Alex Honnold on Closest Call When Free Soloing

[@thenuggetclimbing]

Listen to the full episode 👉 thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/alex-honnold Or you can check out our library of 150+ interviews with the biggest names in climbing 👉 thenuggetclimbing.com/all-episodes

[@typerightseesight]

when I was a kid I got a taste of this climbing trees in the backyard and jumping from to the roof of the condo my mother lived in and stuff and it was just too extreme for me. The getting up there was no problem but i totally remember the mindset of how am i suppose to do this without risking myself to get back down and i remember how all you can do is juggle your options. and the only definitive is straight risk unsafe go for it or freeze up. its gnarly.

[@ArnoBach]

Please refrain from content where people blasphemy.

[@Euterpeize]

He's trying to convince me that losing your grip 1000 feet up a wall is the same as tripping over when hiking... come on, Alex...

[@lupo3694]

I mean, when you trip in the wrong spot, the consequences can be pretty much the same. But I live very near to the apls, so if I think of hiking, I think of alpine hiking. There are a lot of exposed points on a lot of these trails, where you do not want to fall and there is kind of a smooth transition from hiking to climbing on most of these mountains. And when you think about how much better Alex is at climbing these long routes, free soloing it is kinda similar to him. He knows he can do it, but of course he knows he has to be very mindful on how he is moving, kinda like a normal not superhuman person will walk very carefully when hiking in exposed terrain.

[@BryanHaddon]

When he says "hiking" he means 4th or 5th class scrambling on some exposed cliff face. The man is built different.

[@alexc650]

I was thinking the same thing. Most hiking situations are on a much different level that freesoloing at 1000 ft. Even a 4th class scramble down is a lot safer than that imo

[@Ebone93]

Stung by a bee

[@abidmiah4127]

hes convincing himself

[@somerandomdudefes31]

Every time I see one of these I'm pleasantly surprised Alex is still alive.

[@CodyWright-pq3eq]

I think he did the smart thing and stopped free soloing.

[@MichaelPhillips-jw4bj]

Ahh no, he’s definitely been free soloing even since he had his son 2 years ago. He took magus free soloing last year and He implied he hits that route often . Hes just raising his kid and not doing new or big projects… free soloing is done on non technical routes. Many technical climbers actually find it unappealing, it’s A unique mix of Easy climb for pros but a mistake kill you. most skilled free solo climbers died doing other stuff Ie wingsuit or mountain climbing ie k2 Annapurna Everest etc

[@Hamasisfilthytrash]

@@MichaelPhillips-jw4bjyou trying to say half dome and el captain were easy lmao You saying that’s not a technical climb

[@notagiantseaslug5523]

He has a baby now so I really hope he chills.

[@KenMac-ui2vb]

I have that same thought.

[@purplemonkeydishwasher5269]

Alex has come a loooooonngg way since I saw him in 2010. He really seems comfortable talking to people now.

[@ramdas363]

Shaddup nerd.

[@Eventual-Visitor]

Plus he's going around grabbing big jugs while on holiday, the dude became a outright playboy.

[@darkenedpsynoid]

@@Eventual-Visitor you realize he's got a wife and child right......

[@V8chump]

@@darkenedpsynoida jug is a type of climbing hold 🤣😅. A play on words

[@darkenedpsynoid]

@@V8chump lmao then I'm the dumb one then....thats all on me smh

[@jonathanperkins3797]

He is the guy you want with you in a high stress environment. Watch and listen to him free soloing with his friend in Vegas. He is next level.

[@TheHeadincharge]

He’s also the one to put you in that environment though so it’s a bit of a toss up

[@JustAnotherArmyVet]

Magnus Mitbo 🙂

[@tfkdandsvkc]

Magnus was super scared in that video

[@JustAnotherArmyVet]

@@tfkdandsvkc yes

[@bradtavares-vd3hz]

where can i watch that?

[@SH-dl4jk]

the potential for a spasm in the muscle, fainting, unexpected twitch, sneeze, or anything like that PLUS the peril of possible things that can go wrong with the rock PLUS the lapse in technique.. its a true wonder how this man is still alive

[@Noqtis]

The potential for that stuff to happen to you while driving a car or walking besides a busy street is there as well. But you never think of those situations as dangerous. Because you trust in the ability to walk/use your legs and in general you don't end up with pain in your leg on the corner of your street when you go for your groceries. If you most can go on for 80 years without tripping over your feet once. why do you think isn't it possible for someone to never fuck up in his prime years?

