You ought to watch his free solo of moonlight buttress and half done shot by sender films, Alone in the wall. It’s nerve wracking. I climb a lot and they still give me vertigo.
Not enough people truly realize how special this young man is...he is unique on a planet of six billion or so. He is literally the only person who could climb El Sendero or El Cap with no ropes. Think about that -- the only one. Physically, mentally, emotionally -- this man is alone.
Um, you do realise that there are a lot of folks out there who free solo harder stuff? Dave Macleod once free soloed an 8c. And that dude is no stranger to big walls either. Honnold is amazing, but I just flinch when people go out and say he is doing stuff no other could.
Been down a alex honnold youtube rabbit hole for the last two hours...i have to quit because i have no water left in my body...its evaporated through the sweat in my hands and my cortisol levels are higher than the mountains he free solo's
I love that moment, especially the way it starts about 5 seconds earlier, with neither hand touching the rock, just relaxing for a minute and having a good time in a situation that would act as a laxative for us mere mortals!
I thought exactly the same thing. He was born for it. It seems inevitable that one day one of those tiny rock crevices will crumble and it scares me to think about it.
@@stephen25uk Ironically, us fans get far more scared watching him even though we know he lived, than he did as he performed the feat we find terrifying! Alex is not only an incredibly talented and bold climber, but a great person doing his part to leave the world in better shape than he found it; I hope he has the long, healthy, happy life he deserves!
@@Gregorypeckory To be fair, Honnold has said he is also scared when he watch other people free solo, because as an outside watcher, you don't know about the state of mind of the climber, how secure he truly feels, or if he's getting afraid and risk falling.
@@daedalron Yes; he's human, and getting scared for someone else doing something dangerous that we might feel comfortable doing ourselves because we know we can handle it, is normal. He's also said he would be terrified to free solo something if he had any doubt it was well within his skill level. All perfectly understandable, but still awe inspiring, at the level he's made comfortable for himself!
@@cazd4590 that's what makes it even more amazing though isn't it? The fact that he is willing to risk his life in order to do something that he loves and get that thrill and that he is confident in his ability to do so is mind-blowing
Agreed, happiness in its true form, he had the same smile doing El Cap. Or as @Patrick Bateman said it could be that he's trying to the first man to free solo a mountain while farting chalk out of his bag.
This guy is truly amazing. Hes not a daredevil, he methodically plans out the route and practices with ropes until he is comfortable to do it without a rope. The level of composure and focus he has to have is amazing
The smile at 5:30 really says everything imo. This has to be one of the most fantastic ways to live life. 100% to the fullest. Exploring, challenging yourself, experiencing nature, living on the edge. I can't really imagine anything more life-fulfilling than this.
my god how could you look down and not totally lose your shit? this is something that if you saw in a movie you'd be like yeah right, no one could really do that.
Not sure how anyone could dislike this video. Alex is truly an amazing human being and what he is accomplishing through free solo is inarguably one of the greatest athletic feats in human history.
I think they didn't dislike the video itself but the two thumbnails to other videos that smack bang over the final shot of the north face... I cannot think of another reason.
There are always haters for every video about an amazingly talented person. I think it's mostly jealousy, but in this case, it might just be from people who are judgmental about what they view as an irresponsible and selfish "daredevil" attitude toward risk, and simply dislike the fact that there are people who free solo.
Notice how most of these climbers aren't proverbial tough guys who put on airs but would probably wilt from fear under such conditions. The best climbers seem to have an intellectual mental state with not much ego.
This is some of the most intense, hardcore, climbing I've ever seen. My hands are sweating just watching this. He will go down as the world's best free solo climber in history.
it annoys me when people disprove of his achievements saying that 'he's just a psychopath who's also a climber so he does this cause he doesn't care if he dies' - this guy has stated multiple times that the fear still exists, but he knows not to attempt to complete any climb if he is not sure within himself that he is able to complete it (has been preparing for a certain amount of time). It takes incredible confidence in your own abilities to allow yourself to risk your own life in order to achieve a goal, and his confidence doesn't come from lunacy, but hard work and dedication to the sport and lifestyle of climbing. It's part of what makes him such a unique climber and overall individual, and someone completely worth acknowledging.
Yeah, that type of people annoys the hell out of me too. Omg, such an idiot, he will die blablabla. They are virtually incapable to comprehend what he is doing and why he is doing it. It's his life, he isn't obliged to fucking care about what half-witted morons lacking objectivity think of it. The guy is amazing and what he is doing is pushing boundaries of what humans can do.
he aint psychopath, he is asperger, an autism condition with high level brain function, memory and excessive focus, thats why he do that so perfectly, his vision of the rock is different from a normal person, he calculates the route with his memory detailed step by step.
@@LONDONBOY10 Actually I learned somewhere else that he has extremely low activity in his amygdala, which is closer to a psychopath as people with autism have plenty of amygdala activity. That doesn't necessarily mean he is a psychopath - and it wouldn't matter if he was one because he's doing something positive instead of anti-social - but as someone with autism myself, I can tell you my legs feel like jelly just watching this. I can only speak from personal experience, but I and every autistic I've met have a very sensitive fear response.
