Ask Tommy Caldwell // Win a FREE Edelrid Boa Eco 9.8

Tommy,
Your climbing accomplishments to this point are truly inspiring and have an unusually broad spectrum for any one individual: gymnastic difficulty/strength (eg Flex Luthor), Risk management/alpine suffering (eg Fitz traverse), and long term commitment/endurance (eg Dawn Wall). Do you consider yourself an outlier in terms of ability, motivation, and/or attitude? What is your greatest attribute that has allowed you to reach this level?

To what degree can you account your rise and success to your physical and social environment including: Living in Estes with a climbing focused family and community, formative mentors and peers such as your Dad, S. Hong, C. Sharma; Climbing at an early age and in a setting of focused training/indoor gyms and fully accepts sport climbing/bouldering? What is the most significant external factor that you think has lead to your success?

Throughout the history of climbing there have been numerous quantum leap advancements: think sticky rubber, cams, form fitting shoes, legitimate belay techniques, dynamic ropes, fixed climbing protection, focus on free climbing, bouldering, sport climbing, climbing as an athletic sport as opposed to means to summit or to have an adventure, climbing as a career. What will it mean for your accomplishments if a substantial "advancement " allows the rest of us punters to run up the Dawn Wall before lunch?

Climbing has been accused at times of being a pointless and selfish endeavor, a means with no end. Occasional defenses of climbing involve abstracts such a facilitating self growth, learning about one self, inspiring the masses etc. What has climbing given/taught to you in life besides a career path and a decent living?

Thanks,
Matt

Ha - Matt had a similar angle to what I was going to ask. Anyways:

Tommy,

You're one of the few climbers in the world who has both climbed 5.15 sport and hard multipitch/big wall trad (Dawn Wall), not to mention the Fitz Traverse. How have you split your time/training for such radically different climbs, particularly while being a father? Do you try to maintain your edge in both worlds, or do you simply dive headlong into whichever project strikes your fancy? Are there aspects of both disciplines that you feel crossover, and if so, how have you managed to maximize your training to remain so well-rounded?

Which superpower would you choose? The ability to fly, or be invisible, and why.

I'm sorry, I though I could come up with something better, some of the previous questions got a little to deep for me!

Tommy, aren't these questions driving you to drink? Sorry about that (question).

Here's mine: What's your favorite desert? And dessert?

As someone new to the sport, who is looking to start going outside, and wants to preserve access to climbing, what three things are most critical to ensure that existing and new climbing opportunities remain available?

Tommy,
Being a parent of young children while at the same time being a talented mountaineer/climber at the top of your career brings hard choices for you and your wife. What factors weigh in to your decisions regarding what adventures to be a part of or plan which take you away from your family and pose significant risk to your safety. How do you determine which expeditions or climbs are more valuable than time with your wife and the random moments in your children’ lives? There are generations of talented adventurers who have mulled these questions, I’m curious how you, as a representative of the new “more involved” fathers of the modern age of parenting, work through these questions and make it work.
Thank you.

What is the most tedious or bothersome part of being an outdoor athlete/in the spotlight?

I hope that this isn't a repeat question, but not enough that I am going to read all of the posts here. When you are on a big wall climb, and bivy at the start of a hard pitch (as in the hard traverse pitch on the DW), how do you warm up for that climb? Or do you just wake up and try to send?

Hey Tommy, watching you freeing el cap routes has gotten me psyched to do the same one day. To me, it seems that the next step is to climb these routes ground up, ideally onsite. Any advice/ thoughts on this?

This might not be the first time for this question but had you not completed the Dawn wall ever in your lifetime how would you feel about it? Sorry to edit. Can you parlay with Honnold to go on the Joe Rogan Experience cause I loved his episode and think yours would be dope!!!!

We all know you have been on top of some incredible peaks and in some inspiring places, but out of all you travels what is in the valleys in between, what have you seen that breaks your heart?

Was your first spiritual experience at The Monastery?

Hey there Mr. Caldwell,

I want to first say I am beyond excited to get my hands onto your upcoming book that your writing. A little background... I grew up in the midwest in an area that had absolutely no climbing within 3 hours of me so I was never exposed to it. I first heard of climbing my freshman year in college I still was in an area now 8 hours from any climbing at all. I then had the opportunity this past summer after graduating college to move to NW Montana. I went climbing and fell in love! Ever since then I been training and climbing on a daily basis. If I am not climbing or working I would be found reading books about climbs or climbers.

As for the thought provoking question: With climbing becoming more popular over the past few years... how does a newcomer transition into this sport without causing conflict with the old timers/pioneers? While at the same time how does someone who has been part of the sport before this rise of climbers, help the newcomer? I am fortunate to in an area that is not over populated by any means but I spent a couple months this past fall in Minnesota with overcrowding at crags there was always this cloud of emotions between the people who once knew the area has having no one but with these new people they necessarily aren't happy about it.

-Andrew

Tommy,
This last year I watched your Ted talk and was super impressed with how you described elective hardship.
I have 2 sons that climb with me and have been working on getting them to push themselves into hard/challenging things that help them grow. Thanks for your talk, it has inspired me to help them get stronger through climbing and other challenges.
Here is the question:
What other things did your Dad do to help you grow to become a physically, mentally and spiritually strong person?

Thanks, from one father to another,
Dan

Hi Tommy-

When you lose motivation to climb(if you ever do), what other hobbies and activities do you pursue and why? Thank you for your consideration, cheers!

Marc

Tommy,

What words of wisdom would you give to those younger than yourself?

(This is not about climbing, but perhaps some motto or guide you try to follow that you think would generally help others.)

Hi Tommy,

1. What did you do to stay positive after injuring your hand on that table saw, and how long was your recovery/return to hard climbing?

2. What's a decision you made on a climb you regret, or something you routinely did earlier in your climbing career that you don't do any more which other climbers (everyone on this forum) can learn from?

3. What's your favorite thing to do other than climbing? (And watching Fitz grow up. Can't make it too easy!)

Bonus - If I run into you climbing will you sign my TC Pros "Alex Honlove?"

Since your TC pros are pretty much the standard on multi-pitch climbing on granite, if you could design another climbing product, what would it be and how would it be different?

Thanks for doing this, you've been a huge inspiration for me ever since I started climbing.

I just finished listening to your episode on the Enormocast, which got me thinking about the partners you've had for some of your biggest projects. Beth, Kevin, Alex...they obviously all bring a totally different dynamic to the table. How do you choose your partners for both everyday training and cutting-edge objectives? You have the unique luxury of being able to climb with just about anyone out there, so what kind of team dynamic do you aim for when picking climbing partners and what kind of teams have you found to be the most successful?

Hi Tommy,
Firtly love your work man. :)

My question is in relation to the Fitz Massif that you and Alex did.
It's obvious the Alex is a Machine at what he does best.
I would really like to know how you really felt and what you actually thought when you both took on the Fitz project.
Knowing that Alex had zero experience in this terrain, and then you subsequently find out he has the wrong type of crampons with him.
Were there times when you though that you have made a mistake bringing him along. If so how did you deal with that doubt?