[@SH-dl4jk]

@@Noqtis if you crash a car you most likely will be ok, if you trip over you most likely will be ok, if you fall off the rock you dead

[@yamahakid450f]

@SH-dl4jk Death is a consequence, that doesn't automatically mean the risk is high... If the risk was as high as you percieve it to be, then what he does wouldn't be sustainable by him or anyone else..Which it clearly has been for him, he's had thousands of climbs...and the majority of deaths in the free solo community have happened on the easier routes, because they get lackadaisical and have a mental slip up. So, more climbers have died from doing something with less risk, but paid the heaviest of consequences due to a lapse in judgement and focus. So, you're confusing risk with consequences.... Risk is the odds of something going wrong in a given situation, where Consequences is what happens when something goes wrong...So what Alex does is relatively low risk (he does take riskier climbs, like soloing El Cap, but those types of climbs are few and far between) for him, but the highest of consequences. You can have low risk and high consequences, or high risk with low consequences... Alex is extremely calculated, skilled, experienced, mentally and technically sound in what he does, so the risks are drastically mitigated compared to, lets say, you showing up with no experience and attempting to do an easy free solo....That would be extremely high risk for you, while the risk for him is basically non existant, yet, the consequences remain the same for both you and Alex. There's a risk to going down the highway at 75mph in a an aluminum can, but you don't think about that every time you go for a drive do you? No, cause the risk of something going wrong isn't that high..... but the consequences if something does go wrong at 75mph are potentially very high.

[@Mawcxs]

You have worded this perfectly. I have no clue how Alex can do it. Seems like some humans are just built different. He may not be insane but in some way his mind is crazy.

[@mixchief]

Not to mention the odd chance of some surprise rain. (These are mountain areas after all.)

[@justinobrien1097]

"The jugs were so big, I kinda just decided to pull on 'em".....same bro, same.

[@BlueSomeday]

😂

[@Rafungilo]

Not at all what he said.......

[@justinobrien1097]

@@Rafungilo oh ok thanks

[@akmd114379]

​@@Rafungilowhoooshhh!!

[@williamharwood5786]

I'm glad Alex is still alive. As an ultra trail runner -- one whose bits of teeth remain just a bit south of Harper's Ferry on the AT -- I can testify that tripping and face planting on rock does indeed suck. However, had I been 1,000 feet up free soloing when the fall happened....

[@TiffMcGiff]

Cool story bruh

[@patty109109]

@@TiffMcGiffdon’t be like that, tiff.

[@grant66800]

I have so much time and respect for Alex Honnold. I know it’s crazy what he does but he’s so logical and smart. I think it’s great we have Alex on the planet - his mindset is so powerful. Huge respect.

[@basehead617]

Love hearing Alex talk comfortably about climbing not being afraid to use jargon etc, a lot better than a general interview..

[@scottmc1855]

It's weird that he mentions bee's. That's actually the first thing I think of when I think of free soloing. When I was younger I used to replace siding. I was up on scaffolding about 20 feet up with another guy and we ripped off this piece of siding and suddenly all hell breaks lose. Inside the wall is a MASSIVE yellow jacket nest and they are PISSED. We have two options. Jump 20 feet.... or climb down the ladder. The other guy doesn't hesitate. He was on the ground after the initial stings. I never saw him jump. I climbed down the ladder. In the end, I had got stung about 30 times. I looked like sloth from The Goonies for a bit with all the swelling. The other guy broke his hip and was laid up for a months. When I saw Free Solo, that experience was the first thing I thought about. By the time I got to the bottom of that ladder I felt like my body was on fire. I can't imagine being in that situation on a wall.

[@etamommy]

There’s a brief tangent in Steven King’s famous novel The Shining where he writes about the idea that bees and such are responsible for many human deaths in that - you’re in a car driving and a bee (or even fly) gets in the open window and you take your attention off of it for a moment to try to kill it or get it back out and you in the process lose control of car, crash and die. Or you’re a roofer and same deal! As a rock climber I’d imagine this can happen as well.

[@jamiesmith6918]

@@etamommy Similarly I am amazed at the risk tolerance of helmet-less motorcyclists on highways. I often imagine the sensation of taking a bumble bee to the eye at highway speeds. Or a small bouncing rock to the forehead. Either scenario is game over at 70 mph.

[@Keepcalm-lovesports]

​@@jamiesmith6918I have taken flies and little rocks to the exposed neck area while going 250km/h with a helmet on, it still stings a lot when the bugs are bigger. Found a couple dead wasps in my collar once after a ride. I am sometimes scared that a bee gets caught in my helmet at high speeds or something like that. It's unlikely though.

[@Yaimdan]

Been loving this series man. Such casual conversations about relatable questions we all might want to ask.

