UKC

Alex Honnold, 23, the extremely talented American climber, just doesn't let up. After an amazing trip to the UK he returned to the US and got stuck in.

In early December, first was an ascent of the Huber's 1998 route on El Cap, El Nino (VI 5.13c, 29 pitches) over five days, then it was straight dow...

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/older.html?month=12&year=2008#n45511

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: Did you get an interview with them while they were over here?

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Is it now ok to mention Jailhouse on the web? I thought there were access issues which meant climbers were to not publicise the place on the internet...?

In reply to Richard Bradley:

There should be one in the next issue of Climb by Dave Simmonite.

Also check this one out: http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web08x/wfeature-solo-honnold

I'm sure one of the USA magazines will be doing extensive coverage of this young fellow, too.

In reply to Anonymous:

Jailhouse Rock is all over 'the web' and in print.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: (On-sight ish) What does it mean?

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Fair enough. That's a big change from a couple of years ago...

In reply to jim hughes:


Nov 13: Alex Honnold - Gaia - E8 - Virtually On Sight
http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/older.html?month=11&year=2008#n45439


Nov 22: Alex Honnold - Masters Edge On Sight & London Wall O/S Solo
http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/older.html?month=11&year=2008#n45459

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: Well thats my onsight tick list ruined having seen hard grit ten years ago. I didnt realise that the media had changed the rules. Sorry, maybe I should start walking around with my eyes closed too.

In reply to jim hughes:

The media haven't changed the rules. There are no rules.

Alex said, "Not a true onsight since I've seen movies, but there was no chalk".

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: I know there are no rules, thats why I find it all a bit petty.

In reply to jim hughes:

You aren't the only one.

To some, the minutiae of the style of ascent are important.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: Would Dave Simmonite be the right person to do such an interview as he is, at least to some degree, involved in the grading 'controversy'?

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: What about a picture or photo?`In your opinion do you think it will come to the stage that even seeing a picture of someone on a route will supposidly ruin the on-sight?

In reply to jim hughes:

What constitutes an on sight ascent is open to interpretation and opinions vary.

Those who get consumed by style do so usually because they want to rank ascents of a particular climb - that ascent was better than that ascent.

Video/film of routes, especially the top routes are common, and knowing how to do all the moves does make a route easier to climb than having no information.

Photographs, less so.

It's a matter of degree, and that debate will rumble on forever.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: He sounds really good this Hammond lad ! But tell me this...What has he ever done in The Lakes ? I think "Team America" need to come back over to blighty in the spring (which is now our summer) and try some of the test pieces here in Cumbria. Never mind fannying about on them there extended boulder problems in the peak.

In reply to DaveyP: I really hope you are not serious? Either way you are pretty boring.

How do you think your Lakeland routes compare to the big Yosemite ones?

In reply to Richard Hall: I'm well serious why come over here and tit about in the peak it's all well over rated down there anyway ? The Lakes has a lot to offer E big number climbers and why stop here. They could always hop over the wall and have a pop of some of the routes there as well. And to answer your question... Shorter obviously... But much more technically demanding.

In reply to DaveyP:

You're right there, that changing corners pitch looks like a path!

So, you're in a group of visiting climbers soming over from the States for a bouldering/highballing/short route trip in the autumn. Would you pick a)the Peak or b) the Lakes?

Gritstone, despite being on a "small scale" height wise, is pretty fun to climb on. They seemed to have thought so too, and enjoyed themselves. What's your beef with that?

In reply to DaveyP:
The guy's actually came over just for the grit having heard about it, seen Hard Grit and wanting to see what it was all about. It was a fun trip for them and they thought it was great BTW.

A couple of them did express a wish to perhaps come back to try other areas in the future but exactly when that is and where I don't know and neither do they at present.

In reply to DaveyP:


You've really no idea, have you?

In reply to David Simmonite:

I think it's a fair point though. There is no doubting that some of these americans are quite handy but they have limited themselves by solely climbing in the peak. There has been a lot said about Brits getting their arses kicked in their own back yard but anyone who has climbed anywhere other than the peak knows that this isn't true.

