Please please please make an analysis video on this. Your thoughts, at the time and now, commentary on moves, your hair, anything please please please!! At the time and still one of the most compelling and impressive bits of climbing footage I've ever seen
Holy crap! That was so solid! I am so deeply impressed with your composure and execution. And to finish it off the most low key post send reaction for what was an absolutely monumental achievement. Congratulations and well done!
Thanks. I have a couple of thoughts in response to that. First, while everyone is different, I feel that free soloing is a place for a cool head, so its kind of hard to go from a deep state of calm to super excited just because you topped out. Second, this ascent was just a small part of training for a much much harder and more dangerous route (Echo Wall). So this was rather weighing on my mind at the time. It would have been premature to be celebrating with the dangerous lead still ahead.
you only solo this hard if you expect to send it, so why would you be excited when you do send it? same thing with Honnold's "delighted" reaction after topping out El Cap
absolutely amazing. goes to show each time you put up a new route... there's months of training, thousands of hours.... the final send is just the tip of the iceberg. love the videos, looking forward to the cold weather, decent winter and if so, seeing what you and Helen get up to. looking forward to getting up to fort William soon. keep the videos coming please I love them. Matt 🙂
Long time not seen Echowall. One of the most impressive climbing movie for me of all time. Thanks for the footage. And huge congrats to your incredible mindset
You seem to be really good at evaluating calculated risk. Really cool skill to have! When I was an active climber late teens/early 20s was really bad at this and things went wrong ....
I thought it was 'let down' (by today's standards anyway) by the lack of various angles. No drones back then, no 5 or 6 cameras, which for me make Echo Wall age pretty quickly. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
@@denislejeune9218 still a thoroughly impressive climb. To date not repeated and filmed by misses macleod who must have a massive amount of believe and strength to film her husband undertaking multiple climbs with pretty severe consequences for any mistakes. Truly epic stuff
Sweaty arms? I assume that if you have really sweaty arms that sweat can run to your hands anytime you drop your arms down. Wouldn't want that ruining his grip, especially given the stakes. But that's my best guess.
I'm pretty sure he is just controlling the rotation of his body there and using his other arm as an intermediate hold to more precisely place the left hand. So to avoid getting sweat on his left hand he chalked up his right forearm before.
@Jimmy Alain Robert would be very close competition with an 8b. if i remember it correctly he also did an 8a+ in Bijoux that he then downclimbed, all free solo
Beastly stuff. Question though, if you don't have top foot access how the hell do you get down from a free solo like this? This one seemed to have a way off without downclimbing. Would you get a rope there first, rap down, then free solo, then rap down again? Just wondering, cause if that happens, you can either do a self-belay or a soloist to get a rope up, if no one else is with you, which seems a bit odd. But then again, so is soloing.
I don't consider topping out as a defining trait of a highball. on a route like this I would consider wether a fall from the hardest moves would likely cause injury. I think this is in the blurry line between the two and without pads is a bold effort :)
A long time ago and still an inspiring climb. I wonder if you'd still consider something like free soloing a necessary way to prepare for a difficult climb? Some free soloing makes sense to me, but for that specific climb the risk of a relatively minor tendon injury mid-climb leading to a fairly brutal fall seems like it would introduce a pretty significant number of micromorts. In any case, I'm sure it focussed the mind...
Indeed, why would you ride a motorbike with your eyes shut? Mind you the number of fatal motorbike accidents in the Scottish highlands sometimes make me wonder if they are doing just that!
@@climbermacleod You are obviously a careful and considered person in many respects. Do you feel any urge, or observe it, to increase the danger level. Or do you feel that, as the difficulty gets greater through improvement, the risk itself stays the same (or reduces)?
very ballsy stuff here especially because you wouldn't die most likely from the fall, but you'd never climb again to say the least. could have done it as a very highball boulder with lots of crash pads, but then it wouldn't be a true free solo. record hardest free solo i do believe!
