alex honnold to solo building????

Christopher Gibson wrote: There is nothing wrong with making a living doing what you love.

This.

Christopher Gibson wrote:There is nothing wrong with making a living doing what you love

We are in complete agreement here. Honnold rose to fame climbing rocks, got a huge amount of exposure in the mainstream media and is now cashing in. I have nothing but respect and admiration for that, especially considering how many people make a living doing something they wouldn't touch with a 10' pole if they weren't paid. Whether he's on a money-making schedule or just having fun for himself and taking the $$ people are throwing at him as a bonus, that's not for me to say and that doesn't really change the fact that he's doing something very very right.

Regarding the oddity comment, I meant that people within the climbing community regard Honnold as some sort of semi-god with the purest motivations. Considering the fact that he's about to solo a tower of steel and glass, I think it's time to consider the fact that he might have more "mainstream" motivations such as $$$. That doesn't make him an asshole in any way but a lot of people are going to feel let down because the guy they proclaimed to be a role model (and who probably never considered himself one) deviates from their ideal.

However, here are two quotes from a HuffPost article that give a different perspective on this. First one is Honnold, second is the NatGeo guy.

"I've always loved climbing in all forms and this is an amazing opportunity to push my own climbing into interesting new terrain. I've admired the aesthetics of sky scrapers my whole life; it's great to be able to climb one"

"When Alex brought us this incredible idea, it struck at the very heart of what a National Geographic global television event should be"

The italics are mine. Sure sounds like nobody approached him, it was his idea. Shit, maybe he really doesn't care about the bag-o-cash and it's really about climbing a different type of choss...

Its obviously controversial, and if anything, not healthy for the image of climbing.
Recently someone asked me if I was a free climber, I assumed he knew what he was talking about (retired old guy, for all I knew could have had awesome alpine stories to tell and whatnot), turns out he was thinking of honnolds free soloing and I had to explain I thought he meant free vs aid and actually DID climb with a rope and have fallen a plethora of times and still live on unscratched (well, ok, scratched :) ).
Before you think 'its not a big problem for me', I know some insurances are more expensive or retirement funds have lower yields if you have dangerous hobbies and alpinism is already on the list, but the extent is variable. This could cost us all.

Tomtomtomtom wrote: Before you think 'its not a big problem for me', I know some insurances are more expensive or retirement funds have lower yields if you have dangerous hobbies and alpinism is already on the list, but the extent is variable. This could cost us all.

I respectfully disagree with this sentiment. I also don't understand why people are upset. He wants to do it, he has permission, and best of all someone is going to pay him for it. All this negative talk sounds like sour grapes, I'll watch it! Who knows, maybe it'll finance some cooler project in the future.

Tomtomtomtom wrote:Before you think 'its not a big problem for me', I know some insurances are more expensive or retirement funds have lower yields if you have dangerous hobbies and alpinism is already on the list, but the extent is variable. This could cost us all.

What do you mean by retirement funds having lower yields?

If you're talking about mutual funds, they don't care what you do as a hobby.

If you're talking about annuities, they, if anything, would pay more per year if they had a reason to think you have reduced life expectancy.

For the record, I fully agree though that insurance is an issue. But I imagine insurance companies would be relying on data (e.g., medical claims per year for climbers vs. non-climbers, or average age at death of climbers vs. non-climbers) rather than what an actuary saw Alex Honnold do on TV.

Coincidentally, I just watched a BD video of Honnold this morning. I think it says a lot about his personality.
vimeo.com/27728779

Although he's mostly known for his free soloing, he does a lot of different stuff, like recently doing a bike-climb linkup of the tallest mountains in CA.

He strikes me as the type of person that needs to do different things to keep it interesting. I can certainly get behind that, and climbing a building is certainly different.

And, yeah, if he can make a little money on the side, more power to him.

Alex Quitiquit wrote: Where does one still get a blowie for $5?

The D (Detroit). Before, during, and after the recession. lol

As far as Honnold goes, I say might as well get paid to do a lap since he does all the others for himself.

