62strat said:

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1. They focused on his mental make up and actually dove into the "why". Why is he like that and what makes him do these crazy climbs.

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Attention??

Honestly, if no one ever knew about it, I bet he wouldn't do it.

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Projecting?

He free soloed Moonlight Butress and Half Dome without telling anyone except his close friends, which he only did after the fact

Saw today on IMAX - heart racing during the last 20 minutes of the film. I believe he climbs rock wall faces like we climb stairs - no fear and without much thought. Unless it's 3000 feet or so then he really works on his craft.
The filmmaker Jimmy Chin has quite an impressive resume as well.
And as they say in the movie almost every free solo climber with any accomplishment has ended up dying.
A great movie going experience.

I finally got around to seeing it. Absolutely incredible. I only wish I had gotten to see it in IMAX. I also think watching The Dawn Wall prior to this put another layer of perspective on his feat.

As much as I think Lance is a grade A ******, I'll probably download that one.

I saw it twice this week (just got back from the IMAX re-release since I saw it in a regular theatre the other night). I was actually leaving Yosemite the day he accomplished this. I looked at the times and we drove by him while we were driving out. I even made a point to look up to see the climbers, as I always do when we drive by El Cap. I obviously have no idea if I saw him specifically (because they look like ants and I wasn't looking for anyone in particular) but had I known, I certainly would have stopped to watch. The prior day we were in the meadow looking through the cameras at all the climbers on ropes and talking to the ground crews. I remember thinking that what they were doing was absolutely incredible. When I read about Alex's climb a few days later, I almost **** my pants. I couldn't believe it.

Why is it PG-13? Some language?
Really want to see this and wonder if it's ok for an 11yr old?

I took two 10 yr olds. Maybe 3 cuss words in the movie. They did a good job of saying things like "messed up" instead of "f'ed up."

Looks like it's showing at the IMAX in Bryan. Might have to sneak away for an extended lunch.

Question for anyone who may know. A couple of yeArs ago I SWEAR that I saw something on the discovery channel, or some such, about Honnald free soloing El Cap. I remember it vividly because there is a point where he gets close to the summit and stands on the ledge and freaks out. I remember this so vividly because when I was watching it, I remember looking down at my hands and they were profusely sweating. This was my first introduction to Alex so it obviously stuck with me.


Edit: I think I found it. It's called Alone on the Wall and it deals with him climbing Half Dome. Apparently it was on Nat Geo.

https://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/ng-adventure/00000144-0a28-d3cb-a96c-7b2d4d9a0000

I'm reading Alone on the Wall right now (updated with two new chapters on the El Cap climb). He did get worried on his first Half Dome climb because he didn't prepare properly and then went too far on a variation (off route path). He had told his buddy that he wanted to make it a "sporty" climb. He said learned his lesson on that one.

Saw this in IMAX tonight and I can't recommend it highly enough. Just an amazing piece of film work on what may be the most amazing athletic accomplishment ever by a human. Oh and the story around the whole thing was great too.

It was literally jaw dropping seeing him climb El Cap. Awesome movie experience.

Just got out of the IMAX showing and holy ****. Literally dropped my jaw multiple times.

Also can't comprebend the time time it took him. I've completed a marathon on flat ass Houston terrain in MUCH longer. I've hiked easy ass trails in Yosemite and taken longer than he did to climb El Capitan with no rope. **** is mind blowing.

Are there any plans for another IMAX release?

just watched this....holy #$*@. That was insane. Even knowing the ending, I was white knuckled on the armrest. stunning film and remarkable guy.

I'm going to be sad when this guy plummets to his death which is likely. Seems like a nice guy. Driven. Focused. A little off. But nice.

Glad I saw him do his thing in IMAX. Amazing movie.

Hogties said:

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I'm going to be sad when this guy plummets to his death which is likely. Seems like a nice guy. Driven. Focused. A little off. But nice.

Glad I saw him do his thing in IMAX. Amazing movie.

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If he does, he'll go down as a moron. If he lives and retirees, then he'll go down as the a hero. I can't think of a case offhand where a single mistake would so drastically change how a person is remembered.

Alex has a unique talent

When Nascar, Bull Riders,football players, hockey players die they are somehow accomplishing more?

When Seals do there crazy things are they morons too?

The thing about Alex, is that I'm not sure he can retire. He's wired differently.

If, somehow, he makes it to the point he can't physically climb anymore I'm not sure what he's going to end up like. His brain looks for challenges and if he doesn't find them I worry about his mental state.

The only other person that comes to mind to equate him to is Travis Pastrana. He's constantly out there looking for the next way to challenge himself and, essentially, cheat death.

I'm not sure guys like this are built mentally to grown old

hph6203 said:

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He's not a moron just because he doesn't value his own life in the same way you value your own life. He pretty clearly doesn't do the things he does for the praise or the glory, but rather for the challenge.

He's definitely wired differently than most everyone, but that doesn't make him a moron. He does the things he does with full knowledge and acceptance of the risks and consequences of what he's doing.

He basically values the challenge of climbing more than anything else, which is weird, but that's his life.

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I am not saying he is a moron. For all I know, he could be a genius. I'm just saying, that if he were to die doing this, he'd be remembered by most as as a moron. It's the nature of modern society. People aren't going to bother to looking into his background more than an an inch deep.

AgRyan04 said:

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I disagree....I think people will regard him as one of the greatest climbers ever.

John Bachar was basically Honnald 20-30 years ago and no one considers him a moron.

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I, not knowing crap about climbing, have never heard of John Bachar. And I have no doubt that among the climbing community, Honnold will go down as the greatest solo climber ever. Some may even respect that he went out doing what they love. But the climbing community is tiny. I'm not talking about them, I'm talking about everybody else. The majority of other people think solo climbers are wacko, and that he is the bravest of those wackjobs.

I'm not saying he should change how he lives based on what we say. It's none of our business. I do feel sorry for his family though. That has to be stressful as hell for them. Almost like watching a son kill himself with drug use.

I wonder if he would continue to free climb if he had a family of his own.

I went to see it this afternoon at the 'dollar' theatre. I chose it based on the comments in this thread.
I'm glad I went.

Troutslime said:

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I wonder if he would continue to free climb if he had a family of his own.

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I think he would continue. His interaction with his girlfriend was most telling. His brain does not react to fear like ours. He doesn't value extending life like the rest of us do. I don't think any of that would change if he had a family. He'd continue to do what he values and the fear of what might happen would not stop him.

Ag_07 said:

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Wow...Wacko? Feel sorry for his family? Comparing him to a drug user? Please don't speak for the majority of people.

I would venture to say his family is extremely proud of him for what he's accomplished and happy for him that he loves what he does. Do I think they worry about him? Absolutely. But c'mon man

Do you think the same thing about police officers, fire fighters, or anyone else who can die any day they go to work?

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Police officers and fire fighters do not face anywhere near the risks as Alex Honnold. They can get normal life insurance policies like the rest of us, and I bet Alex cannot. Afterall, climbers who use ropes and stuff have insurance policies that cost 7 times the normal rate while Alex lives out of a van.

Not to mention that police and firefighters are taking their risks for the higher calling of helping other people. Alex is doing it for the fun of it.

The filmmakers for this documentary talked about how stressed out they were filming this. They are merely his friends. Now imagine being his parents and what they must be going through.

Did they close el cap to other climbers while they did this? Seems like it would be a huge risk to have other climbers on there while he's doing it.