Free Solo Movie

I find Dean's mom's comment kinda interesting.  I wonder if she knows Dean didn't die jumping off El Cap?  That is a factually incorrect statement and one that I'm surprised his mom would make. 

Mikey Schaefer wrote: In a sense you are right but I think in reality how you feel about Alex soloing is very different than how I felt while shooting Free Solo.  A couple fundamental differences, first there was zero chance that you were going to see Alex die in front of you.  The emotional risk of having to watch that happen is extremely high verse learning that Alex died through normal media outlets.  Those experiences aren’t even comparable.  Secondly if Alex was to die while I was filming there was a good chance my life and career would drastically change.  Just imagine how I would be viewed in the media, on MP.com, on supertopo, by climbers and the general public?  There is a good chance I would be viewed as being complicit in Alex’s death.  Pile that on top of how I would already feel about losing a close friend.  I think that weight could of easily crushed me.  Just the thought of all that being a reality was extremely emotionally taxing.  It took me months after we finished shooting to feel normal again.  I can’t be certain how you would of reacted and the impacts it would of had on your life but I would be surprised if it was similar.  

And yes, I'd say the emotions I felt while working on Free Solo are EXTREMELY hard to articulate and something I still struggle to do.  Hopefully the above does shed a bit more light on it though.

Thanks Mikey. Can I say one more time that you guys did a spectacular job filming the climb?

As far as emotions, I didn’t mean to make it sound as if all of us would be affected by Alex’s death the same way (hypothetically, and hopefully not for many years to come). Of course not, people who would see it, people who are closely connected to him would feel much more acutely. I’m just saying that all of us can imagine how we would feel if someone close to us, someone we cared deeply about, were to die soloing while we filmed/watched. But obviously for you it wasn’t just imagining, it was a much more real possibility. 
And yes, I know people who are even now saying that filming free soloing for the world to see is irresponsible, because it encourages such behavior, so I can only imagine how much more this sentiment would be amplified if something tragic were to happen while filming. 

Mikey, no one has any real  understanding of what it is like to violently   lose a young person  whom you are close to unless they have been through it.  Lot's of  speculation  by  folks who have no  clue.  I  feel  for all  of Alexs  friends and  family.  That  being  said  you guys did a great job with the movie.  

My  guess is that Deans  mom  is still  pretty  traumatised  by the whole thing and likely lumps the whole park into one bad place that hurts.. 

Marc801 C wrote:

I don't know. $190/hr seems pretty viable to me.

http://www.universalcoachinstitute.com/life-coach-salary/

Thanks for posting this information. I figured life coach was a joke of a job until I read the Universal Life Coach Institute website and learned about how much money they earn. Now I know that life coach is a lucrative profession that anyone can do after paying for the training and certification that is available from the Universal Life Coach Institute.

Mikey thanks for sharing your thoughts. The movie you helped to make was beautiful. In particular, I think the movie has made a huge impact on people in my life who are not climbers but have climbers close to them. Even though Alex's ventures are far more dangerous and impressive than the everyday climber, I think many of his motivations resonate with a lot of climbers who strive towards excellence and accept a certain amount of risk in that pursuit. After my father, who isn't a climber, saw the film, we had possibly the most intimate discussion about why I climb that we've ever had, and I feel like he is closer to understanding a fundamental part of who I am. I can only thank you and this film for that.

Slop Send wrote:

Thanks for posting this information. I figured life coach was a joke of a job until I read the Universal Life Coach Institute website and learned about how much money they earn. Now I know that life coach is a lucrative profession that anyone can do after paying for the training and certification that is available from the Universal Life Coach Institute.

as a LICENSED psychologist, a couple things here:  first, a 'certification' can take a couple weeks/months of classes even without a degree and often issued by an independently accredited board (such as the board of Life Coaching USA) that essentially creates the 'certificate' as a way of standardizing the industry.  I became a Certified Drug and Alcohol Counselor after a couple courses and a pretty easy test at the end.  And thats a more scrutinized certification.  Even in my field, there are some pretty janky certs.  Whenever you see the word "certification" you need to look who is ISSUING it. Many times, these boards will report HIGH END salaries as a way of attracting people.  Sure, some coaches in NY or Silicon Valley may get $190 an hour.  Do you think people in Oklahoma or the desert of Utah are pulling that?

