At around the 37-minute mark of his interview on Rogan's podcast, Alex starts talking about a guy named Adam Ondra, referring to him as, "The strongest climber in the world right now." But even Ondra doesn't free solo....
@Toussaint Louverture Dying is inevitable, but living, truly living, is not something that everyone accomplishes. Alex is certainly living his absolute best life and getting paid for doing what he loves, while you're here crying about some comment lol
Last December I had to climb a 12-foot Douglas Fir in my front yard to put up holiday lights. Definitely the scariest day of my life! Watch for the upcoming documentary about it, titled "Tree So Low".
The documentary blew my mind. Amazing human achievement. Congratulations Alex. I'm glad you filmed it. I'm not inspired to go try it, but you inspired me to try to be the best I can be. Thank you.
A brief and simplistic take away for all of us: Follow your passion and become obsessive about it. Whether or not Alex meets his end pursuing this endeavor should not be overlooked by how true and sincere to himself he lives his life. Powerful stuff.
@bkstacker 247 I agree with you, my friend. But I am pretty bummed out that so much of the focus is on the filming, and the way they choose to tell the story. If you only watched interviews with the filmers you would think they had it tougher than Alex. Elizabeth even said about Alex's girlfriend "she climbed her own mountain that day" during the acceptance speech at the Oscars. She literally was in tears describing how tough it was, thanked everyone, made the girlfriend comment, then threw in at the end as an afterthought "oh, and Alex". I get it, no one wants to watch people you know die in general. But this is Alex's achievement. He did the work. He did the climb. He allowed them to do a project that got them an Oscar and more fame/money than they've ever had. Every talk they give should be a thank you to Alex, not sympathy pleas for how 'hard they had it' standing on the sidelines.
One of the best documentaries I've ever seen. I had no interest in climbing before seeing it and my eyes were glued to the screen for the entire film. The filming was gorgeous, but having real talks about the danger and toll filming the climb took on the people around Alex was genuinely unique for a documentary. Absolutely deserving of the Oscar, though I wouldn't have been mad if Minding the Gap won (it's another amazing doc about skateboard culture and way more personal than you could ever believe).
@@GreenEnvy. Those 20 minutes were made all the better with the focus on the doubts and stakes set by the rest of the film. That comb wouldn't have been nearly as riveting if I knew nothing about the danger and who Alex was as a person who normally seemed stoic.
@@gregsawesome12 honestly there's nothing in history any human has done that could compare to this. It's absolutely insane. No task requires literally 100% perfection or you just die. Not just fail, but die a horrible death. If you've watched the movie, you'll see how crazy it is. This guy definitely has some emotional problems. He's unable to feel fear.
@@gregsawesome12 It is very physically demanding though not really the most physically demanding one. However, it is the most MENTALLY DEMANDING athletic feat. Which is why IT IS AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED THE SINGLE GREATEST ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENT IN HISTORY TO DATE. Mad props to Honnold for having such a great mental fortitude like none other.
He is not just greatest, he is most amazing human for this decade...! From his personality, atitude, smile, eyes....all in his character...is beautiful...most..
Alex is an extraordinary human being and is at one with the mountain.The mountains accept him because of his calm and humble demeanor which results in his success.
Alex didn't make the film, Alex was just being himself...Elizabeth and Jimmy are the one who put the whole thing together and in a way that captivate audience. Imagine I just put a camera at the bottom and slowly tilt it up as alex climb and then just put it out there to be viewed by audience...its still alex soling el capitan, yet no one would really care, except rock climbers. This award is the same as a journalist winning the pulitzer, yes their story would be nothing without their subject, but it's them; who put that story into words and for Elizabeth and Jimmy it was them who put that story into a motion picture.
I've been following Alex for years, and am happy that this film did so well. Rock climbing is not a sport insofar as no one "plays" rock climbing. Of course it is athletic, but what Alex accomplished is far bigger than sport, it was an accomplishment of what is possible for a human to achieve. To keep his brain in check with death very close is something almost none of us can do.
It's certainly the most impressive especially given the consequences for a mistake. But I'd personally say if someone swims across the pacific or runs across the country that it would be just as great an accomplishment, maybe less risky but still superhuman in my eyes.
@@Jakobeffjd Yeah, if he was a fame-seeker, he wouldn't have been known in the community for years as Alex "no-big-deal" Honnold... It would be hard to find someone more humble than this guy...
