New and Experienced Climbers over 50 #39

Lori Milaswrote:

Thanks Cherokee.  I appreciate what you wrote. I guess I’ve got to get my thoughts together on this a little better. Over the last six or seven years I’ve gotten to know Alex‘s mom. Having lost my own kid I really did not want to get close to Dierdre bacause I didn’t think I could handle being around when/of she got “the call”.  But after his successful free solo accomplishment on El cap, I felt like I could relax about this: the worst is over, he survived it, we’re OK.   I know he’s out all the time soloing around red rocks but I just think there’s a time to stop squandering your nine lives.  Is there much more glory left to be had soloing? Certainly nothing that is worth leaving two little girls fatherless.  

Cherokee is right: Honnold is a great climber. Maybe the best there ever was. But what makes him so far above his peers is his abilities as a free soloist. If he quit free soloing he would just be another strong and talented climber, very far from the top, and likely unable to earn a living. So, as crazy as it sounds, that is his job, and he also enjoys doing it, and is successful at it. 

TBH I'm on the fence about it. If it were me i know what i would do.  But then again, that's because I'm wired differently. He is who he is. As with all things where I'm on the fence about something someone else is doing, that simplifies things, and places it squarely into the "none of my business" bucket. 

GO

High Desert Sunrise

Daniel Shivelywrote:

High Desert Sunrise

Good Morning 

Guy Keeseewrote:

Good Morning 

Good Morning

Better than nothing!

I've been without a car now for last two weeks ever since I hit a big deer at night.

Bummer to have missed around 3 or 4 trips to the Gunks in that timeframe.

Auto shop said that it will be at least another full week, maybe more, before it is ready for me to pick up.

Thank the Gods that there is an indoor facility available once per week on West Point for credentialed staff!

Buck, why only once per week?

Sorry about your car Buck. Deer don't seem to be that big until you hit one!!!! We have a deer family living in the woods around our house, and have had numerous near--misses in our driveway.

That's quite an impressive wall at West Point--looks as good as a lot of commercial gyms. Too bad you only have access once a week!!!!

wendy weisswrote:

Buck, why only once per week?

Because ...

;)

It's a wall built and maintained for the West Point Cadet Climbing Team, which competes at Nationals every year and they only allow non-Cadets on it once a week as they do not have the staff to "monitor" non-Cadets, etc. more than that.

I'll take it!  It's "free" (just enlist in the Army and get stationed here!) and yes Alan, it is a VERY good wall.

Best that your taxpaying money can buy!

;)

(I actually think it was funded by Old Grads [prior Cadets who graduated West Point] who donated the money - pretty sure it was not funded by taxes!)

Yall got screwed on the golf courses so its only fair you get a climbing gym! (I'm ex-AF, we had the golf courses...)

Cherokee Nuneswrote:

Yall got screwed on the golf courses so its only fair you get a climbing gym! (I'm ex-AF, we had the golf courses...)

Ha!

True that!

Cherokee Nuneswrote:

Yall got screwed on the golf courses so its only fair you get a climbing gym! (I'm ex-AF, we had the golf courses...)

and the mess halls...mid-rats in said mess halls....excuse me dining facilities  ....a/c in tents...crew rest....

yah how Alex manages (or doesn't manage) risk is whole different level.... that artic ascent Nat Geo thing he did with Hazel Finley put it right up front to the point that some of the crew were freaking out

that artic ascent Nat Geo thing he did with Hazel Finley put it right up front to the point that some of the crew were freaking out

There was a good deal of acting going on in that production   

Cherokee Nuneswrote:

How has the guy made a living from rock climbing? Free soloing. Each of us who have watched video of him doing so, has contributed, and is complicit. He goes in the arena, and he comes out alive and the mob (us) love him for it, and shower him with attention.

I won't be watching it. That's the extent of my discontent.

He makes his living primarily as an entertainer, and everyone who reads and clicks like on articles about him, who follow whatever social media he uses, who watch videos and movies, are contributing to his livelihood.  I wish him well and I hope he lives long and prospers, but I decided many years ago that I would not watch any news of any kind about him.  I don't know if he has an Instagram or X account or a Youtube channel.  I've never seen the movie. I'm vaguely aware of his activities via the osmosis of other people commenting on his activities.

I made this decision because I saw IRL when I was out climbing, a decided uptick in young men soloing - after he started getting press coverage (back when climbing mags were still print media) - and they seemed barely competent as climbers to me, never mind soloists.