@@LONDONBOY10 The DSM-V classifies Autism Spectrum Disorder as having 5 levels. What used to be called "Asperger's" is now Class 4 and 5 ASD. I have class 5, the one without any mental disability.
it's weird to watch this, because clearly this guy is doing something he loves tremendously, and has an insane amount of skill at. yet i still have this sad feeling the one day, he will fall. it's the law of averages, or something. having said that, this kid has done more in his life in these moments than i ever will and he's almost guaranteed to go out doing something which makes him feel great. in a way, i envy him.
if Alex Honnold will fall during mountain climbing and die it will be kind of his choice, he will turn into smithereens I thought that Sendero Luminoso existed only in Peru and had nothing to do with mountaineering
have you ever thought that he is actually pretty miserable in life unless he puts his life at risk? I have no feeling of admiration for someone lke that. More like pity. If he jumpted in fire, noone here would be admiring his balls.
A G that's BS, because he's even said it isn't the risk factor. he just genuinely loves climbing, and feels like he's skilled enough to do it without a rope
Barone B It’s true. Honnold doesn’t free solo unless he’s 100% sure of the route and has every move memorized. The fall may be risky, but his risk of falling is very little.
@keli 20.30 Have you ever been rock climbing? There are many ways to correct mistakes made, even if a piece of the wall breaks off. Also, accounting for mistakes was a part of the plan to climb the Freerider Route. You don't think he didn't also learn to manage mistakes in this climb as well?
@keli 20.30 Rest in peace to those souls. However, Alex Honnold is the only free soloist to ever climb El Cap. Check out Free Solo for an in-depth look at his psychology
It's now 8 years later and this video is still one of my absolute favorites on all of RUclips. Mind-blowing every single time I watch it. The shot at 4:06 simply unmatched.
Same, there is so much i love about the video. The setting, how sheer and vertiical the face is, the fact that it's just Alex and Cedar, the shots and music choice and the lack of other people's opinions on the climb. Beautiful!
Let me help you understand something...NOTHING bad will ever happen to Alex, not when it pertains to the free solo's he does. There will be NO day of mourning. Alex is already a legendary climber in the climbing community & he will remain the #1 climber, nobody will ever accomplish what Alex has. You're obviously not familiar with the climbing greats because if you were, you would know that Alex is NOT a typical climber, he is 1 of a kind & he doesn't make mistakes. Alex will die an old man with his grandchildren around him, not fall off a wall that he's trying to free solo so you couldn't be more wrong about something bad happening to Alex. We will mourn him when he dies an old man.
I have difficulty walking these days, nerve dmg. I've watched this 10 times today. And each time i felt more positive about life. Seeing a man do something improbable, to fullfill a dream, gives us all hope.
When i don't know what to watch on youtube i end up here. I've probably watch this 60-80 times and it never gets boring..how?! This is my definition of adventure. Just love it!
He really is inspiring. I think it's rare that we approach anything in our lives with 100% commitment. Even if we don't realize it's happening there's usually always some level of doubt and some back up plan we have in our mind. We use terms like putting our 'life on the line'. What if there literally is no line? Alex is a great example to show us how it's possible to go into a complex situation completely trusting your abilities, have a flawless plan and executing it perfectly while never letting go.
Hands down the bravest man on this planet by a country mile. Never seen anything like it in my entire life. How he switches off at that height is completely beyond comprehension!!! Fair play to him
You question why someone would put themselves and their loved ones through that until you see this moment 5:25 pure euphoria. Just seeing that smile, I completely understand. Truly doing what he loves.
Why do people do this?? Its not natural to climb like that, and when I watcehd this video, even though I have a lot of respect for these climbers, I can't hel but thinking "Are they mentally insane?" Everything in my body goes red and tells me to back down when I see this video. I've done mountain climbing when I was 15 to 18 tears old in France and Corsica..Always with ropes. Once I slipped and fell almots 10 meters and banged my right arm on the rocks..I was so terrified that I decided to stop...Now everytime I see climbers without ropes on RUclips, I can "feel" the moment I lived almost 25 years ago and I'm scared again...And for him too of course...Doesn't he have a wife or children ? I wouldn't do this if I had a family...But if single, maybe
I just came here to make my palms sweat. Damn. It takes an amazing amount of concentration, attention to detail, balance, strength and nerves of steel to do that. Most who have those attributes still go teetering down that rock. Alex smiles. Much respect.
It's funny. :) from his book: "Shortly after the climb, Mary Anne Potts of National Geographic Adventure Online interviewed Alex. She asked, "Why did you smile at that moment on the wall? Alex's characteristic answer: "I have no idea since I haven't seen the film, but I'd assume because I was happy. " To underline the point, he appended a happy face." It's interesting. I have same happy face when I'm in the nature. :)
When one member of a species achieves something, it makes it easier for others to achieve that same thing. Climbing aside, Alex is pushing the boundaries of mental fortitude and resolution. Commitment to excellence and success are not negotiable.
Alex has one of the greatest smiles ever. I love that moment around 5:34 ... he is doing what he's made to ... sharing it with the mountain and the world ... love and joy. It's beautiful.
Even though I know he made it, this still makes my palms sweat and gives me butterflies. Who needs a scary movie when you can just watch this guy free solo? Lol
is he not afraid to look down without insurance? is he human?! how is this possible?🤯🙆♀️I have no words, only boundless respect and admiration! Superman!👍👏👏👏😍😍😍🔥🔥🔥
One false move could mean your life, can you imagine that kind of stress? The anxiety of it, being stretched out on that cliff side with nothing but gravity to break your fall? You think you've gotta good reason to panic? Think again, if this astonishing man can regulate his nervousness of possibly plummeting to his death then, you've obviously got nothing to worry about because in comparison, wtf could you have to be anxious over that's stopping you from taking a chance at living? Think about it...