No. I was onsighting 8a+. But then I wasn't doing much onsighting really (I've never had good endurance). Perhaps if I were doing a lot I could have been onsighting into 8b at a push.
@@climbermacleod Makes sense. I think that a little-discussed climbing dichotomy is "project" climbers v. "onsight" climbers. Of course someone like Ondra can do both at the highest level, but historically you have say a Megos v. Gullich (and maybe Yuji v. Huber?) the former almost never spending more than a day on a climb v. someone spending years just to work out a crux. I tend towards the latter, and it cuts in to my urge to travel more or hard onsighting. Good work on using this particular experience to build on.
![[UNCUT] The Loyal Pin ปิ่นภักดิ์ EP.15 (2/4)](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/qbHbshrA1f0/mqdefault.jpg)
Big thanks for not dying!
lol your name, interesting that you'd be into climbing
So impressive and inspirational. One of the greatest achievements in climbing history, done in such a humble and low-key way.
Still amazing footage years later. I'm amazed you convinced your wife to film this!
She never got the phone call to belay
wow, not even a scream after he did this amazing climb, what a psycho
Please please please make an analysis video on this. Your thoughts, at the time and now, commentary on moves, your hair, anything please please please!! At the time and still one of the most compelling and impressive bits of climbing footage I've ever seen
th-cam.com/video/TPnP6exshXY/w-d-xo.htmlsi=yu9fAInQjX17CD_b
Check this one out - Dave comments on the solo pretty thoroughly.
I like how you stayed in control after the steep part and just stood there during the rush.
Only halfway through the video and already digging the hair cut! Quality video so far as always!
Holy crap! That was so solid! I am so deeply impressed with your composure and execution. And to finish it off the most low key post send reaction for what was an absolutely monumental achievement. Congratulations and well done!
Thanks. I have a couple of thoughts in response to that. First, while everyone is different, I feel that free soloing is a place for a cool head, so its kind of hard to go from a deep state of calm to super excited just because you topped out. Second, this ascent was just a small part of training for a much much harder and more dangerous route (Echo Wall). So this was rather weighing on my mind at the time. It would have been premature to be celebrating with the dangerous lead still ahead.
you only solo this hard if you expect to send it, so why would you be excited when you do send it? same thing with Honnold's "delighted" reaction after topping out El Cap
Wow. Great work. Has to be one of the hardest true free solos on record!
Even three years later this is so impressive. The boldness of your climbing will always astonish me.
What an example of humility, no screaming or celebrating, just another step on the way to leading echo wall. Brilliant stuff
I love to watch you climb! You're such an amazing and inspiring climber Dave. Thank you for sharing...
you looked calm, focused, relaxed and in flow, it seems to me that your mental game couldnt have been better Dave, insanely impressive
absolutely amazing. goes to show each time you put up a new route... there's months of training, thousands of hours.... the final send is just the tip of the iceberg.
love the videos, looking forward to the cold weather, decent winter and if so, seeing what you and Helen get up to. looking forward to getting up to fort William soon.
keep the videos coming please I love them.
Matt
🙂
makin it look so effortless...stunning, Dave!
Amazing to watch someone climb something so hard so perfectly.
Impressive, Dave! Just subbed to your channel. That pocket sequence at 3:12 looks stunning!
All the best, a Danish fan!
That middle finger hold !!! Jesus i need to go do some pull ups
Long time not seen Echowall. One of the most impressive climbing movie for me of all time. Thanks for the footage. And huge congrats to your incredible mindset
wow !!! Fantastic!!! Courage and beauty, and the smile at the end says it all about the meaning of this sport. Greetings from Italy
😎
total gestural and especially mental control! Bravo Dave and thank you for this superb lesson 🙏
3:05-3:10 my god you are an animal. Single finger hold to pull yourself up into a two finger hold, pure strength and endurance.
Super cool start
Amazing. You knew you could, and you did
You seem to be really good at evaluating calculated risk. Really cool skill to have! When I was an active climber late teens/early 20s was really bad at this and things went wrong ....
