AlpineK Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 A friend and I met Derek Hersey on the Diamond. He was guiding a client on the Casual Route. The minute we saw him we told him to cruise on past us. Even with a client we knew we'd never keep up. He proceed to tell us about soloing two routes on the Diamond in a day which he connected by downclimbing the Casual Route. Something along the lines of, "I slid down the Casual Route." If that wasn't impressive enough he told us his dinner the night before this guiding trip consisted of a bottle of vodka and a block of cheese. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blake Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 WOW! Why don't we hear more about our own Darling of the Cascades as a result of feats such as this? Surely, a 5.11 on The Diamond is just as bold and badass as anything that other male free-soloers have done, no? The Casual Route is 5.10a and has only a body-length or so of climbing even as hard as a typical Index 5.9. That's not to say it doesn't take some guts to solo it. (and then nearly crash in a BASE jump from the top) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZimZam Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 Two summers ago a Denver area climber was soloing the Diamond and fell. He was standing on Broadway at the time. Friends of mine were watching him, and then he just fell. Off Broadway, unfortunate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_b Posted October 8, 2011 Share Posted October 8, 2011 Two summers ago a Denver area climber was soloing the Diamond and fell. He was standing on Broadway at the time. Friends of mine were watching him, and then he just fell. Off Broadway, unfortunate. Rockfall, may be? Huber may have a good point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckaroo Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 Agree with the "easy on the eyes" part [video:youtube] the best solo vid of all time [video:youtube] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougd Posted October 9, 2011 Share Posted October 9, 2011 +1 on Destivelle. She's hot. Last time I saw Opdyke, I left my collection of VHS climbing tapes with him. One of the video's was Destivelle climbing a pretty awesome roof pitch somewhere with another chick that was one of my favorites... For those of you who join Jim's movie nights in the winters, enjoy... That free solo speed climber's dyno move was something... Still processing that one... Thanks for sharing buck. d Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimmo Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 I watched the CBS videos of him on The Phoenix and Sentinel Rock and felt like I was about to be watching a snuff film at any moment. He seems like a great guy, and I have uber-respect for what he's doing, but I kind of wish he'd call it quits on the free solos before he meets The Reaper. Discuss. Alex Honnold on CBS yeah kinda mind-blowing, but keep in mind he free solos stuff that's way within his limits. He's bouldered what, V12 or 13, and redpointed 14b or c, so relative to that, it's understandable. Reardon is the one who really blew me away, onsite soloing 5.13 (ok kinda lowball), and multi-pitch 12b, while not being incredibly strong. seeing photos of him ropeless on Romantic Warrior truly made me ill, knowing he had onsite soloed that insecure horror show. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
max Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 the best solo vid of all time [video:youtube] n I wonder if he did a lot of stairmaster? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Same reaction, awe and ill stomach. Curious if anyone has a historical perspective on how many high-level free soloists there are/have been and how many make it throught that "period" of their climbing career? I know Croft soloed at a high level and is still around and climbing. Bachar, the guy that got stuck on a wall in Yosemite (Hersey?), Reardon getting washed off to sea although the last two didn't fall both passed on because of the pursuit. John Bachar died due to a fall while soloing fyi... http://climbing.about.com/b/2009/07/06/iconic-american-climber-john-bacher-killed-in-soloing-fall.htm He was doing it his way, like Honnold is. These climbers are pushing the limits their own way on their terms. I can respect that. Next time don't watch if it upsets you so... d Sorry, didn't type that clearly, I knew Bachar fell and died but the other two died but not from a fall. Hersey did. Fell off the Sentinel if I remember correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glassgowkiss Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Potter, Huber, Barber, etc. Those guys are all alive. In fact, Bachar and Hersey are the only two that I can think of that died free soloing. Not true at all: Michael Reardon is also recent casualty. I can also think Jimmy Jewel (GB) off the top of my head. Oh, how about Lafaille as far as alpine goes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Potter, Huber, Barber, etc. Those guys are all alive. In fact, Bachar and Hersey are the only two that I can think of that died free soloing. Not true at all: Michael Reardon is also recent casualty. I can also think Jimmy Jewel (GB) off the top of my head. Oh, how about Lafaille as far as alpine goes? I don't think I'd lump Reardon in a solo climbing death group. He drowned after getting washed into the sea from the base of a climb in Ireland. I was about a mile down the road when it happened. Unfortunate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glassgowkiss Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Maybe yes, maybe not. If he was roped up he would not end up dead. Sea cliffs and waves is like alpine and avalanches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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