Not For The Acrophobic

[guru]

To be precise, free-soloist.

He climbs both ways. His record sub-6 hour climb of El Cap's Nose was not free solo, though his most mind-blowing for the average observer certainly is the free solo stuff.

[lonewolf]

60 Minutes this week - the greatest free climber in the world.

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id= ... ryMediaBox

The only way I could watch that was to know he survived since they interviewed him afterward.

[Athleticsimaging]

Toronto had a better tower experience in 1980!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-_neYidAwNs

[guru]

Frontline this week with an excellent report on cell tower workers and the dangers they face, often due to ignoring safety measures and free climbing

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline ... er-deaths/

[DrJay]

Wasn't sure whether to put this here or on the Darwin Award thread. Don't think we've had any slacklining posts here. Google "Taft Point Yosemite slacklining" for more photos and videos. I was at Taft Point last Friday with my kids and there were some guys slacklining, but they had on climbing harnesses and a tether to the line, should they fall. And a long fall it would be....3000', no exaggeration. So some people, like Dean Potter, a climber who also solos a lot of rock climbs, have done it without a tether.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVwQAVxfQkw

[guru]

Impressive as it was, the fact Nik Wallenda used a safety harness for his Niagara Falls crossing definitely took the edge off it.

Somewhere, Philippe Petit was shaking his head...

[DrJay]

Great documentary about Philippe Petit and the World Trade Center walk, called "Man on Wire." Netflix has it.

[guru]

Great documentary about Philippe Petit and the World Trade Center walk, called "Man on Wire." Netflix has it.

Yep, actually won an Oscar I believe. Sundance runs it occasionally.


No safety harness. No strap to help support the weight of the balancing pole.

http://glencove.files.wordpress.com/200 ... n-wire.jpg

[Conor Dary]

Impressive as it was, the fact Nik Wallenda used a safety harness for his Niagara Falls crossing definitely took the edge off it.

Somewhere, Philippe Petit was shaking his head...

It was NBC who insisted on that. Having a fatal accident on live TV is not a good thing.

[Dutra5]

Impressive as it was, the fact Nik Wallenda used a safety harness for his Niagara Falls crossing definitely took the edge off it.

Somewhere, Philippe Petit was shaking his head...

It was NBC who insisted on that. Having a fatal accident on live TV is not a good thing.

It was ABC and they threatened to pull the broadcast if he removed it.

[guru]

Impressive as it was, the fact Nik Wallenda used a safety harness for his Niagara Falls crossing definitely took the edge off it.

Somewhere, Philippe Petit was shaking his head...

It was NBC(sic) who insisted on that. Having a fatal accident on live TV is not a good thing.

That's part of the deal when you decide as a network to broadcast something like that. And I'm sure dangling from that wire in the middle of the walk would have been a much better situation.

[Daisy]

Moonwalk. Movie doesn't really capture the danger but it's beautiful.

http://vimeo.com/56298775#