OffMeMeds Its actually the lack there if that allows him to climb this. Every move he has memorized. Choreographed like a dance, he knows exactly how to move, and exactly how to do it. So he only has to concentrate on that alone. He’s remarkable though, you’re absolutely correct!
Anxiety isn’t something you choose mate. Some people can get it over the smallest thing. Nobody wants it. Some people have no choice and it traps them. The scariest thing about anxiety for most people is the fact they know there is no reason to be scared..but are anyway.
I'm not super excited to get into an internet argument about a subject view point, but here it goes. As an all around climber, I doubt any strong climber, including Honnold himself, would make that argument. He is, especially after his free solo of Freerider, the greatest soloist ever. However, he said after the climb that he wanted to focus on climbing 9a. Climbing 9a wouldn't even get him on the list of top 100 strongest sport climbers. His greatest feature is his incredible endurance, not his short burst strength. How does he compared to Tommy Caldwell, Chris Sharma, Adam Ondra, Ashima Shiraishi, Alex Megos, Tom Randall, or any of the other super strong modern climbers? How about John Long or the Stone Masters? Its hard to say anyone is the best. I guess it depends on what you mean by greatest climber ever, period. I disagree, but you are welcome to your opinion.
Andrew Forkes...."probably the greatest free soloist" ?? who would you say comes close?? I agree its impossible to say who is the best climber as their are many different types of climbing, but among rock climbing soloist, nobody is close
The trust he has in his grips and his foot placements, his hand locks... so many technical things non-climbers such as myself have no clue about... What humans can do... is limited by our imaginations. Dream big. And reach!
Hello Alex I congratulate you on the great climbs. The rock, the mountains, that's your home, your breath. Thank you for the beautiful films. I wish you good tours. With alpine greetings Raphael Wellig
Simple, powerful, insane, beautiful, ... People who claim that he has a deathwish, go to 2:22 and tell me otherwise. That is a pure expression of joy and serenity. For most of us Death is the pink elephant in the room; a reality to be feared, detested, and altogether avoided. It links us all: man, beast, terrestrial or otherwise. Not only does it represent the final frontier of our existence, but it manipulates our every move with its omnipresence. Most of us are imprisoned by the concept of Death and remain so all the way up until our inevitable demise.... yet here is this man teetering along the edge of life itself, like a child at play. To freely move about this boundary is in my mind the closest thing to being "God-like"... however you wish to interpret that. Alex you are truly an inspiration.
Well he says in an interview, that he doesn't take risks when climbing. He takes his time, and doesn't move until he is certain it is within his abilities to move. Modest you might say!
I think this video and this man's life is proof that you don't need to grind through a job, pay for expensive college education or follow the traditional path; life is much simpler than that, amd you can have an extraordinaire life if you follow and chase behemently whatever makes you in peace, happy and has meaning for you even if you can't express it or define it. Passion is undeniable, and lays beneath all of dreams and hopes, and true bravery compells, enables and pushes you towards achieving those dreams, aspirations, or moments you've been waiting your whole life to live.
Alex's smile is just absolutely priceless. Like a little boy opening his presents on Christmas Day. My. God. And I don't think most ppl understand the depth of this accomplishment and what it means for humanity.
PC1549 , yes, you're going out on a limb. He's not even the best climber there is. How could he be the best of any athlete if he's not the best of his own sport?
Jaren Watson he just free-soloed el cap today. i stand by my statement (considering the zero-margin for failure in this achievement, i think my opinion isnt that crazy)
Depends on how you look at it. There are plenty of climbers that could climb much harder routes and boulders than what Alex climbs. The difference is the level of mastery that Alex has of his own skillset that allows him to do those climbs free solo. You could say that his level of mastery makes him better, or you could say that it's the level of your skill that makes you better.
The climbers that can climb harder routes than Honnold ..USE ROPES. I'm 60 yrs old and I can climb harder routes than Honnold...with aid...who gives a F#@K. It's About Style, and Purity, Climbing Clean without error. Honnold is Transcendent.
Es tan difícil comprender que alguien arriesgue su vida de manera tan clara... solo basta con conocerse bien a si mismo para saber las necesidades y limitaciones que tenemos. No realizarlas es lo realmente arriesgado y peligroso. Alucinante Alex!
If I train for several months I think I can watch this
You ought to watch his free solo of moonlight buttress and half done shot by sender films, Alone in the wall. It’s nerve wracking. I climb a lot and they still give me vertigo.
😂
Absolutely
LMAO
Haha
Not enough people truly realize how special this young man is...he is unique on a planet of six billion or so. He is literally the only person who could climb El Sendero or El Cap with no ropes. Think about that -- the only one. Physically, mentally, emotionally -- this man is alone.
i agree with you completely...
Theres a handful of people who maybe could get close..
Um, you do realise that there are a lot of folks out there who free solo harder stuff? Dave Macleod once free soloed an 8c. And that dude is no stranger to big walls either. Honnold is amazing, but I just flinch when people go out and say he is doing stuff no other could.
He is not special but certainly unique.
@@m4th3vz he is actually special, look for the studies that they did to him about how he "feels" the fear
Been down a alex honnold youtube rabbit hole for the last two hours...i have to quit because i have no water left in my body...its evaporated through the sweat in my hands and my cortisol levels are higher than the mountains he free solo's
same man and idk why youtube is feeding us this all now haha
haha same here dude
@@ethanmesch2398 JRE
It's been like 6 months for me.