[@robertm346]

"And it was like a 15-foot drop." "Yeah. Totally."

[@janondavis9546]

Haha! Glad I'm not the only one who caught that. Yeah, he sounded completely unimpressed.

[@BeC0o1]

Yeah that was exactly what I thought about at the moment 😅

[@DanDavisHistory]

Those cobbles did look like they could lever right out. Crazy.

[@thestruggler3338]

lets call them jugs...

[@joh22293]

I climbed one time at Riglos (not the same route as Alex and ofc roped) it's scary AF. The higher you go, the looser the stuff gets.

[@TrackinDaMeta]

He gaslights the dangers of free zoloing brilliantly. I assume this sort of self talk is one of the reasons for his fearlessness

[@seldom_bucket]

Lol one if them yeah, they literally did brain scans on him though and the part of the brain that signals fear is way less reactive than a normal persons.

[@Noqtis]

I guess his training plays a much bigger part in it. You see him climbing and you think it's super dangerous because you don't know any climbing technique nor do you have the ability to hold your bodyweight on your small fingers. He is actually right about what he is trying to say and he isn't implying the consequences of him falling 1000 feet are the same as tripping over. What he is trying to say is that what he is doing is as save as it gets but since even tripping over can kill you obviously he is in a situation with huge consequences. But that doesn't make it risky as long as you really know what you are doing. Just like when you walk. You can kill yourself by just walking any day multiple times. But you don't do it. You trust your ability that you don't fall over your feet right into a driving car. He is trusting his body just as you do. The risks are the same if we put the capability of his body into the picture. That dude also isn't going free solo on spots he has no clue how to pass. He does it with ropes and when he is 100% save he can make all the moves necessary first try without an margin of error only than he free solos the route. That's the opposite of an adrenaline junky or someone who needs to lie himself into more courage. He knows what he is doing exactly, that makes him such an exception in that field. Because many tend in fact to be more on the daredevil character side.

[@therainman7777]

@@NoqtisNo offense though but everything you just said is further equivocating and gaslighting haha.. bottom line is that free soloing is much, much more dangerous than hiking or running, in terms of deaths per 100,000 hours spent doing the activity. That’s actually a measurable statistic and no reasonable person could argue otherwise. Alex is obviously very good at it and that’s the only reason he’s still alive. But there’s no talking around the fact that something going wrong, or you making a mistake, will almost certainly end in your death on the one hand and only very rarely end in your death on the other.

[@therealgratefulhiker]

Kinda sounds like a politician..

[@Noqtis]

@@therainman7777 well, I have bad news for you. Statistically speaking driving in a car is much more dangerous than walking. Just the speed acceleration to inhuman levels makes you a lot more likely to die in a car crash than walking on the street. Every time you sit in a car and drive on a highway you are only one wrong hand move away from certain death. One could say, at least the guy free soloing is always in full control of the risks he takes. You on the other hand trust people you don't even know like bus or taxi drivers so they don't fuck up. And even if you are in control of your car, you trust all the others around you to not kill you with their cars. You can call it gaslighting, if it sounds right to you. But don't fool yourself. This society wouldn't work at all if the majority of people wouldn't gaslight themselves about their day to day lives. Google how many people get crushed to death by industry machines in the last years. Not working close to AI powered industry machines reduces your chance of getting killed by those to zero. I don't see people making videos how those people gaslight themselves into safety when they risk their lives on a daily basis so you get your order a day earlier. How about animal protection? You know how many people die on a yearly basis working with/helping animals, especially when it comes to dangerous species but hell you don't need those to dir, google how many people get killed by horses, it's more than falling from mountains... Let me just tell you that statistically speaking much more people die because their hobby is animals and not mountains. Are you writing comments on how people should just stop, to lower their chances of dying? How about looking at this shit in context? What about F1 and other racing bullshit? Does anyone need it for survival? Does it help anyone? One tiny little insect? No? Are you writing comments on youtube how f1 drivers gaslight themselves into risking their lives for stupid fame while trusting a bunch of others to not fuck up? Why not? At least the solo climber 'drives his races' on his own and in general doesn't endanger others, wouldn't you agree? It's not your business how someone risks his own life because no one should be able to tell you, how you risk yours. You wanna go explore caves. Do it. You want to live with tha animals in the jungle like Tarzan? Dude, go ahead. You want to be the first one to reach the Titanic with a wooden submarine? Please, by the love of god don't forget to make a banger yt video! Your imagination is the limit to how you are allowed to endanger your personal life. The line is where others get endangered. Ignoring street rules while driving the car isn't bad because you risk your own life doing it. It's bad because you risk the lives of others. If only the one speeding would die, there would be no speed limits. Same rules for everyone. Let the man free solo his mountains. The rest of us will leave you alone the next time you strangulate yourself while cooming to tentacle hentai.

