Free solo climber death Free soloing getting heavy publicity makes me frustrated because it popularizes a very small portion of the climbing community. He was the first registered climber on Denali this season, departing from basecamp on April 27. la/2LCa5UM Jan 2, 2023 · Perhaps he feared a copycat effect – that climbers lacking Honnold’s physical and psychological abilities would attempt to free solo the route. The woman’s climbing partner, a 27-year-old man Nov 29, 2019 · Practitioners of free solo climbing say it is a risky yet exhilarating experience, one that comes with a calm acceptance of death. [6] Free solo climbing is a special form of free climbing but is different from the main forms of free climbing — sport climbing and traditional climbing — that use climbing protection for safety. Some of the biggest names in climbing decided to do free soloist climbs and met their death, which could have easily been avoided had they used safety ropes. All three are in Yosemite and considered free solo classics. His name is synonymous with daring free solo ascents and has become one of the most famous rock climbers in history. Climber: Dylan TubaroFilmed by: Andrew Serack Jul 11, 2023 · On Sunday, July 9, a Boulder, Colorado, woman died after falling 500 feet while free soloing Blitzen Ridge, a classic 5. 7), which was featured in Eric Perlman's film Masters of Stone Jul 12, 2023 · Free-solo climbing is a dangerous form of rock climbing in which the climber uses no ropes. Nov 29, 2019 · The acclaimed free solo climber was abseiling down the cliff with his companion Aidan Jacobson, 26, when they suddenly lost their grip. 12b / 7b, and then his most difficult single pitch free solo on “Heaven” 5. “I was a bit above him. 10+) up the center of the face. 1993 — attempting to free solo Sentinel Rock in Yosemite Nov 16, 2023 · If you mention free soloing to most people, the first name that comes to mind is Alex Honnold. While free solo climbing remains a pursuit of personal challenge and freedom, it’s crucial to acknowledge the inherent risks involved. Climber Alex Honnold has been dreaming of free-soloing the 3,000 feet (900 m) rock wall of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, a feat no one has performed. He also is featured crashing a BMX bicycle, ziplining off The Witch, taking a 192 feet (59 m) whipper for fun in Yosemite, and on-sight free-soloing Bolder Display of Power (5. 10a) and then traversed Thanksgiving Ledge to complete the last six pitches and six hundred feet of Jul 12, 2023 · Free-solo climber dies in 500-foot fall at Rocky Mountain National Park. Honnold rose to worldwide fame in June 2017 when he became the first person to free solo a full route on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park (via the 2,900-foot route Freerider at 5. . It’s pure freedom, but with that freedom comes extreme danger. He described Gobright as a "gem of a man. Jul 11, 2023 · A 26-year-old woman died after falling about 500 feet while free-solo climbing at the Rocky Mountain National Park Sunday, park officials said. 99% of people who free climb use ropes. Sep 4, 2020 · In 2006 he free solo’d “Separate Reality” 5. It’s a sport where the climber ascends a Derek Hersey (right) and friends making PBJ sandwiches, Yosemite Valley, California Hersey's business card Hersey bouldering in Zion. 12c) in Eldorado Canyon, Colorado, US – First free solo ascent by Brad Gobright in November 2015. Dec 27, 2022 · In the case of free solo deaths, there often isn't much to analyze or improve upon accident wise, since free-soloing is a personal decision and one that climbers execute alone, without gear. For two decades he was the de facto leader of the Yosemite monkeys, and was a p Jan 3, 2016 · Widely regarded as the world’s best free solo climber, he holds numerous speed records, notably for El Capitan, in Yosemite. I also think it gives the sport somewhat of a tougher image with many people since that is what they initially associate with climbing. His choice of big wall climbing route on El Capitan is called Freerider, a route that was created by Alexander Huber in 1998, and which Honnold has completed several times with protection equipment. 11). 4. John Bachar, d. Summary: Male and female out climbing, female fell and died. The 38-year-old American is probably the most well-known rock climber in the world, primarily because of the groundbreaking nature of his free solos and the high level of media attention they’ve received. 