More concerned about how an ultimate error may affect his friends than actually being the end of himself! Wow. Just, an incredibly focused and humble bloke. Polar opposite to me!!
So many people on this planet could take a few pages out of Alex’s playbook and I don’t mean his climbing. Just being a good person that stays true to himself. Not doing things for recognition but for the good of the world and the people in it. His humility is astonishing and admirable. He is the epitome of a great human being.
I think I'm more amazed at the zen like state of mind that Alex seems to have achieved then his rock climbing abilities. I remember one scene in the film during his free solo climb where half way up he acknowledged one of the camera men filming him as if he was saying hi to a person he was passing by on a city side walk. More then any scene in this film, this one stuck in my mind of the incredible mind control he has.
It's nice to see climbing get some recognition. these are some of the strongest people in the world, and its a great sport. I hope that climbing gets more recognition going forward not just because o the danger of free soloing
Exactly! Not only is this a win for Alex and Chin and his team but an overall win for climbing! This will help the sport grow and I can't wait for all the incredible climbers that will come in the next generations!
its going to be in the next Olympics. also i never gave rock climbing another thought until my friend told me to watch the trailer for this movie. now im going to my first climbing gym in a few days.
I would have to agree witg ilikepurple. There is no point in climbing this rock. I just cant see why you would risk death... Its not a sport and never will be. No one ia going to compete climbing a rock if death is highly involved. Alex is great, but its messed up when we see othersbl doing this and call them insane.
The moral and ethical questions while making this documentary, must have been so heavy. There's just so much pressure on everyone there. I understand why it stuck with the director for the entire process. Still, it was necessary that this was filmed and documented. Great movie, great job to the crew, and amazing job by Alex. I remained on the edge of my seat the entire time.
Alex Honnold has been declared the greatest large wall//endurance climber of all times. Much like Muhammad Ali, he tends to go 15 rounds with his opponent -- but his opponent is the cliff, not a man. There is a consensus among a lot of all time great climbers that Alex is the best overall rock climber alive today, and one of the very best ever.
@Pete is never wrong I agree with everything you said.. but what Alex did no one else will ever ATTEMPT to do. He is the GOAT from this. He did something no ever elite climber can even think of achieving
I might be wrong but I think that the Oscar does not take the actual events of an documentary in to consideration but rather HOW it was made and the quality of the piece. That said I agree that I would also have been pissed if it didnt win, Honnolds achievement aside the filming, sound editing and story telling was amazing!
@@aidancallan1591 It all depends what you mean by athlete. They are both mountain climbers, but they are in completely different categories. Adam Ondra is one of the best, if not the best physical/technical climber in the world (something even Honnold has said on multiple occasions). Honnold is definitely the best mental climber in the world, as in his ability to stay calm and focused despite all odds.
@@aidancallan1591 if that's the case, Adam Ondra isnt alone. There are bunch of climbers out there conquering the hardest routes in the world: magnus, Chris Sharma, Alex megos, Dani Andrada, etc. And, for the generations to come, there Will be more! But, none stands where Alex Honnold stands. And there Will be probably none Will ever do That's my friend, the definition of GOAT even in all sport cathegory!
I just went through the 100 most distressing cinematic minutes of my life! It was by far the most absurd, scary, stupid and wonderful thing I have ever seen! Perhaps one of the greatest mental controls ever experienced in every human existence!
Alex is a beast. He came to a local climbing gym in my area. He was so nice and gave good feedback (aka beta). Check out your local climbing gym and fight gravity for a bit. Bring a friend, climbing is fun with a group.
That thing was stupid...the first time I climbed something, the unknown factor made it "scary"...after doing it a few times, it's routine, and "un-excitng".
It is intriguing to witness, even from afar, a true genius, and in your lifetime. There aren't all that many that are truly unique in their capabilities. Alex is that. While he is gifted (and trained) physically for climbing, free soloing (certainly at this level) requires genius mental and emotional control capacity.
I don't think one can set the bar any higher. I believe that if you make what you love to do the center of your life everything will revolve around it. Alex happens to be the most extreme example!
I am absolutely obsessed with this movie and this incredible feat. It’s gotten to the point where I have researching climbing, mountaineering and the history of the sport... what drives someone to this?