I actually think a better effort was that Belgium lad who came over here on the BMC international meet and had a right good go at some of the harder routes in North Wales. Trying to on-sight Nightmayer for example. Now that's a proper good effort. As is having a pop on strawberries.

The problem is that uk climbing is still massively peak centric. People think that because these Americans have on-sighted / flashed / ground up <whatever you want to call it> E8 and above in the peak that they are legendary figures. I think all that has happened is that peak climbers have had their arses kicked good and proper.

I mean why does it take a bunch of Americans to come over and have a crack at the Promise before any brits have repeated it. It was climbed in Jan 07. It's been there for pretty much 2 years! It's like a new route gets graded E10 in the peak and no one from the Peak dare go near it. Its only 9 metres!!!

Then when some other brits eventually pluck up the courage to try it they don't find it that hard. And them lads aren't even from the Peak. Again peak climbers getting the arses spanked. How many people boulder font 7c in the peak? there must be loads. There must be a lot of people capable of climbing the Promise.

In reply to galpinos: I think you are a gaylord. All I'm saying is get the yeha communal high five "Team America" to come back over here in the spring and have a go at on-sighting the unrepeated routes up here in Cumbria. I think that would be more impressive than all the ass kiss piublicity they were getting for climbing grit routes that would be no more than boulder problems back over the pond.

In reply to Alpha:

What's wrong with "limiting" themselves to the peak? They saw some footage of people climbing there, thought they might like it and gave it a go.

I do find it bizarre that people are critised for climbing something they're inspired by and not whtaever that particular poster likes doing. If a group of high profile brits did a trip to the US would the forums be full of people whinging they didn't vist every area in the country?

Get a grip.

In reply to DaveyP:

Briliant posts Davey. It's amazing the sense of humour bypasses which this site encourages. That's 4 you got straight away.

Jesus!

The Ent

In reply to galpinos:

I don't think there is any problem with staying in one area. It's all the rubbish that goes with it that I dislike. These guys were making headlines on UK Climbing pretty much every other day while they were over here. The point is, is what they've done 'that impressive?' That's the question. If they've gone up the the lakes and on-sighted all of birkitts routes then hats off.

In reply to Alpha: The point is, is what they've done 'that impressive?' That's the question.

If that's the question then the answer is yes.

If any visitor asked my recommendation on places to climb in the UK in the Autumn the Lakes wouldn't be on the list - its got Lakes for a reason and the routes are covered in lichen and the climbers are full of some misguided parochial chippy sense of entitlement if your and DaveyP's posts are anything to go by.

In reply to DaveyP:

I know what you mean but I think one issue for a short trip is conditions in the Lakes during the back end?

In reply to Simon Lee:

It wouldn't be on the list because there probably wouldn't be anything to talk about as there aren't going to be any headlines like:

Team America climb E9 virtually on-sight
Team America climb X and down grade it to Y

It wouldn't happen in the lakes, or anywhere else for that matter N.Wales, Scotland ....

You are right though, if you were visiting in the UK and wanted to have a go at on-sighting climbs graded E8 and above and make a few headlines you'd certainly go to the peak.

Which leads me onto another question. Why on UK Climbing news reports does it say Climber X is sponsored by A,B,C & D. Does anyone care who they are sponsered by?

Oh, but they are over here to climb routes right? Not keep their sponsors happy by making a few headlines in the British climbing press. And if you want to make headlines where do you go: The Peak.

Fancy that......

In reply to Alpha:



Yes they do. The climber themselves and the companies who sponsor them. ~~Others too may be interested.

Also UKClimbing.com's revenue - how we fund the site - comes from climbing and outdoor companies.

Try running a huge and popular media like UKC without money.

It would be impossible.

In reply to Alpha: Surely the inspiration that they derived from Hard Grit was their real reason for visiting the Peak. That was by far the best climbing film of its time, and it's not surprising that people wanted to come here and try the routes. It has been mentioned to me by climbers in both France and Germany as influencing their view of British climbers, and I'm sure the Aemricans were just as impressed by it.

