Honnold's solo climb - El Capitan - 2017

A tribute to a master of endurance and skills: In June 2017, professional rock climber Alex Honnold achieved the unthinkable by soloing the towering El Capitan, a 3,000-foot granite monolith located in Yosemite National Park.
- Video clips from movie "Free Solo" - Just for illustration and reference to genuine commentary; not intended to infringe any copyright.
- Soundtrack: original music Savfk - Tragic Love

[@aarnoarnold1973]

This has to be the most incredible achievement accomplished by man. The physical strength and stamina plus the total concentration to block out the fear and distractions is superhuman.

[@conarc-d1037]

What?? Doing something that does nothing for anyone other than recognition is special? How about curing cancer.

[@alibobsmarland9572]

​@@conarc-d1037I'd say physical achievement.

[@jstitt13]

@@conarc-d1037 unfortunately man has not accomplished that yet :(

[@siegfriedo]

​@@conarc-d1037You must be fun at parties.

[@spreadjoy1477]

cure deez nutz@@conarc-d1037

[@pasha12343]

My mind can’t compute how he can do this , it’s incredible 😬

[@sephgeodynamics9246]

Doing it is one thing, but still being alive is baffling

[@marcstout9289]

It's why you can't do it Why I can't do it How can I call my life a win knowing he did this .. I'll find a way Not wit hts doe

[@Zerpersande]

He’s the Tiger Woods of climbing. His level of ability is beyond that of almost all others. Then, he practiced every aspect of the route. He memorized every move. And he proved to himself that every single section was doable without a fall.

[@chrisholder4978]

He focuses on only what is 2 feet in front, above or below him. One grasp or step at a time. His own bubble if you will.

[@stigtuneback1966]

its really really huge to acomplish something like this climb , HUGELY strong.

[@marcor903]

This is the most impressive achievement in an extreme sport in the world history, no doubt about it

[@shredy7885]

Go watch the alpinist. Marc Andre was truly superhuman

[@michaelcavallacci2945]

Forget scoring 38,000 points in basketball. Forget winning 7 Super Bowls. Forget hitting 60 hr. Forget winning Wimbledon or the Pebble Beach Open. Forget winning the heavyweight championship. Forget benching however many lbs. etc etc etc etc. This is the single greatest athletic feat in the history of humanity. And nothing else is even close. Absolutely incomprehensible.

[@j.taveras8447]

I honestly agree. Crazy.

[@playerguns]

I was just thinking that. I'm a big fan of combat sports, but i can say confidently, this is the baddest man on the planet. He is stepping into the realms of the gods. He's playing with death and winning like it just another Tuesday. Incredible!

[@michaelcavallacci2945]

@@playerguns can you imagine being halfway up thar sheer 3,000 foot granite wall. That’s 1,500 feet or roughly the height of the Empire State Building. Your climbing with nothing- NOTHING- but a T shirt, shorts, sneakers and a small cup of powder hitched to your belt. Grabbing onto little crevices 1/4” wide. And you get a cramp. Or a stomach ache. Or you have to piss like crazy. There is no way down. Only up - another Empire State Building worth of sheer rock. What if it starts to rain? What if all of a sudden the wind starts blowing like it can do at those altitudes. Like 50mph. What if you get 3/4 of the way up and you can’t find anything to grab in the area you’re in. One tiny slip and you hit the ground with such force you vaporize. Dude. Insanity. This kid Honnold is another level of human.

[@vivaladan6441]

Greatest athletic feat? Yeah right

[@michaelcavallacci2945]

@@vivaladan6441 Yeahhh tough guy ! You’re right. ! Anybody can climb a fuckn 3,000 foot sheer granite face with no ropes , no equipment, just sneakers and shorts and a t shirt. Lifting himself on 1/4” holes. Half a fuckn slip and he’s dead. Anyone can do it. Name one athletic feat greater than this.

[@uptheirons726]

The single greatest athletic feat of our generation. Alex is a fascinating human and an absolute beast.

[@Mountian-Zen]

Greatest athletic achievement ever accomplished. “Every move must be perfect, or the consequence is death”. Nothing compares.