WORD.......
This guy is so inspiring. But if he decides to stop ill be happy for him.
I was begging for him to stop while watching this...
i think i just broke my personal record for how long i can hold my breath.
Seems inevitable to end badly much too young as much as I cheer and admire him.
@DecrepitOrigin888 have u ever climbed?
El Cap should have been the pinnacle for any free soloist. I wish he would stop.
5:30
That smile. You know this is where he belongs. He was born for this
I love that moment, especially the way it starts about 5 seconds earlier, with neither hand touching the rock, just relaxing for a minute and having a good time in a situation that would act as a laxative for us mere mortals!
I thought exactly the same thing. He was born for it. It seems inevitable that one day one of those tiny rock crevices will crumble and it scares me to think about it.
@@stephen25uk Ironically, us fans get far more scared watching him even though we know he lived, than he did as he performed the feat we find terrifying!
Alex is not only an incredibly talented and bold climber, but a great person doing his part to leave the world in better shape than he found it; I hope he has the long, healthy, happy life he deserves!
@@Gregorypeckory To be fair, Honnold has said he is also scared when he watch other people free solo, because as an outside watcher, you don't know about the state of mind of the climber, how secure he truly feels, or if he's getting afraid and risk falling.
@@daedalron Yes; he's human, and getting scared for someone else doing something dangerous that we might feel comfortable doing ourselves because we know we can handle it, is normal.
He's also said he would be terrified to free solo something if he had any doubt it was well within his skill level. All perfectly understandable, but still awe inspiring, at the level he's made comfortable for himself!
Wish me luck - going full screen.
Did you survive bro?
Comment of the year.
@@fumf202 i think he didnt. He hasnt replied yet
RIP your nerves.
We never heard from Ashleigh again...she should’ve used a pop socket
No matter how many times i come back to watch this, my palms always start to get really sweaty.
bvlcyy no
+ Lisa Franklin me too
+James Cioffi Exactly the same...
+James Cioffi Yep. And 4:52 is insane.
put on some chalk
I had to climb to the top of the McDonald’s playpen years ago to get my son out and I was terrified. Mad respect to this guy.
haha xD
w
Most excellent comment of my day 😆 thanks you
Me too. Climbed right up the hamburglers ass
🙌🏼🙌🏼😂🤣😂🤣😂 you are G I’m over here reading these incite thoughts and this one knocked it out im sure home boy saw this one n took a huge chuckle back
This guy is the GOAT. More precisely a MOUNTAIN GOAT
Las cabras tiran pal’ monte
💯🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Mountain Goats can't climb the face of El Cap.
You copied this comment from someone...
They crave that mineral
I needed a chalk bag to dry my hands just so I could hold my phone and watch this.
Kevin OBrien XD hilarious!
Same xD
I hear yah..!!
haha so true.
Good one! haha
This is extremely dangerous without a helmet
+Andy Norton did you not catch his sarcasm? :D
Mladin Alexandru lol nice. next time he should wear a helmet just as a joke. 😂
Yeah I agree, if he were to wear a helmet he probably would survive that 2000 feet drop onto the razor sharp rocks
I'm sure at some point his mom told him to wear one.
a rock could fall on his head and give him a concussion. It is very careless.
I'm suprised the rock is solid enough to hold the weight of his gigantic steel balls
This needs more liked
Lmao that's hillarious
Go check out him free soloing el cap. Even more impressive
Couldn’t have said it better lol
Titanium
At the end when the text popped up I thought it was briefly explaining how he died
Same hahaha
Same!
same here..
hah
I thought so too.
Reading the comments gives me hope that one day I, too, will be ready to watch this video.
It helps if you watch it multiple times with ropes and take lots of notes before you free solo it
@@onyxxproductions8187 Bwahhh!! Great advice. Merry Christmas.
Classic
Try watching Free Solo. Watching it again for the 10th right now and my hands still drip sweat each time.
You definitely should!
His face shows peace... he is balanced with his soul!!! I'm still shocked!!!!
"Mountain goats hate this man for this one simple trick"
OPPOSABLE THUMBS!
😂😂😂 ahahaha like👍
@@JMPM1 .... never gonna let you down
So as mountain lions
Alex “I’m sick of hanging out on ropes” Honnold
well said. .alex has the same mentality with reinhold M. .climbing should be done with less techonolgy or the absence of it. .
right on!
It’s awesome until he’s Alex “should have taken a rope”
I mean it IS awesome lol but seriously you’re one slip of luck away...
Something only Alex Honnold would say.
@@cazd4590 that's what makes it even more amazing though isn't it? The fact that he is willing to risk his life in order to do something that he loves and get that thrill and that he is confident in his ability to do so is mind-blowing
"Most difficult ropeless climb in history" - man goes on to free-solo El Cap a few years later. Inspirational.
Yeah, this was just his warm up climb 😂
@German-English No
inspirational idiocy...
Inspirational brilliance
Eric Andre Leclerc was on a whole new level. Did insane free solos on sight
5:34 That expression brought me to tears. A peer into the soul of someone who just found the true purpose of their whole existence
Same here.
wel spoken
Projecting much?
Could be that he laughed because he farted at that moment.
Patrick Bateman lolololool
Agreed, happiness in its true form, he had the same smile doing El Cap. Or as @Patrick Bateman said it could be that he's trying to the first man to free solo a mountain while farting chalk out of his bag.