What a lot of people on here are missing is how careful Alex was about this whole process. He speaks in length about how many times he went up the same route with ropes and a harness. He doesn’t have a death wish he just wanted to see if he could do it. No different than the Wright brothers and first airplane; it’s simply about pushing the boundaries of the human experience.
Great Insight, Alex! No real difference between Chuck Yeager, or pioneering Astronauts or many explorers that "risk it all" and Alex Honnold, all pushing boundaries with no margin for error.
To put Alex Honnold's free solo of El Cap into perspective, think of it this way.... even if there were a series of aluminum ladders securely bolted to the granite wall along the entire length of the Free Rider route, imagine how mentally difficult it would be to climb all 3000 feet to the top without the security of a harness and some sort of moving attachment to the ladder. Even among professional climbers, very few could do it.
Two things occur to me. One, if Free Rider is rated 5.12d overall as a roped climb, how would one begin to rate it as a solo climb? The difficulty and complexity of the route, combined with its length and level of exposure, surely make it “beyond category” by current standards. And two, what will be the “next generation” soloing feat, and will multiple people have to die to set that standard? Will it be an on-sight solo (no wiring the route in advance) of Free Rider? Or will it be a solo of The Nose or even The Dawn Wall? History shows that it’s crazy to think that future climbers won’t match or exceed Honnold’s solos. I just hope he cements his legacy by staying alive.
Many are unaware that Hansjörg Auer climbed via Attraverso il Pesce, a 920-meter wall (5 12c, just one degree below the Freerider). Detail: he climbed without prior preparation, he just rappelled down to know the way. The next day, he went up without the use of ropes and equipment. Unfortunately, that climber died recently. He also climbed other walls of greater difficulty. Dean Potter also excelled in this type of climbing.
Jimmy Chin (himself a world class climber) and his wife have made many a great climbing films, not the least of which Meru. But another exceptional climbing movie that I thoroughly enjoyed-this one not by Chin and his wife btw-was “The Dawn Wall” about Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson first free climb of the Dawn Wall; a spellbinding achievement, as well. If you’re into climbing movies, The Dawn Wall should definitely be on your short list.
Peoples who are saying in the comments that Climbing is not a sport, for their information, Olympic included climbing from the next event. Obviously, it will be indoor climbing, not free solo that Alex does. Free Solo is beyond any kind of sports. You have to watch the documentary to understand what it's all about.
Green Envy I too hoped to see more. But, in the film, the issue about Alex possibly being distracted or psyched by nearby film crew, lead to the crew being backed away from some of the close locations they had initially planned. It's a given - the crew must accommodate Alex. But ideally, they could have had more zoom telephoto imagery taken from the valley and/or placed the crew in more distant yet key viewing spots. Still, it was a great movie
I admired Alex from first seeing him on 60 minutes. And from that time a few years ago I always thought that he is the greatest athlete in the world bar- non. Balls, great physical and mental strenght GOAT. No scare, aloha
Well I don’t know him. I don’t even climb. But I’ve been aware of what he’s been doing for years and it’s incredibly inspiring. I’m so happy that free Solo won the Oscar. It is a one-of-a-kind movie about a one of a kind man. it certainly deserved to win.
Not when free solo won an Oscar, you mean when Alex honnold won the Oscar. The film would never have been created without him and he should have been awarded one aswell
We truly enjoy watching Alex. Ueli Steck, also a first-rate climber, fell off a cliff and died. Even the best are not immune to death (see: Potter's death). Alex executed climbs beyond anyone's understanding. Perhaps, he should reflect more on his own mortality and his lovely girlfriend. He proved beyond the reasonable doubt that he is the best in the field of solo climbing. I know, I know, climbing is a passion for him, and without it he would not live fully... but... he is such a humble and capable human being and we want to see him around for a long time.
Absolute madness HOW HOW HOW on earth he sticks to the wall? B Mind boggling Unbelievable Crazy What he did is madness BUT really no human can come close to his achievement Gobsmacked
Maybe one day we will see Alex's entire ascent not the ridiculous film that was released about everyone's anxiety who was involved with the production. Alex is the man. I want to see the whole ascent. Every move. Every hold. No interruptions. How about it?
I know I'm not a climber, but I think this guy's fucking superman. This is one of the most mind blowing feats I know. It's pretty arrogant to say only climbers fully appreciate it, to me its impossible so I couldnt hold higher esteem for someone carrying balls of steel up 3000 plus feet.
