Off the hook.....best ever?

[kevbone]

What do you think is the best ever rocking climbing achievement ever?

 

 

Dean Potter on El Cap and Half Dome in one day…..solo?

 

Lynn Hill freeing the nose?

 

Todd Skinner and Paul Piana freeing the Salathe wall in 1988?

 

Chris Sharma on Realization?

 

 

The list goes on and on.

 

 

My vote goes to Tommy Caldwell for freeing the Nose twice in two weeks and the second time freeing the nose and freerider in 24 hours…..that is off the hook.

 

[hefeweizen]

So you want to compare:

 

a marathon solo linkup (which utilized various styles of climbing)

 

a ground breaking FFA of the world famous rock climbing route.

 

the FFA of any line on El Cap proper

 

and a heinously difficult single pitch sport route.

 

Why not throw in a few bouldering achievements and some aid and we can go for most sickest blah blah of all time?

 

This is destined to be an argument about ethics and personal preference, of which there is no escape.

[strumpett]

 

This is destined to be an argument about ethics and personal preference,

 

I believe this to be a personal opinion question and a good one at that. So now that you know it is a personal opinion question. You can subjectively discuss your own opinion.

 

I agree with Kevbone. Tommy gets the award. If there is such a thing. In my opinion.

 

[billcoe]

 

I believe this to be a personal opinion question and a good one at that. So now that you know it is a personal opinion question. You can subjectively discuss your own opinion.

 

 

Tommys right up there:

 

 

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Some exclusions may apply and the omnipresent your results may vary.

[kevbone]

So you want to compare:

 

a marathon solo linkup (which utilized various styles of climbing)

 

a ground breaking FFA of the world famous rock climbing route.

 

the FFA of any line on El Cap proper

 

and a heinously difficult single pitch sport route.

 

Why not throw in a few bouldering achievements and some aid and we can go for most sickest blah blah of all time?

 

This is destined to be an argument about ethics and personal preference, of which there is no escape.

 

I do not believe any boulder problem to even be on the same planet as freeing an El Cap route. All due respect to the very strong. But pulling hard moves 10, 20 or 30 feet off the ground is way different than pulling hard moves 2000 feet off the ground and you add the cardio necessity to the equation, and Tommy’s achievement is outstanding. IMO.

 

 

[JosephH]

Not so much ethics, but Tommy and Beth camped out on and worked the hard pitches on the Nose to death over a long period of time such that their sends are almost deadpoints compared to the ascent Lynn and Brooke did. Both proud sends no doubt, but I'd take Lynn and Brooke's style over Tommy and Beth's in the matchup.

 

I'm not too into personalities so I'd have to say everyone's personal best regardless of the route or difficulty gets my vote. I think that's another aspect of climbing that's changed considerably over the years - the focus on personalities versus the routes (as predicted by Warren Harding in 'Downward Bound'). This is a staple of our media in general and good for the business of climbing, but maybe not so good for climbing itself I think.

[kevbone]

Not so much ethics, but Tommy and Beth camped out on and worked the hard pitches on the Nose to death over a long period of time such that their sends are almost deadpoints compared to the ascent Lynn and Brooke did. Both proud sends no doubt, but I'd take Lynn and Brooke's style over Tommy and Beth's in the matchup.

 

I'm not too into personalities so I'd have to say everyone's personal best regardless of the route or difficulty gets my vote. I think that's another aspect of climbing that's changed considerably over the years - the focus on personalities versus the routes (as predicted by Warren Harding in 'Downward Bound'). This is a staple of our media in general and good for the business of climbing, but maybe not so good for climbing itself I think.

 

 

How do you come up with personalities on this topic? IMO it’s simply about the most “off the hook” rock climbing achievement. Which is subjective.

 

Lynn Hill’s fee climbing of the nose was number one in my book for years, but then Tommy came in and freed two El Cap routes in one day.

 

Tommy has raised the bar….plain and simple.

 

[sexual_chocolate]

The late Michael Reardon's solo of The Romantic Warrior I think is far and away the most "off the hook" rock climb evar. I don't think anything else even comes close (except maybe his Gan Kai Koo onsight FA with V4 slab way up).

[kevbone]

The late Michael Reardon's solo of The Romantic Warrior I think is far and away the most "off the hook" rock climb evar. I don't think anything else even comes close (except maybe his Gan Kai Koo onsight FA with V4 slab way up).

 

That accent was incredible…..wasn’t it onsight?

[sexual_chocolate]

Kinda.... I heard he talked with people about it, studied topos, looked at photos, and checked it with binoculars.

 

 

[ClimbingPanther]

Bill, I want to know what you slipped in the middle of that disclaimer, thinking nobody would notice

[kevbone]

Kinda.... I heard he talked with people about it, studied topos, looked at photos, and checked it with binoculars.

