Ask a Badass: Alex Honnold

Mike Womack wrote:

I'm surprised no one has asked you about the Honnold foundation.  How did it all start?  I'm really interested in one day doing something kinda similar and am wondering of how you dealt with the business aspect and the motivation to get it moving along.  Any insight is appreciated.  Thanks!

Listen to his enormocast episode 

Old lady H wrote:

If "vacation" is defined as escaping from paid work to go have fun, what the heck does a pro climber do for vacation?? Sit in a cubicle shuffling papers? Mop someone's bathroom?

Best, H.

Scuba diving, sky diving, skiing, 4 wheeling / off roading, sit inside playing video games, smoke pot, lsd, mushrooms, dmt, mescaline, etc....

ViperScale wrote:

Scuba diving, sky diving, skiing, 4 wheeling / off roading, sit inside playing video games, smoke pot, lsd, mushrooms, dmt, mescaline, etc....

SHHHHH!!!!

You ruined it, Viper! I was hoping Mr. Cutecakes might be looking for some housework....

Slave labor and, uh, visual, hm ...never mind.

:-/

Hey Alex, we've met at Céüse. Where is your favorite climbing scene, other than Yosemite?

I’m Sorry......You’ve reached a forum that’s no longer in service 

I'm still waiting my ear answer. he is a public figure, is his obligation to respond to all of us.

llanSan wrote:

I'm still waiting my ear answer. he is a public figure, is his obligation to respond to all of us.

No, being well known doesn't obligate him to anything.  Our admiration and "hero worship" for what he does is our "problem," and his burden.  Unless you are paying for access to him, he owes you nothing.  The popular kids don't HAVE to be your friend.

He hasn't answered my question either, but I sent it in AFTER the Friday cutoff in the original post.  I hope he pops in occasionally (and gets around to my question), but really it'shis time to do with as he chooses.

Eric L wrote:

No, being well known doesn't obligate him to anything.  Our admiration and "hero worship" for what he does is our "problem," and his burden.  Unless you are paying for access to him, he owes you nothing.  The popular kids don't HAVE to be your friend.

He hasn't answered my question either, but I sent it in AFTER the Friday cutoff in the original post.  I hope he pops in occasionally (and gets around to my question), but really it'shis time to do with as he chooses.

Then i´ll stop eating cliffbars.

llanSan wrote:

Then i´ll stop eating cliffbars.

Deal.

Relax guys, I'm pretty sure IlanSan was joking..

Mr. Honnold,

I doubt this Q&A is still going, but if it is... What is your endgame?  Dan Osman and Dean Potter always struck me as headed for early graves, driven to take ever-greater risks to get their adrenaline fix until their luck ran out.  I thought Ueli Steck was transitioning to lower-risk objectives, but sadly he is no longer with us.  Do you have plans to back off at some point?  

I'll repost this since I dont think you answered it ;)

What music are you listening to? Top bands?

Especially while freesolo? I heard you like Metal/Hard Rock?

Winter is when I read best...

and I concur with all the kudos above to you.                    Freaking Kool- -Way to Go, Man!

Also, I hope you get to enjoy Blackbeard's Tears someday.

https://www.mountainproject.com/photo/107423677

Love your work, especially the Dan Osman tribute.          Respectfully, 

Dan Africk wrote:

Relax guys, I'm pretty sure IlanSan was joking..

Are you the only one who got that? ... MPers are so sensitive.

Now Alex, Now when are we gonna Shred KT22? 

Mike Mellenthin wrote:

Alex Honnold? I can't believe you're a pro. I'm a way better skier than you are.

You didn’t actually misunderstand that did you? Ugh... hipsters! 

Sir? A friend was just telling me about the awesome good time he had climbing today, in an almost empty Yosemite. Which made me think of this thread.

Did the swag ever get awarded?

Thanks! Hope whatever you did, where ever it was, you still had as much fun on it as my friend.

Best, OLH

Old lady H wrote:

Did the swag ever get awarded?

Having Alex take time out of his day to answer our asinine questions, is an award in and of itself.... 

sherb wrote:

Having Alex take time out of his day to answer our asinine questions, is an award in and of itself.... 

Uhhh, he's a pro, dear. I'm not. Black Diamond makes a nickel or two off of us, now and then (fine by me, that's what most of my stuff is).

But yes, he was astonishingly generous on this thread to answer so many questions.

Lemme know if you ever do roll through Boise and would like to climb!

Er, I meant you, sherb, but the cute guy would be cool too. ;-)

Best, Helen

Alex Honnold wrote:

I've been planning on publishing my comprehensive reading list someday, though I've been lagging on it. But off the top of my head, a few books that have made a big impact on me: This Changes Everything by Naomi Klein, A People's History of the US by Howard Zinn.

I really enjoyed The Once and Future World by J B Mackinnon - he's also quite a good climber for what that's worth. 

I've been pretty much only reading nonfiction for quite a long time.

The only condiment in my fridge is tapatio. 

Tapatiooooo!  I pack that on every backpacking trip.  Thanks so much for answering, man!  Have a blast in Antarctica!

https://www.rei.com/blog/climb/ask-a-badass-alex-honnold

But who won the BD swag for being Alex's favorite question?? 

"I'll close the forum at 5pm MT this friday (10/6), then Honnlove will scan the questions, choose several to answer, and award some hand-selected BD swag to his three favorite participants early next week."