[slackline]

Not quite the (relatively) solid granite of Yosemite

[Durbs]

He's seriously nuts.

And epic.

[PipeSmoke]

Surely it is only a matter of time before one of the climbing greats, and one of the nicest blokes in climbing has some bad luck/makes a bad call and the inevitable happens?

[Johnny Brown]

Having climbed with him a tiny bit, I'd say he's undoubtedly the most comfortable/ talented guy I've ever seen on rock. Not much ego, and hard as it may be to believe, is doing these solos for the right reasons, i.e. his own. So I think if he does come a cropper it'll be some objective hazard and bad luck.

Given he's about the most famous climber in the world, but there isn't masses else on his CV, I think what is more likely is he'll inspire a few wannabes who are in it for the glory. Not good. But then climbing is a pretty safe sport nowadays and folk tend to avoid anything properly dangerous, so maybe not.

[a dense loner]

The most famous climber in the world? That's nearly as ridiculous a statement as the time you said uncle was probably the best climber in Britain this past year (when 85 days on the same 2 problems in font came out).
But on the other stuff I agree.

[dave]

Bonners is the most famous climber, followed by Mina.

[Johnny Brown]

I never said Uncle was the best at anything other than making films of himself.

I don't see Honnold's fame as up for discussion though. I mean actually famous, not well known amongst climbers.

[Doylo]

It could be  Alain Robert though (maybe!?). Most non climbers seem to talk about the 'spiderman'

[moose]

It could be  Alain Robert though (maybe!?). Most non climbers seem to talk about the 'spiderman'

Agreed, I've has innumerable encounters along the lines of "have you seen that fella who climbs buildings using only his fingers?! So, what's the highest thing you've ever climbed?"

[abarro81]

Have you ever been abseiling?

[willackers]

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=abseiling

[rosmat]

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=abseiling

How on earth does:

 "the act of self abuse whilst simultaneously inserting a dildo in your arse"

recreate the motion of a climber descending a cliff in any way at all? Unless I've been missing something when abseiling all these years?

No wonder some people like caving if this what abseiling is really like. 

[tomtom]

I believe its to do with the hand(s) position...

[Jaspersharpe]

It could be  Alain Robert though (maybe!?). Most non climbers seem to talk about the 'spiderman'

Honnold is after that title too:

http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/climbing/Alex-Honnold-Climbing-Disrupters.html

[Bonjoy]

Having climbed with him a tiny bit, I'd say he's undoubtedly the most comfortable/ talented guy I've ever seen on rock. Not much ego, and hard as it may be to believe, is doing these solos for the right reasons, i.e. his own. So I think if he does come a cropper it'll be some objective hazard and bad luck.

I agree. I've heard a fair few negative comments about his climbing. As if dangerous is good but only up to a point and beyond that it's bad.
It almost seems like people feel some ownership of him because he's in the public eye. It's his life to do with as he likes. I dare say his level of risk isn't any greater than an F1 racing driver for instance anyway.
He's certainly not nuts. Nuts is sitting on the sofa all day eating haribos then dying of an obesity related illness.

[tim palmer]

As if dangerous is good but only up to a point and beyond that it's bad.

surely that is the point?  Every time you do anything you make an assessment of the risks and he is willing to accept a level of risk which is pretty unimaginable to most people.  I doubt many people doubt he is a magnificent climber but magnificent or not all it will take is one bit of bad luck.

[Offwidth]

How about a comparison between his solos and some of the names over the years on big mountain FA's. Much fewer risks outside his control in my view, safer than Alan Hinks, though both avoid the dreaded sedentary haribo risk.

[remus]

Every time you do anything you make an assessment of the risks and he is willing to accept a level of risk which is pretty unimaginable to most people.

I don't think the level of risk he's taking is really that unimaginable. Absolute difficulty isn't as important as relative difficulty, and I can certainly contemplate soloing something big that's well below my max, especially with extensive practice.

[tim palmer]

How about a comparison between his solos and some of the names over the years on big mountain FA's. Much fewer risks outside his control in my view, safer than Alan Hinks, though both avoid the dreaded sedentary haribo risk.

In some ays I suppose it is, but on the other hand he has climbed these routes with a rope several times and solos them for the sake of it whereas I guess with big mountains the risk is unavoidable if you want to climb the mountain or route.

Every time you do anything you make an assessment of the risks and he is willing to accept a level of risk which is pretty unimaginable to most people.