As far as a LICENSE.  that word refers to  being issued by a  state agency.  My Psychologist License required 12 years of university, 1 year of pre-doctoral work, 2 years of postdoctoral work and passing an exam that requires about 3-5 months of studying.  Even cosmetology or barber licenses requires 1000+ hours of in-field training. big difference from a certification.

The only thing missing from this thread is a detailed discussion of proper anchor-building techniques, debate on if you can truly trad without hexes, and argument over placing cams in horizontal slots.

Tom Dursch wrote: The only thing missing from this thread is a detailed discussion of proper anchor-building techniques, debate on if you can truly trad without hexes, and argument over placing cams in horizontal slots.

I did both yesterday, I guess I’m good. 

Interesting perspective

I liked that Climbing article you linked. I think he has a pretty good point that the media and 'fan base' likely do encourage Alex.

But I found myself wishing the author had asked himself: 'would Alex have soloed El Cap if no one was around?". I think the answer to that question is almost certainly--yes. 

I do think that the film, perhaps unintentionally, glorifies free soloing. Every time I climb in the Flatirons, it seems there are more people “scrambling”, like this dude who came running up behind me one pitch below the top of the First Flatiron this past Saturday. 

Mike D wrote: I do think that the film, perhaps unintentionally, glorifies free soloing. Every time I climb in the Flatirons, it seems there are more people “scrambling”, like this dude who came running up behind me one pitch below the top of the First Flatiron this past Saturday.

Those dudes are training for the Satan's Minions races. Super fun but a full on lungbuster to do. It's a thing, look it up..

pic by Bill Wright
http://www.wwwright.com/climbing/speed/flatirons.htm

Mike D wrote: I do think that the film, perhaps unintentionally, glorifies free soloing. Every time I climb in the Flatirons, it seems there are more people “scrambling”, like this dude who came running up behind me one pitch below the top of the First Flatiron this past Saturday.

People have been scrambling the Flatirons before you were born. The route you climbed was put up by a 15 year old, who also wrote one the first the guidebooks for the area.  This is not a new phenomenon.

Hank Caylor wrote:

Those dudes are training for the Satan's Minions races. Super fun but a full on lungbuster to do. It's a thing, look it up..

pic by Bill Wright
http://www.wwwright.com/climbing/speed/flatirons.htm

I’ve heard of that race. This guy might have been training for that, but I’m guessing the other 15 people who passed us on the route weren’t training for the race. 
Look, I get the appeal of soloing. I’ve certainly done some soloing well below my limits in the past (my hardest free solo was a .10c). I’m not going to bust someone’s chops for doing it.
But a lot people are way too blasé about scrambling. I’ve seen obvious beginner climbers soloing in running shoes. I saw one get stuck on the First once while I was walking down the trail. 
My climbing partner knocked a fist-sized stone off while leading our fourth pitch. It bounced over my head and down onto the lower part of the route. No one was hit, but that could easily end a soloist. 

Lena chita wrote:
Interesting perspective 

Good article but I disagree with how Corrigan essentially guesses at what personally motivates Alex. Corrigan can't read Alex's mind and can never know what deep down motivates him to free solo.  

My guess is that Alex has free soloed a shit ton more than what he has ever talked about, Proving he would do it even if he received no money and validation.

I recall a Black Diamond video in which he sums up why he free soloes, simply, "Because it's fucking cool...". If that's why he does it that's good enough for me.

Long Ranger wrote:

People have been scrambling the Flatirons before you were born. The route you climbed was put up by a 15 year old, who also wrote one the first the guidebooks for the area.  This is not a new phenomenon.

No shit... I didn't realize Ament was 15 when he put it up. If MP's page on the route is accurate, he may have been 14. That's great, but has, quite literally, nothing to do with the dangers of scrambling in the Flatirons today.

Was the route put up as a free solo? Did they have other climbers climbing above them kicking off loose pieces and dropping crap down the face?