Alex is arguably the greatest athlete in the world at this moment in history. This guy is truly unbelievable.
At around the 37-minute mark of his interview on Rogan's podcast, Alex starts talking about a guy named Adam Ondra, referring to him as, "The strongest climber in the world right now."
But even Ondra doesn't free solo....
No doubt aboutdat.
@Toussaint Louverture look how your post failed. No one lives forever.
@Toussaint Louverture L
@Toussaint Louverture Dying is inevitable, but living, truly living, is not something that everyone accomplishes. Alex is certainly living his absolute best life and getting paid for doing what he loves, while you're here crying about some comment lol
Last December I had to climb a 12-foot Douglas Fir in my front yard to put up holiday lights. Definitely the scariest day of my life!
Watch for the upcoming documentary about it, titled "Tree So Low".
I saw what you did there.
😁😂❤❤
Best comment I think I've seen in about 14 years of being on TH-cam every day.
Chris Coppersmith dude that’s funny, ready for work now. Cheers.
Bad dum tisss. This comment deserves way more likes, well done dude😂😂😂
Just as awesome as Alex’s climb, was finding a film company with ethics, morals, and integrity.
So true
my question is, are you going to do it again?
Yeah they were the perfect people. Jimmy has had a front row seat to a lot of monumental mountaineering events.
...and skills and rock climbing experience
No Harvey Weinstein production lol
The documentary blew my mind. Amazing human achievement. Congratulations Alex. I'm glad you filmed it. I'm not inspired to go try it, but you inspired me to try to be the best I can be. Thank you.
A brief and simplistic take away for all of us: Follow your passion and become obsessive about it. Whether or not Alex meets his end pursuing this endeavor should not be overlooked by how true and sincere to himself he lives his life.
Powerful stuff.
Marten Dekker Congratulations, your monumental stupidity deserves my first comment on TH-cam. You have no idea what you're talking about.
Honnald is such a fucking legend.
Y
A documentary about a documentary.
Nice
@bkstacker 247 I agree with you, my friend. But I am pretty bummed out that so much of the focus is on the filming, and the way they choose to tell the story. If you only watched interviews with the filmers you would think they had it tougher than Alex. Elizabeth even said about Alex's girlfriend "she climbed her own mountain that day" during the acceptance speech at the Oscars. She literally was in tears describing how tough it was, thanked everyone, made the girlfriend comment, then threw in at the end as an afterthought "oh, and Alex". I get it, no one wants to watch people you know die in general. But this is Alex's achievement. He did the work. He did the climb. He allowed them to do a project that got them an Oscar and more fame/money than they've ever had. Every talk they give should be a thank you to Alex, not sympathy pleas for how 'hard they had it' standing on the sidelines.
Yup, I would happily watch a documentary about a documentary about a documentary about...it is extraordinary!
documen-ception!
you know damn well the behind the scenes is just as interesting as the final product lol
Great to see Jimmy and team get the credit they finally deserve. Meru is one of the best documentary they made
Meru is so unbelievable that you think it’s an actual movie not documentary. It still boggles my mind how they filmed the scenes in Meru.
One of the best documentaries I've ever seen. I had no interest in climbing before seeing it and my eyes were glued to the screen for the entire film. The filming was gorgeous, but having real talks about the danger and toll filming the climb took on the people around Alex was genuinely unique for a documentary. Absolutely deserving of the Oscar, though I wouldn't have been mad if Minding the Gap won (it's another amazing doc about skateboard culture and way more personal than you could ever believe).
The biggest problem is the film only spent 20 minutes on the actual free solo of el Capitan. It should have been much longer.
@@GreenEnvy. Those 20 minutes were made all the better with the focus on the doubts and stakes set by the rest of the film. That comb wouldn't have been nearly as riveting if I knew nothing about the danger and who Alex was as a person who normally seemed stoic.
@@gotabonetopick2942 hate to be that guy but I’d rather just watch the full four hour climb 😂😂
The single greatest athletic accomplishment in human history. Nothing is even close to this in terms of athleticism.
