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Baitball Blogger

(50,590 posts)
Sat Jul 12, 2025, 02:21 PM Jul 12

Asking for a favor.

There is a remarkable article about climbers who rappelled down El Capitan using a 3000 foot long rope. My internet is down and my iPhone is not allowing me to capture the link. Can someone do a search and post the article on General Discussion? I appreciate it!

19 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Asking for a favor. (Original Post) Baitball Blogger Jul 12 OP
Is this it? Irish_Dem Jul 12 #1
Yes! Baitball Blogger Jul 12 #2
I thought that is what I did. Irish_Dem Jul 12 #3
Okay, thank you, Baitball Blogger Jul 12 #6
I love to watch them but it is scary. Irish_Dem Jul 12 #7
It's so incredibly dangerous Baitball Blogger Jul 12 #9
The documentary was fascinating. Irish_Dem Jul 12 #10
I wonder if that was the one I saw in a free fall. Baitball Blogger Jul 12 #11
Oh no. Irish_Dem Jul 12 #14
God bless them. Baitball Blogger Jul 12 #15
The movie was FREE SOLO about Alex Honnold. Irish_Dem Jul 12 #16
Yes, I know about his feat Baitball Blogger Jul 12 #17
Yes we can assume his wife put the kibosh on his climbing. Irish_Dem Jul 12 #18
Oh I see what you meant. Irish_Dem Jul 12 #8
How much does a 3000 foot long rope weigh? rsdsharp Jul 12 #4
It is truly amazing, isn't it? Baitball Blogger Jul 12 #5
Ask & You Shall Receive. I looked it up. ProfessorGAC Jul 12 #12
Thank you. Not very practical. rsdsharp Jul 12 #13
Wow! We learn something new every day!! SWBTATTReg Jul 12 #19

Baitball Blogger

(50,590 posts)
6. Okay, thank you,
Sat Jul 12, 2025, 02:39 PM
Jul 12

I have been fascinated with rock climbing and especially EL Capitan since Alex Honnold solo climbed it.

Irish_Dem

(72,736 posts)
7. I love to watch them but it is scary.
Sat Jul 12, 2025, 02:41 PM
Jul 12

I once watched a documentary about a rock climber and he seemed to live in his own world.
I guess you have to if you want to do this work/hobby.

Baitball Blogger

(50,590 posts)
9. It's so incredibly dangerous
Sat Jul 12, 2025, 02:46 PM
Jul 12

Especially when they go to secluded places on their own. Came across. YouTube video that documented two climbers who fell and died. They are of a different mind than the rest of us,

Irish_Dem

(72,736 posts)
10. The documentary was fascinating.
Sat Jul 12, 2025, 03:02 PM
Jul 12

I cannot remember the guy's name.

He was fairly young, had climbed some big mountains.
He seemed like a rock climbing genius, the way he could negotiate the rocks.

I think he did it with no safeguard harnesses, etc.
They call that free soloing?

And he did practice runs by himself.
Then he got a girlfriend and she would go along with him, stand on the ground
watching him.

The guy seemed a bit autistic and narrow focused.
But he knew his climbing and had done it since quite young.

Yes I felt his days were numbered and he kind of knew it but didn't care.
He was obsessed and loved the hobby.

Baitball Blogger

(50,590 posts)
11. I wonder if that was the one I saw in a free fall.
Sat Jul 12, 2025, 03:05 PM
Jul 12

It was so bizarre because he didn’t seem to offer resistance. Just like a an inanimate object falling.

Irish_Dem

(72,736 posts)
14. Oh no.
Sat Jul 12, 2025, 03:12 PM
Jul 12

I really liked this young man and his girlfriend.
I used to check every year or so to see if he was still alive.
But I stopped doing that and have no idea if he is alive or not.

Maybe I can find his name.

Yes it sounds like something this guy would do, just fall with no resistance.
When he was climbing and would slip, a big semi-fall, he would be quite calm
and nonchalant about it.

Irish_Dem

(72,736 posts)
16. The movie was FREE SOLO about Alex Honnold.
Sat Jul 12, 2025, 03:22 PM
Jul 12

He did achieve his dream of climbing 3,200-foot El Capitan in Yosemite National Park without a rope.

He is still alive and he and his girlfriend got married and have two children!

Scientists have done many brain scans on Alex and he has a huge brain anomaly.
He has no fear, literally.

He is in full control of the amygdala and his pre-frontal lobe is so highly trained and activated that it does not allow any fight-or-flight reaction.
So yes if he fell to his death he was just relax and float down.

Baitball Blogger

(50,590 posts)
17. Yes, I know about his feat
Sat Jul 12, 2025, 03:35 PM
Jul 12

And how he prepared for the climb. Didn’t know about the rest. I did hear that after he married and had children he stopped taking that level of risk. Probably a requirement from his wife.

Irish_Dem

(72,736 posts)
18. Yes we can assume his wife put the kibosh on his climbing.
Sat Jul 12, 2025, 03:40 PM
Jul 12

If you can watch the documentary, it is fascinating, I recommend it.

I have no interest in rock climbing but the movie was mesmerizing.
And it stayed with me to the point I kept checking to see if Alex was still alive.

ProfessorGAC

(73,754 posts)
12. Ask & You Shall Receive. I looked it up.
Sat Jul 12, 2025, 03:05 PM
Jul 12

Climbing ropes weigh about 1/12th of a pound per foot. So, a 3,000' rope would be around 250#.

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