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

Is Peaches exaggerating or did you really bamboozle him into fetching cilantro for you? Do you find fresh produce more beneficial than skittles and whiskey when sending the gnar?

Question about the Dawn Wall: Free climbing aside, what kind of aid tricks went into inspecting sections for suitable free-climbing and protecting those sections? I imagine desperate hooking or long rappels to place bolts.

Hey Tommy,
With climbing, comes lots of technical skills and the necessity to manuever rope, weight and mechanics within the vertical environment. What do you believe was one of your most precarious situations in a vertical setting and what knot was most crucial for getting you out of that jam?

Thanks, Jake

P.S.- I just have to know your opinion: Is a hotdog a sandwich?

Hi Tommy,

what role do you think the climbing community will have in the future of environmental conservation? We already have the great folks at the Access Fund working hard, but as our sport grows and more and more people, often young people, transition from the gym to outdoors, can you see this not as a burden on our limited climbing areas but as a great opportunity to teach a new generation sustainable practices and a love for the wild? Do you think we will see any more great, collaborative conservation efforts such as the Patagonia Conservation? If you are optimistic about these possibilities, what steps might we make today to get there?
Thanks for your time and inspiration and have an awesome Spring season.

Climb on!

-Henry

I am curious what you find to be truly meaningful in life?

Are the TC Pros named after you? If so are they your favorite shoe?

Old Lady H, I'm pretty sure that you're responsible for your own safety. If you think that your climbing partner might get you killed it's probably best to not climb with that partner.

My general question is what role does risk play in climbing for you? But More specifically, if all risk (or even a large proportion of risk) could be removed from climbing through technological advancements, would you choose to take that option? Or is risk something that needs to be there for you to enjoy climbing?

What role do you think climbing has to play in the modern human psyche? In other words, a lot of climbers have been asked in the past why they climb ("because it's there", "because we're insane!", "for the views!", "because it's fun"), but I'm interested in why you think we, as humans, should climb. Is it art? Is it sport?

Cheers!

As a parent of a young child I'm always trying to balance the love of climbing with the love of being with my son. He just turned two and isn't showing an interest in climbing yet.

So I wonder, do you have the same dilemma with balancing climbing and home life? How do you find that balance and what advice would you give to myself and other newer parents?

Thank you.

Hey Tommy,

Thanks for doing this!

I'm curious as to how being a father affects how you look at climbing. Not your personal climbing achievements, goals, and training; but rather climbing as a whole sport and lifestyle. Do you see the sport differently than you did ten years ago?

Thanks!

Hi Everyone!

Thanks for adding your questions for Tommy. This is the official cut-off point.

Mr. Caldwell will now pour himself a few fingers of scotch and set about choosing the five questions he'll reply to--AND which two of you will win the Edelrid Boa Eco 9.8 rope.

Stay tuned. We'll announce here and on our Facebook page when he's finished.

SD

Wow! I am very impressed by both the quality and quantity of questions. Due to he sheer number, and my eagerness to do my answers justice (and the fact that my new baby Girl was born 2 weeks early). I am going to take a extra day. I have narrowed it down to 11 finalists. My answers will be in place by tomorrow night.

Cheers
Tommy

congrats!
I'll ask a post-contest question: What's baby girl's name? :-)

-DeDe

Thomas Caldwell wrote:Wow! I am very impressed by both the quality and quantity of questions. Due to he sheer number, and my eagerness to do my answers justice (and the fact that my new baby Girl was born 2 weeks early). I am going to take a extra day. I have narrowed it down to 11 finalists. My answers will be in place by tomorrow night. Cheers Tommy

I can't wait to get my new rope. This is exciting!

climbing friend caldwell!

I need free rope for flash! If you could please pick my question so I am winning, and then bless the rope with a kiss most tender and some scrapings from the inside of your TC pros prior to sending to me, I would most appreciate! Then we have happy-fun-time-euro-dance-party, myah?!?!?

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?

I like this question because it speaks to the heart of mastery, anyone looking to better themselves ponders these very questions. I believe that the successes I have had do not come primarily from natural ability. Of course I am genetically built to be a pretty good climber (scrawny). But there are thousands of climbers out there with far more natural talent than I will ever have. For me it is more motivation and attitude. I am a die-hard optimist; this means I learn to love what I know. I spend my life in the most beautiful places in the world surrounded by psyched people (my dad, Steve Hong, Chris Sharma) to name a few. That is the beauty of a life of a full time climber, a constant flow of inspiration. I have a deep curiosity to explore limits. But I think my greatest attribute comes from what my friend Jim Collins Calles the 20 mile march mentality. Every day I wake up with the same question, What can I do today to bring me a little closer to my gaol. The goal really is just a focal point and changes from time to time. I am addicted to the chase. My mental well being and general view of the world seem to be directly correspond with how vigorously I am perusing that next goal. All the climbs you mentioned were possible for me because of the cumulative time spent bettering myself as a climber.

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?

See previous answer

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?

