First and Second ascents of Bultitude, 8B+
Dave MacLeod has made the first ascent of Bultitude, 8B+, near Inverness, Scotland.
First climbed by Chris Bonington and Tom Patey in 1960, the three-star 200 metre Cioch Nose (VD) is normally broken down into seven pitches. Having saved a solo ascent of the route for a 'perfect day' this video shows Dave MacLeod turning those seven pitches of roped climbing into a one long ropeless pitch.
Comments
"Free Solo" .... speak English for pity's sake.
I've always assumed "free solo" is used to distinguish from rope solo.
Chill, dude. This is so it'll show up on YouTube along with that Honnold chap.
How many solos are rope solos? 5%? 2%?? Whatever the figure is, it must be low.
For decades 'solo' sufficed. If it was one of the 5% or 2% or whatever, it would be 'rope solo'. So 'solo' and 'rope solo' worked just fine.
Before the film came out, had you ever heard the term 'free solo' used? Neither had I. But now it's all over the place.
Allegedly they used 'Free Solo' because 'Solo' might have involved them in an intellectual property dispute. If so, it's deeply ironic that Hollywood lawyers should dictate climbing terms.
For me 'free solo' is like 'wild swimming' - unnecessary and narcissistic. I guess, as Dave MacLeod is a professional climber, he has to play the game for keyword searches, etc. But I bet that, in his heart of hearts, it's good, old-fashioned soloing.
Mick
Come on, Mick. It's free climbing. It's solo. Where really is the problem?
'Wild swimming' I get. Like 'wild camping', rarely will there be anything wild about it. It's a naff term intended to impress the ignorant.
But free solo - that's just like the term we usually would have used until just a few years ago, but without any potential ambiguity. I really struggle to see the problem with it.