[@michaelcavallacci2945]

@@Mountian-Zen 100% correct. This is the greatest athletic feat in history

[@Mountian-Zen]

@@michaelcavallacci2945 amazing feat. I climbed ElCap in 79 and again in 82 so I can honestly speak from experience. Alex’s mental wherewithal is unexplainable.

[@michaelcavallacci2945]

@@Mountian-Zen Wow. That is an amazing feat in itself. Respect to you friend. It must have been an amazing experience. I can’t fathom how Alex did that without ropes. Just incomprehensible.

[@laptv2144]

It’s definitely up there but I think a sub 2 hour marathon might be the greatest imo. Most people could train running for years and never run one 4:34 mile but Kipchoge ran 26.2 miles in a row at that pace.

[@jvillebil13]

I've seen him do this climb on video probably a dozen times and I know he makes it and it still keeps me on the edge of my seat. This is one of the truly amazing things a person can do.

[@stephenamadee9789]

Spider man 🕸️

[@freddygarcia5491]

Rock man

[@ericastier1646]

Never forget that he made it not because he controlled 100% that is a lie, one can only control 85-90% at the best, the last 10-15% is luck where bad luck means death. By principle i do not admire Russian roulette playing fools, and that qualifies as such.

[@russs3001]

So true. I was watching it, knowing that he made it, but also found it nerve-wracking at times.

[@jstitt13]

@@ericastier1646where are you getting your stats from? He knew exactly what he was doing and how to do it, he prepared for it for a very long time. The chances of him falling was probably very low.

[@Jacob32905]

This is by far the greatest feat of an athlete anyone will ever witness, in my opinion .

[@StimParavane]

Totally agree, but highly irresponsible.

[@julienmartzloff8063]

@@StimParavane this dude knew what he did, and h'es still alive

[@Jacob32905]

@StimParavane Probaby being one of the most seasoned climbers in the world dramatically lowered the chance of injury or death here. If I did it then it would be irresponsible, not a world class athlete. Do people not understand what a professional is anymore.

[@StimParavane]

@@Jacob32905 It's irresponsible in that if he keeps doung this he will eventually die. He cannot control the natural environment however good he is e.g. a sudden storm, the rock face breaking away, a bird strike, a sudedtn tendon injury etc. I nearly died in a fall because of this when I was younger.

[@spikenomoon]

He doesn’t climb without rope’s anymore. I’m not sure about irresponsible but definitely crazy.

[@mohammadnadeem9564]

Above all his skills, what is great is his courage, confidence and coolness of his mind

[@josephprice3211]

I agree. Its a one way trip so he needed to be calm and collective the whole time.

[@user-vq4cu6ky9v]

No matter how many times I watch this video, hands always sweat, heart always misses a few beats! Alex achieved a humanly impossible task, he is truly the legend!!!

[@DaveLeoni]

And ass puckers

[@nerfherder4284]

There is nothing in this world that gives me the willies like watching this man free solo. I can't imagine being the camera guy.

[@rushrush1209]

It's not just the fitness required, and obviously Alex is extremely fit. It's also the poise and composure necessary. He knows he's one slip from dying at all times, and he has no margin for error. If I tried that, my hands would sweat so much that I couldn't hold onto anything.

[@staciecarter5361]

This is one of the greatest feats in human history.

[@dawn21stcentury]

I think THE greatest.

[@Woke365]

This is madness.

[@incosy]

@@dawn21stcentury This and and landing the Moon for sure.

[@dawn21stcentury]

@@incosy And maybe the creation of an almost lifelike robot that we called Mark.

[@adotholland22]

no its stupid en domm.

[@andydidcott]

I could watch this a thousand times and wouldn’t get bored, the bloke is just phenomenal.

[@ryanmillsap8645]

This chills me to the bone to watch. There is not a human on this planet, no matter how masterful they are in their craft that can compete with this.

[@tridelltransportation3603]

Hats off to the guys who filmed this. I couldn’t watch the whole 6 minutes let alone 4 hours live.

[@masterofreality5528]

It's not 4hrs. Its maybe 30 mins combined

[@jurjenvanderhoek316]

@@masterofreality5528 It took Alex 4 hours, so the guys who filmed this had to watch him for 4 hours.

