Hardest free solo

Is there a consensus on the technically hardest free solo ever? A few contenders in this video.

I'm not sure but I watched that video where honnold solos the phoenix crack and it's absolutely sick. I wish he would stop free soloing though, he's got such a hot wife.

https://youtu.be/WeUoLWiVH8U

Nick Herdeg wrote:

I'm not sure but I watched that video where honnold solos the phoenix crack and it's absolutely sick. I wish he would stop free soloing though, he's got such a hot wife.

https://youtu.be/WeUoLWiVH8U

Isn’t that from like 10 years ago?

There’s definitely been 5.14 solos, especially if we expand the definition to include routes like echo wall.

Define “hard”. The commitment of big routes far surpasses single pitches of higher grades.

Tradiban wrote:

Define “hard”. The commitment of big routes far surpasses single pitches of higher grades.

Sure, it's a valid point but falling is falling, especially on sketchy 5.14

https://www.climbing.com/news/alfredo-webber-age-52-free-solos-5-14b/
https://youtu.be/fvJOCJh1vpY Dave Macleod 

https://youtu.be/JMCofBKTZlM Alex Huber (in Mythos JFC)

Not 14 but yikes AF https://youtu.be/8iyaCK-xf10

Nick Herdeg wrote:

I wish he would stop free soloing though, he's got such a hot wife.

Why would you want him to stop?  If he falls, you can be second in line

Magnus midtbo and the Spanish guy (Juan something…I forget his name) both solo’d 5.14’s with bouldery cruxes off the ground followed by easier climbing.

I’m sure if you ask anyone who has solo’d the hardest grades, they’d say honnold’s solo of the free rider is way more impressive. And none of them would step to it.

saign charlestein wrote:

Magnus midtbo and the Spanish guy (Juan something…I forget his name) both solo’d 5.14’s with bouldery cruxes off the ground followed by easier climbing.

Now we're getting into the semantics, perfect MP discussion.  Is Return of the Sleepwalker the hardest solo?  That V1 topout looks pretty tall.  If I do a boulder problem then topout on a 3rd class route 500 feet to the summit, is that a solo?

Aidan Burns wrote:

Why would you want him to stop?  If he falls, you can be second in line

I'm flattered but I think if he falls (which hopefully he never will) Sani will setup a oddysey-esque set of challenges for suitors ie. Uncoiling Alex's daisy chained rope, free soloing an el cap route, changing the tire on a sprinter van without a lug wrench, ya know something like that.

Nick Herdeg wrote:

I'm flattered but I think if he falls (which hopefully he never will) Sani will setup a oddysey-esque set of challenges for suitors ie. Uncoiling Alex's daisy chained rope, free soloing an el cap route, changing the tire on a sprinter van without a lug wrench, ya know something like that.

Who knows, she may just want a guy who displays a normal range of emotions and doesn’t run off for a month at a time when newborns are at home?

Jussayin’

Lol shade.

So it seems the hardest technical climbing has been in the mid 5.14 range. I wonder if we’ll see anyone pushing the limit.

@Tradiban:  by hard I mean technical crux grade. Also fall from crux means death. So no routes with very low crux.

Yoda Jedi Knight wrote:

Lol shade.

So it seems the hardest technical climbing has been in the mid 5.14 range. I wonder if we’ll see anyone pushing the limit.

@Tradiban:  by hard I mean technical crux grade. Also fall from crux means death. So no routes with very low crux.

Meh. Any strong climber can do that, it takes a real man to string 20 pitches together.

Josh Z wrote:

Now we're getting into the semantics, perfect MP discussion.  Is Return of the Sleepwalker the hardest solo?  That V1 topout looks pretty tall.  If I do a boulder problem then topout on a 3rd class route 500 feet to the summit, is that a solo?

I don't think things with bouldering grades can be solo'd....

What is the difference between a boulder problem and a free solo besides length? If it is just length, then bouldering and free soloing are not separate but exist on a continuous gradient.

Aaron K wrote:

What is the difference between a boulder problem and a free solo besides length? If it is just length, then bouldering and free soloing are not separate but exist on a continuous gradient.

Well a route is free solo'd, a boulder problem is not....in other words, generally speaking, if the climb is normally done with an anchor or bolts then it can be solo'd. If the climb has no anchors or bolts then it can be...high balled(?)...I think 

Not Not MP Admin wrote:

Well a route is free solo'd, a boulder problem is not....in other words, generally speaking, if the climb is normally done with an anchor or bolts then it can be solo'd. If the climb has no anchors or bolts then it can be...high balled(?)...I think 

I guess I would say that if a route can be led with a rope it is not a boulder problem.

If you have crash pads it’s a boulder problem. No crash pads it’s a free solo.
If it’s a carpet square you’re old. 

Colonel Mustard wrote:

Who knows, she may just want a guy who displays a normal range of emotions . . . .

Jussayin’

Yeah, who wants us neurodivergent (autistic, ADHD, or dyslexic) people who struggle with expressing emotion, connect with people and society in a different way, and can hyperfocus on one thing like climbing? 

Given the vague definition of “hardest”, Reardon onsight freesolo fa of Shikata ga nai in the needles has to be the gnarliest thing ever. Although not the highest grade at a stiff 11+ the style is something nobody, not even the honn-dog, get close too

K-2?