In reply to Alpha:

Dude -- they came over on a climbing holiday and had a great time. BTW - it was sodden in the Lakes and Wales or else they would have gone there. They had planned to visit N.Wales I believe.

What they did was significant and newsworthy. Hence we followed what they were doing and ran videos of them.

As regards their sponsors - yes they have to keep them happy, that's how it works.

Two are students on extended gap years, one a North Face team athlete.

All three are major climbing wads, young and new, but with a very impressive track record of acents in the US, UK and other places in the world.

Yes, the Belgium team also were very impressive.

No real need to compare.

We ran several news reports and articles about Nicolas Favresse and Sean Villanueva O'Driscoll.

Jack has also written a trad round-up article to be published next week.

In reply to Alpha:
The point is, is what they've done 'that impressive?' That's the question.

I think yes is the answer, both from a peak and British perspective, although I don't see it as ass kicking.

In reply to Enty:

Sometimes the pompous outraged replies are more entertaining than the actual joke. Well done DaveyP

In reply to Hugh Cottam:

That's making the assumption that DaveyP was actually making a joke. You might know him and his sense of humour but anyone who doesn't could be forgiven for thinking he was being serious, his comments are hardly an unrepresentitive view.

In reply to Enty:

Officially Ents, this site encourages a sense of humour, it's in the UKC charter.

However some individuals who post here let us down.

Would you like them to be banned?

Aaaaaanyway, amazing effort Alex, really impressive stuff!

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Wow - does this guy ever stop for a coffee? Amazing stuff!

In reply to The sharp end:

Here's his iPOd playlist when he soled Moonlight Buttress...... angry rock as he calls it.

New Dark Ages Bad Religion

Humanoid Chevelle

F*ck Authority Pennywise

Can't Repeat Offspring

Something Wrong With Me Pennywise

Who's On Your Side Pennywise

Plug In Baby Muse

Sky Is Over Serj Tankian

I Get It Chevelle

Read My Mind The Killers

New Born Muse

The Fad Chevelle

Happy? Mudvayne

Forget To Remember Mudvayne

Tarantula Smashing Pumpkins

Falling Down Atreyu

A Single Second AFI

Empty Walls Serj Tankian

ATWA System Of A Down

He Who Laughs Last AFI

Chop Suey System Of A Down

Prayer Of The Refuge Rise Against

The Good Left Undone Rise Against

Fall Children AFI

Pushing Me Away Linkin Park

http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web08x/rb-honnold-moonlight-playlist

In reply to DaveyP: You do like to stir, don't you? The last time I heard of some serious foreign wads going to Cumbria, they included an Italian dude I know called Stephano. They got the tour from Dave B, can't remember what routes they did though. IIRC his impression was pretty mixed. He was most impressed with Dave's enthusiasm, thought the climbing generally easyish but bold and hated the walk in to the E. Buttress! Bear in mind that for these guys, the best the Lakes has to offer is pretty small and insignificant, if its scale and grandeur you're after. Don't get me wrong, the Lakes is my favourite place to climb, but if your local crags are the Dolomites, Mello etc, it all looks, well a bit small and vegetated. You're really going to travel for this, then wait for the rain to stop, eating chips in Ambleside? Not likely! Good wind up all the same though.

In reply to Alpha:

Actually, I'd go to pembroke, north wales, scotland or the lakes since that's the style that suits me.
Strong boulderers with good heads in crushing the hell out of bouldery/highbally routes shocker. Would Jorgson have done as well in the lakes? I'd guess not, it would appear to be less his style. Would Honnold have crushed? Of course he would have. Wake the f**k up.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:
>

If either of these came on my iPod while I was climbing I'd untie and jump immediately - with any luck I'd be high enough to kop it.

In reply to abarro81:

There people go again. All of a sudden some american does a few grit routes in better style then previously done and they'd be able to 'crush' anything in the UK.

What to you base that on? The fact that he's done a few highballs in the peak?

I see you're gone to Uni at sheffield so you've probably had your head rammed up your arse by the peak scene. Good luck getting it back out.

In reply to Alpha: What to you base that on? The fact that he's done a few highballs in the peak?