Zakk K. Agreed 100%. By far the most physically demanding thing done. Maybe besides swimming across an ocean lmao
@@gregsawesome12 honestly there's nothing in history any human has done that could compare to this. It's absolutely insane. No task requires literally 100% perfection or you just die. Not just fail, but die a horrible death. If you've watched the movie, you'll see how crazy it is. This guy definitely has some emotional problems. He's unable to feel fear.
Absolutely. One mistake and you know the rest... Absolutely epic.
@@gregsawesome12 It is very physically demanding though not really the most physically demanding one. However, it is the most MENTALLY DEMANDING athletic feat. Which is why IT IS AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED THE SINGLE GREATEST ATHLETIC ACHIEVEMENT IN HISTORY TO DATE. Mad props to Honnold for having such a great mental fortitude like none other.
spot on!! he stands alone.
One of the most incredible things I've ever seen.
He is not just greatest, he is most amazing human for this decade...! From his personality, atitude, smile, eyes....all in his character...is beautiful...most..
Alex is an extraordinary human being and is at one with the mountain.The mountains accept him because of his calm and humble demeanor which results in his success.
Well deserved Oscar to Alex and team! Well done!
Alex didn't make the film, Alex was just being himself...Elizabeth and Jimmy are the one who put the whole thing together and in a way that captivate audience. Imagine I just put a camera at the bottom and slowly tilt it up as alex climb and then just put it out there to be viewed by audience...its still alex soling el capitan, yet no one would really care, except rock climbers. This award is the same as a journalist winning the pulitzer, yes their story would be nothing without their subject, but it's them; who put that story into words and for Elizabeth and Jimmy it was them who put that story into a motion picture.
I would say that it wasnt the best documentary of the year but holy shit it just deserved it because of the scale
I've been following Alex for years, and am happy that this film did so well. Rock climbing is not a sport insofar as no one "plays" rock climbing. Of course it is athletic, but what Alex accomplished is far bigger than sport, it was an accomplishment of what is possible for a human to achieve. To keep his brain in check with death very close is something almost none of us can do.
Greatest athlete ever. What he did is beyond anything that’s been done before.
It's certainly the most impressive especially given the consequences for a mistake. But I'd personally say if someone swims across the pacific or runs across the country that it would be just as great an accomplishment, maybe less risky but still superhuman in my eyes.
spot on! nothing even comes close to what alex did. no other human on the planet can do what he did. how can anyone else match that.
Di go Alex is by no means a fame seeker
@Di go this guy probably didnt watch the documentary but comments as if he has lol
@@Jakobeffjd Yeah, if he was a fame-seeker, he wouldn't have been known in the community for years as Alex "no-big-deal" Honnold... It would be hard to find someone more humble than this guy...
My hands felt like they took a shower when I watched this in a theater. Suggest everybody take a chalk bag.
Mom's spaghetti!
even the chalk bag won't work. I have hyperhidrosis.
More concerned about how an ultimate error may affect his friends than actually being the end of himself! Wow. Just, an incredibly focused and humble bloke. Polar opposite to me!!
I don't climb...never have, never will...but I have been to Yosemite at least a few times in my life...and this is totally astounding to me!
So many people on this planet could take a few pages out of Alex’s playbook and I don’t mean his climbing. Just being a good person that stays true to himself. Not doing things for recognition but for the good of the world and the people in it. His humility is astonishing and admirable. He is the epitome of a great human being.
I think I'm more amazed at the zen like state of mind that Alex seems to have achieved then his rock climbing abilities. I remember one scene in the film during his free solo climb where half way up he acknowledged one of the camera men filming him as if he was saying hi to a person he was passing by on a city side walk. More then any scene in this film, this one stuck in my mind of the incredible mind control he has.
It's nice to see climbing get some recognition. these are some of the strongest people in the world, and its a great sport. I hope that climbing gets more recognition going forward not just because o the danger of free soloing
Exactly! Not only is this a win for Alex and Chin and his team but an overall win for climbing! This will help the sport grow and I can't wait for all the incredible climbers that will come in the next generations!
its going to be in the next Olympics. also i never gave rock climbing another thought until my friend told me to watch the trailer for this movie. now im going to my first climbing gym in a few days.
Some of the dumbest people in the world. Climbing should be banned and these psychos should be put in a mental institution.
I would have to agree witg ilikepurple. There is no point in climbing this rock. I just cant see why you would risk death... Its not a sport and never will be. No one ia going to compete climbing a rock if death is highly involved. Alex is great, but its messed up when we see othersbl doing this and call them insane.