This guy is truly amazing. Hes not a daredevil, he methodically plans out the route and practices with ropes until he is comfortable to do it without a rope. The level of composure and focus he has to have is amazing
The smile at 5:30 really says everything imo. This has to be one of the most fantastic ways to live life. 100% to the fullest. Exploring, challenging yourself, experiencing nature, living on the edge. I can't really imagine anything more life-fulfilling than this.
my god how could you look down and not totally lose your shit? this is something that if you saw in a movie you'd be like yeah right, no one could really do that.
nathenism his mom's gotta be one stressed out woman.
+nathenism I climb with his mother regularly and she is his biggest supporter.
Truth is stranger than fiction....
Except they DID do this.I wouldn't have believed it either Nathen.
Not sure how anyone could dislike this video. Alex is truly an amazing human being and what he is accomplishing through free solo is inarguably one of the greatest athletic feats in human history.
Well said
I think they didn't dislike the video itself but the two thumbnails to other videos that smack bang over the final shot of the north face... I cannot think of another reason.
well imagine if we all disliked maybe he will get discouraged and stop doing it and therefore stay alive and healthy..
There are always haters for every video about an amazingly talented person. I think it's mostly jealousy, but in this case, it might just be from people who are judgmental about what they view as an irresponsible and selfish "daredevil" attitude toward risk, and simply dislike the fact that there are people who free solo.
@@EqazeHQ That's silly; did anyone force you to watch it at regular speed without skipping any?
That genuine smile at the end made me just so happy for some reason
Notice how most of these climbers aren't proverbial tough guys who put on airs but would probably wilt from fear under such conditions. The best climbers seem to have an intellectual mental state with not much ego.
+Geo T His nickname is Alex "no big deal." He obviously climbs because it's his passion. I definitely agree with you.
+Geo T My interpretation is that it's possible he has a large ego, only it's veiled ever so calmly.
Who says anything about this being tough? Stupid is a better way of explaining it
+Sky Emerald
Oh sure. This isn't tough *rolls eyes*
Geo T the best people in every discipline don't have big ego
I'm wearing a harness watching this.
i'm wearing a diaper. LMAO!
Just like mama said… Safety first!
Victoria Lewis I absolutely fucking love your personality!!
Fucking golden
Maybe wear a helmet too
I did 10 attempts and I finally able to watch full video.
He's so graceful when he climbs,it seems almost effortless for him....it's almost beautiful to watch and peaceful.
Bruh, Nothing about this is peaceful😂
This is some of the most intense, hardcore, climbing I've ever seen. My hands are sweating just watching this. He will go down as the world's best free solo climber in history.
Hope not too soon, although they usually never grow old for obvious reasons.
Check the movie The Alpinist
Watch Free Solo
Alain Robert 8 b+ solo the best
it annoys me when people disprove of his achievements saying that 'he's just a psychopath who's also a climber so he does this cause he doesn't care if he dies' - this guy has stated multiple times that the fear still exists, but he knows not to attempt to complete any climb if he is not sure within himself that he is able to complete it (has been preparing for a certain amount of time). It takes incredible confidence in your own abilities to allow yourself to risk your own life in order to achieve a goal, and his confidence doesn't come from lunacy, but hard work and dedication to the sport and lifestyle of climbing. It's part of what makes him such a unique climber and overall individual, and someone completely worth acknowledging.
Yeah, that type of people annoys the hell out of me too. Omg, such an idiot, he will die blablabla. They are virtually incapable to comprehend what he is doing and why he is doing it. It's his life, he isn't obliged to fucking care about what half-witted morons lacking objectivity think of it. The guy is amazing and what he is doing is pushing boundaries of what humans can do.
he aint psychopath, he is asperger, an autism condition with high level brain function, memory and excessive focus, thats why he do that so perfectly, his vision of the rock is different from a normal person, he calculates the route with his memory detailed step by step.
@@LONDONBOY10 Actually I learned somewhere else that he has extremely low activity in his amygdala, which is closer to a psychopath as people with autism have plenty of amygdala activity. That doesn't necessarily mean he is a psychopath - and it wouldn't matter if he was one because he's doing something positive instead of anti-social - but as someone with autism myself, I can tell you my legs feel like jelly just watching this. I can only speak from personal experience, but I and every autistic I've met have a very sensitive fear response.
@@Durzo1259 he is aspenger, not autistic, things are totally different
@@LONDONBOY10 The DSM-V classifies Autism Spectrum Disorder as having 5 levels. What used to be called "Asperger's" is now Class 4 and 5 ASD. I have class 5, the one without any mental disability.
"It could be the most difficult rope-less climb in history", little did we know.
little did we knewww indeed. Holy shit. It has been almost 2 years since el cap if im not wrong and i still come here to see this.
Hui Hui .... ehh .... ElCap was the next logical step in the trajectory of AH’s projects.
@@robertnewell4054I'm not sure I'd call free soloing El Cap a "logical" next step...
@Zerassa ....... perhaps..... but definitely one led to the other.
This was MORE technical than El Cap...