Absolutely inspiring Dave
Probably one of the most gangster thing any climber had tried and crushed!
What you do on the mental aspect here is of the chart! Respect, and awsome to watch. Play safe!👍💪💪💪
So impressive, I don't know how you can keep such solid composure when there's so little margin for error. Amazing focus and skill!
Amazing, Dave. Great one to pull from the archives!
Impressive stuff, love the precision of movement. echo wall is a great film
I thought it was 'let down' (by today's standards anyway) by the lack of various angles. No drones back then, no 5 or 6 cameras, which for me make Echo Wall age pretty quickly. Still, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
@@denislejeune9218 still a thoroughly impressive climb. To date not repeated and filmed by misses macleod who must have a massive amount of believe and strength to film her husband undertaking multiple climbs with pretty severe consequences for any mistakes. Truly epic stuff
@@stewart6329 We are in agreement.
I think i had a bigger smile than you did after you topped the route. You smashed it!
ONE OF THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME
really cool. inspiring to see such a hard free solo
It was the chalk on the forearm that did it! Nice climb
2:56
So is the chalk of the foerarm so you can transfer it to you hands and reach into a chalk bag?
Incredible Dave!
Probably the highest grade solos ever very cool
great accomplishment, dude! gratz
I was wondering why the chalk on the forearm, then 2:57
Sweaty arms? I assume that if you have really sweaty arms that sweat can run to your hands anytime you drop your arms down. Wouldn't want that ruining his grip, especially given the stakes. But that's my best guess.
Luke Skinner I think he didn’t want to have to reach behind himself at that point to chalk up...my guess...
I've tested a theory that any sweat generated on your hands will get soaked up by the chalk on your wrists and arms.
I'm pretty sure he is just controlling the rotation of his body there and using his other arm as an intermediate hold to more precisely place the left hand. So to avoid getting sweat on his left hand he chalked up his right forearm before.
It's easy to solo when you're from the MacLeod Clan and cannot die anyway because you're a Highlander. 😅
The music fits so well! Any idea of the name?
That was some sexy climbing Dave
I have to come back to watch the video again every once and a while just to make sure its real....... crazy
Amazing! Balls of steel!!
Smashed it, you made it look easy mate
I love the music!
Still the best video on youtube...
to everyone their own, the mental en physical performance is fantastic, I prefer your roped climbing or bouldering personally.
The intoduction sounded like famous last words. Glad they wheren’t!
Sick music!
What's the track in the background?
You fuckin mad man doing all these dynamic moves free solo, damn
"A bit of a training exercise" Low key as usual
Damn brother, nice send. Seems to climb like just a super long mega highball boulder
But no pads so free solo
what's the soundtrack's name? it always comes to mind when I'm trying a new route or project haha
Amazing.
This has to be right up there with the hardest ever single pitch solos of all time?
@Jimmy Alain Robert would be very close competition with an 8b. if i remember it correctly he also did an 8a+ in Bijoux that he then downclimbed, all free solo
Was at the time and I reckon still probably the hardest.
@@crescentfuze Kevin Jorgeson - The Fly: th-cam.com/video/Mft3k_f0vOM/w-d-xo.html
Michal Makuša not a free solo. 6-7m tall and with a crashpad, it’s just a tall boulder problem
@@michalmakusa6923 that's just a high ball
Beastly stuff. Question though, if you don't have top foot access how the hell do you get down from a free solo like this? This one seemed to have a way off without downclimbing. Would you get a rope there first, rap down, then free solo, then rap down again? Just wondering, cause if that happens, you can either do a self-belay or a soloist to get a rope up, if no one else is with you, which seems a bit odd. But then again, so is soloing.
Grande bicho! M👏👏👏💪💪💪. Esto es en margalef, verdad?
Nice work! Which was easier? The redpoint or the solo?
The solo was probably a bit easier. It is amazing how much a few clips break your rhythm!