[@AngusMurray]

That is true! I've had lots of "close calls" but you can't see the alternative so you never know what was close and what wasn't. There's probably far more actual close calls in life that we couldn't see

[@TheSkaterguy668]

Was returning from the mountaineers route on Mt. Whitney and while making my way down the evansbacher ledges my foot slipped and the weight of my pack sent me towards the edge of a cliff. I stopped maybe 5 feet from the drop, definitely had to sit for a bit after that one 😂

[@davidzambito6111]

I think this was supposed to be titled “reasons I should not free solo”. I never even thought of the uncertainty of things like birds and insects…very cool perspective and stories to hear though, epic athlete!

[@IAmOHMSS]

... and reptiles. Vipers like to chill in holes, as a buddy free-soloing a "very easy route" got to experience.

[@robmckennie4203]

It's so funny to imagine alex doing these insane solo climbs, but then what really scares him is bees

[@leadbelly1495]

Stung on fingers,no grip

[@gaiaiulia]

Just about the only thing Alex Hannold and I have in common! 😱🐝🐝🐝😱 I get scared if my grip slips on a hold in the climbing gym when I'm only a few feet off the ground!

[@noiseforthealgorithm4668]

he's so casual about some of the craziest stuff

[@funkyjunky3224]

The room setup is my favorite part of this video

[@jvillebil13]

I've watched a lot videos of Alex. The one thing that struck me is that he said, "there have been a lot of near misses." My prayer is that he just happens to be the guy that retires one day and never has to experience a horrible free fall death, but my gut tells me that one day it will happen.

[@ryantingley9592]

Your gut tells you that Alex is going to free fall to his death one day? Hmm...maybe analyze that?

[@CreativeC13]

​@ryantingley9592 not surprising given how many other free climbers (including ones he was close to) have met the same fate

[@Moremoney4ewu]

@@ryantingley9592WHY does he need to analyze it? I feel the same way, the guy climbs hundreds, maybe thousands of feet without ANY safety apparatus and has admitted to near misses, its happened to many others, the odds are NOT in his favor. So maybe YOU should analyze THAT….NO??

[@ryantingley9592]

@@Moremoney4ewu you may have overlooked the very simple meaning of my comment. It seems as though you're using data/rational thought to infer a potential outcome. That does not have anything to do with one's 'intuition'. Which is what was stated in the original comment I responded to.

[@consciousobserver629]

I heard he no longer solo climbs. A recent choice because he wants to be sure he's alive for his family. Wise choice. He has more than proven his ability.

[@ppgedez]

I understand exactly what Alex means as i did misstep walking up the stairs while carrying a mug of hot chocolate and it splashed on my foot. 😂

[@rockyevans1584]

I've fallen up the stairs a couple times too. I assume it beats falling down stairs, but it is a humbling thing to stumble regardless

[@luciferlucero]

☕️

[@NPC-fl3gq]

I wish Alex would take less risks... sounds like he's had way too many near misses. He's too nice to die.

[@stereothrilla8374]

True story. Everyone who free solos dies climbing. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. None of the original guys are alive and they’ve all fallen off a cliff. Sad reality but stats don’t lie.

[@iggywow]

@@stereothrilla8374 Knock on wood but like Alain Robert is doing well and I'd say he's pretty original. In his 60s now. And for example Dean Potter did some wild free solo routes but died wingsuit jumping and honestly out of all the extreme sports, wingsuit basejumping seems to end poorly if you combine it with escalating risk in flight routes

[@stereothrilla8374]

@@iggywow you’re arguing lottery odds for people loved and cared about by many. The dangerous thing they do may define them and I’m telling anyone how to live. The fact of the matter is that most of them die.

[@iggywow]

@@stereothrilla8374 Of course the sad reality is that we don't hear about the majority of people who die free soloing, because few become known outside of their area. I'm not advocating anyone go out and use the 0.1% to argue it's worth the risk. They were just two very well known people. So yes you're likely to die sooner rather than later if you do what they do

[@sauce1232]

​@@iggywow Alain Robert stopper soloing rock faces after falling and breaking his forearm into pieces. Then he went into climbing buildings wich is MUCH safer. Can't compare apples and oranges. Also worth mentionning that Alex is not even soloing 5% of the time

[@_garebear]

Love seeing Alex still alive.