Free solo is like defeating a very hard boss hitless in video games, kudos to this man
it's weird to watch this, because clearly this guy is doing something he loves tremendously, and has an insane amount of skill at. yet i still have this sad feeling the one day, he will fall. it's the law of averages, or something. having said that, this kid has done more in his life in these moments than i ever will and he's almost guaranteed to go out doing something which makes him feel great. in a way, i envy him.
couldn't have said it better
if Alex Honnold will fall during mountain climbing and die
it will be kind of his choice, he will turn into smithereens
I thought that Sendero Luminoso existed only in Peru
and had nothing to do with mountaineering
He'll die with a smile on his face. That's for sure
have you ever thought that he is actually pretty miserable in life unless he puts his life at risk? I have no feeling of admiration for someone lke that. More like pity. If he jumpted in fire, noone here would be admiring his balls.
A G that's BS, because he's even said it isn't the risk factor. he just genuinely loves climbing, and feels like he's skilled enough to do it without a rope
I'm falling down just watching it.
ikr it feels horrible but can't stop watching
Astonishing climber. Perfect technique, unique mental balance. Best of the Best. Reducing risk near zero.
Luis F Jaime most stupid comment history YT....
" reducing risk near zero " .....
fkn guys up 2500' with no rope...
Barone B It’s true. Honnold doesn’t free solo unless he’s 100% sure of the route and has every move memorized. The fall may be risky, but his risk of falling is very little.
@@ejfields7666 now is death... he touch the risk 0.001 ... rip
@keli 20.30 Have you ever been rock climbing? There are many ways to correct mistakes made, even if a piece of the wall breaks off. Also, accounting for mistakes was a part of the plan to climb the Freerider Route. You don't think he didn't also learn to manage mistakes in this climb as well?
@keli 20.30 Rest in peace to those souls. However, Alex Honnold is the only free soloist to ever climb El Cap. Check out Free Solo for an in-depth look at his psychology
It's now 8 years later and this video is still one of my absolute favorites on all of RUclips.
Mind-blowing every single time I watch it.
The shot at 4:06 simply unmatched.
Even after Free Solo I think this is still my favorite Honnold video. It's shot and edited so masterfully.
Same, there is so much i love about the video. The setting, how sheer and vertiical the face is, the fact that it's just Alex and Cedar, the shots and music choice and the lack of other people's opinions on the climb. Beautiful!
@@munkymunk9053 Agreed, Free Solo was too much about other things and way to less about the actual climb.
The power of the human mind at its full glory. Thanks Alex! You are truly inspiring and your humility is exemplary
The day something bad happens to Alex is a true day of mourning, his life transcends reality. He is legendary and without equal
@Sesshomaru Uzumaki Falling makes him happy?
@Sesshomaru Uzumaki Yes, I know... it was a joke.
Let me help you understand something...NOTHING bad will ever happen to Alex, not when it pertains to the free solo's he does. There will be NO day of mourning. Alex is already a legendary climber in the climbing community & he will remain the #1 climber, nobody will ever accomplish what Alex has. You're obviously not familiar with the climbing greats because if you were, you would know that Alex is NOT a typical climber, he is 1 of a kind & he doesn't make mistakes. Alex will die an old man with his grandchildren around him, not fall off a wall that he's trying to free solo so you couldn't be more wrong about something bad happening to Alex. We will mourn him when he dies an old man.
I have difficulty walking these days, nerve dmg. I've watched this 10 times today. And each time i felt more positive about life. Seeing a man do something improbable,
to fullfill a dream, gives us all hope.
Yeah, can confirm now that seeing Honnold climbing makes the hands sweaty as hell.
When i don't know what to watch on youtube i end up here. I've probably watch this 60-80 times and it never gets boring..how?! This is my definition of adventure. Just love it!
Best part about this video is no terrible electronic music to ruin such a great video.
Mark Gjeloshaj you can turn sound off. It is even more beautiful
the music is fucking beautiful
Do you know where can I find Chronograph by Philip Sheppard? (the second song) I tried on the soundcloud of the artist but couldn't find it
Yes Mark,yes
100th like!! And totally agree
He really is inspiring. I think it's rare that we approach anything in our lives with 100% commitment. Even if we don't realize it's happening there's usually always some level of doubt and some back up plan we have in our mind. We use terms like putting our 'life on the line'. What if there literally is no line? Alex is a great example to show us how it's possible to go into a complex situation completely trusting your abilities, have a flawless plan and executing it perfectly while never letting go.
This is true, but he also has an abnormally low emotional response to stimulus, so he is mentally more capable than the vast majority of people
Very well said.
This is one of the most beautiful climbing films I have ever seen. Must have watched it a dozen times at least.
Why are my palms crying while watching this?
Great comment. :)
I thought that I'm only one who got this >
Sweat pouring out palms and soles! This is unreal.
I need to chalk my keyboard now
Tlemur my feet are crying idk y
Hands down the bravest man on this planet by a country mile. Never seen anything like it in my entire life. How he switches off at that height is completely beyond comprehension!!! Fair play to him
Now there’s a question. Bravery requires fear. Is he brave or fearless?
We know he’s conditioned to mute it, but it’s like chicken or the egg.
there are many like him. It must be a genetic thing.
Agreed. Renan did a great job directing and love Cedar in this. The music is also amazing.
5:18 I envy that smile, I have not had one like that in years
verdade verdadeira, Brasil aqui
I’ve never smiled
It's the smile of a man who has defeated the fear of death.
@@Danno382 damm bro, you okay?
@@plumpistrumpi more the smile of a man who's like "im gonna be famous"
Man the shot of him smiling after finishing what looked like a tough move, is both haunting and inspiring to me. Crazy shit man. ✊
i think i just broke my personal record for how long i can hold my breath.