Sort of a less interesting version of Largo, Bridwell, et al in Borneo or Angel Falls back in the day (for the record before my time as well). Nothing new....Ya gets famous, ya gets offers to do shit.

David Sahalie wrote:Never stop exploiting.

Very funny.

Pesonally, I don't care what he climbs. If i hear someones climbin without a rope. Ill watch. I mean, what else is on? All the spongebobs are re-runs...

taylor januskiewiecz wrote:don't take this the wrong way the guy is my hero I just don't get the point of climbing buildings.....

It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; much like the bro brah's beanie or a zen koan

He gets to climb a freaking skyscraper! Its not rock, but its still pretty damn cool. I do get that the whole thing is a little cheesy and mainstream or whatever you guys are saying but its still badass and he gets paid a bunch. Its not like they won't do an interview with him where he will end up talking about how cool actually climbing rocks is and how this is just a fun thing he gets to do. Nobody is really going to mistake the fact that this isn't something that really matters to him. He's doing it for fun. He gets paid. We get to watch. Who's not psyched?

David Sahalie wrote:Never stop exploiting.

Must say, I appreciate the occasional pithy comment like this to keep it all real.
I fully expect to miss the circus - I'll be too busy working my public service job and (knock on wood) getting out for some outdoor adventures to log on and gawk.

ChaseLeoncini wrote:Pesonally, I don't care what he climbs. If i hear someones climbin without a rope. Ill watch. I mean, what else is on? All the spongebobs are re-runs...

they still run spongebob?

If it is in Dubai, He is legally climbing the tallest building in the world. Why would you not? Make some money, be probably the only person to do it, and put your name out there so you can live in a van for a few more years traveling. Dude has it figured out if you ask me.

"It has nothing to do with rock climbing" Sure but neither does the pink route you try hard on at the gym at the rate.

It isn't going to jump insurance rating like someone said, unless you live in Dubai maybe.

If you wanna talk about how people sold out you should ask the owners and CEO's of every climbing company selling to chain stores and cashing in. Not the guy who is just trying to climb and put some money away for when he isn't near the top anymore.

taylor januskiewiecz wrote: they still run spongebob?

You know, suprisingly, they do. Thats like more than 10 years now. Cray cray.

I think the more appropriate question is, does this put Honnold in the daredevil category. I had read that he is very calculated with his free soloing so I figured he had a better chance of surviving than your average compulsive free solo climber (which isn't saying much). But when you start throwing in variables that are out of your control that's when things get dicey. How many people have died in stunts based on bad conditions and "the show must go on" pressures? Quite a few.

Alex was never in any Chase commercial.

I doubt he is doing it for the money. He's doing it because he loves to climb. If you think climbing a building is stupid then you are probably some wannabe hill hiker or just a straight up poser. Climbing steep shit is cool. Climbing 1000+ building? Fucking cool. If you think not then you are a fool or a tool.

Viva la Honnold.

rging wrote:I think the more appropriate question is, does this put Honnold in the daredevil category. I had read that he is very calculated with his free soloing so I figured he had a better chance of surviving than your average compulsive free solo climber (which isn't saying much). But when you start throwing in variables that are out of your control that's when things get dicey. How many people have died in stunts based on bad conditions and "the show must go on" pressures? Quite a few.

True, but my guess is that climbing a building pales in comparison to some of the 5.13 solos he's done. Yeah, it'll be onsight, but probably *well* within his ability level. Plus, no one involved wants to be the company that televised a death, so I'm sure there's a pretty good margin for error, and Honnold is probably pretty confident he's up to the task.

I think I'm missing the point here...

Honnold is rad, free soloing is rad, climbing buildings is rad, filming climbs is rad.

Why live TV?

I have nothing but love & respect for Sender and NGC and Alex but why live? I don't get that part of it. I get why Alex would do it, not that it matters. I get why NGC would want to promote it. I don't get why it has to be live; that to me is the only thing special or different about this. I want to support these guys and I love climbing porn like the rest of you but I don't think I can even watch this until afterward.