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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 FrojoS on Tuesday June 06, 2017 @05:09PM (#14501361)
No, climbing without a rope is the purest form of the sport and has been around for longer than nylon ropes and harnesses.

I don't know much about F1 races but I guess say a fairer comparison would be doing time trials alone on the track versus actual races where you risk the collision with other drivers. The former is safer but the latter is more interesting, not just because it's more dangerous.

Maybe this video gives you a feeling for why free solo is romanticized and worshiped so much in the climbing community. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hz5w7q5GHuc&t=3m25s

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Re:Alex Honnold Scales El Capitan Without Ropes, and the Cli... by AcerbicZero on Tuesday June 06, 2017 @05:41PM (#14501639)
Like I've said elsewhere, I have no problem with people who want to climb this way, and they're free to do whatever makes them happy. My point is that introducing needless risk doesn't enhance the achievement to me.

Unless I'm seriously missing something about the "sport" of climbing, the point is to climb. My chosen hobby of auto racing involves plenty of risk, but we don't leave our helmets at home to somehow make it more "pure".

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Re:Alex Honnold Scales El Capitan Without Ropes, and the Cli... by s0rce on Tuesday June 06, 2017 @06:55PM (#14502198)
Its not only more pure its much faster, if the numbers I found were right by free-soloing el cap Alex Honnold beat his previous speed climing record by 16h (20 to 4h). I'm guessing if removing a helmet increased the speed by 5x many daredevil race car drivers might consider it, its not exactly a safe hobby to start with.

source: http://www.yosemitebigwall.com/speed-climbing

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Re:Alex Honnold Scales El Capitan Without Ropes, and the Cli... by _vlamacko on Tuesday June 06, 2017 @07:00PM (#14502223)
In my understanding it adds to the mental challenge aspect of rock climbing. Think of it as adding difficulty rather than introducing risk. Therefore it could be argued it does enhance the achievement.
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Re:Alex Honnold Scales El Capitan Without Ropes, and the Cli... by mbostleman on Tuesday June 06, 2017 @08:53PM (#14502884)
For added context, Steph Davis was previously married to Dean Potter (free soloist among numerous other things - mentioned above in the list of famous free soloists) and Mario Richard, both of whom died in wingsuit BASE jumps. Steph Davis is also a BASE jumper using wingsuits and parachutes.
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