Cherokee Nuneswrote:

Lori, Honnold is just wired differently. You don't read much about it but the man regularly solos. He's not going to stop being himself. She knew (or thought she knew (who really knows?)) with whom she was tying the knot. Every climber wife with kids or husband with kids knows her situation in one shape or form or other.

How has the guy made a living from rock climbing? Free soloing. Each of us who have watched video of him doing so, has contributed, and is complicit. He goes in the arena, and he comes out alive and the mob (us) love him for it, and shower him with attention.

I won't be watching it. That's the extent of my discontent.

I don’t watch nor idolise free solo, but then again, climbing is simply exercise to me. Not planning to risk my life on a stair-master.   

Free soloing is a bad example to set, but the entire “Red Bull” lifestyle is. Picking up body parts splattered onto various rocks from wing suits, base jumpers, free solo isn’t much fun as well.

However, if not for the adrenaline filled atmosphere, climbing would be boring to watch, like golf. No matter how many videos people post with “adventure music” playing in the background, it’s not very exciting. A person climbs up using good form with the least amount of effort, finds a good stance to clip in or set protection, sets it, and moves on to the next one and eventually tops out.

Throughout my life, it’s not really about the risk, because that’s what all this training is supposed to mitigate.

A couple of our luminaries here are mentioned in this article about Pete Cleveland.

RIP Pete 

Respect!

  sdpb.org/rural-life-and-his…

Li Huwrote:

I don’t watch nor idolise free solo, but then again, climbing is simply exercise to me. Not planning to risk my life on a stair-master.   

Free soloing is a bad example to set, but the entire “Red Bull” lifestyle is. Picking up body parts splattered onto various rocks from wing suits, base jumpers, free solo isn’t much fun as well.

However, if not for the adrenaline filled atmosphere, climbing would be boring to watch, like golf. No matter how many videos people post with “adventure music” playing in the background, it’s not very exciting. A person climbs up using good form with the least amount of effort, finds a good stance to clip in or set protection, sets it, and moves on to the next one and eventually tops out.

Throughout my life, it’s not really about the risk, because that’s what all this training is supposed to mitigate.

Well said, Li Hu. I really do struggle with this both as a climber and as a mom and friend. Someone dug up an old video of John Bachar yesterday and posted it. Should we be supporting this? I sure didn’t refuse to watch it, even though the guy is dead.

A young climber died here a few years ago free soloing Illusion dweller.  He waited to go up until everyone was gone at the end of the day. Frankly, I was pissed, the smashed bushes and chalk were there every day I walked by and my heart just sank every time I saw it.Was that really necessary?

Here’s the thing about Alex Honnold… I really like him. I feel like I’ve gotten to know him and his family by extension over the years. Alex has a podcast that I think is the best there is in the climbing world. He doesn’t self promote at all. He does great interviews with exceptional Climbers. My favorite might have been with Peter Croft. Recently, he did a lengthy podcast on John Bachar with some newly discovered recordings. He’s brought a lot of Yosemite history alive. Did a great interview with Janja.  Totally low-key and if anything highlighting how much he is not the greatest climber and how much the sport has passed him by.

given how hard I have taken numerous deaths here in Joshua Tree – – Tina, free Solo Guy, Tony Sartin— and none of these were good friends,— and that’s not to mention the frequent serious injuries and disabilities from local Climbers – – I don’t want the pain of not hearing Alex‘s voice again on his podcast, seeing happy pictures of family outings.

So I guess as Tony has frequently mentioned “there’s always bowling“. Maybe I’m more of a bowling type.

T Hockingwrote:

A couple of our luminaries here are mentioned in this article about Pete Cleveland.

RIP Pete 

Respect!

  sdpb.org/rural-life-and-his…

Pete was an amazing climber and person--another horrible loss for our community.

Excellent article as well. Though, to my understanding it is incorrect on one very significant point. I believe that Pete's route on Superpin has in fact been repeated ( twice, I think) by a climber who wishes to remain anonymous. I have no reason to doubt that person's account.

Thanks Al, 

Yeah, Superpin may have seen a second ascent by now as the article I linked may be quite dated.

Carry on, 

Tad 

Visuals from a great day skiing the mighty Winuba.

T Hockingwrote:

A couple of our luminaries here are mentioned in this article about Pete Cleveland.

RIP Pete 

Respect!

  sdpb.org/rural-life-and-his…

Amazing article and when I first read it, I thought, "Wow, this guy was a Legend!  Sad that he passed away" and then I looked into it some more and he actually died yesterday (today?) at the age of 84 after a big fall while climbing???

I always find it trite when someone says that at least they died doing what they loved but at age 84, I actually think that it fits quite well!

What a life he lived!

Should we all be so lucky.