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Damon Corso > Free Soloing
This is Michael Reardon soloing the eight-pitch "Sea of Tranquility" (5.11+/A0) at the Needles, CA. Three hundred yards away and dangling fifty feet over the edge of the Witch formation, I still couldn't get the wide-angle lens to show the lower half of this climb. It was shot in October, so the colors were stunning in the distant mountains, and luckily Michael wore a bright red jacket, otherwise he would have been completely lost in the photo.
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After a full day of bouldering around Los Angeles with friends, we went over to Hollywood to try to get on this classic sculpture at the Hollywood Theater. It is by far one of the most famous landmarks in the world and we really wanted to send it. Finally, when the security guard went inside for a bathroom break, Michael took off, I set the camera, and the moment was caught. It is by far one of my favorite moments captures on film.
Michael and I have known each other long before I became a photographer and he became known as a soloist. One day, he mentioned a route that he was going to do solo (at Suicide Rocks, CA) and wanted to know if I wanted to snap some pictures. It sounded like we would have a typical climbing day, but little did I know what he had in mind. I wish I had a bit more time to set up the shot that I wanted to take, but I also did not want to stop Michael when he was ready, so instead I got into position and let the camera do the best it could.
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Damon Corso
Mar 19, 2007
“This is Michael Reardon soloing the eight-pitch "Sea of Tranquility" (5.11+/A0) at the Needles, CA. Three hundred yards away and dangling fifty feet over the edge of the Witch formation, I still couldn't get the wide-angle lens to show the lower half of this climb. It was shot in October, so the colors were stunning in the distant mountains, and luckily Michael wore a bright red jacket, otherwise he would have been completely lost in the photo.”  

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This is Michael Reardon soloing the eight-pitch "Sea of Tranquility" (5.11+/A0) at the Needles, CA. Three hundred yards away and dangling fifty feet over the edge of the Witch formation, I still couldn't get the wide-angle lens to show the lower half of this climb. It was shot in October, so the colors were stunning in the distant mountains, and luckily Michael wore a bright red jacket, otherwise he would have been completely lost in the photo.
Michael and I have known each other long before I became a photographer and he became known as a soloist. One day, he mentioned a route that he was going to do solo (at Suicide Rocks, CA) and wanted to know if I wanted to snap some pictures. It sounded like we would have a typical climbing day, but little did I know what he had in mind. I wish I had a bit more time to set up the shot that I wanted to take, but I also did not want to stop Michael when he was ready, so instead I got into position and let the camera do the best it could.
This is Michael Reardon running a lap on the two-pitch classic "Spooky" (5.9) at the Needles, CA. It was October and although there were spots of snow on the trail, the day ended up being perfect. The temperatures were just right for Michael to run a circuit while I got to lead a handful of pitches as well. Right after this picture was taken, I got on a rope and led it, which gave me a different perspective of just how demanding this solo is!
I've been working with the Petrala crew in getting a climbing film together, and wanted to do something with Michael. We had been concentrating on bouldering in Joshua Tree, CA when Michael mentioned a boulder that he thought might be a good one to shoot. It wasn't until we walked over to check out the rock (which happened to be the first ascent that he had ever done!) that I realized his idea of a "highball" was a bit different than ours! Michael calls it "The Devil Knows the Details," and even with gear it's a bold lead. As a solo, it's a classic all of it's own. A few months later, I wandered the desert with him as he soloed 1,000 routes in 30 days, but that's a story for another day.
After a full day of bouldering around Los Angeles with friends, we went over to Hollywood to try to get on this classic sculpture at the Hollywood Theater. It is by far one of the most famous landmarks in the world and we really wanted to send it. Finally, when the security guard went inside for a bathroom break, Michael took off, I set the camera, and the moment was caught. It is by far one of my favorite moments captures on film.
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