[@54spatula]

It makes your hands sweat to the point where your phone can no longer be gripped. Amazing guy

[@vsalvato53]

Absolutely!

[@bradleygarrod3871]

Lmfao. He had a phone on standby (Jimmy Chin this prop).

[@Simp_Zone]

Nah it was easy. He had a huge team of climbers and a whole backup line up of supermans to catch him if he falls.

[@Jesus_is_Lord_316]

Yes!! Wiping my palms as I’m watching this! 😂

[@horstd.engart9362]

Amazing , but totally crazy !

[@MathewJohnson-sp6ph]

Alex has more guts and glory than I could ever have on my best day. You are amazing bro keep up the hand clamming videos they are awesome

[@jayshomer4191]

When you thought you fearless ! This guy is from another planet.

[@johnshand6176]

The most outstanding individual achievement in human history!

[@patrickblackwell777]

I've seen Free Solo and rewatched highlights several times, but it still gives me a level of anxiety to my core. He is a very unique individual to not feel fear and anxiety in a situation like this.

[@jorgelemes6883]

Consigo numa boa.Esse trajeto aí,pra mim está de boa.😊

[@stevel8270]

​@@jorgelemes6883no, no you can't

[@stevel8270]

​@@jorgelemes6883if you could they'd have made a movie about you. You'd be known in the climbing community.

[@Resenbrink]

I watched Free Solo four times and was terrified each time I watched the climb. Just mind blowing.

[@DancingSk3L3tons]

Never ceases to amaze me, the lengths a man will go to just to get some got damn peace & quite...

[@gherardolazzeri6139]

A four hours endurance in those conditions is quite unbelievable! Great! Chapeau!

[@Mr.Mitch1111]

I had already seen Free Solo, but re-watching Alex's feat leaves me without words to express my wonder that anyone could EVER have accomplished this.

[@jeremysmith9088]

One of the most exciting and intense documentary I've ever seen

[@michaelcurtis4302]

I loved the guy walking out of his tent in the unicorn outfit and seeing Alex go by. What a place to camp. What an amazingly talented and amazing athlete. It was a struggle to actually watch him do the freeclimb. The filming was also excellent.

[@marcelocassio4235]

Spectacular feat! The Traverse passage caused me chills ...

[@fredericlamu5472]

His art, his physical and mental accomplishment, the face to face with each moment, deep difficulty, vertical dance sometimes, everything is inspiring and summons my failings, fills me with strength.

[@mikef9126]

The dude worked out later that afternoon. He scares the crap out of me. He’s amazing.

[@manuelayala9146]

"Yeah, I just climbed El Cap without ropes in under 4 hours, I also have to hike down, to cool off I think I might go jog a few miles and do a couple hundred 2 finger pullups..." 🤣🤣 Amazing Feat!

[@briansimpson6681]

Imagine filming this and how nuts it would be to watch the whole process unfold live. Wow

[@joepublic573]

there is no other word for this than "awesome". totally captivating. if you don't get a queasy feeling in your groin on this one then you have never, ever climbed. truly remarkable.

[@benjaminschmidt2977]

My palms are sweaty just watching this. Incredible!!

[@Jesus_is_Lord_316]

Same!! 😂

[@erict3032]

This young man should have received the president’s medal of freedom for his amazing endeavor conquering el captain. This is just so amazing that words can’t describe plus the massive risk he took putting his life on the line to achieve this monumental task. I can’t even do one pull up and can’t even imagine when I was in the army 30 years ago in the best shape of my life (11b infantry 10th mountain division) climbing with no safety harnesses. We climbed and rappelled all the time but I would never even imagine climbing without a rope back then . Alex has balls of steel doing what he did and continues to do without ropes. He really needs to consider using safety equipment now because you can only push your luck so far. What if he grabs a loose rock or water or something. What if his hands or feet cramp up. He’s screwed if that happens. It can happen very easily and so many free solo climbers have died from things like this. He should be very very careful. He made it and conquered el cap and if I was him I wouldn’t push my luck anymore. It’s just a matter of time before something bad happens. I know he loves what he does and lives for it but you just can’t keep tempting fate. None of us are invincible. You think you are when you are young and that nothing will happen to you but when your card is up it is up. I pray 🙏 he doesn’t die doing what he loves. It would be such a big loss.

