In the month since I sat with wet palms through a pre screening of @jimmy_chin & his team capturing @alexhonnold climbing off the rocket ship and on to the moon... not a day has gone by that I don't reflect on the layers and optics it took to accomplish that mind bending feat.
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For the one fella that is somehow unaware... #FreeSolo documents the journey that Alex took in considering, planning, training and ultimately executing the monumental effort of climbing El Capitan without a rope.
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Among other heady topics, the film asks us to consider the risk/consequence relationship. Risk being the chance that something negative will happen and consequence being that negative result itself. Alex showed us that with absolute dedication to a challenging objective, it's possible to mitigate risk, all the while understanding that the consequence will still be profound. The subjective optic we all carry with us provides us each with an opportunity to accept the ratio of risk/consequence. I've done my share of what the world would call 'crazy ass shit'... although it all seemed fairly reasonable to me simply because I was prepared and ready for the task. Although the consequences have been high, I have been able to manage the risk through planning & preparation. Alex takes this strategy to the next level. Dream, plan, train, execute. Repeat. It's a solid learning opportunity for all of us that with enough dedication, we can aim high and manage the risk.
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All that being said... I've climbed El Cap and there is no way in hell I'd go more than 10ft off the ground without a rope. So here's to shootin for the moon.
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I believe the film is now being shown in theaters around the country and will soon make its way to Europe and beyond. Goes without saying, you should see it... climber or not, you will be required to evaluate what it means to step out into space and consider taking that extra move that scares you.
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📸—> @erikweihenmayer and I mitigating risk on the North Face of Mt Athabasca in BC.
