Free solo climbing explained

Free solo climbing, or free soloing, is a form of rock climbing where the climbers (or free soloists) climb solo (or alone) without ropes or other protective equipment, using only their climbing shoes and their climbing chalk.[1] Free soloing is the most dangerous form of climbing, and, unlike bouldering, free soloists climb above safe heights, where a fall can be fatal. Though many climbers have free soloed climbing grades they are very comfortable on, only a tiny group free solo regularly, and at grades closer to the limit of their abilities.[2]

Some climbers' profiles have been increased by free soloing (e.g. Alex Honnold and John Bachar), but some question the ethics of this, and whether the risks they are undertaking should be encouraged and commercially rewarded.[3] [4] "Free solo" was originally a term of climber slang, but after the popularity of the Oscar-winning film Free Solo, Merriam-Webster officially added the word to their English dictionary in September 2019.[5]

In addition to free soloing on single-pitch and multi-pitch rock climbs, including the even longer big wall climbing that features in the Free Solo film, free soloing is performed in a wide range of climbing types including, ice climbing and mixed climbing (which feature in The Alpinist film), as well as setting speed climbing records on alpine climbing routes (i.e. a mixture of rock and ice climbing), which features in the Race to the Summit film.

Description

Free solo climbing (sometimes referred to as soloing in the UK, or third-classing in the US), is where the climber uses no climbing protection whatsoever (and as with all free climbing, no form of climbing aid is used either); they may only use their climbing shoes and climbing chalk to ascend a single-pitch, or a multi-pitch/big wall climbing route. 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, which use climbing protection for safety. In theory bouldering is also free solo climbing (i.e. it also uses no aid or protection) but is usually not referred to as such except in the case of Highball bouldering, where falls can be serious. The most committing forms of free soloing are on multi-pitch – and the even longer big wall – routes, where any retreat is very difficult.

In alpine climbing the term solo climbing – as distinct from free solo climbing – can be used where the solo climber carries a rope and some aid climbing equipment to overcome some of the most difficult sections. In addition, the term rope soloing is used for any solo climber who uses a rope and a form of self-locking device for continuous climbing protection on the route; this is also not considered as free solo climbing.[6]

Many early 20th-century rock climbers who began to free climb (i.e., avoiding any form of aid), were often practicing free solo climbing (or rope soloing), as the effectiveness of their climbing protection (usually a rope around their waist) was minimal. In the history of rock climbing, the first ascent of Napes Needle by W. P. Haskett Smith in June 1886 – an act that is widely considered to be the start of the sport of rock climbing – was effectively a free solo.[7] Early leaders of free climbing such as Paul Preuss, were also strongly interested in free solo climbing as being ethically purer. The 1958 ascent by Don Whillans of Goliath, one of the world's first E4 6a routes, was effectively a free solo (with a rope around his waist).[8] By the 1970s, when climbing protection was sufficiently developed to be effective, the discipline of free solo climbing began to stand apart.

Public view

Many climbers praise free soloing, while others have concerns regarding the danger and the message the ascents send to other climbers.[9] Many companies have taken these views into account when working with free soloists. Clif Bar, the nutrition bar company with long ties to climbing, dropped the sponsorship of five climbers in 2014, citing the risks they take and stirring a debate about how much risk should be rewarded.[10]

However, The North Face and Red Bull have promoted free soloists and helped the free soloing community grow.[11] [12] In addition, Alex Honnold, a free soloist who was previously dropped by Clif Bar,[13] was featured in the 2018 documentary Free Solo, which was met with critical acclaim and won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature. The director of Free Solo, Jimmy Chin, talks in the film about the ethics of undertaking the documentary, and the effect that his film team and project could have had on the outcome.

Even in the climbing community, free soloing is controversial. In 2022, when Climbing did a feature on free soloing, they caveated all articles with: "This article is not an endorsement of the practice", and emphasized that in their research amongst climbers, it was only practiced by a very small minority, with many telling Climbing: "I have in the past but not anymore".