If he would have fell at 5:31 He would have been fine with it..
His smile says it all.
Absolutely happiness...
no.
He is taking a break. Unbelievable.
He said in an interview falling would be the worst feeling in the world lol
Those emotions would change quite quickly I assume
He smiled because he climbed Boulder problem which is like one of the most difficult parts of freerider
This guy is crazy af. Unreal. My eyes can’t believe what I am seeing.
You question why someone would put themselves and their loved ones through that until you see this moment 5:25 pure euphoria. Just seeing that smile, I completely understand. Truly doing what he loves.
drugs do that too.
@@bruceli9094 for 5 seconds yeah
Every move he makes, i would die.
lol, same. I think even my brain would go: "ohh well, there is absolutely nooo reason to even try, goodbye".
Then it'd be probably the most enlightening journey you'd take in life.
Glem inem гпопча
Every move you make, every step you take I’ll be watching you
Why do people do this?? Its not natural to climb like that, and when I watcehd this video, even though I have a lot of respect for these climbers, I can't hel but thinking "Are they mentally insane?" Everything in my body goes red and tells me to back down when I see this video. I've done mountain climbing when I was 15 to 18 tears old in France and Corsica..Always with ropes. Once I slipped and fell almots 10 meters and banged my right arm on the rocks..I was so terrified that I decided to stop...Now everytime I see climbers without ropes on RUclips, I can "feel" the moment I lived almost 25 years ago and I'm scared again...And for him too of course...Doesn't he have a wife or children ? I wouldn't do this if I had a family...But if single, maybe
This is terrifying to watch. Huge respect for this talented man😮
I just came here to make my palms sweat. Damn. It takes an amazing amount of concentration, attention to detail, balance, strength and nerves of steel to do that. Most who have those attributes still go teetering down that rock. Alex smiles. Much respect.
After a long training I've finally made it to the bottom of this wall. That's where our paths with Alex diverge
It's funny. :) from his book: "Shortly after the climb, Mary Anne Potts of National Geographic Adventure Online interviewed Alex. She asked, "Why did you smile at that moment on the wall? Alex's characteristic answer: "I have no idea since I haven't seen the film, but I'd assume because I was happy. " To underline the point, he appended a happy face."
It's interesting. I have same happy face when I'm in the nature. :)
Even after watching free solo, this still makes my palms sweatier.
When one member of a species achieves something, it makes it easier for others to achieve that same thing. Climbing aside, Alex is pushing the boundaries of mental fortitude and resolution. Commitment to excellence and success are not negotiable.
I ain't need to follow in his footsteps
@@gerryfromthevoid8986 who asked you either, the point is he has bigger balls than you.
Alex has one of the greatest smiles ever. I love that moment around 5:34 ... he is doing what he's made to ... sharing it with the mountain and the world ... love and joy. It's beautiful.
um right until god forbid
At the points where with the rest of us urine would run down our legs, Honnold starts smiling.
Alex Honnold is simply the best athlete on the planet.
Athletes don't die if they screw up. He's something else entirely.
Have seen this few times and it never fails to sweat my palms.
Even though I know he made it, this still makes my palms sweat and gives me butterflies. Who needs a scary movie when you can just watch this guy free solo? Lol
You’re one of the most inspirational athletes, ever, Alex! Stay safe. Always.
Anyone who climbs like this is a very unique individual.
is he not afraid to look down without insurance? is he human?! how is this possible?🤯🙆♀️I have no words, only boundless respect and admiration! Superman!👍👏👏👏😍😍😍🔥🔥🔥
Watching things like this gets me excited about being alive. The endless adventure that's out there in this world.
The fact that he actually enjoys doing something most of us would consider a kind of hell is what fascinates me the most.
One false move could mean your life, can you imagine that kind of stress? The anxiety of it, being stretched out on that cliff side with nothing but gravity to break your fall? You think you've gotta good reason to panic? Think again, if this astonishing man can regulate his nervousness of possibly plummeting to his death then, you've obviously got nothing to worry about because in comparison, wtf could you have to be anxious over that's stopping you from taking a chance at living? Think about it...
Wow, this was mindblowing! Well said!
nice comments, but gravity doesn't break your fall, it causes it.. rocks will break his fall
OffMeMeds Its actually the lack there if that allows him to climb this. Every move he has memorized. Choreographed like a dance, he knows exactly how to move, and exactly how to do it. So he only has to concentrate on that alone. He’s remarkable though, you’re absolutely correct!
OffMeMeds click
Anxiety isn’t something you choose mate. Some people can get it over the smallest thing. Nobody wants it. Some people have no choice and it traps them. The scariest thing about anxiety for most people is the fact they know there is no reason to be scared..but are anyway.
love the music at the end
Alex just knows the reason and we all have to respect him...God bless you!!!
The greatest free climber ever! he's so relaxed, he's truly a master of his art.
Free climbing and free soloing are different. Honnold is probably the greatest soloist.
Andrew Forkes-Gudmundson he's the greatest climber ever, period.
I'm not super excited to get into an internet argument about a subject view point, but here it goes. As an all around climber, I doubt any strong climber, including Honnold himself, would make that argument. He is, especially after his free solo of Freerider, the greatest soloist ever. However, he said after the climb that he wanted to focus on climbing 9a. Climbing 9a wouldn't even get him on the list of top 100 strongest sport climbers. His greatest feature is his incredible endurance, not his short burst strength. How does he compared to Tommy Caldwell, Chris Sharma, Adam Ondra, Ashima Shiraishi, Alex Megos, Tom Randall, or any of the other super strong modern climbers? How about John Long or the Stone Masters? Its hard to say anyone is the best.