I'm all for people pushing limits, but with climbs that are basically shooting galleries of rocks and gear being knocked down the face, soloing is incredibly stupid. If someone wants to make the call that they are willing to accept the risk, that's fine. But let's not pretend that they are doing anything special.

Mike D wrote: I do think that the film, perhaps unintentionally, glorifies free soloing.

Right or wrong climbing media has been very intentionally glorifying free soloing from the inception of climbing media and this film is no different.

I did really appreciate how the film portrayed soloing though, which I though was different than how it is typically done.  I felt having gods of the sport like Tommy and Jimmy say they didn't like that Alex free solo'ed (or something to that effect) was an excellent counter perspective.  I felt that showing THE god Alex H. back off when it just didn't feel right made quite a statement.  The film also specifically made the statement (Tommy I think said it) that pretty much everyone who has made free soloing a part of their career has died which needed to be said.  I'm not sure if they did that to make the solo seem all that much scarier or to actually present the counter perspective but it was in the film regardless.

You can't make a movie, particularly not a mainstream release movie, about soloing without inherently glorifying it.  However, I felt it has done the best of anything to date about showing all the emotion and all the negatives of soloing.

Mike D wrote: No shit... I didn't realize Ament was 15 when he put it up. If MP's page on the route is accurate, he may have been 14. That's great, but has, quite literally, nothing to do with the dangers of scrambling in the Flatirons today.

Was the route put up as a free solo? Did they have other climbers climbing above them kicking off loose pieces and dropping crap down the face?

I'm all for people pushing limits, but with climbs that are basically shooting galleries of rocks and gear being knocked down the face, soloing is incredibly stupid. If someone wants to make the call that they are willing to accept the risk, that's fine. But let's not pretend that they are doing anything special.

Your whole post was about seeing more people scramble in the Flatirons. (1 - nothing new, and as you say, (2 "Nothing special" (3 probably more popular now, as climbing is more popular now, as hiking in Chautauqua is more popular now, as there are more people in Boulder now, etc.

It's not a response to Freesolo, "glorifying" freesoloing. Unless you're asking people who come up? Unless they're wearing matching Alex Honnold North Face shorts, and TC Pros? Other than the casuality of you seeing a scrambler on the First, and the movie comes out - what exactly are you basing your theory on?

Mike Slavens wrote:

Right or wrong climbing media has been very intentionally glorifying free soloing from the inception of climbing media and this film is no different.

I did really appreciate how the film portrayed soloing though, which I though was different than how it is typically done.  I felt having gods of the sport like Tommy and Jimmy say they didn't like that Alex free solo'ed (or something to that effect) was an excellent counter perspective.  I felt that showing THE god Alex H. back off when it just didn't feel right made quite a statement.  The film also specifically made the statement (Tommy I think said it) that pretty much everyone who has made free soloing a part of their career has died.  

You can't make a movie, particularly not a mainstream release movie, about soloing without inherently glorifying it.  However, I felt it has done the best of anything to date about showing all the emotion and all the negatives of soloing.

Right, I keep forgetting this is a thread about the film.

The film itself was easily the best climbing film I have ever seen. Having met, and climbed with, some of the people in the film, I definitely appreciate where they are coming from. It's hard to watch your friends do things that could easily get them killed. I've lost climbing partners over the nearly quarter century that I've been at this. I've had the fortune of never having been severely injured climbing (a shoulder dislocation, a sprained ankle here and there, and a wrecked left thumb tendon from a bouldering fall are about as bad as I've had).

I found myself connecting more with Sanni while watching it, probably because I've been there to witness my wife do crazy and fairly dangerous things on her bike. Of course, Sanni knew what she was getting into when she and Alex met.

I might just be old school enough to agree with Peter Croft's assertion that soloing has to be done for the right reasons. I remember a friend of mine going through a bad divorce. He drove out to Lover's Leap at free-soloed 'The Line' (a classic 5.9). He said that when he was about halfway up, he realized how stupid it was to do that. He finished the climb, but was never so bold again after that. I had a similar experience on a 5.7+ at Castle Rock (California) where I scared myself onsight free soloing the crux, 60' off the deck.