Is a single pitch still called freesolo or does it become a highball if you can topout? Mad skills anyways. Wouldn't be able to do it myself.
It would be a highball if he'd padded it out
I don't consider topping out as a defining trait of a highball. on a route like this I would consider wether a fall from the hardest moves would likely cause injury. I think this is in the blurry line between the two and without pads is a bold effort :)
Cool just bought the film !
What song is that?
Impressive!!!
Awesome!
Top notch.
Song?
New mind. From the first lock at 100%.
Now that's what you call bouldering. Amazing.
A long time ago and still an inspiring climb.
I wonder if you'd still consider something like free soloing a necessary way to prepare for a difficult climb? Some free soloing makes sense to me, but for that specific climb the risk of a relatively minor tendon injury mid-climb leading to a fairly brutal fall seems like it would introduce a pretty significant number of micromorts. In any case, I'm sure it focussed the mind...
As might be expected from Dave, not a bad response... th-cam.com/video/vJlYAu0agKE/w-d-xo.html
Looks like for Dave this route is a highball boulder problem :D
...without any mats. No biggie.
Breathtaking! The hardest free solo in the history?
fucking awesome is all I can add.
3:08 i never was so stoked someone showing me the finger
I'm still wondering the philosophy and mental state behind free soloing. It's already terrifying 15 feet off the ground with a crash pad beneath
Built Different
Es mejor quitar las cintas exprés de la ruta que se va hacer el solo , no quedan bien estando , mata la magia de ver la ruta limpia.
isn't it a little beit too dangerous and I'd say insane to solo routes close to your limit?
Thanks youtube for again making my hands sweet
If this was a highball boulder problem what grade would you reckon lol
8C so V15. Then again it says 8B+ so V14. Epic either way
I would think v10 or maybe v11 for French 8b+/8c crux?
I could probably close my eyes for a bit while riding my motorbike but WHY WOULD I? This is both great and disturbed.
Ga Wa mental fortitude
Mind training before doing super hard and bold trad...
Indeed, why would you ride a motorbike with your eyes shut? Mind you the number of fatal motorbike accidents in the Scottish highlands sometimes make me wonder if they are doing just that!
@@climbermacleod You are obviously a careful and considered person in many respects. Do you feel any urge, or observe it, to increase the danger level. Or do you feel that, as the difficulty gets greater through improvement, the risk itself stays the same (or reduces)?
my hands are cold and sweating
It's about that height where you could survive falling off it, however you would break just about every bone in your body
Yep... fall from that height would make you wish you were dead.
Really depends on how he lands. Could easily be fatal.
Something something doesn't count because no sit start
Badass!
why is there some kind of a tiny disruption at 3:48 / 3:49? :-)
Because he totally fell off and jumped back on at that point :-)
Fasmistic good, I was not sure first, but now it’s two of us... :-)
very ballsy stuff here especially because you wouldn't die most likely from the fall, but you'd never climb again to say the least. could have done it as a very highball boulder with lots of crash pads, but then it wouldn't be a true free solo. record hardest free solo i do believe!
Am I the only one to see the whale at 3m30 ?
Strong
Dave is the very best all rounder in.british climbing no doubt!
That's RAD!
Crazy.
Holy. Mother.
What a fucking beast
TITANNN!
I would think that this is within your onsight level at the time?
No. I was onsighting 8a+. But then I wasn't doing much onsighting really (I've never had good endurance). Perhaps if I were doing a lot I could have been onsighting into 8b at a push.
@@climbermacleod Makes sense. I think that a little-discussed climbing dichotomy is "project" climbers v. "onsight" climbers. Of course someone like Ondra can do both at the highest level, but historically you have say a Megos v. Gullich (and maybe Yuji v. Huber?) the former almost never spending more than a day on a climb v. someone spending years just to work out a crux. I tend towards the latter, and it cuts in to my urge to travel more or hard onsighting. Good work on using this particular experience to build on.
Bad ass!
8B+???
Im sweating
beast
🔥!