[@dashbmw]

Alex is just on another level. I don’t think there’s anyone that will truly understand your experiences.

[@whatilearnttoday5295]

Flipping a lot of coins and coming up heads. He'll lose eventually.

[@RogueCylon]

I hope he never has a miss. What he does is so out there.

[@AviG789]

Obviously he could die at any time free soloing, but he's both an amazing climber physically and a brilliant analyzer of routes/rock quality etc which helps him mitigate risks... I know he won't stop so hope he stays safe!

[@DJ-kg6zq]

Some of these climbs he does are ridiculous. I would be really picky on rock quality if I was doing that.

[@Mylada]

I bet he is, but there is no perfect rock when you climb such high routes with thousands of holds

[@scrabbleking1965]

I absolutely LOVE Alex, what he does, who he is, how he manages his emotions, I HATE to say it but I can't help but think it is just a matter of time until his luck runs out.....

[@geraint8989]

So much to unpack - possibly nobody as intelligent and analytical as Alex has spent so much time thinking so deeply about existential risks, and how to process them. Necessarily so. Maybe that level of mental preparedness is what has protected him from a fatal moment of panic. The reasoning around ‘near-misses’ being a didn’t-happen possibility that should not impact decision-making - unless there is relevant and current new data to plug into calculations - is really interesting. It seems that the vital aspect is discerning what really is relevant data to plug in. Zooming out to a broader viewpoint surely demands that a pattern of ‘near-misses’ can’t actually all be ignored in the same way that each individual occurrence can. That’s the one aspect where it felt like Alex is trying to convince himself of a slightly illogical conclusion that he simply needs to have. I sincerely wish that he stays safe, or at least that in living with a level of risk he deems acceptable that he has every good fortune.

[@squamish4244]

I hope he at least backs off from the more dangerous routes. I think he would rather be a father to his daughter than a story about one.

[@dawnriddler]

you do know people've been doing this for decades, he's not the first nor the best free solo climber

[@geraint8989]

@@dawnriddler I do know. I think his achievement is all the greater because it wasn’t reckless.

[@dawnriddler]

@@geraint8989 rarely anyone is reckless. It's not really a thing you can be reckless about.

[@colorado841]

I think other people would have to talk themselves into trying to go free solo and to give justifications. I am not sure Alex has the same fear reflex, to the same degree other people would. Like I wouldn't have to talk myself into doing a cross country road trip for example, I'd just think "oh I'll be careful" even though I could end being run over by a semi . On the other hand if I was crossing a freeway the idea of being squished by a big rig would be scary and something I would be thinking about all the time when I was crossing the road.

[@brahmburgers]

I'm 72 and started free soloing 25 yrs ago. I've done original routes in northern Thailand, and some messing around in Namibia and SW USA. Like most climbers, I've got stories enough to fill books. Examples: Once in northern CA, coming up to two baby rattlesnakes, open mouthed, centimeters from my face. In Thailand, a large nest of giant hornets - got stung twice on a hand. I've been pooped on by owls, and attacked by leaf-weaver ants. Once, a fire came up a steep hill, and had to duck behind the a small boulder to avoid being rotisserated. Hundreds of stories, ...I don't regret a moment.

[@stt5v2002]

In the film Free Solo, there are two brief scenes that always catch my attention. When he is on the down climb, it appears that he actually slips and misses the footing for a brief moment. It may not have been a very risky spot and and he regains stability quickly. I can tell that he did not expect or mean for that to happen. The film makers do not focus on it, but it is a striking reminder that errors happen. There is also a moment during the traverse when he reaches around an edge and pulls hard on a thin protruding fork-like rock formation. It looks like the kind of move that could pull that protrusion right off if there was an unseen crack or defect there. I assume he knows that the rock is stable, but it just looked like a situation where the worst could potentially happen.

[@lukogibbz3672]

Saw that slip and felt exactly the same way. Looked sketchy. Wonder how many of those he must have had.

[@lawsong6663]

the cobble looked so sketchy holy shit

[@jazay591]

Ive free soloed before i even knew the term existed. I was just exploring a river valley on a kayak and thought "the view from up on that rock face might be nice". So i climbed it (probably 15-20m up). I still cringed looking back on that memory because of how insanely dangerous it was. For some reason i was just really in the zone that morning; just full focus, and completely confident, maybe overly so.

[@hazb8026]

It was very similar for me. I was setting up to do a multi pitch and then saw a nice ledge off to the side I didn't know was there. So I climbed up to have a look. Didn't even really think and was like 10m up. It was kind of slabby, but I still look back on that and think what the hell was I doing l. Never done anything like it before or since

[@wheelspin10]

I like the way he says if something happens, he has just received new information and what to do with that. That's a great way of looking at things.😊

[@sf9145]

His humbleness is why he is so successful.

