Free Soloing Videos

Yes, I have already posted about free soloing, the (crazy) extreme sport in which you rock climb without a rope.  You can read my past blog post here.  For all the people out there who worry about me, please know that I am in no way tempted to pursue this sport.  (Well, sometimes people go free soloing on short walls over a body of water.  I'd consider that, but that isn't really the same because of the distinct lack of DEATH involved.)

This week, I once again became fascinated about free soloing because of this video.  The guy in the video, Alex Honnold, has climbed some world-class routes like half dome and The Nose of El Capitán without ropes.  Seriously, watch this video:

Here are some still shots of Alex Honnold free soloing various routes, with some nice music by Emancipator:

I am in awe of this guy's abilities.  Seeing him climb is inspirational.  I am not tempted to try free soloing in the slightest, but I can sort of appreciate the beauty of the sport.  He must have such a sense of freedom when he's up on the rock (at least, when he's not in fear of falling).

Here's a video in which Steph Davis talks about her reasons for free soloing.  She talks about the freedom she feels up on the rock, and the sense of being in control.  She uses it as a way to work out other things in her life.

Watching that video, I'm just thinking that I can't really imagine climbing a ladder as tall as that cliff without a rope.  But Steph Davis is more hardcore than me.  She says that free soloing the diamond is "an expression of mastery."  Yup.

There are also people who free solo barefoot.

I don't even know, man.

To end our day of extreme vertigo, here is a video from Dad about the world record high dive from a few years ago:

Now there are butterflies in my stomach and I'm done blogging for the day.  Bye bye.