post results in the poker thread once I'm home. I don't think I can match you in storytelling, though...
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06-07-2017, 07:55 PM
i don't really follow this but frequently there's a lot of carryover to grip/ chinning strength. sometimes you hear about a good female climber who can only do a couple pullups but more frequently even the "only" numbers are actually at the top of (or off) the chart.

good luck in vegas _________!!! :cool:

Chin ups are just the start. When I first heard of Honnold, it was that he practiced by doing finger holds on his shitty van's roof and just hang (supporting his full body weight) for hours. In addition to balls (or ovaries) of steel, people that climb near this level have finger strength that appears superhuman.
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06-07-2017, 08:04 PM
It's been a while. I just tried to hang from a door frame and can't even do it for 2 seconds. My arm strength at 60 is one issue. Weighing 185 pounds and not 160 is another. But feeling my fingertips scream was the last straw.

I think I made the right choice in NOT pursuing this.
HoofedInTheChest
06-07-2017, 09:15 PM
I think I made the right choice in NOT pursuing this.
Yes, failure is not an option.

Was this the guy that was on 60 minutes awhile ago?
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06-07-2017, 09:31 PM
Yes, failure is not an option.

Was this the guy that was on 60 minutes awhile ago?

Yes. Thanks for asking. I hadn't seen that. It does a lot better job of describing what he did than anything I could say.


https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8AKf2eCBzps