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f8c free solo


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He's training for a project of his on Ben Nevis, Scotland. The project is essentially a F9a (14d) trad route where if he were to fall on the upper crux section it would mean certain death, as the only gear is low on the route. Its sounds like a contender for E12 7b if he ever manages it.

 

His previously hardest sport solo was a route called Hurlyburly an F8b in a birnam quarry scotland, a fall from this would be serious but not lethal as the quarry is essentially a 45 degree tube in the ground so the route is never more than 30ft off the deck. He's also led several E8's 9s and 10s where a fall would be serious.

 

I wouldn't say he's 'touched' in the head. In fact he's one of the most responsible top-end climbers i know of. Just read about his account on his blog of backing off of The Indian Face an E9 in N Wales where the difficuly is 'only' 7b+ (12c) or so but the danger aspect was out of his hands due to bittle rock.

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he says something about not being a highball and no pads...

 

knowing a wee bit about him, if he calls it a solo, chances are it is.

 

i saw his hurly burly solo on vid, and while certainly a cool climb, it's hard to call it solo proper, since his feet seemed to be within 15 feet of the ground the whole time. and yes, they made a point of calling it a solo. i think evilution is more of a solo, and it's referred to as a high-ball, so

 

my point is that, while kinda cool and all and certainly a feat simply to redpoint, what was the commitment factor? i couldn't tell from the website, not that i scoured it or cared too much.

 

michael reardon soloed proper. no question about commitment there. but even that obnoxious little german fellow's solo of kommunist was a different breed, since the crux came at 30 feet.

 

anyway, that's my little shindig opinionation deal on that, yo.

 

by the way, michael reardon "impressed" me. man, my jaw still slacks at his accomplishments. adam ondra's killing everything, but he's a 5' 7" 105 pound genetic mutant, so it's harder for me to be "impressed". but michael fuckin nailed it without genetic gifts, doing things that make me still grimace in projected fear and disbelief.

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no i don't think they ever found his body. (thanks for downsizing the photo btw; even though i like to be displayed in all my grandeur, i don't wish to take over every thread.)

 

more on solo: (first you can practice yer french!)

 

from Kairn.com...

 

Mais en fouillant un peu plus dans l'historique de la voie "Darwin Dixit",

il s'avère que l'année passée celle-ci fût réalisée à vue par un

certain Chris Sharma, la décôtant à ... 8b!!

"Le pas dur se trouve au raz du sol, et la voie ne monte pas haut" nous précise également un local de Margalef."

 

 

(Now you can practice yer english!):

 

"But in searching a little about the history of Darwin Dixit, it appears that last year it was climbed on sight by a certain Chris Sharma and downgraded to 8b!

"The hard move is found at the base and the route is not very high", a local at Margalef informs us also.

 

 

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thanks for all the research.

 

yah, there's a video of him climbing it with a rope on YouTube....looks like the crux comes pretty low. Looks like a high ball. Pretty rad, but I'd agree, not really in the same league with some other solos out there.

 

gIZaNluM2KM&eurl

 

This is more entertaining...

 

ZoS8j9eNMZU

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Impressive. I've been to Margalef and climbed there several times. Great area. Really good conglomerate. I've also stood below the route. Impressive solo, but it's sorta of blurring the lines between a short route and a high boulder problem. Certainly you need cajones to do it, but it seems it also a little bit of tooting ones own horn. I you fell you would get hurt and possibly die. I guess professional climers have to media whore themselves out to make a living. To each his own.

 

BTW - If ever going to Spain to climb in the winter, go to Margalef. It's close to Siurana, but less people. This past January we spent a couple days in Margalef, went to Siurana, stayed there 15 minutes, then went back to Margalef. There are a lot of people in Siurana and Margalef is usually quiet and relaxed. I might post some pics. The hostel there is awesome, cheap and the food is good. The guy who owns it is a climber and has put up a lot of routes in the area.

Edited by TimL
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