13a, the first-ever big wall free solo ascent at that grade), [3] a climb described in The New York Free solo climbing, also known as free soloing, is a form of technical rock climbing where the climber attempts to scale a rock face without using any ropes, harnesses, or other protective gear. Any mistake, any misstep, even an uncontrollable event like rock fall could send you plummeting to your death. Climbers know who he is, non-climbers know who he is. Over the last six years the 31-year-old Lombard, Illinois, resident spent more time climbing without a rope than with one. 12d / 7c. [1] A fitness fanatic, he was the creator of the climbing training device known as the Bachar ladder. However, Honnold’s achievements go way beyond his daring free solos. 12a / 7a+, made the first free solo of “Dog’s Roof” 5. Derek Geoffrey Hersey (26 October 1956 – 28 May 1993) was a British rock climber who specialized in free soloing, and was for many years an active participant in the Boulder, Colorado climbing scene in the United States. Nov 29, 2019 · Gobright also appeared in climbing films, including the short Safety Third, which focused on his gutsy free solo endeavors, and the 55-minute film The Nose Speed Record, which chronicled Honnold Potter climbed many new routes and completed many solo ascents in Yosemite and Patagonia. John Bachar (March 23, 1957 – July 5, 2009) was an American rock climber. Jan 9, 2023 · After summiting Kilimanjaro early in the year, he ventured to Alaska to climb Denali. Notable free solo climbing accidents. Dean Potter died on May 16th, 2015 in a wingsuit accident in Yosemite Valley. " View this post on Instagram Sep 14, 2021 · Like 2018’s Oscar-winning “Free Solo,” the film focuses on a twentysomething preternaturally gifted climber with high fear tolerance. Mountain project lists that section as a 5. The 52-year-old was attempting a solo, unroped ascent of Dike Feb 27, 2020 · We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Jan 18, 2024 · Free-solo climbing is something of a fringe undertaking in the rock-climbing world. Marc-André Leclerc (October 10, 1992 – March 5, 2018) was a Canadian rock climber, ice and mixed climber, and alpinist. Apr 2, 2025 · The style of climbing, considered the most risky and bold, is known as free soloing. Feb 19, 2023 · Zach Milligan, a free solo climber who made history when he became one of the first to descend Half Dome on skis in 2021, died earlier this month in a fall. Learn about this free solo fall and the rescuers' experience here, and dive into the larger conversation abou We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Howell, 31, from Lombard, Illinois, was known for his exceptional skill in climbing without a rope, a practice he described as his way of Nov 29, 2019 · A world-renowned American free solo climber has died attempting to descend the side of a cliff face. Alain Robert (French pronunciation: [alɛ̃ ʁɔbɛʁ]; born as Robert Alain Philippe on 7 August 1962) is a French rock climber and urban climber. Jun 10, 2018 · The death-defying adventure of scaling a huge granite precipice like El Capitan involves an intricate process in which lengths of nylon rope are tied to the climbers and knotted on bolts, or Tommy Caldwell (born August 11, 1978) is an American rock climber who has set records in sport climbing, traditional climbing, and in big-wall climbing. Nov 28, 2019 · Acclaimed American free solo climber Brad Gobright died Wednesday attempting to descend down the side of a cliff face in El Potrero Chico, Mexico, a popular rock climbing destination in Jul 12, 2023 · The 26-year-old Colorado woman who plunged to her death while free-solo climbing inside a national park was identified by grieving friends as an avid climber and “mountain person. This style of climbing is extremely dangerous, as any fall could result in serious injury or death. Free soloing rock climber in Western Tasmania falls out of the crack in a deadly situation. He was climbing solo and in alpine style, planning to summit and descend in five days (most guided parties take upwards of two weeks). Feb 25, 2019 · Last night, two of climbing’s biggest stars—co-director Jimmy Chin and free soloist Alex Honnold—took the stage at the 2019 Academy Awards and