Free Solo Climbers...some of the best athletes around?

[DynamicMoves]

There was a reddit thread, and apparently it was a catalogue of small things that just added up to the accident. simul rappel with no knot, and not starting from the middle. And the rope getting caught in a bush and not realising how much more length there was. Shame.

I was taught BARK (buckles, anchor, rap device, knot) for rappelling.

These checks may seem dumb or uncool or whatever but it's your life on the line. Had they gone through this they wouldve at least had knotted ends.

 

[Jay]

I was taught BARK (buckles, anchor, rap device, knot) for rappelling.

These checks may seem dumb or uncool or whatever but it's your life on the line. Had they gone through this they wouldve at least had knotted ends.

Yeah, the other guy (survivor), was some randomer - only been climbing a few years. I guess he just followed Brad's lead, which tbf - he's a world class, top of the league climber.

 

[DynamicMoves]

Yeah, the other guy (survivor), was some randomer - only been climbing a few years. I guess he just followed Brad's lead, which tbf - he's a world class, top of the league climber.

Yeah, I could see that. Long day, rapping down, the hard part is over.

Intermediate climbers have the highest number of accidents. I like taking people outdoors for the first time, they're normally very anal about safety.

 

[Jay]

Yeah, I could see that. Long day, rapping down, the hard part is over.

Intermediate climbers have the highest number of accidents. I like taking people outdoors for the first time, they're normally very anal about safety.

yeah exactly, like if I'm out with you and I'm doing say my first multi pitch or first trad climb, I'd be fully following your lead - if you said do X, I'd not really know much better, or even if I wasn't sure - you're by far the expert compared to me. Even if I'd done it a few times before, your experience levels still shit all over mine so I'd just go with whatever you say, maybe query it, but I defo wouldn't have the experience to overrule you. Obviously it's slightly different with their scenario, but I imagine something similar applied.

I think there was a video of Brad doing some speed climb, possibly on El-Cap and even Alex/Tommy were very wincing at Brad's style/lack of effort on safety for things.

 

[DynamicMoves]

yeah exactly, like if I'm out with you and I'm doing say my first multi pitch or first trad climb, I'd be fully following your lead - if you said do X, I'd not really know much better, or even if I wasn't sure - you're by far the expert compared to me. Even if I'd done it a few times before, your experience levels still shit all over mine so I'd just go with whatever you say, maybe query it, but I defo wouldn't have the experience to overrule you. Obviously it's slightly different with their scenario, but I imagine something similar applied.

I think there was a video of Brad doing some speed climb, possibly on El-Cap and even Alex/Tommy were very wincing at Brad's style/lack of effort on safety for things.

Always question things you're unsure of, worst case your guide just tells you why they're doing what they're doing. I've had long conversations about something as simple and stupid as use of a sliding x.

And I'll change up what I'm doing to make somebody more comfortable. I'll use a grigri instead of an atc, or use a quad instead of two draws if requested.

 

[Major Pain]

Easily the best, probably the most dangerous and physical activity a person can do.

I think Wingsuit flyers die at a much higher rate, actually. Those fuckers are simply insane.

 

[hazza]

They're clearly wired differently but they are also incredibly skilled. When you get that good at something placing yourself in high risk situations is necessary to put you in the moment. Where nothing else matters and that is freedom.

well i have to admit, if i had the ability to surf waves like jaws, and could make a career out of it like mike parsons, then yeah i would do it for sure.

to me big wave surfing is the ultimate extreme sport and it would be just incredible to be in the tube of this thing:

 

[hazza]

I think Wingsuit flyers die at a much higher rate, actually. Those fuckers are simply insane.

a guy i knew from newcastle uni called dwain weston died this way.

he was in my computing classes, shy, nerdy if anything, i never knew he was into base jumping and that.

anyway at a reunion some time back someone told me he died in a wingsuit accident.

not long after that i saw a documentary about base jumping and there was dwain on screen, i'm like holy fuck i know this guy.

they showed the wingsuit crash, and fuck it was quick, he crashed into a bridge he was going over. his mate went under and made it, he landed with dwayne's blood all over him apparently.

 

[nezy37]

a guy i knew from newcastle uni called dwain weston died this way.

he was in my computing classes, shy, nerdy if anything, i never knew he was into base jumping and that.

anyway at a reunion some time back someone told me he died in a wingsuit accident.

not long after that i saw a documentary about base jumping and there was dwain on screen, i'm like holy fuck i know this guy.

they showed the wingsuit crash, and fuck it was quick, he crashed into a bridge he was going over. his mate went under and made it, he landed with dwayne's blood all over him apparently.

Oh shit that was the crash at the royal gorge in colorado. I've been on that bridge. Way too many people saw that in person.

It was a footbridge in the video right?

 

[Yolo Swaggins]

well i have to admit, if i had the ability to surf waves like jaws, and could make a career out of it like mike parsons, then yeah i would do it for sure.

to me big wave surfing is the ultimate extreme sport and it would be just incredible to be in the tube of this thing:

I got hooked on watching people surfing big ass waves, coolest thing on tv

 

[OneTime]

I personally believe 100 meter sprinters are the best athletes in the world. Something as simple as running from point a to b in the fastest time possible recruiting every single muscle fibre in the body for that 10 or so seconds and guys like bolt are smashing world records at it.

 

[Major Pain]

a guy i knew from newcastle uni called dwain weston died this way.

he was in my computing classes, shy, nerdy if anything, i never knew he was into base jumping and that.

anyway at a reunion some time back someone told me he died in a wingsuit accident.

not long after that i saw a documentary about base jumping and there was dwain on screen, i'm like holy fuck i know this guy.

they showed the wingsuit crash, and fuck it was quick, he crashed into a bridge he was going over. his mate went under and made it, he landed with dwayne's blood all over him apparently.

I think I have viewed that video. Horrifying accident. I don't think that if I were young & dumb enough to try a wingsuit jump that I would do any type of "close pass" type of stunt. That seems to be the reason for a lot of the flyers dying. They misjudge the approach by a few inches (at 100 MPH) and BLAM! Dead flyer.

 

[hazza]

Oh shit that was the crash at the royal gorge in colorado. I've been on that bridge. Way too many people saw that in person.

It was a footbridge in the video right?

yeah i googled it up, it was the royal gorge.

here's the video, just a warning, its pretty full on

 

[Icemmann]

yeah i googled it up, it was the royal gorge.

here's the video, just a warning, its pretty full on

Fuuuuuuucckkkkkk thaat.

 

[Deebo]

Definitely no interest in doing that.

 

[nezy37]

yeah i googled it up, it was the royal gorge.

here's the video, just a warning, its pretty full on

Yeah. I dont need to see it again.

 

[hazza]

Yeah. I dont need to see it again.

what disturbs me most is there's kids on that bridge, you can hear them in the background.

i would not have brought children to see something like that, knowing how dangerous it is and that a mistake would not only be fatal but horrific to watch.

 

[kf3]

it's not that far past my parents taking us to bike races tbh. or stuff like the lion dude in old circuses

 

[Conall Cernach]

Climbers like Brad Gobright straddle life and death. And we can't look away

Like it or not, death is the emotional counterweight that makes climbing’s most important achievements stand out

www.theguardian.com