12/30/24
June 04, 2017
Rock Climber Scales El Capitan with No Gear: Alex Honnold, 31, has climbed Yosemite's El Capitan wall without ropes or safety gear, a feat that could be the greatest feat of pure rock climbing in the history of ever. Honnold says on his website that he lives a "'dirtbag-climber' existence" in a van chasing vertical glory.
Good for him? I'm glad he made it without harm because all I could think about was the poor schmucks at the base of El Capitan who would have experienced a horror show if he had not been successful. Or the poor park rangers that would have had to clean up what was left of his body had he not been successful. I say this out of personal experience of seeing/hearing some poor tortured soul throw himself from high atop a high rise in Illinois one Christmas season a long time ago. It took a very long time to get that sound of the impact out of my head.
posted by NoMich at 10:31 PM on June 04, 2017
Honnold fulfilled both ends of motivational coach Matt Foley's classic words of wisdom on Saturday Night Live:
You kids are probably saying to yourself, "Now, I'm gonna go out, and I'm gonna get the world by the tail and wrap it around and put it in my pocket!" Well, I'm here to tell you that... you're gonna end up living in a van down by the river!
posted by beaverboard at 11:55 PM on June 04, 2017
I don't see how this is psychologically possible, much less physically.
posted by rcade at 09:32 AM on June 05, 2017
Relevant to your interest there, rcade: The Strange Brain of the World's Greatest Solo Climber - Alex Honnold doesn't experience fear like the rest of us
posted by Ufez Jones at 11:16 AM on June 05, 2017
Good for him?
No question mark from me. This is quite an achievement.
posted by tron7 at 12:57 PM on June 05, 2017
Just came on here to post this. Probably the sporting event of the year, in terms of an individual achievement.
Man, that's a long way down.