Advances in technology constantly re-define the game allowing constant progression. There is nothing more motivating than that feeling of progression. But, it in no way takes away from the experience of the past. Do you look at Royal Robbins or Warren Harding and think to yourself, “those guys were so light duty”. I doubt it, if anything, the advances in technology serve only to create nostalgia and admiration for the people that managed to climb without that technology. Technology is the reason rock faces like El Cap has been able to constantly reinvent itself for each generation. First as a question of “is it possible to merely climb the thing using any means. To how fast, or how blank of a section of the wall, or can these routes go free. Who knows what the future will look like, but I am excited to see it go down.

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?

I once read a quote from Andrew Bisheret “Climbing is about deriving meaning from the meaningless”. Its true, on a practical level climbing is quite meaningless. But aren’t most endeavors. Like say, typing on a internet forum, or any sporting endeavor, or making money, or having kids. What is truly selfless. I am sure even Mother Teresa derived personal satisfaction from helping others. Having kids is a great example of what many call a selfless. I absolutely disagree. From a environmental standpoint, having kids must be about the worst thing you do. The media event surrounding climbing the Dawn Wall created the opportunity for me to help a bunch of charitable organizations by presenting at fundraisers, (about 25 last year) for now this seems to be the mot effective way for me to give back. Part of the reason I do this is to give back. But I also do it because it makes me feel good. So maybe I am dong it because I am selfish? As climbers, we may be more selfish than most, But I like to think that climbing fosters good things like a appreciation for our natural world (and a subsequent want to protect), comradery, love of life, love of people. To me, these are the beautiful things in life that we need more of.

2) Desert Rat

1) Years ago, when you cut off your finger, what were the psychological repurcussions? How long was it before you knew that it wouldn't affect your climbing at the harder levels?

Cutting off my finger had the psychological repercussion of making me realize how much I valued climbing (because I wondered if I would still be able live the life through climbing that I lived) It made me buckle down, train harder. I had to want it more so I wouldn’t loose it. Surprisingly, This became the biggest moment of growth in my climbing. It pushed me in the direction of El Cap and more adventurous forms of climbing (because I knew my fingers would never be as strong as they were for steep sport climbing and bouldering). It turns out I was much better at adventure climbing anyway. Its called Post traumatic growth, its actually pretty common.

2) Has your approach to risk changed since you became a father? When you go after projects like the Patagonia traverse, does thinking about Fitz play a role on the your level of acceptable risk, either consciously or subconsciously?

The big change that being a father had made in regards to risk is that I am much more thoughtful. I heavily consider the risks that I choose to take. It hasn’t really changed my day-to-day decisions though because I always chose to climb things I was relatively sure I would live through. I would say that I am more motivated by climbs that challenge Physical and psychological limits and less motivated by climbs that toy with the risk line. I won’t climb under hanging snow fields or in bad avalanche terrain. I rope up on glaciers; I look for big clean rock faces with little chance for rock fall. I admire hard work over boldness. But I still love a great adventure. Some of this might come from the fact that I am naturally relatively bold but weak. We tend to value the finite. The last thing I want to do as a father is to live in fear. I want to foster in my kids the ability to asses risk so that they will be prepared for a world where a certain amount of risk is inevitable. Climbing provides a great classroom for that.

3) Looking back on the time you were captured by rebel forces while on the wall in the middle east, do you find you have any PTSD left over from having to attempt to kill someone else in order to escape safely?

I will probably never fully understand the psychological effects of the events in Kyrgyzstan. What is PTSD anyway? I know that ever since that trip I have felt the need to live everyday to its fullest. I value family and friendship more now. I had a few nightmares in the months after the trip. My x-wifes Therapist blamed our divorce on a codependency issues that were a ripple effect from Kyrgyzstan. For the most part Kyrgyzstan was a coming of age moment that made the rest of life seem pretty mellow in comparison. It redefined suffering and stress and fear. I doubt I would be where I am today without that experience.

3) John Sol.

With a career focused around a esoteric pasttime, do you ever feel that you could be doing something more important?

I vacillate between thinking what I do is super selfish and thinking that I am taking advantage of my only god given gift. When you think about it, most artistic pursuits could be put into a similar category. But what would the world look like without art or creativity? I love this question because it reminds me that we should strive to be less self-centered. (I am the first to admit that I am hugely self-centered)

This is not to belittle you or your achievements, but do you ever consider changing to a career that adds societal value?

For better or worse climbing is what I know and what I love. I don’t consider changing careers because I feel incredibly lucky to have the career that I have. With climbing get to be a explorer of sorts. I think anyone that has this opportunity in life should seize it.

What does it look like to you to have a meaningful impact as a climber?

What is meaningful impact anyway? I mean, Climbers aren’t saving the world. We are just doing the best we can with what we know. And it makes for a pretty great life.


4) Jeff Mcleod

Hey Tommy,

Climbing is often described as a lifestyle sport -- for the 99% of us who don't make any money from it, it can involve considerable sacrifice. We might work seasonal jobs or low-paying jobs, we're constantly broke, we move around so much that it's hard to date, we trash our bodies over and over again, yet we love it, too much to slow down sometimes, we have this urgency, at least I do. I like to think that all this is worth it, that it makes me a better person for some reason -- and I've tried to articulate this in talking to friends or family and even on job applications and the like. But it's difficult to put into words; maybe you can help.

