Heroes? !!

David Coley wrote:I tend to think about those that are doing (or have done) something a bit more hard core than climbing. e.g. bbc.co.uk/news/health-29680400 gets ebola, lives, returns to Africa. That last piece doesn't look so bad after that.

The reason I question the hero thing is because all these people are just that and they started out as humbly as you or I. 'Hero' also implies there is some 'breed apart' when in reality nothing could be further from the truth. So many varying visions (real and imagined), dreams, motivations, obsessions, addictions, rages, reasons, voices, pathologies, emotional strengths and weaknesses or combinations of all of the above have driven the best climbers throughout the modern era. Don't think for a minute they aren't as human as you in every respect.

Fred Rogers. Did exactly what he wanted, and still helped and entertained thousands and thousands of people.

Lots of people. Jimmy Chin, Alex Honnold, Hazel Findlay, Emily Harrington, Tommy Caldwell, Dean Potter, Lynn Hill, Steph Davis, Conrad Anker, Dan Osman. All the rad trad climbers out there!

My climbing heroes are heroes for doing something for people outside of climbing. Libby Sauter inspires me by her work as a nurse and she happens to be a badass climber, but her climbing isn't what makes her a badass: instagram.com/p/BEVQ6bDp9JM/

I think some are taking the whole "hero" word very literally. I think the guy meant who do you look up to or are inspired by in the climbing community. Quit looking for things to nitpick about.

What else are people going to posturize and theorize at 1am about? Late night is all about being literal and self important! ^^^^^^

Chase Utley

I get the most pumped watching Ueli Steck. Second would be Peter Croft. It's their excitement for climbing. They both also make it look easy. Would love to see them climb together.

Not sure about "Hero" though.

matt snyder wrote:Chase Utley

Dana Bartlett wrote: How can you look up to or be inspired by a climber?

Oh! Forgot Tom Randall and Pete Whitaker. They take masochistic offwidth trad climbing to the extreme but are pretty freaking badass in their own right. Watching Tom climb the Final Hour (hard ass limestone trad climb) was both inspiring and horrifying.

Hazel Findlay is also definitely a badass. I have to say, the U.K. definitely has the mental game down. That, or they're just insane...

BURT BRONSON!

Andy Kirkpatrick

When I hear about someone not well known doing something I think is amazing, and the person doesn't even really publicize it in any big way. For example, Brian Barwatt and Jonathan Gallagher climbed Traditions, New Diversions, Arm and Hammer, Catholic Girls Direct, Whippin Boy, and Gom Jabber (OR) at Whiteside all in a day in 2014. Six Whiteside SE Face routes in a day. That's the most impressive achievement in climbing in the Southeast in recent memory, and they didn't really tell anyone.

Any local average Joe or Jane over 55/60 that's still climbing and having fun doing it.

For aid climbing, I'd have to say Spiderman.

Silvia Vidal

Charlie Porter.