[@Thedudeabides803]

@dnomyarakunawik38you’ll never be worth mentioning in history ever, unlike this man.

[@onelovemon1784]

I really deeply breath in when A is standing at the top. He is the little red dot on this massive earth rock. I said, cheers mate soak it in. You are the one and only have a grand look down on your achievement.

[@skagget]

This is pure magic and completely unpleasant both at the same time. 💪🏻 And the Phoenix is just unbelievable 🤯

[@benladinabdul7099]

All I can say is incredible & amazing!!!!! Even the monkey can't climb there but this guy the best athlete in the world!!! Deserve to have million views!!! Sending love from Philippines ❤❤❤❤❤

[@salvatoremannino3389]

Never mind how many times I have watched this feat it's always shivers down my spine

[@MOON-yn8ec]

Legend... Just knowing him, something gets unlocked within oneself...

[@marcusbrsp]

This is hands down the most impressive physical achievement by a single human being. Ever.

[@markstacey2906]

Most mental and physical task ever...The level of confidence and skill defies logic...

[@pourtoukist]

For me, the section of the video starting at 4:30 is the most breathtaking moment of the climb, even more than the boulder problem

[@robertcollins3052]

Very well written. I feel genuinely uplifted (forgive the pun). “The planning is all” said Hamlet to the players. So inspiring-Thank you!

[@davidbronson818]

This is absolutely hands down the greatest athletic feat ever accomplished. It’s not even close

[@terry2366]

What an Amazing feat. I had goose bumps watching

[@sebastienlecleve9891]

Une des meilleures vidéos d escalade que j ai vu. Amazing !

[@ricrinehart975]

That was insane crazy I have no idea how he did it but it is quite incredible

[@johndow5669]

He documented the whole process and preparation in a movie called Free Solo

[@robadagamers]

This was in my personal "impossible things to do" list, until this man did it.. I would be honored to shake this guy's hand.

[@lesliehedges8252]

What a legend. To keep his mind so fixed. Incredible well done mate.

[@sanderslongdrive]

I watched it but I could barely believe what I witnessed! Arguably it matches a feat by a late friend of mine, John Tarrant, in a different sport - ultra running. John (known as 'The Ghost Runner') suffered from undiagnosed stomach cancer. Not long before his death he competed in a 100 miles track race. He collapsed but picked himself up and ran himself almost senseless finishing not far off the world record. Of course it's impossible to accurately compare performances in totally different sports, but dress outstanding bravery in any cloak and its light dazzles the senses.

[@micahbodha6129]

Incredible feat. Much respect.

[@smeghead4109]

There should be an award for an outstanding human achievement, how he managed to achieve this with balls bigger than El Cap's is beyond me.

[@primitiv114]

The greatest climbing achievment ever - Impressive and provocating at the same time

[@terrylembke8100]

That is one amazing accomplishment , not only the desire and training . But one important thing that wasn't mentioned, that is genetics , this man has a set of balls the size of weather balloons . I say that very respectfully . My hat is off to you sir .

[@stevenikitas8170]

It makes me queasy just watching this video...

[@vsalvato53]

Same for me…👍

[@SKSK-rz7br]

Absolutely breathtakingly amazing - total respect !!

[@carlo3976]

Wonder how he managed to climb so high with those giant balls ! I can't even barely watch him climb let alone imagine how I'd feel on that mountain. Damniiiiit! He has a huge set of balls.

[@drdassler]

Simply staggering achievement.

[@donaldthomas9389]

Still the most inspiring thing I've ever seen. Nervous even watching it the third time.

[@kevincastillo5758]

My hands and feet are sweating while watching this. :D

[@DestroyerTV]

My hands are sweating profusely. That was probably the most amazing and awe inspiring thing, I have ever seen

[@rehamkcirtap]

This has got to be in the top ten most dangerous things a human has ever done on purpose.

[@germanrud9904]

war?

[@tomdowning9089]

Mind blowing. Hard enough to watch on film, let alone actually doing it.

