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A comment on Alex Honnold Scales El Capitan Without Ropes, and the Climbing World Reels. Parent comment

Re:Alex Honnold Scales El Capitan Without Ropes, and the Cli... by hanley on Tuesday June 06, 2017 @03:56PM (#14500719)
You are correct about the difference between freeclimbing and free soloing. Honnold had nothing to save him if he fell. Caldwell and Jorgeson had a rope and gear and a belayer to catch them if they fell, but they climbed their whole route without pulling on gear to help them climb.

They climbed different routes. The Dawn Wall route had not previously been free climbed, it had only been aid climbed before (meaning climbers pulled on gear to help get through the most difficult sections). Honnold climbed a route called Freerider which is easier than the Dawn Wall but still very very very difficult.

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Re:Alex Honnold Scales El Capitan Without Ropes, and the Cli... by baddox on Tuesday June 06, 2017 @10:37PM (#14503296)
Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Dawn Wall distinction was also that they climbed each pitch in order, and each pitch consecutively without a fall. They fell many times, and just had to start from the bottom of the pitch each time they did. I remember hearing slight controversy about them being able to decide where the pitches start and end, effectively choosing the respawn points conveniently. The other distinction was that they couldn't leave the wall before they finished all pitches.
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