 

 

 

OK…..so he flashed it…..still super incredible. Really any free solo is off the hook…..especially if it is harder than 12.a.

 

[kevbone]

Bill, I want to know what you slipped in the middle of that disclaimer, thinking nobody would notice

Nothing but spray in a climbing forum……

 

 

 

[dmuja]

anything that you either "succeed or die" on = "off the hook"

[kevbone]

anything that you either "succeed or die" on = "off the hook"

 

I don’t know about that.

 

 

I SUCCEEDED to climb the SE corner at Beacon (5.7, 5 pitches) the other weekend. I would not say that was “off the hook”.

 

 

 

 

 

[dmuja]

was it total commitment vs death? Do you know how to bail if need be?

[kevbone]

was it total commitment vs death? Do you know how to bail if need be?

 

Uh.....I said 5.7 dude.

[Raindawg]

 

How do you come up with personalities on this topic? IMO it’s simply about the most “off the hook” rock climbing achievement. Which is subjective.

Lynn Hill’s fee climbing of the nose was number one in my book for years, but then Tommy came in and freed two El Cap routes in one day.

Tommy has raised the bar….plain and simple.

 

Hey groupie...you're probably waiting by the mailbox in eager anticipation of the arrival of your new and exciting Rock and Climb Ragazine, anxious to eagerly devour the latest news about "Tommy", "Beth", "Chris", "lynn" and the whole fabulous gang!!! (Were you the guy hanging outside the outhouse door in Camp 4 hoping to get an autograph?)Anybody know Tommy's Big-Wall breakfast secrets??? stay tuned!

 

 

Shouldn't this topic really be about how many times one can use the "term", "off-the hook"?

 

 

 

 

[pink]

when i go to bed at night i take the phone "off the hook". now that's .................

[kevbone]

Hey Rainboy…..unlike you ….I respect those who are better, quicker and stronger than I. I have tried to accomplish as much as I could do in the rock climbing world, but due to my decisions in life I could only get so far…..soooooo…..to watch folks like Tommy, Lynn, Chris and “the whole gang” send climbs I only can dream about is fascinating to me….kind of like digging holes for you….

 

I have personally met all the climbers listed above (not bragging, it is what it is). And one time had the honor of roping up with Lynn……I have to say all of them where extremely courteous and kind and very humble.

 

So I was talking to Pink the other night on the phone and we were discussing the ultimate moment on rock….or the most impressive moment in climbing. Call it what ever you want…..it was a fun conversation about a subjective subject……thought I would share and see what other thought.

 

You are welcome to your opinion……now STFU…….hee hee

 

:lmao:

[RuMR]

MY PERSONAL OFF THE HOOK BEST MOMENT WAS WATCHING DWANUS SENDING 5.13 DESPITE WORKING IT A LOT...THAT WAS THE BEST FOR ME! I'M HIS GROUPIE FORRRREVERRRRR!

 

oh wait, that never did/will/can happen, will it? Oh well...there's always my dreams...

[Raindawg]

I have personally met all the climbers listed above (not bragging, it is what it is). And one time had the honor of roping up with Lynn……I have to say all of them where extremely courteous and kind and very humble.

 

"Tommy! Over here! No, look! I'm over here....it's me, Kevbone...I'm the guy at the slideshow who was so excited to shake your hand that I peed my pants and puked on your shoes...at the same time! Over here!"

 

KEEP WAITIN'! (Bring flowers and a tub of yogurt next time.)

 

 

 

[billcoe]

"Tommy! Over here! No, look! I'm over here....it's me, Kevbone...I'm the guy at the slideshow who was so excited to shake your hand that I peed my pants and puked on your shoes...at the same time! Over here!"

 

Damn Raindawg, how old are you anyway? Grade school was a long time ago for everyone else on this thread.

[pink]

hey raindawg, just because your dad bought the uniforms doesn't mean you get to play.

[billcoe]

BTW, don't think I'm just slaggin ya, I read one of your books and it was off the hook.

 

How you went from that amazing work of scholarship to this I cannot fathom for they are at the far opposite ends of the intellectual scale.

 

Maybe it's Kevbone doing it to you? Dawg, snap out of it, snap out of it!

 

Bill's review here link

 

Hey Dawg, please don't be offended as I must ask: did you just log onto CC.com and walk away from your computer and leave some 5th grader on it?

 

Help me I'm looking for a reason here?

 

Help!

 

BTW, I loaned (or gave it- not totally sure) your book to Jimmy O. He's a bible fanatic, I'll report back with the results.

Edited October 11, 2007 by billcoe