B G not a sport and never will be... holy shit the ignorance
I'm more amazed at how Alex dragged his ginormous balls up there
The moral and ethical questions while making this documentary, must have been so heavy. There's just so much pressure on everyone there. I understand why it stuck with the director for the entire process. Still, it was necessary that this was filmed and documented. Great movie, great job to the crew, and amazing job by Alex. I remained on the edge of my seat the entire time.
It will be a while before any human pulls off something bigger than this, at least in the sports world.
If mountain climbing is a sport then walking is a sport.
Pete is never wrong i think thats it’s extremely physically demanding but i dont think its really a sport. More like thrill seeking or stunts
The word “sport” doesn’t denote difficulty. It’s anything requiring physical strength and skill and climbing definitely qualifies.
I see you don't think much of the first male cheerleader at the super bowl.
what is up with some of these comments?! Just call it an athletic achievement if you dont like calling it a sport...jesus christ!!
Alex Honnold has been declared the greatest large wall//endurance climber of all times. Much like Muhammad Ali, he tends to go 15 rounds with his opponent -- but his opponent is the cliff, not a man.
There is a consensus among a lot of all time great climbers that Alex is the best overall rock climber alive today, and one of the very best ever.
The strongest big wall climber is Tommy Caldwell.
@Pete is never wrong I agree with everything you said.. but what Alex did no one else will ever ATTEMPT to do. He is the GOAT from this. He did something no ever elite climber can even think of achieving
i was going to be pissed if this didn't win an oscar
ClownWhosFeelnDown and it did 👏
I might be wrong but I think that the Oscar does not take the actual events of an documentary in to consideration but rather HOW it was made and the quality of the piece. That said I agree that I would also have been pissed if it didnt win, Honnolds achievement aside the filming, sound editing and story telling was amazing!
me too
Alex is not ONE of the world's greatest athletes, Alex is THE greatest athlete in the world. Period.
Adam Ondra is way better
@@aidancallan1591 It all depends what you mean by athlete. They are both mountain climbers, but they are in completely different categories. Adam Ondra is one of the best, if not the best physical/technical climber in the world (something even Honnold has said on multiple occasions). Honnold is definitely the best mental climber in the world, as in his ability to stay calm and focused despite all odds.
@@aidancallan1591 he is not.
Adam Indra is one of the best climber.
But, to be at Honnold level, Ondra got lack of mentality.
@@bahasainggrisbersamamradi9308 yes correct but to be the best climber in the world you gotta be able to climb the hardest grades in the world
@@aidancallan1591 if that's the case, Adam Ondra isnt alone. There are bunch of climbers out there conquering the hardest routes in the world: magnus, Chris Sharma, Alex megos, Dani Andrada, etc.
And, for the generations to come, there Will be more!
But, none stands where Alex Honnold stands. And there Will be probably none Will ever do
That's my friend, the definition of GOAT even in all sport cathegory!
please release the full footage of the climb
I've already watched the movie and those clips still have me on the edge of my seat.
Alex Honnold is one extremely talented, unique, athletic genius loco.
He has a good heart and he's an awesome athlete
Warriors in 4
I shall never tire of watching Free Solo, or, for that matter, videos like this one.
One of the greatest athletic accomplishments in history.
El Cap and Yosemite is awe inspiring
One of the greatest mental achievement in human history
greatest athlete of all time, no doubt in my mind
That Oscar speech was cringeworthy. Thanking everyone but Alex until the very end.
Kept the best for last.
They looked like they weren't expecting to win, so the nervousness is understandable.
the GOAT of GOATs. true legend
You never go wrong with Alex The Great center stage. He does his best always
I just went through the 100 most distressing cinematic minutes of my life! It was by far the most absurd, scary, stupid and wonderful thing I have ever seen! Perhaps one of the greatest mental controls ever experienced in every human existence!
Alex is a living legend 💪🏼😉 unbelievable Alex -best regards from a small 🇩🇪 filmmaker
This man is a true inspiration for me personally.
One of the most incredible athletes on the planet !
being a climber myself, i have to say alex honnold is absolutely insane
Alex is a beast. He came to a local climbing gym in my area. He was so nice and gave good feedback (aka beta). Check out your local climbing gym and fight gravity for a bit. Bring a friend, climbing is fun with a group.