[@etamommy]

That and maybe cuz he is strong dedicated and can climb

[@sf9145]

@@etamommy Yes, agreed. Being humble, as he is, keeps him on his toes. Cockiness would kill him.

[@FT4Freedom]

Best comment.

[@dylanm691]

i think it might be the climbing

[@sf9145]

@@dylanm691 if you think this sport is only physical........

[@seanc6754]

The fact that he is comparing a bee sting in the woods to almost slipping of the side of mountain just shows me how far apart me and Alex are in our "close calls" department lmao

[@1ducatinut]

Watching this with a broken collar bone, did it Mt Biking a trail I’ve ridden a thousand times. Worse part this happened 2 days before my Yosemite trip, where my brother, nephew and I were going to climb Half Dome…

[@airanmilian]

Hope u get a fast recovery man

[@dovebby]

wishing you a speedy recovery

[@thebigpicture2032]

A flake falling out and he has the presence of mind to shove it back in 👀 next level thought processing!

[@rebajason1460]

OK, I’m 51 and I used to be a daredevil. I’m not a climber, but I was climbing in Texas years ago without ropes on a couple climbs and if I fell, I would’ve died. . I wasn’t thinking. “Oh that was scary, nothing happened, I think I’ll reevaluate and keep on climbing. No, I said F that I’m never climbing again. Alex’s mind is different.

[@IIISentorIII]

no one cares

[@holyknightthatpwns]

I think he's more talking about when something happens halfway up a massive wall, where you don't just have the option to stop until you're done, one way or the other

[@supercal333]

This man is just a little unhinged if he really believes the risks involved in free soloing are comparable to hiking.

[@jarnold1789]

Or he’s extremely capable and knows exactly where his limit is. I’ve never soloed rock but I’ve hiked and ran on many trails that I could have died on if I made the wrong move or fell unexpectedly

[@slabathonfury3879]

To him it is, he's not like the rest of us.

[@nlabanok]

Yeah i had a close one last week...i spilled half my Starbucks coffee last week while hiking in the morning and with the extreme caffeine deficit, you never know how bad things might go.

[@acaelusthorne4920]

Alex has insane mental fortitude.

[@bobbybushwhacker]

I am so glad you asked about bees, and birds while climbing! 😂 I go to Moab often and i was there yesterday (i am not a climber) but i was looking over the edge of dead horse point, and the first thing i thought about was "How scary would it be, to be free climbing and have wasps trying to sting you..." I couldnt do it lol my palms are seriously sweaty, knees weak and my arms are heavy..😅

[@markmay4066]

Mums spaghetti 🗣🎤🎵

[@cinehastag4354]

It's a great way of putting it and also taking away the stigma from free soloing. The same thing happened to me on the last section of cima grande di Lavaredo' North face. With rope but basically free soloing (those easier five grade pitches you go fast basically 30 meters run out on a two pitons anchor) I grabbed a big tombstone with both hands and it was loose and started to flip outside. Adrenaline rush, pushed it back in place and continued to climb. The same happens on your drive to work sometimes. As an alpinist I hate when they tell me I'm crazy if I solo but steep skiing, which is practically "you mess a turn you die", is totally accepted. I think most of my near misses come out of speed activities like trail running and free riding. Especially here in the Dolomites.

[@princequestly2218]

It may be lifetimes before anybody even comes close to doing what this man has done in his life. His solos might be some of the greatest physical feats by any human in history.

[@ValeriePallaoro]

and the thing is, he doesn't think of them that way. He's always all about planning, and researching, and focus and 'get it right' and be the best you can and it all works out.

[@forthebirds4]

Watch 'The Alpinist'. Marc Andre LeClerc was soloing things even Alex Honnold wouldn't attempt (and said so on film). El Cap solo was incredible, but holy shit just watch that movie.

[@doc8125]

@@forthebirds4 was about to mention this too ... and Marc Andre was probably not even the most insane of them either, there's always a bigger fish somewhere. Both his and Alex's achivments are pretty mind boggling to think about, but we only know about them due to the insane publicity they've had

[@StephanieRogina-lx1pt]

I enjoyed watching you climb. You are extremely talented!! Good luck in all of your endeavors!! 😊

[@royjones8312]

There has never been something I love to watch so much that I want so badly to stop. I find it mesmerizing watching the man climb but everyone falls eventually.

