UKC

In this series of articles, Tom Ripley interviews some well-known climbing partnerships to dig up their dirty secrets and find out what they really think of one another...

Reading those interviews was like reading about some alien beings climbing on another plant. Formidable partnership, and a great example of playing to each other's strengths in the mountains.

It's testament to the breadth of their respective climbing careers that the two of them aren't readily associated together, and have had equally or more productive partnerships with others such as Tommy Caldwell and Rolo Garibotti. Keep it going!

Interesting to see Alex described as sometimes seeming cocky. I've always thought that he comes across as pretty humble in videos and talks.

Actually, a fascinating interview in general. Good work getting big stars from across the Atlantic.

As Mohammed Ali once said, "It's hard to be humble when you're as great as I am"

Really interesting article, the last paragraph caught my imagination... "Simul climbing with micro traxions"

I have an idea how that might be done but could anyone explain? 

By attaching a traxion or other progress capture device to a runner above a tricky section, if the second falls off the device will prevent the leader being dragged off - probably at the expense of the rope sheath, though.

To my knowledge, Tommy C has done some fairly extensive tests with micro traxions holding falls in that way in Yosemite, and they don't tear sheaths almost as much as one might imagine, although obviously it's still a very real risk. But I think he pretty much concluded that they are by far the superior progress capture device for this technique. 

It's amazing how degrading the word 'huh can feel... I recall Hazel telling Alex that she had climbed the nose in 14/15 hours on her first go, to which he cocked his head and replied 'huh', in a way which suggested 'what took you so long'. I think this is what is meant by cocky. But to me it just feels like he has a slightly more British sense of humour than the average American 

I only met Alex very briefly when he came to the Fairhead meet a couple of years ago - but the idea of him coming across as 'cocky' rings true for me, in so far as only total self knowledge, not humility, or arrogance or overconfidence would allow him to do the things he does and still be among the land of the living.

For me very interesting article, particularly the summit shot which shows the line taken by myself and Tom Proctor on Cerro Torre in 1981. Had conditions been as shown here I think there,s a good chance we would have summitted. Far less ice and climbable lines, not a huge overhanging mushroom. Ah well if only!

Story of our lives, mate. Story of our lives.

Remember reading your account and thinking, "Bloody hell!" Seemed pretty cutting edge for its time.

Stoney went to Patagonia...

Mick

I read his autobiography recently and he came across not so much as cocky, but as single-mindedly arrogant and unappreciative of his environment and opportunities he has had. All he seems to care about is rock-climbing on granite. Anything else, no matter how awesome it may appear to somebody else, is treated with a brutully honest disdain which comes across as plain rude.