Literally the greatest Athlete.👍
Absolute legend
Every video I see about this is all about Jimmy Chin's feelings about filming Alex. I wonder how the guy making the coffee that day felt about it.
My favorite part of the documentary is when they scan his brain and realise his amygdala (which controls fear) is barely responsive
@cola00000 No, it was exactly that he can't feel fear .... nobody knows why his amygdala wasn't responsive. Not you, no one.
Nautilus1972 They showed him images in a mri, which he knew wasnt dangerous and the control group was one lab assistant who barely climbed.
That thing was stupid...the first time I climbed something, the unknown factor made it "scary"...after doing it a few times, it's routine, and "un-excitng".
he's carrying an extra 40 lbs of cajones
What a great climber and person.
Alex deserve the Oscar!!!!
My favorite footage of the climb was the exposed gandalf Easter island looking arete it was truly breathtaking. Alex is one with the rock.
It is intriguing to witness, even from afar, a true genius, and in your lifetime. There aren't all that many that are truly unique in their capabilities. Alex is that. While he is gifted (and trained) physically for climbing, free soloing (certainly at this level) requires genius mental and emotional control capacity.
I don't think one can set the bar any higher. I believe that if you make what you love to do the center of your life everything will revolve around it. Alex happens to be the most extreme example!
Preparation at master level, check.
I am absolutely obsessed with this movie and this incredible feat. It’s gotten to the point where I have researching climbing, mountaineering and the history of the sport... what drives someone to this?
Even though I watched the documentary after I saw interviews of Alex talking about it, I was still on the edge of my seat scared for him
Glad to see this. Have wondered for years about him
What a lot of people on here are missing is how careful Alex was about this whole process. He speaks in length about how many times he went up the same route with ropes and a harness. He doesn’t have a death wish he just wanted to see if he could do it. No different than the Wright brothers and first airplane; it’s simply about pushing the boundaries of the human experience.
Great Insight, Alex! No real difference between Chuck Yeager, or pioneering Astronauts or many explorers that "risk it all" and Alex Honnold, all pushing boundaries with no margin for error.
the man living on the edge, the man who defies gravity .... a Man or an Angel...
Great documentary by Chin. Wish they had provided more than 10 minutes of the free solo. I thought we were going to see more of the actual climb.
To put Alex Honnold's free solo of El Cap into perspective, think of it this way.... even if there were a series of aluminum ladders securely bolted to the granite wall along the entire length of the Free Rider route, imagine how mentally difficult it would be to climb all 3000 feet to the top without the security of a harness and some sort of moving attachment to the ladder. Even among professional climbers, very few could do it.
Probably the greatest athletic feat in mankind history. Hard to debate it when no ones willing to try what he does.
So proud of everyone who made this film possible, especially alex
Two things occur to me. One, if Free Rider is rated 5.12d overall as a roped climb, how would one begin to rate it as a solo climb? The difficulty and complexity of the route, combined with its length and level of exposure, surely make it “beyond category” by current standards. And two, what will be the “next generation” soloing feat, and will multiple people have to die to set that standard? Will it be an on-sight solo (no wiring the route in advance) of Free Rider? Or will it be a solo of The Nose or even The Dawn Wall? History shows that it’s crazy to think that future climbers won’t match or exceed Honnold’s solos. I just hope he cements his legacy by staying alive.
Many are unaware that Hansjörg Auer climbed via Attraverso il Pesce, a 920-meter wall (5 12c, just one degree below the Freerider). Detail: he climbed without prior preparation, he just rappelled down to know the way. The next day, he went up without the use of ropes and equipment. Unfortunately, that climber died recently. He also climbed other walls of greater difficulty.
Dean Potter also excelled in this type of climbing.
Free soloing El Cap is almost like swimming from Havana Cuba to Key West Florida. There’s a movie about that too.
I love that he actually did it
Jimmy Chin (himself a world class climber) and his wife have made many a great climbing films, not the least of which Meru. But another exceptional climbing movie that I thoroughly enjoyed-this one not by Chin and his wife btw-was “The Dawn Wall” about Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson first free climb of the Dawn Wall; a spellbinding achievement, as well. If you’re into climbing movies, The Dawn Wall should definitely be on your short list.
this man has balls of pure diamond
Can we get raw footage? Move has less than 10 minutes of the actual climb that was 4 hours long
This man would be a great golfer , not enough suspense in the sport but he has a mind that fits golf amazingly.