[@supEnoc]

Only 30 seconds into the video, I'm just imagining what he's describing and my palms are already sweating

[@bobbybushwhacker]

Knees weak arms are heavy

[@norbertpeissert9889]

That is why you are that good. you are aware but learn from the experience. Very Pleased to know a true professional

[@danielsigursson6215]

Great episode. Loved the convo. Would it be an idea to place the cameras such that they would each capture both of you from opposite directions, kinda like they are now but further back if the space allows, and you could alternate between a cropped close-up and a wider shot that captures both of you to create a more connected experience? Just a thought if you should want to put more into the video aspect. Nevertheless, as I said, great episode. Alex has such a unique insight and perspective on climbing.

[@omeizasanni]

wtf is that tune at the end... That felt so goooooooddd!

[@sunnyleatham]

Being stung by a bee at an opportune time is NOT THE SAME AS PULLING AWAY A FLAKE OF CLIFF, ALEX.

[@skahler]

Honnold would make an excellent organizational leader in a big company. His planning is so... damn... good

[@jmavierpayne9726]

My palms never fail to start sweating as soon as I listened to this guy talk... Is that good for climbing 😅

[@FT4Freedom]

It's great to be cautious when climbing and on rope too.

[@apuuvah]

Free soloists are their own breed. Mental.

[@OleSmokey]

So true I remember thinking as I was falling It happened might not turn out good. I was pleasantly surprised when I was alive

[@BravoNineThreeTwo]

I find the probabilities interesting. Having a near miss does not increase the likelihood of the next one being fatal. But, given sufficient time, the probability of death nevertheless tends towards 100%. In that regard, regardless of how comfortable anyone may feel, every ascent is a spin of a large roulette wheel.

[@dmitripogosian5084]

Given sufficient time, probability of death is 100%, not tends to 100% :(

[@friedsensei]

The math on this is rly not so simple. But it's fair to say early retirement is the only way to survive. Other athletes are forced to retire when they are past their prime, especially true in team sports. If you climb without ropes anywhere near that natural retirement point, you will die.

[@V8chump]

With the amount of climbing Alex as done it’s a miracle he’s never broken off holds to the point where he just barn doors to death. I assume most of his soloing isn’t crazy hard… I mean he talks about losing both footholds and still being fine. Meanwhile if you lost both footholds on an indoor v6 you could easily make it physically impossible even for a v10+ boulderer which I’m pretty sure is about as high Alex as gotten

[@levolvik5231]

Well, he onsights a 5.11d (7a), so his level of feeling comfortable is just wayyy above ours.

[@ATEC101]

Free soloed a bit way back when I was dedicated. Bird nests in cracks, nestlings pecking at your hands and fingers. Also, snakes. Truely disturbing. I was nowhere near what he does.

[@walker3551]

One of the most interesting people that's ever lived

[@IIISentorIII]

well it sure as hell isn't you

[@walker3551]

@@IIISentorIII you sound extremely unlikeable

[@broadcasttttable]

Would love to get an answer from a free solo climber: what happens when you get part way up, and you get to a point where there simply is no way to continue up. Do you remember EXACTLY how you got to where you are, and "simply" retrace those steps and holds on your way back down, or is descending a whole new experience unlike what you faced going up?

[@inkscratch]

Usually they climb the route many times with gear to plan out how to do it without gear. I doubt many free solo blindly

[@eighmeekins]

He answered in a different vid that the only option is to call for a rescue. Down climbing isn’t an option

[@makego]

@@inkscratch "On sight" means climbing it without having done it before. That's what he was referring to doing with the cobbles route. But if a route is established and has a rating, you have an idea of what you're up against relative to your skill level.

[@peterboyle4370]

I've been bitten by a red spider while on a climb in Tahquitz. Stuck my hand in a crack, and the spider ran out across the back of my hand, paused... then bit. By the time I lowered down my arm had swollen up Then 20 mins later back down again. Miles from medical care, so thank goodness it was ok.

[@CJski]

One of my favorite places. Love that SoCal granite.

[@plasmaastronaut]

i need to chalk up just to type on my keyboard my palms are so sweaty after these scary stories.

[@EGarrett01]

7:30 Even having both his feet break off mid-climb is not a problem for Alex.

[@ninjaswordtothehead]

I soloed exactly one time. All it took was a juggy 45 foot cliff to make me realize I am not that guy. The climb was well below my ability at the time and I had zero difficulties. It was looking down at the route and realizing I wasn't tied in that got me.

[@iambiggus]

Had a climbing friend in school get swarmed by wasps climbing in Mohonk, NY. Thankfully he wasn't that high up and was able to get down fast, but when he started to yell down about it he got stung on the tongue. We were done for the day.