In 2022, climbing author and occasional free soloist Jeff Smoot wrote All and Nothing: Inside Free Soloing, which explored through interviews why some rock climbers free solo, including analyzing his own motivations.[14] He described the feeling of self-control over one's fears as a form of addiction that had brought benefits to his life outside of climbing. He also found a wider range of motivations than he expected telling The Seattle Times, "Are free soloists crazy? They may be. Are they crazier than anybody else? I don’t think so, just in a different way".[15]

Notable climbers

While many rock climbers have free soloed routes (single-pitch or big wall/multi-pitch), at climbing grades well below their ability, a very small minority have practiced free soloing regularly, and at grades closer to their overall limits. The most prominent of this smaller group are those who have broken new grade milestones in free solo climbing and gained a significant profile from their soloing:

In addition, several other free solo practitioners are considered historically notable in free solo climbing and include the following: Patrick Edlinger, Ron Fawcett,, Brad Gobright, Dan Goodwin, Colin Haley, Derek Hersey, Jimmy Jewell, John Long, Dave MacLeod, Dan Osman, Dean Potter, Paul Preuss, and Tobin Sorenson.

Free soloing is less common amongst female rock climbers, however, as well as Catherine Destivelle, the following female climbers are historically notable free solo practitioners: Steph Davis and Brette Harrington, both of whom have free soloed single-pitch and big wall routes.

Evolution of grade milestones

Single-pitch routes

See main article: History of rock climbing.

Big wall, multi-pitch routes

See main article: History of rock climbing.

Climber fatalities

A number of notable free solo practitioners have died while free soloing:[25]

Climbing magazine reported that a number of prominent free solo practitioners died in related or other extreme sports, including: Dan Osman (died at age 35 while rope jumping at Yosemite), Michael Reardon (died age 42 while rock climbing sea cliffs when he was carried out to sea by a rogue wave), Dean Potter (died age 43 while wingsuit flying when he crashed at Yosemite), Brad Gobright (died age 31 while abseiling at Potrero Chico), and Hansjorg Auer (died age 35 in an avalanche at Howse Peak).[25]

Related disciplines

Some leading alpine climbers have set speed climbing records on classic alpine climbing routes – particularly the six great north faces of the Alps – that are done as free solos as using ropes and other protection would take too long. Notable alpine free solo speed climbers include Ueli Steck and Dani Arnold, whose rivalry was featured in the 2021 film, Race to the Summit.[27]

In film

A number of notable films have been made focused on free solo climbing (both on rock and on ice) including:[34]