Highballs at Zion and Yosemite I should imagine - maybe you were too busy reading Peak news reports to notice.

In reply to Alpha:

My my my Alpha.

You have got a downer on the Peaks......

Whatever UK climbing tribe you are in, with or against, these fellows, Honnold, Jorgeson, and Segal are world-class climbers that have climbing CV's that any top climber would be proud of.

They include solos of bone crushing highball boulder problems, solos sketchy 2,000 feet routes , trad ascents of bolt routes, sport routes, alpine routes - and yes some of those smallish grit routes - solos of an E9, onsights, headpoints bladibloody blah.

They are the real McCoy - all three of them...... and have much 'previous' before they came on a brief trip to the UK.

We've focussed on Kevin and Alex mainly in our news reports.

Here's a summary of Matt's tick list, even more remarkable as he is from Florida:

Traditional Climbing
Eldorado Canyon, CO:
- Iron Monkey 5.14 (1st ascent)
- Trippin 5.13 (2nd ascent)
- Free Line 5.13 R
- Frayed Line 5.13 R
- Surfs Up 5.13R

Rocky Mountain National Park, CO:
- The End of the Beginning 5.13 (1st ascent)

Boulder Canyon, CO:
- Deadline 5.14- (2nd all gear ascent)

Indian Creek:
- Death of a Cowboy 5.13-
- Less then Zero 5.13-
- Ruby’s Café 5.13- (flash)

Vedavoo, WY:
- Triple X 5.13 R/X (2nd ascent)

Squamish BC:
- Chief Link-Up: Black Dyke 5.13, Free Grand 5.13 and The Shadow 5.13 in a day with Sonnie Trotter, over 20 pitches total.

Yosemite, CA:
- The Free Rider Grade IV 5.12+ (33 Pitches) El Capitan

In reply to Alpha:


Er, you seem to have missed the news item that accompanies this thread - a 29 pitch 5.13c (my YDS isn't that great but about f8a+?!).

I think it fairly likely that he would crush anything the lakes currently has on offer.

In reply to Simon Lee:

This is getting ridiculous. I'm not knocking the lad as he's obviously pretty handy, but the question was 'What's he done in the lakes?' The answer to that is nothing.

People may think that because he has done some highballs and Zion and some big walls in Yosemite, not to mention his exploits in the peak that he'd be able to go to the lakes and 'tear it down', or 'crush it' or however you want to phrase it, but they are sadly mistaken.

In reply to chris_j_s:


And Again......

Its like this is the Alex Honnold appreciation society.

In reply to Alpha: This post is getting hilarious. No ones responded to my thoughts on why the Lakes doesn't get much foreign wad action. In fact, it gets little attention from UK wads for that matter. This is great for Dave B, not much competition for the remaining hard lines really.

In reply to Alpha: I'm with you on this one Alpha. abarro81's head is stuck that far up his ar*e if I could bench press my old fella (and he's a big bloke) I would offer my services to help him pull it out. Then he might be able to see what goes on in the real climbing world away from all this bull sh*t modern day media that goes on. I mean just the other day there was some "news" that some lass had done a boulder problem in the pass. Knock me down with a feather who cares. Going back a bit further some guy George something or other in The Lakes has done 3rd assent of Karma Kings E7 6c in Langdale. I did that years ago and I know of two other people that did it around the same time and one of them people was a lass (shock horror) And yes we did not use the tree. You wake the fu*k up

In reply to Alpha:
Are you for real? This guy solos multiple big, hard routes in a day. The best crack climber I know said this guy's the best crack climber he's ever seen. He's climbed 2 8cs and 11 8b+s, he's climbed multiple 8bs on trad in the US, he's onsighted multiple 8a trad routes (from his 8a scorecard seems he's only logged for the last 2 years, who knows what he's done before that). He obviously isn't too shit at tenuous stuff given his grit exploits. Your big man of the lakes said "It's an unbelievable ascent" about moonlight.
I'm not saying he'd tick the lakes in a week, but I am saying he'd emerge from a few weeks good weather there with a whole load of hard routes under his belt.
Turing the question around, why do you think we're 'sadly mistaken' about exceptionally good climbers doing well in the lakes?