I don't think the level of risk he's taking is really that unimaginable. Absolute difficulty isn't as important as relative difficulty, and I can certainly contemplate soloing something big that's well below my max, especially with extensive practice.

Good for you, but I think that it is pretty unimaginable to most people, if it weren't why would there be all the fanfare surrounding him?

[JamieG]

As much as i appreciate that he is doing these solos 'for himself' and its 'his life' and in many ways it isn't any more dangerous that lots of things people do. If he does fall off, someone is going to find him and then get help to clean the mess and I imagine that would be pretty traumatizing and i'm sure their are friends and family that would be devastated by the loss. So i think there is always a certain element of selfishness in soloing these things for me, and I find it hard to justify. But then again I can be pretty selfish . . .

Perhaps I just don't understand how he gets a kick out of it. I climb highballs and have hurt myself falling off, but I really hate the idea of getting to the point where I think I actually might kill myself.

2p

[slackline]

As much as i appreciate that he is doing these solos 'for himself' and its 'his life' and in many ways it isn't any more dangerous that lots of things people do. If he does fall off, someone is going to find him and then get help to clean the mess and I imagine that would be pretty traumatizing and i'm sure their are friends and family that would be devastated by the loss.

The same holds true for the aforementioned F1 drivers (although the safety of the cars if vastly improved these days), motorcyclists (racing or on the road), skiiers (recent case in hand being Schumacer), general cars on the road (as accidents can and do happen, even to the most cautious of drivers as there are things beyond control, i.e. others).

I recall reading about the accidents last year on El Cap where someone died when a block fell.  They were using ropes.  No doubt traumatizing for YOSAR members who were involved in the rescue and the families.  Does that mean that they shouldn't have been up there?

[Ti_pin_man]

selfish?  I dont think his selfishness comes across as extreme, just ordinary.  many people held up as idols could be labelled the same.  from racing drivers to the likes of mallory/irvine. 

family and loved ones?  yep they will be upset and grieve but they will know him well enough to know he's doing what he wants with his life and I applaud, as I hope they do, a life less ordinary.

As for clearing up any mess when they fail, sure people have to but they have to clean up after boy racers crash cars.  I'm not sure that argument holds water for me.  we all die sometime and we all have to be cleared up.  the only certain thing is in life is death.

[SA Chris]

I really hate the idea of getting to the point where I think I actually might kill myself.

Maybe you get to the point where you might actually kill yourself more often than you think, you just don't find out because you don't fall off?

[Doylo]

As much as i appreciate that he is doing these solos 'for himself' and its 'his life' and in many ways it isn't any more dangerous that lots of things people do. If he does fall off, someone is going to find him and then get help to clean the mess and I imagine that would be pretty traumatizing and i'm sure their are friends and family that would be devastated by the loss.

The same holds true for the aforementioned F1 drivers (although the safety of the cars if vastly improved these days), motorcyclists (racing or on the road), skiiers (recent case in hand being Schumacer), general cars on the road (as accidents can and do happen, even to the most cautious of drivers as there are things beyond control, i.e. others).

I recall reading about the accidents last year on El Cap where someone died when a block fell.  They were using ropes.  No doubt traumatizing for YOSAR members who were involved in the rescue and the families.  Does that mean that they shouldn't have been up there?

Appreciate the comparisons with other extreme sports but this extreme soloing does seem that bit more critical to me. One slip in 500 metres of climbing and it's certain death.

[JamieG]

Thanks for the replies.

Maybe you get to the point where you might actually kill yourself more often than you think, you just don't find out because you don't fall off?

You probably right and I guess it all comes down to finding and managing an acceptable level of risk. His just seems particularly high. I've soloed some easy routes before and enjoyed it, so I guess i'm being a bit hypocritical to be honest. But I never felt like i was going to die, and maybe Honnold feels the same on these routes.

I agree ti_pin_man, my argument doesn't really hold up to much scrutiny, since I enjoy watching formula one and really enjoyed guy martins dvd 'closer to the edge' about the TT racing. There is just something about these solos that makes me deeply uncomfortable. Maybe because I climb, but have never been on a motorbike (scooters don't count :-)) and I certainly can't drive an F1 car. Like doylo says the danger seems much more digital. One mistake and that's it. The risk just seems very tangible and I am kind of dreading reading that he's fallen off something and died.