Free Solo

[nuevo_eph]

I'd suggest that other people watch Dawn Wall (Netflix) FIRST. I'm not a climber and I felt like I learned a lot more about climbing from that. It has a much broader story, too, and helps you understand El Capitan a bit better. It really sets up the mind-blowing aspect of free solo, while also standing alone as a film.

 

[noharleyyet]

Two things made me chuckle...when he said he made as much money as a moderately successful dentist and the refrigerator he bought for the space they measured. The girlfriend struck me as a fame moth. I'm thinking the meticulous notes were actually a choreograph of the el cap climb. The move he made when he was hanging past vertical blew me away.

 

[BigHornRam]

Two small things that I found interesting. One was unreal amount of insects/flies that swarmed the face of the rock when he was practicing climbing the big vertical crack. No swatting at bugs while attempting that.

The second thing was how well the dying trees stood out when you looked straight down 3000 feet to the valley floor. The camera work was exceptional.

 

[hank4elk]

I watched an interview of the couple that made the film. The ones who one the Oscar. Very insightfull.
Have seen a couple other films by them. Amazing choreography.

 

[Irrelevant]

Watched again. Near the top of the route, when he "goes around the corner" my stomach drops. His girlfriend came across worse in my mind on the followup viewing, but maybe you need something light and fluffy to counter is razor sharp, cold hard intensity.

 

[Southern Elk]

I watched it this weekend. I caught the same thing Harley mentioned about having the money of a moderately successful dentist. I found it interesting how many times he fell with a rope while practicing. I was wondering if the falls were staged, but he struck me as the type of perfectionist who wouldn't want to show himself falling. I believe that we could one day see his name in the headlines, like the others they mentioned, if he keeps pushing fate. One tiny mistake and it's all over.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

I found it interesting how many times he fell with a rope while practicing. I was wondering if the falls were staged, but he struck me as the type of perfectionist who wouldn't want to show himself falling.

I think they probably left out 99.9% of his falls lol, he practiced that route for months. In order to prepare for a free solo route climbers typically top rope and then rappel down to practice various pitches, until they can do each one perfectly, hence his climbing notebook.

I'm sure he does it occasionally, but I would imagine few if anyone flash (successfully climb a route their first time with some beta) or on-sight (climbs a route their first time with no beta) a free solo climb.

Check out the dawn wall, it gives more detail into how climbers prepare and tackle big walls.

 

[noharleyyet]

I watched an interview of the couple that made the film. The ones who one the Oscar. Very insightfull.
Have seen a couple other films by them. Amazing choreography.

Jimmy Chin is the quintessential pro....and an accomplished climber.

 

[Irrelevant]

Jimmy Chin is the quintessential pro....and an accomplished climber.

Not just climber but full on mountaineer. He's my single favorite IG follow.

 

[riv3rbanks]

If you enjoyed Free Solo you should check out The Dawn Wall and Meru.

The Dawn Wall made me feel like a lazy POS

 

[Deleted member 28227]

The Dawn Wall made me feel like a lazy POS

Right! I was like “whelp, I guess I can’t whine about a packout ever again... thanks Tommy.”

 

[Southern Elk]

I think they probably left out 99.9% of his falls lol, he practiced that route for months. In order to prepare for a free solo route climbers typically top rope and then rappel down to practice various pitches, until they can do each one perfectly, hence is climbing notebook.

I'm sure he does it occasionally, but I would imagine few if anyone flash (successfully climb a route their first time with some beta) or on-sight (climbs a route their first time with no beta) a free solo climb.

Check out the dawn wall, it gives more detail into how climbers prepare and tackle big walls.

It's a subject that I know nothing about. I find it interesting, but it's one of those things that I have no desire to try. It is amazing to me the things that are possible with hard work and determination.

 

[noharleyyet]

Check out the dawn wall, it gives more detail into how climbers prepare and tackle big walls. wllm1313

Watched last week. Pretty much warts and all production....what a magnificent grind.

..and Caldwell does it with 7 1/2 fingers.

 

[Southern Elk]

Because of a recommendation above, I recently watched the Dawn Wall as well. It is much more in-depth about what an incredible achievement this was. If you haven't seen it, you need to. These guys aren't human.