This is so inspiring....
Now I never even want to climb stairs again.
Peoples who are saying in the comments that Climbing is not a sport, for their information, Olympic included climbing from the next event. Obviously, it will be indoor climbing, not free solo that Alex does. Free Solo is beyond any kind of sports. You have to watch the documentary to understand what it's all about.
That is a 'true film' of life.
The biggest problem with the film is they only spent 20 minutes on the actual free solo of el Capitan. It should have been much longer.
totally agree, too much bun, not enough meat. i hope they release the whole climb one day
What? Really? That is very disappointing to read.
Green Envy I too hoped to see more. But, in the film, the issue about Alex possibly being distracted or psyched by nearby film crew, lead to the crew being backed away from some of the close locations they had initially planned. It's a given - the crew must accommodate Alex. But ideally, they could have had more zoom telephoto imagery taken from the valley and/or placed the crew in more distant yet key viewing spots. Still, it was a great movie
Nope, i think that the preparation and exploration of Alex himself was incredibly interesting
Sweaty Hands!!! All the way watching this Trailer. Gotta watch the whole thing and be prepared to sweat some more!
MRulerrr YES!!!!!I can barely hold my phone watching this!!!
I knew he made it and watching free solo still gave me panic attacks... Alex is a monster!!!
this guy makes that jimmy guy from netflix look like a rookie. this guy is the real deal
greatest athletic achievement in human history
Deserves more than an Oscar
I admired Alex from first seeing him on 60 minutes. And from that time a few years ago I always thought that he is the greatest athlete in the world bar- non. Balls, great physical and mental strenght GOAT. No scare, aloha
Gimme a like if you knew Alex Honnold before Free Solo won the Oscar!
*before free solo
Dude I've been watching this guy since he first had videos of him on TH-cam!
Who really gives a fuck when you became a fan, just be a fan of him and stop this nonsense about I was a fan before you were bs
Well I don’t know him. I don’t even climb. But I’ve been aware of what he’s been doing for years and it’s incredibly inspiring. I’m so happy that free Solo won the Oscar. It is a one-of-a-kind movie about a one of a kind man. it certainly deserved to win.
Not when free solo won an Oscar, you mean when Alex honnold won the Oscar. The film would never have been created without him and he should have been awarded one aswell
enjoyed watching this documentary
0:17 is totally from a couple hour long Yosemite video that I thrown on for background noise when i'm studying haha
This will be the greatest film ever
I really hope his luck doesn't run out one day!
It's not luck
really is one of the greatest athletes in the worlds
Hey! ESPN is covering a real athlete not some hand egg or sportsball game player.
Alex is literally the best athlete of all time.
Can't be the best athlete of all time when you aren't even the best athlete in your sport
One of history's greatest athletes*
I would watch a full length doc about the making of this film.
loved the documentary
We truly enjoy watching Alex. Ueli Steck, also a first-rate climber, fell off a cliff and died. Even the best are not immune to death (see: Potter's death). Alex executed climbs beyond anyone's understanding. Perhaps, he should reflect more on his own mortality and his lovely girlfriend. He proved beyond the reasonable doubt that he is the best in the field of solo climbing. I know, I know, climbing is a passion for him, and without it he would not live fully... but... he is such a humble and capable human being and we want to see him around for a long time.
Absolute madness
HOW
HOW
HOW on earth he sticks to the wall? B
Mind boggling
Unbelievable
Crazy
What he did is madness BUT really no human can come close to his achievement
Gobsmacked
Really stunning !
Maybe one day we will see Alex's entire ascent not the ridiculous film that was released about everyone's anxiety who was involved with the production. Alex is the man. I want to see the whole ascent. Every move. Every hold. No interruptions. How about it?
This man is an alien there's no way he literally feels no fear
this is so friggin cool
I just took an el crapitan in my pants
If watching Free Solo on a laptop was almost too tense, I imagine what it'd been like to watch it in a theater...
I know I'm not a climber, but I think this guy's fucking superman. This is one of the most mind blowing feats I know. It's pretty arrogant to say only climbers fully appreciate it, to me its impossible so I couldnt hold higher esteem for someone carrying balls of steel up 3000 plus feet.