Guy climbs 1,400ft Stone Cliff - No Rope

submitted by GenjiKilpatrick
1 decade 2 years 9 months 2 weeks ago
To call this man strong-minded seems like an understatement.

54 Comments

Ryjkyjsays...

>> ^nock:

Anyone know how these guys get back down some of these climbs? I mean, do they have a team at the top or just rappel back down?


They don't climb hard routes because it's the only way up. Most mountains have a way you can walk up or down. These guys usually go up the hard way and down the easy way. Or they get picked up by a helicopter or whatever.

EDIT: Honestly, I think it would be even more challenging to be his parent.

Esoogsays...

I just dont get it. Is life so boring that these guys need to do this to feel alive? Why dont they wear some kind of chute? Would it make the climbing too hard? Or defeat the purpose? I know it would probably rarely save a life...but maybe this same type is cautious thinking is why I could never do something like this.

rychansays...

>> ^Esoog:

I just dont get it. Is life so boring that these guys need to do this to feel alive? Why dont they wear some kind of chute? Would it make the climbing too hard? Or defeat the purpose? I know it would probably rarely save a life...but maybe this same type is cautious thinking is why I could never do something like this.


I was wondering the same thing -- if I could offer him a safety system that he wouldn't even feel (e.g. a huge stuntman pillow at the base of the cliff), would he refuse? Is it the freedom that is exhilarating, or is it the risk?

I usually can't stand people who are careless with their lives, but for some reason I have a lot of respect for this guy. He seems to have a good head on his shoulders, and the things he does are amazing. I can't tell if I'm more impressed with his athletic ability, his bravery, or his insanity.

jmzerosays...

I don't like this. I don't like that this kind of behavior is rewarded with attention or seen as elite. This isn't the "top level" of rock/mountain climbing - it is an offshoot.

The danger isn't vague theoretic risk, it's very real and people die every year in predictable, preventable falls (that often get labelled "freak accident" or something only out of respect for the dead).

If you want to be an elite climber, then take harder routes or race/time-trial with proper safety equipment. I'd hate to think that young climbers might feel like this is the "next step" in their progress. It isn't. You can be the best climber without taking this kind of risk. This kid's "per trip survival chance" is probably quite high, but odds often catch up with you if you persist in dangerous behavior (ropes or not, but your odds are better with appropriate equipment). Sometimes you get too confident and make a mistake. Sometimes you don't make a mistake, and you get wiped out by something out of your control.

The climbers I know respect these people, but not what they do. I feel the same.

Deanosays...

>> ^jmzero:

I don't like this. I don't like that this kind of behavior is rewarded with attention or seen as elite. This isn't the "top level" of rock/mountain climbing - it is an offshoot.
The danger isn't vague theoretic risk, it's very real and people die every year in predictable, preventable falls (that often get labelled "freak accident" or something only out of respect for the dead).
If you want to be an elite climber, then take harder routes or race/time-trial with proper safety equipment. I'd hate to think that young climbers might feel like this is the "next step" in their progress. It isn't. You can be the best climber without taking this kind of risk. This kid's "per trip survival chance" is probably quite high, but odds often catch up with you if you persist in dangerous behavior (ropes or not, but your odds are better with appropriate equipment). Sometimes you get too confident and make a mistake. Sometimes you don't make a mistake, and you get wiped out by something out of your control.
The climbers I know respect these people, but not what they do. I feel the same.


More people die in their kitchens each year. We accept that. Accidents happen. There is never going to be a lot of people doing this. I don't see him trying to inspire copycats. This is his risk to take and his alone.

In an age where you can't do anything without a fucking risk assessment I applaud this man. He proves that humans can do amazing things.

jmzerosays...

This is his risk to take and his alone.


I don't think he's doing something wrong - as you say, it's his choice, and it's not likely he's going to land on someone and kill them too. I'm OK with him taking a risk, and this specific person seems to have a good sense of the risks involved.

Again, what I don't like is this activity (climbing without being safety equipment) being promoted as the way to be a great climber. Whether he (the kid) is trying to inspire copycats or not, having a show about him is going to promote this practice, and further the dangerous idea that this is "the next level" (or something) that climbers should aim for. To be clear, I'm not saying you shouldn't be able to make a show like this or that they should be liable or something - I'm just saying I don't like it because it could have dangerous consequences, and to the extent this practice is promoted we'll see more dead climbers. There are a lot of people who climb, and if the idea gets established that "no ropes" is the cool way to go, people will be more likely to try it.

More people die in their kitchens each year. We accept that. Accidents happen.


Many more people die of heart attacks than AIDS, so why use a condom? This is specious.

But yes, you're right, accidents happen. And when they happen while you're mountain climbing, you're very glad if you've followed reasonable safety practice and you're tied to something (so it's a painful tug instead of certain death). Obviously rock climbing is never going to be perfectly safe (or even "very safe") - but companies like "North Face" (who are tied to this video) should, I think, be promoting the simple practices and equipment that make it significantly safer.

Again, I'm not trying to censor or something, and I think that - for example - Jackass is as harmless as America's Funniest Home Videos. But for an activity like climbing, people aren't always great at assessing risks and are very likely to take cues from "how the pros do it" - and are likely to feel pressure to "up their game" in doing the things other climbers do. Thus I think that no ropes climbing is a dangerous idea to promote.

Deanosays...

I say "promote" it to high heaven. You *have* to allow people to make sensible assessments of risk. No one's going to rush into free-climbing after seeing this and no one is going to have the balls to replicate these feats.

This film seems more effective in making us aware of a remarkably talented and unique individual. I'm not seeing anything in there that says this is the next level to aspire to. It's all about admiring the talent to do something that very, very few individuals would even attempt. Checking out the comments on YouTube I don't even see a single person stating they would copy this or aspire to do so. There's a general appreciation and awe of an exceptional talent.

My "specious" argument is intended to put into perspective the risks that are more likely to affect greater numbers of people. The kind of risks we need to care about. A few free climbers dying every year? Something they chose to do? That doesn't worry me at all. No more than the guys who die on Everest. I respect their choice and desire to experience something new and to take a risk.

jmzerosays...

There's a general appreciation and awe of an exceptional talent. No one's going to ....


Yep, everyone is just going to admire and respect and see the attention it gets, but not do - because everyone has an honest and mature understanding of their own limitations. No one (not even a few) would make that kind of mistake. Sorry I didn't realize that.

My "specious" argument is intended to put into perspective the risks that are more likely to affect greater numbers of people


So was my counter argument, which was exactly the same form. Glad we agree.

A few free climbers dying every year?... I respect their choice and desire to experience something new and to take a risk.


Currently there are few rock climbing deaths, and many near misses - falls that ended in nothing because of safety gear. Thankfully, nobody will be influenced by what they see others do and leave that safety gear at home.

But even if they were to do so and more people die for essentially nothing, that's cool because we respect them for their courage to try new things. Clearly you can't "experience something new" with safety gear on, and taking risks is super valuable for its own sake (ie. why settle for the amount of risk inherent in an activity when you can add more and be cool and free and pure).

So yeah, cool, we agree on everything.

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