In reply to danm:


Try bad weather and seepage.

In reply to DaveyP:
Like I said to alpha, what leads you to believe strong-as-hell-and-not-too-shit-at-the-bold-stuff foreigners would find the lakes any different to the peak? Some of us do better outside the tenuous/bouldery arena that grit has to offer.. euros/americans aren't different in that.

In reply to Alpha:


I would have thought that anyone with the chunks to onsight solo London Wall (at 'only' E5 6a) is worthy of appreciation from the wider climbing public.

In reply to Alpha:

No, it isn't. You actually said, "There people go again. All of a sudden some american does a few grit routes in better style then previously done and they'd be able to 'crush' anything in the UK."

I was pointing out that he's done a whole lot more than that, and is more than capable of coming to the lakes and ticking off the hard routes there.

To argue that he isn't capable when his track record implies otherwise is making you look like you're hopelessly deluded about the relative difficulty of routes in the lakes on a world scale!

In reply to DaveyP:

What on earth is your point?!

In reply to chris_j_s:

>> To argue that he isn't capable

Lets be clear on this: I've not argued he isn't capable.

Just the fact having on-sighted E8 in the peak doesn't mean its a given he could go and on-sight E8 in the lakes. I'm not realy that fussed about what he has done on his home turf be it highballs or big walls.

In reply to Alpha:
What makes you think he wouldn't be able to do anything in The Lakes?

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:
Very good effort from what is clearly a world class climber.
James

In reply to Alpha:

The evidence is that he is both strong, incredibly bold, has stamina and can operate at pretty much at or near the cutting-edge of climbing.

I am not sure what makes the Lakes so special, but I see no impediment to him performing pretty much as impressively on Lakes rock as he has in the Peak.

You should come and have a look at the classic 'highball' London Wall - maybe even solo it....

In reply to abarro81:

You need to listen to yourself.

>> This guy solos multiple big, hard routes in a day.

Wow. I've just wet myself.

>> The best crack climber I know said this guy's the best crack climber he's ever seen.

Amazing....

My mate knows this lad who says he is the best climber in the world ever,a friend of a friend said he had see him climb the hardest crack ever whilst picking his nose.... ya de ya de ya...

Oddly enough I've not looked at his 8a scordcard.

Question is abarro: What have you done in the lakes?

From all this talking, probably very little.

In reply to Shani:

On-sight soloing London wall really is not that impressive. It's what 7b max, probably 7a+....... and someone on-sighted soloed it. It's not really that ground breaking is it?

In reply to Alpha:

This is absurd, you're arguing against a point that no-one is making. We all said 'he's a beast, he'd crush/tear it up/do well in the lakes', you disagreed. Nobody based their statement purely on his grit achievments, I/they based it on that combined with his pedigree on routes on his home turf more relevant to climbing in the mountains.

In reply to Alpha:
You'll love it - I've not climbed in the lakes. My partners (irony accepted given the content of the post I'm replying to) who've climbed there haven't got shut down compared to the grades they climb in wales/devon etc.

In reply to Alpha:


A better question would be - who cares?

This is a complete thread hijack - it has nothing to do with the lakes.

Start another thread.

In reply to Alpha: Wow. I've just wet myself.


LOL. What has impressed you ? C'mon its your chance to set the record straight.....

Right you lot.

Forget about E this and E that, forget about the numbers. Next time you're in The States head over to Zion and climb Moonlight Buttress.

The Ent

In reply to Alpha: "not knocking the lad as he's obviously pretty handy, but the question was 'What's he done in the lakes?'"

You are Sloper and I claim my £5. What have you done in Yosemite, Slopes? Good troll.

In reply to Alpha:



Like you said he hasn't done anything in the Lakes, largely because he hasn't been there but but I'm interested to know which routes in the Lakes are so much harder than ones he's done already? The climbing in the Lakes isn't that different to trad climbing elsewhere is it?