[@TabortonMountain]

EXCELLENT !!! THANK YOU DSC

[@woofdog1525]

Imagine being able to do something that no other person on the planet can do…a truly magnificent human being ✌🏾

[@JayZoop]

He practiced this mountain many times with ropes. He has balls to trust his endurance the entire way up.

[@peterfleming4773]

You serious I thought he just blindly went up a more or less vertical mountain

[@vinceruland9236]

Wasn't even close to the first time he did this.

[@vladicgrabot6019]

@@vinceruland9236in his ted talk he said he climbed it over 50 times with ropes

[@josephprice3211]

"Those who fail to plan, plan to fail" The reason he was so confident is because he was highly trained and prepared himself well. Still ballsy

[@rdubb77]

People don’t seem to understand what lengths he went to prepare. He practiced and visualized each movement and pitch for YEARS until ever minute of the climb and every action was fully memorized. That’s what you have to do.

[@vsalvato53]

Agreed! And this was not the first time he did this climb... this was "just" the one on which he set the all time record, Each and every time that he and other climbers did this climb was an equally astonishing performance... this was "just" the best of the best"

[@ericastier1646]

@@vsalvato53 it was a shot at Russian roulette where the barrel stopped at an empty slot. Except it was not a six slot gun but more like a 15 slots barrel which improves the odds. Still unacceptable odds to sane people.

[@davebruneau6068]

"People don’t seem to understand what lengths he went to prepare" Only if they didnt watch the documentary "Free Solo". If anyone watches that they'll know exactly what lengths Alex went to.

[@rdubb77]

@@davebruneau6068 the movie didn’t go into as much detail as some of his talks. The movie spent more time on things like how freaked out his girlfriend and friends were

[@youtubemec]

Incredible and unbelievable! Bravo

[@SumPixelz]

This is endboss level. Absolutely incredible.

[@shakeelraja8215]

Just in absolute awe wow, the greatest athletic feat in history salute your bravery 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@coolterminator99]

Even this gentleman has paid respects to Marc-André Leclerc (RIP), someone who takes solo climbing to an absolute savage state of legendary epicness.

[@MrJonathan7645]

Yes. 🙌🙌🙌🙌 RIP Marc -Andre Leclerc.

[@Sandiego1976md]

Bro! This guy focus is complete off the charts. Plus his physical ability to do this is 💯 percent. Every inspirational event to witness.

[@blufey2925]

my frickin heart was racing watching this clip...I cannot imagine even attempting to do this. Incredible.

[@Unfoldemy]

saw his climb now for almost the tenth time and my hands are still sweating. i dont know why someone is risking his whole life for this kind of incredible arreachment but it's amazing and brutal honest - one mistake and youre dead! i couldnt do this for no money or prestige of this world! but im very impressed!

[@willmoore7582]

No matter how brave I might be in my lifetime, by comparison to this mans' courage and physical ability I am a mere ant.

[@ericastier1646]

Courage only gets you to do things like bungee jumping or jump in torrential water to save a friend. But doing a feat like this requires foolhardiness and disregard for one's own life to a certain extent, suicidal tendencies also help. I do not admire those traits and if you think they are not needed to do something like this, you would be incorrect. Without them he could not attempt this, no matter how one would deny it. This has been observed also with mountaineering by people who have a monumental life upsets such after a painful divorce with a loved cheating partner or any other things that reduce the value of life to someone. Once that value has depleted suddently you can consider such suicidal adventure with perfectly cool and clear mind knowing you will give your best. The possibility of dying is sought after because not dying while having the possibility is like a rebirth and can erase life past tragedie. That's the exact mindset and if you search deep enough in any stuntsman's life you will find these things.

[@willmoore7582]

Agreed. I've climbed a 500ft. TV mast in my teens - twice, and jumped into water and saved a woman's life but, as you point out, to do this requires cold clarity and a willingness to gamble one's life in order to achieve a goal. Regards.@@ericastier1646

[@MonsieurCeri]

by far the most amazing thing ever done on this planet...

[@paulwhitaker5550]

Doing this climb and I have done a few easier ones I can’t imagine the focus that it took for him. Absolute focus

[@lordrandolf1]

Unbelievable 😮 all I can say is, actually I don’t know what to say. I’m speechless.