My question for you is, what do you take down with you from the mountains, that becomes part of your identity, that shows itself in your interactions with "normal citizens?" Where does all this struggle, this eating out of cans for weeks, this sleeping in the dirt, this rejection of comfort and stability, end up in your soul, your self? Can you articulate your perception of rock climbing as a worthwhile human endeavor in terms of its effects on the individual, if you do indeed see it as that?

Jeff, you have obviously been infected by the wonders of climbing in a way that few will be able to understand. That’s a gift. You will miss those days of living out of a car and eating out of a can when they are gone. But eventually you must evolve. While living this life in your twenties is a tribute to great things like idealism and freedom and simplicity, Living that way in your seventies looses a bit of its romantic appeal. (although I do admire Fred Becky for his single minded focus towards climbing for his entire life). The climbing life teaches us that we don’t need much, It shows us how to mange risk, It immerses us in a world that is so energizing that we just become psyched people. Psyched people are usually really successful. The most interesting and life loving people I know lived at least a portion of there lives in elective squallier. I think its good for the soul.

5) Gavin W

Hi Tommy! A couple of questions:

1. How do you feel that the media coverage around your Dawn Wall project affected the way climbing is perceived in popular culture? Do you think that it will accelerate the process of climbing becoming more mainstream, or was it ridiculously difficult enough (in the eyes of the average American) that it remains a novelty?

The Dawn wall did bring climbing into the consciousness of a lot of people that had not previously understood it. For most of my life, Climbing was a sport for counterculturalists and misfits. Now its cool. This both adds to and takes away from the appeal for me. Climbing is destined to become more mainstream weather we like it or not. That would happen regardless of the Dawn Wall.

2. Related to that, do you think the outdoor crags in North America are ready for the seemingly imminent influx of gym/recreational climbers that are new to the sport? It seems like we are getting to the point where, at some crags, bolts have been around long enough that they need to be replaced. How can the average climber help ease the transition period so that the crags remain both a safe and a clean space? (The Salathe Sweep project you just did with BD comes to mind). Or will the crags never be safe enough, and do people just need to accept that risk?

Impact is unfortunate and inevitable, But I am a optimist and have observed that in places where the climbing resource is limited (like England) climbers take care of there crags. More climbers means more climbing stewards. I applaud ethical stringency because it tends to protect the environment. I hope that one day every climber feels peer pressured into contributing in some way, weather it means in time or financial contributions to organizations like the Access Fund or ASCA, or a local affiliate. In one way climbing gyms increasing the number of people at the crags. But in another the gyms are getting so good that they are actually more appealing than going to the crag. As crags get more crowded more gyms will be built and provide a alternative for the vast majority. The balance will fluctuate but I believe stay manageable. Climbing is dangerous, But so is driving and living. What are the risks of a sedentary life? Heart disease, diabetes, obesity. I believe climbing is already “safe enough” Risk is inherent to living.


3. As a father, how do you anticipate that you will introduce Fitz to climbing? Are you at all concerned that your level of dedication will scare him away from the sport that you love if he's not ready to make a huge commitment to it as a kid? How can you mitigate that? (I ask as a hopeful future father, and also a husband who is hoping to make the transition from single pitch sport to, eventually, multipitch trad with my wife)

I am gong to show Fitz how fun climbing can be, give him all the opportunity in the world to be a climber. Maybe even nudge him in that direction at times, But ultimately he will be his own person. For Fitz, not being a climber would probably be a due to his need to be a individual outside of his family. I applaud individuality.

6) Mattm

- With your recent, major accomplishments pushing into the mainstream and other ventures likely taking up more of your time, what do you envision as your future "lifestyle" in climbing, particularly with a growing family?

I am sure the balance will come and go. Right now the balance is tough because of a new baby girl combined with professional obligations. Its made it so that I am not getting much sleep or getting outside climbing much. But I see this as a season in life. It’s a constant learning process that is both challenging and exciting. Its all a learning process and I feel super lucky to live the life that I do.

- You, many of your peers (Alex et al) and select younger climbers all appear to have embraced a different world "attitude" in regards to climbing. Eschewing the wild and rebellious "fight the man" days, the "new gen" seems to embrace a much more enlightened style of both climbing a lot but also using the medium to better the world around them. Do you think that's an accurate observation? Why the change?

I believe climbers are just better adjusted than they used to be. Part of me is saddened by this because it removes some of the color. There was a sentimental appeal to seeing the world differently through climbing. People punching each other in the face over ethical debates around camp fires was really exciting. If climbing can be used to better the world, than we must do it. The growth of the industry creates a platform to make a difference that just wasen’t possible before. That’s really cool.

Great replies Tommy! Thanks for doing this! :)

Thoughtful and surprisingly candid answers! Super cool that this came together. I look forward to putting the rope to good use on some adventure climbing. Thanks again Tommy!

Thank you to Tommy, MP, Edelrid and REI for putting on this Q&A.