For years Peak-centric climbers tried to perpetuate a myth that foregin climbers would not be able to cope with the grit. The recent visit by Americans and others have proven that isn't actually the case, are you sure that you are not falling into the same trap with regard to the Lakes? His record suggests that he's able to cope with different styles of climbing so I fail to see why you think this won't be the case with DB's routes.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:
What's the route Alex is on on The Sharp End? It;s that big sandstone arete.....

Back on topic after all the juvenile willy comparing. Which most of us find pathetic by the way.

This from the same UKC News report at Supertopo.

'll add that Alex is not only a strong and ballsy climber, a great attitude!

He and his friend passed us on Zodiac trying to work on freeing it. They were having a blast and were pretty hilarious. Our junk show was totaly in their way, and we felt bad for slowing their push down. They didn't seem to mind at all, and even entertained us by dyno-ing to our haulbag! We made them coffee and we all enjoyed being up on the big stone together.

The funniest moment was when Alex was run out with nothing between him and the belayer but one head and a shitty tipped alien. He was climbing up about 10ft below our ledge.Gotta repost this one quote from our conversation:

Alex: "Sh#t how'd you guys get through this section?"
Us: "Beaks dude!"
Alex: "F*#k...what's a Beak? Is it like a hook? I have some hooks..."
Us: "Uh, sorta..."

So he pulls a Talon off his harness and tries fiddling it all sideways into a crappy beak/head scar.

Us: "Uh, that's prolly not gunna work dude. Want us to send you down a Beak?"
Alex: "Uh....How about a rope?"

So he monkeys hand-over-hand up the rope, feet barely smearing on the overhanging wall and is like, "F*#k this is pumpy!" So he decides to abandon the rope and go back to the rock. Now he's way run out over that old head...

So he's moving up to our bivi and blows a gaston crimp and falls! But catches hims self on a small slopey shelf with one hand, all other three points off!

He recovers and looks up at us white as a ghost. "Dude! Did you guys see that?"
Us: "F*#k yeah, crazy man."
Alex: "Hold on, I'm gunna dyno to your haulbag and mantel your ledge"
Us: "Nice, want some coffee?"

Hillarious morning...

Mad Props Alex! Keep after it!

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:
Haha brilliant!

In reply to james oswald:

Glad you liked it James.

Photo here of Alex stretched out:

http://supertopo.com/climbing/thread.html?topic_id=745017

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Oh and ignore the aldude post, he may be right, but he once made me rap (abseil) bolt a new route of his because his ethics were ground - up bolting only.

And not only that, whilst bolting his route for him I accidently dropped his drill and he went ballistic at me.

Not sure if he actually led the darn thing.

In reply to Alpha:

It has a pretty fierce rep - especially the top section. You have to wonder why it has had so few solos, never mind onsight solos. Looking at if purely from a sport climbing grade misses so much of what makes this solo impressive.

I guess it is one of those routes you have to get on to really appreciate the significance of this feat.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: So....what is a beak?

In reply to Shani:
You have to wonder why it has had so few solos, never mind onsight solos.

I don't know of any previous solos of this route! Do you?

In reply to Richard Bradley:

A birdbeak, a tiny peg - like an upside-down anchor, tapped into the thinnest seams. Body weight only.


Chris

In reply to teddy:

No. None that I am aware of.

In reply to Chris Craggs: eek.

In reply to Chris Craggs:

Not always the case apparently?

'Various attempts to gain stamina on the quick didn't quite work (3 red bulls and an aspirin) but we soon figured out that you could place a big bird beak or 'Simon's pecker' in the mono before the crux and then run it out through all the hard climbing leaving out the crux wire. It's not exactly the most inspiring looking bit of gear but it made the difference and occasionally got tested.' (Ricky Bell on Divided Years)


Anyway that's off topic. I wish I could climb like Alex Honnold, I'd be sweeping up testpieces the length and breadth of the country just to prove to every staunch parochial that their local stone isn't two grades harder than everywhere else :P

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:


Mick, you missed the most significant: his repeat of Cobra Crack (4th) this summer. 5.14b/c R (E-only-brits-care)