[@williamoverman5354]

Flipping Amazing. Your talent and endurance is astonishing, Congratulations on a feat beyond me and most humans. Did I say, AMAZING!

[@mezstah]

This man has fingers like Levan Saginashvili what a display of strength, willpower and technique.

[@Dennis-Hare]

No helmet, not rope, just complete confidence in himself and his abilities. He is willing to stake his very life on this. Pretty much makes all other athletes look like amateurs.

[@mald34]

helmet isnt gonna do much but get in the way

[@entropydomain]

Amazing photography too

[@tracynewberry2937]

I do not understand how a human being could do this. I would be absolutely terrified. One slip. one miscalculation and your going to die.

[@bradnixon6220]

It’s not the fall that kills you it’s hitting the ground

[@geoninja8971]

The part around Enduro Corner is the scariest thing I've seen.....

[@pitech4446]

exactly

[@Davey441]

Enduro corner from 4:16 is just pure insane!!

[@paulhammal7231]

Super impressive. I get sweaty palms just watching it… incredible 😮

[@silvanonovalis-kj2dx]

A gravity-defying magician who can turn fear into bottomless energy and drive. What a special human being! I hope he will spend more time with his daughter now. He has nothing else to prove to himself and others.

[@guymerritt4860]

I'm an old guy and I totally do not understand how someone does this for so long and doesn't get killed. I mean, something as simply as a muscle cramp and you're dead. It's amazing, but, it's just so ridiculously dangerous that I can't understand taking these sorts of risks.

[@vsalvato53]

I fully share your thoughts

[@Heart2HeartBooks]

If all men thought like that we never would have landed on the moon for starters.

[@MrEmiko29]

@@Heart2HeartBooks we never been to the moon

[@JesseJ588]

​@@MrEmiko29what's this "we" shit? Someone has, and none were non-contributors like you.

[@SMHman666]

guymerritt Haha, I was setting anchors for an abseil one day and I had this guy come up to me telling me I was nuts and so on.... I was all roped up on solid gear and he was walking around at the top of a 80 metre cliff top, unsecured and with the wind really blowing. And I was the nutter, apparently.

[@Davey441]

Enduro corner from 4:16 Is so uncomfortable to watch. Absolutely insane!!

[@Heart2HeartBooks]

He practiced Eduro corner with ropes about a dozen times and never slipped with the ropes.

[@Davey441]

@@Heart2HeartBooks I get you. He would have needed to practice so many times and locked the movements into his memory but it's still insane he came back and did it without ropes.

[@markmartin5765]

This proves anything is possible when you have a can do attitude,Alex is a super human inspiration period!

[@guru2899]

Has anyone other than Honnold accomplished this? If not then he is definitely the greatest athlete of all time...bar none.

[@ciabones]

Anyone else notice the mountain moving at 4:37 in the background?

[@0warami_7oo]

yes

[@mikeoglen6848]

It was probably an Earthquake...

[@Simp_Zone]

I see it now! HOLY CARP!!!

[@gratengelsker7614]

Its a free solo, not a solo. Solo just means that you are alone / belay yourself

[@vsalvato53]

You're right, this performance is a masterpiece of free solo!

[@heatpump8566]

I have got sweaty palms just watching this. Outstanding

[@BrianFTPG59]

Me too😂

[@bernardmcmahon351]

Wow, how scary is that overhang, I felt queasy just watching. Very talented and brave

[@clintoruss153]

This is one of the most impressive feats I have ever seen

[@Koreusity69]

If I train several years, I can watch this video

[@jeremymontgomery998]

I still can’t believe he did this. It boggles the mind.

[@darrenaquilina1403]

My hands were sweating by only watching this video. This is on another level of skill and mastery in the sport.

[@chrissullivan40]

Every time I watch this I still get goosebumps.

[@neoplasma1]

My back's tingling and hair standing up while watching this

[@xXxDwarfYxXx]

Wow my hands are drenched in sweat.... Never have i ever felt like this watching a video. Oh my god.....

[@fazalrehman6490]

lovd it. A great experience one could ever have