See also

References

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: . Free solo . 2023 . (of climbing up rocks, mountains or buildings) done with no ropes or other equipment: Free solo climbing shuns the use of ropes or other safety equipment. . 2 October 2023.
  2. Web site: Why We Won't See a Rise in Free Solo Climbing Deaths After Alex Honnold's Story Won an Oscar. Taylor. Will. The Inertia. 25 February 2019 . en-US. 2019-07-01.
  3. Web site: Free Solo Climbing is Dangerous and Deadly. Green. Stewart. 20 July 2017. ThoughtCo. 2019-01-22.
  4. Web site: Gale - User Identification Form. galeapps.galegroup.com. 2019-04-21.
  5. News: 'Free Solo' enters Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Film Scoops 7 Emmys. Berry. Natalie. UK Climbing.
  6. Book: Chapter 12. Alpine Climbing . 2018 . . 9th . 978-1846892622 . Quiller Publishing . The Mountaineers.
  7. The Origin and Early Evolution of Rock Climbing . 9 August 2021 . Beifeng . Zhu . Ruizhi . Chen . Yuan . Li . 10.2991/assehr.k.210806.124 . Atlantis Press . Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research . Proceedings of the 2021 5th International Seminar on Education, Management and Social Sciences (ISEMSS 2021) . 662–667 . 571 . 978-94-6239-414-8 . 238693283 . free .
  8. Web site: . Cleaning Up Climbing History. The Truth Behind 13 Pivotal Ascents and Events . Jim . Erikson . 19 April 2022 . 9 December 2022.
  9. Web site: Opinion: The Free Solo Documentary Addressed Some Uncomfortable Truths, But Ignored Others. Corrigan. Kevin. Climbing Magazine. 22 October 2018 . en-us. 2019-05-06.
  10. News: A Sponsor Steps Away From the Edge. Branch. John. 2014-11-14. The New York Times. 2019-07-01. en-US. 0362-4331.
  11. Web site: Alex Honnold. TheNorthFace USA – English. 2019-04-21.
  12. Web site: The Most Mind-Bending Free Solo Climbs in History. Red Bull. 2019-04-21.
  13. Web site: Climber Alex Honnold wrote an op-ed after Clif Bar dropped him as a sponsor. SI.com. 20 November 2014 . 2019-04-21.
  14. Web site: . Why Do Climbers Free Solo?. Stephen . Potter . 4 October 2022 . 30 May 2024 .
  15. Web site: . Jeff Smoot's 'All and Nothing' dives deep into the world of free soloing . Tyler . Agafonov . 22 September 2022 . 30 May 2024.
  16. Web site: PlanetMountain . Hansjörg Auer Fish route solo on Marmolada 15 years ago today . 29 April 2022 . 1 January 2023.
  17. . Alfredo Webber, Age 52, Free Solos 5.14b . 12 March 2021 . Bennett. Slavsky. 4 January 2022 .
  18. Web site: . Hardest route climbed (free solo) . 2023 . 1 July 2023. ALFREDO WEBBER, ITALY (ARCO), MARCH 2021, "Panem et Circenses".
  19. Web site: Oviglia . Maurizio . The Evolution of Free Climbing . PlanetMountain . 23 December 2012 . 4 January 2020.
  20. Web site: . Being Bachar . March 2008 . 3 January 2023 .
  21. Ament, Pat (2002). Wizards of Rock: A History of Free Climbing in America, Wilderness Press
  22. Web site: . The world gasps in the aftermath of Alex Honnold's free solo of El Capitan's Freerider (5.13a, 3,000ft). Derek . Franz . 9 June 2017 . 1 July 2023 . originally rated 5.12d but now considered harder after a hold broke.
  23. Web site: Exclusive: Alex Honnold Completes the Most Dangerous Free-Solo Ascent Ever . . https://web.archive.org/web/20170603192910/http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/features/athletes/alex-honnold/most-dangerous-free-solo-climb-yosemite-national-park-el-capitan/ . dead . 3 June 2017 . 3 October 2018.
  24. Web site: Gripped Magazine . This is Still a Gripping Free-Solo Video – Alex Huber on a 20-Pitch 5.12a . 2 November 2021 . 16 December 2022.
  25. Web site: . Free Solo Rock Climbing and the Climbers Who Have Defined the Sport . Alison . Osius . 4 June 2022 . 26 November 2022.
  26. News: Scott C. . Johnson . Michael Ybarra's Death Underscores the Allure and Dangers of Solo Climbing . The Daily Beast . 2015-10-09. 15 July 2012 .
  27. Web site: . Speed Soloing Is Climbing's Deadliest Game—It Has One Living Player . Ed . Douglas . 17 June 2021 . 4 October 2023.
  28. Web site: . The Real Spider-Man: Alain Robert climbs the world's tallest buildings . 6 December 2022 . 30 December 2022 . Eleonora . Pilastro.
  29. Web site: . A History of Mallorca Deep Water Soloing. 8 March 2011 . 21 December 2021 .
  30. Web site: FreeBASE: Dean Potter on the Eiger Nordwand. Thomasma. Melissa . 13 August 2008. . 1540-725X . 30 December 2022.
  31. Web site: How Dean Potter Reinvented Climbing, Jumping, Flying . https://web.archive.org/web/20150520221616/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/05/150518%2Ddean%2Dpotter%2Ddead%2Dbase%2Djumping%2Dyosemite%2Dclimbing%2Dadventure/. dead. 20 May 2015. Bisharat. Andrew. 18 May 2015. . 30 December 2022.
  32. Web site: Is it Highball Bouldering? Or should we be calling it Free-Soloing . Pete . Edwards . November 2020 . 30 December 2022.
  33. Web site: . Dani Arnold Free Soloing a 1,000-Foot WI 7 Ice Climb . 25 January 2018 . 12 June 2023 . Valentin . Luthiger.
  34. Web site: . The 20 Best Climbing Films of All Time . Andrew . Bisharat . 6 September 2022 . 28 September 2023.