accepted an Oscar for Best Documentary Film for Jun 20, 2023 · The Twinkie solo encapsulated many idiosyncrasies of Howell’s free soloing: climbing hard, steep routes that had awkward descents; a tendency to climb with his shoes untied, or without chalk Jul 11, 2023 · A 26-year-old woman plummeted 500 feet to her death while free-solo climbing inside a national park in Colorado Sunday, according to officials. You're thinking of Free Solo, which is what this guy is doing. Noted for his skill at free soloing, he ultimately died during a free solo climb. A 26-year-old Boulder woman died Sunday after she fell 500 feet during a free-solo climb on the Four Aces of Blitzen Ridge in Rocky Mountain National Park, park officials said. Jul 2, 2019 · Free soloing 5. Jul 5, 2019 · This is the second free soloing death that has occurred this year as the result of unstable rock. Free solo climbing (climbing without ropes or any other safety equipment) has struck awe in onlookers around the world, with climbers like Alex Honnold darin Nov 29, 2019 · A world-renowned American free solo climber has died attempting to descend the side of a cliff face. Nicknamed "the French Spider-Man" or "the Human Spider", Robert carries out free solo climbs of skyscrapers using no climbing equipment except for a small bag of chalk and a pair of climbing shoes. who plummeted to her death from the Four Aces of Blitzen Ridge on Ypsilon Mountain, according to the Jul 18, 2023 · The day after Mulholland’s death, a climber scrambling near the top of the First Flatiron fell 100 feet before Boulder woman dies in 500-foot fall after free-solo climbing in Rocky Mountain Jul 14, 2023 · A 26-year-old woman who was killed Sunday while free-solo climbing a ridge on Ypsilon Mountain in Rocky Mountain National Park has been identified by the Larimer County coroner as Bailee Mulholland. The fatality marks the second death at the Nov 24, 2024 · Honnold’s exceedingly bold 2017 free solo of the Freerider route on El Capitan was a seismic moment in climbing’s history, while the resulting Free Solo documentary film made Honnold a global superstar. Maybe Honnold’s sponsors did not want the publicity, although a few seconds of the footage appeared on CBS show 60 minutes in October 2011, during which the interviewer asked the climber why he 360 video Immerse yourself in the experience of free solo climbing Yosemite’s El Capitan alongside Alex Honnold in this 360 video. Kyle Walker's chest-mounted camera caught a harrowing 60-foot fall during a free climb in Colorado. I believe both that his free solos are amazing feats, approaching the limits of human potential, and that he’s recklessly risking his own life. 2009 — while free soloing moderate rock (Honnold and Synnott believe Bachar had health challenges that affected his fateful climb) Derek Hersey, d. m. Brad Gobright, 31, fell around 300m (1,000ft) to his death in El Potrero Chico in northern Mexico. Oct 22, 2018 · Alex Honnold is a polarizing figure. Mar 30, 2024 · Austin Howell, a climber renowned for his free solo ascents, tragically died on June 30, 2019, after falling 80 feet from a climb in Linville Gorge, North Carolina, within the remote Pisgah National Forest. Jul 12, 2023 · The unidentified 26-year-old died while free-solo climbing on Ypsilon Mountain, on the east side of the park, according to the National Park Service. 4 ridge on Ypsilon Mountain in Rocky Mountain National Park. Brad Gobright, 31, fell around 300m (1,000ft) to his death in El Potrero Chico in northern Dec 20, 2024 · Martin Feistl died on Saturday, May 18, following a 130-foot fall in his native Austria, while free soloing on the steep 1,000-foot South Face of the Scharnitzspitze (8,097ft). Caldwell made the first free ascents of several major routes on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. I was on the left. 8 A2) El Capitan, Yosemite, US – Former speed record of 2 hours, 19 minutes, and 44 seconds set by Brad Gobright and Jim Reynolds in October 2017. Her body was taken to the Larimer County Coroner/Medical Examiner’s Office for determination of the cause of death. The cost-to-benefit ratio is so high that very few people are willing to accept the risk. Jul 13, 2009 · Text by Alyson Sheppard Free climbing legend John Bachar, 52, died on July 5 after a fall near his home in Mammoth Lakes, California. Free solo climbing gives a thrill like nothing else. May 29, 2020 · An acclaimed free solo climber has died after falling 300m while trying to descend a cliff face in Mexico. 