I guess it depends on what you mean by greatest climber ever, period.
I disagree, but you are welcome to your opinion.
Andrew Forkes...."probably the greatest free soloist" ?? who would you say comes close?? I agree its impossible to say who is the best climber as their are many different types of climbing, but among rock climbing soloist, nobody is close
The smile one of the most priceless gift
The trust he has in his grips and his foot placements, his hand locks... so many technical things non-climbers such as myself have no clue about...
What humans can do... is limited by our imaginations. Dream big. And reach!
What he has done is extraordinary. And I have massive respect for his mental and physical abilities. That being said, the guy is insane.
At 5:25 both his hands is off the wall,,just balancing on small piece of rock,,with a smile on his face..wow,this guy is just something else..
Alex Honnold is my true hero. Inspiring.
with all due respect for Freesolo... this 6 minutes film is way better... better edited, better felt...., as for Honnold.... speechless as usual.
Oh my God, my God, Alex is unbelievable.
I will never, ever understand why he feels compelled to do what he does. I am in awe.
It is simply what makes him happy
It’s fun and he just wants to do it
Sweaty hands material, right there.
I hope he doesn't die all too soon. He's pushing the limit for sure.
böse.
my palms starting sweating while seeing him and even imagine without watching him. this is unbelieveable thing ever human do.
Honnold is such a humble legend. I would have never thought these sheer cliffs are even climbable, let alone climbable without a rope.
Congratulations on your free soloing success, Alex. Everyone else died from watching you, though.
It's an odd sensation to have an anxiety attack while listening to such relaxing music.
Alex is utterly unique. I can’t see anyone ever matching his achievements let alone exceed them. Breathtaking.
Hello Alex
I congratulate you on the great climbs. The rock, the mountains, that's your home, your breath.
Thank you for the beautiful films.
I wish you good tours.
With alpine greetings
Raphael Wellig
Simple, powerful, insane, beautiful, ...
People who claim that he has a deathwish, go to 2:22 and tell me otherwise. That is a pure expression of joy and serenity.
For most of us Death is the pink elephant in the room; a reality to be feared, detested, and altogether avoided. It links us all: man, beast, terrestrial or otherwise.
Not only does it represent the final frontier of our existence, but it manipulates our every move with its omnipresence.
Most of us are imprisoned by the concept of Death and remain so all the way up until our inevitable demise.... yet here is this man teetering along the edge of life itself, like a child at play.
To freely move about this boundary is in my mind the closest thing to being "God-like"... however you wish to interpret that.
Alex you are truly an inspiration.
...and 5:30 ...
Climbing is allow not to use inteligence
akseli9 5:25 That smile... so good.
5:30 much better example
Well he says in an interview, that he doesn't take risks when climbing. He takes his time, and doesn't move until he is certain it is within his abilities to move. Modest you might say!
I think this video and this man's life is proof that you don't need to grind through a job, pay for expensive college education or follow the traditional path; life is much simpler than that, amd you can have an extraordinaire life if you follow and chase behemently whatever makes you in peace, happy and has meaning for you even if you can't express it or define it. Passion is undeniable, and lays beneath all of dreams and hopes, and true bravery compells, enables and pushes you towards achieving those dreams, aspirations, or moments you've been waiting your whole life to live.
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
The Road not Taken by Robert Frost
i can´t fathom something like this is even possible. Really almost completely beyond belief
this is so surreal man!!! what a legend
Damn, the music in this video matches the images so well! Beautiful. My hat goes off to whoever put this together.
look up renan ozturk
So amazing. I want a longer documentary on this, please say it exists.
Alex's smile is just absolutely priceless. Like a little boy opening his presents on Christmas Day. My. God. And I don't think most ppl understand the depth of this accomplishment and what it means for humanity.
U R one of the biggest inspiration on this planet - Hang on please !
ANNA RF agreed.
Just going out on a limb, but Alex Honnold may be the greatest athlete of all time, in any sport.
PC1549 , yes, you're going out on a limb. He's not even the best climber there is. How could he be the best of any athlete if he's not the best of his own sport?
Jaren Watson he just free-soloed el cap today. i stand by my statement (considering the zero-margin for failure in this achievement, i think my opinion isnt that crazy)
ill take it one step further...Alex Honnold is the most remarkable human being on this planet. He has no idea how special he is.
Depends on how you look at it. There are plenty of climbers that could climb much harder routes and boulders than what Alex climbs. The difference is the level of mastery that Alex has of his own skillset that allows him to do those climbs free solo. You could say that his level of mastery makes him better, or you could say that it's the level of your skill that makes you better.
The climbers that can climb harder routes than Honnold ..USE ROPES. I'm 60 yrs old and I can climb harder routes than Honnold...with aid...who gives a F#@K.
It's About Style, and Purity, Climbing Clean without error. Honnold is Transcendent.
Es tan difícil comprender que alguien arriesgue su vida de manera tan clara... solo basta con conocerse bien a si mismo para saber las necesidades y limitaciones que tenemos. No realizarlas es lo realmente arriesgado y peligroso. Alucinante Alex!
C est vraiment bien dit ca , il est juste incroyable ce type 😊
It is absolutely amazing the self control of this dude. I am not a fearful guy but this is by far over my mind
That smile at the end...