[@ginamarie5575]

He’s meant to be doing exactly what his doing with his time here on earth . Amazing to us normals that he’s still alive to tell these tales omg 😅

[@seatownfan]

I don’t understand what he said at the beginning, ‘shoved the flake back in’ ?

[@Clearlight201]

Like the man says, you never know how close because it didn't happen .... >.... Michael Ybarra, Dwight Bishop, John Bachar, Derek Hersey have left the chat ....>

[@JoeyTroesken]

Great interview

[@shmackatrotsky5394]

homie be freesoloing sandcastles and mud towers, scrambling up faster than the wall crumbles down lol

[@cappy2282]

Dude is a legend

[@mohammadtahaafzal]

"sorted of started to go backward a little bit" - that's also called falling to your death !

[@gary7466]

Almost died after getting lost on a dead easy trail mistakenly walking up an animal trail and slipping off a slope when trying to get back. It was so weird; I thought the hike would be a cakewalk.

[@harborwolf22]

His non-chalance is insane. When he brought Magnus soloing he was so casual with how he talks about death and shit... Different world.

[@TheGreatestJuJu]

With the vibes of the set, I think this video also doubles as a hostage video.

[@FT4Freedom]

Climbing sandstone cobbles and mud plates. Yah. 🎉

[@hallstewart]

He’s right. It’s outdoor adventure and it does not matter what level, shit sometimes happens.

[@Pepstermine1]

He’s wired so differently… much respect.

[@Chance-ry1hq]

It will be a sad day when Alex has a real miss instead of a near miss. It seems it’s just a matter of time…

[@Mike-ud6hd]

The real tragedy that's more likely to happen is that his age could catch up to him and a move he once could do in his sleep will cause the fall. Of course his sport is very dangerous but someone as experienced and skilled as Alex would essentially need to lose 3/4 points of contact in order to really fall and not recover. But his skill and confidence that makes him so great is the very thing that can catch him off guard as he loses strength and stability in his body with age. Touch Wood.

[@area51r]

You're a matter of time 😂😅😂

[@ripevanwinkle494]

You think he gonna be free soloing in his fifties? he gonna stop before he becomes sticky stuff on a rock.

[@Chance-ry1hq]

@@ripevanwinkle494 He’ll be free soloing in his 50s, if he lives that long. He will be another John Bachar.

[@commiehunter733]

That's how all the greats go out😢

[@229glock]

I’m pretty sure Alex’s version of scary is way different than mine.

[@EvanFromJersey]

00:38 so true. I think back to this regular hike we took in college. Mount Tammany, classic NJ hike. But on the way up out of nowhere we came 10 feet away from a hissing rattler and yeah... it's sketchy and makes you think where you're walking.

[@brucesmith1544]

lol

[@JamesSoult]

“It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.”

[@JasperJobs]

His legend is So that he's still alive.

[@audreybarnes6527]

Is there a way to train for these near misses? Climbing hold that actually brake...

[@ericflores2929]

I died a thousand times watching this dude 😮😅

[@1984WillC]

these free solo guys are cookoo

[@grantjohnson952]

Alex does not process fear like a normal human.

[@lw216316]

I misread the title - I thought it said closet call - as a way of saying needing to go to the bathroom....and I'm thinking - there is only one option, right?

[@EricHanefi]

Alex was as terrified as his brain allowed him to be, so mildly concerned

[@grantstevensbreak]

Rock climbers have surpassed surfers regarding “dude bro” jargon.

[@chancevonfreund9145]

These guys are amazing climbers! I tip my hat🎩

[@pupujinki4132]

lol @ trying to deflect the dangers of what he does. "there's dangers while hiking or trail running!" 😂

[@why6212]

You better not look at how dangerous driving is

[@gwynjones747]

Has anybody noticed that Alex’s surname is an anagram of “Hold On”!

[@InfernalPasquale]

You going for the 'hostage final plea' aesthetic? 😂

[@DJAntonetti]

The fact that he casually talks about his body going back when a piece he’s grabbing onto begins to come out as though it’s a minor inconvenience that took him by surprise for a moment but, “Meh… guess I’ll just keep climbin…” I think that kind of thing would have had me in an immediate heart attack and I would have fallen. Then again, I’d have gotten dizzy and fallen after about 30 ft off the ground. I found it interesting that they scanned his brain while showing him high stress images and there was no reaction at all. He’s just wired differently

[@aisforairborne]

Tom Brady, LeBron James, etc. This man here is the real GOAT athlete.

[@Lbfent2]

I've wondered how much a simple sneeze might cause a major mishap.