12 was common for Austin Howell. While it was popularized by the 2018 documentary, “Free Solo,” of professional rock climber Alex Honnold’s free solo of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, its place in climbing can be traced back to Nov 29, 2019 · Among them was Alex Honnold, a leading free climber who features in the Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo. Jun 3, 2018 · Almost exactly a year ago, climber Alex Honnold gained the world's attention when he reached El Capitan's peak in just under four hours doing a "free-solo," without safety gear. on Friday, July 14, 2023, with the climber’s name from the Larimer County Coroner’s Office. That doesn't mean you can't use protection though. Discussing free solo climbing deaths openly allows climbers to: Understand the Dangers: Recognizing real-life consequences helps climbers make informed decisions. Free soloing ice is not usually the time to try and pull off completely unnecessary and avoidable tool swaps, especially just for some GoPro footage that no one but your mom and granny will care about unless things go horribly wrong. I am aware that I can get injured even in the best circumstances. It uses no ropes, harness or other protective gear. I'm guessing the couple treated it like an exposed hike, rather than what immediately springs to mind when I hear "Free solo" climbing. Nov 2, 2023 · Alex free solos Moonlight Buttress back in 2008. One of the earliest known solo climbing accidents occurred in 1913. He is known for his solo ascents–often in winter–of major ice and alpine climbing routes. Nov 28, 2019 · Acclaimed 'Free Solo' Climber Brad Gobright Dies in Fall While Descending Cliff in Mexico Brad Gobright, 31, fell while attempting to descend the side of a cliff face in El Portero Chico, Mexico By Learning from Free Solo Deaths. [ 6 ] 2017, The Nose (VI 5. ” Alex Honnold (born August 17, 1985) is an American rock climber best known for his free solo ascents of big walls. Apr 29, 2019 · Peter Croft — still living and still climbing; However, there are two that died free soloing. It's a type of free climbing that doesn't use ropes and is bigger than a boulder problem. Honnold gives me cognitive dissonance. Jul 11, 2023 · UPDATE: This story was updated at 8:49 a. Alex Honnold needs no introduction. https://abc7. I don’t mean within our community, I mean within my own mind. American climber Brad Gobright, 31, was abseiling down a cliff with Aidan Jacobson, 26 2015, Hairstyles and Attitudes (5. On Saturday, May 18, 48-year-old Bob Dergay of Boulder, Colorado, fell an estimated 100 feet while free-soloing the popular Bastille Crack, a five-pitch 5. In recent years, he has lost close friends to fatal accidents. 7 on the Bastille formation in Eldorado Canyon. The 27-year-old ice and mixed expert was climbing the Spitzenstätter (VII/5. Paul Preuss was attempting to make the first ascent of the Mandlkogel in Gosaukamm. --Edit: With additional information it sounds like the couple were experienced climbers/outdoor enthusiasts. How Jimmy Chin Filmed Alex Honnold’s Death-Defying Free Solo. Jul 11, 2023 · A 26-year-old woman from Boulder, Colorado, died after falling approximately 500 feet while free-solo climbing a ridge in the state’s Rocky Mountain National Park on Sunday, the park said. Free climbing is anything that isn't aid. [4] Osman gained a wider audience with his 4 minute 25 second speed solo of the route Bear's Reach (5. It's just your body getting yourself up the rock. “The risk in free soloing is always to fall off and fall to The Alpinist is a 2021 American documentary film directed by Peter Mortimer and Nick Rosen about Marc-André Leclerc, a free-spirited and little-known 23-year-old Canadian rock climber, ice climber, and alpinist. He free-solo climbed a small part of El Capitan in Yosemite, where he pioneered a route he called Easy Rider by climbing down the slabby upper pitches of the route Lurking Fear (hardest moves rated grade 5. Alex Honnold, the star of “Free Solo,” actually knew The free solo climber may only use their climbing shoes and climbing chalk as they ascend the climbing route. sekbwo rkgmet gfvdmoe bhdkv jybkqw zkcbi slmg zsn xfqb krybq xzzuxc kpveob gwqe rkq kmzmubr