The FIFTY

**John_B** · 11-03-2021, 11:48 AM

Yeah, what a contrast in episodes. Thanks for another good one Cody! I think if you had snowshoes you wouldn't have gotten heatstroke.....or made it out of the parking lot.

**paulster2626** · 11-03-2021, 01:01 PM

What gloves is Cody wearing on the Castle Peak episode?

**bean** · 11-03-2021, 03:40 PM

I wonder what the intent was with the start time, there had to have been a pretty good idea how it would go getting started that late.

**snapt** · 11-03-2021, 03:42 PM

Leave it to the kid who climbs without a rope to be the voice of reason. His side slip down while stopping for selfies with climbers was endearing.

**Supermoon** · 11-03-2021, 03:50 PM

I guess Honnold is one of the perfect people to do something ridiculous and way harder than it needs to be with.

**TheK12** · 11-03-2021, 03:55 PM

Might be my new favorite episode... but I seem to be saying that every week. One question though, did Alex ski the whole way (i.e. the parts that were skiable) or are the edited scenes the parts he did ski? Would make sense if there was some downclimbing in-between segments to keep him and others safe.

**bbrianburke** · 11-03-2021, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by TheK12

...One question though, did Alex ski the whole way (i.e. the parts that were skiable)....

judging by the footage, it seems like alex stashed his skis at 'the notch', and climbed up and down the 'final 500' sans skis. the 'final 500' has death exposure and would be a very bony 45-50 degrees of firm windslab in a low snow year like last spring, so you can't really blame him for wanting to downclimb that bit....

**skiJ** · 11-03-2021, 06:37 PM

Originally Posted by Supermoon

I guess Honnold is one of the perfect people to do something ridiculous and way harder than it needs to be with.

truth ^^^

skiJ

**Danno** · 11-03-2021, 07:26 PM

That was great.

**The SnowShow** · 11-03-2021, 08:07 PM

Great episode. Love how Cody was cutting Honnold’s skins halfway up Whitney!
And “sorry about all the snow..I don’t know how to ski”

**hutash** · 11-03-2021, 08:24 PM

Hard to tell from the footage, but it appears the final 500 feet from the notch was mostly (all?) rock. I was thinking who would even consider skiing that 500' who hasn't skied in two years? I have climbed that route once in spring conditions, and I am not sure AI would ski that in anything less then ideal conditions due to the massive exposure. Below the notch though, would be great fun in reasonable conditions. Props to Alex for skiing it in less then ideal snow.

**Westcoaster** · 11-03-2021, 09:14 PM

Man I've done the dv to Whitney portal ride, but we started at 9pm to avoid the heat. Full moon meant no need for lights except to signal our presence to the odd car, but it went 90 to 30 real fast in a clear October night. I could never imagine doing that ride midday in the fall. F*ck.

Also perpetuem is disgusting but it works.

**Alkasquawlik** · 11-03-2021, 11:50 PM

Originally Posted by bean

I wonder what the intent was with the start time, there had to have been a pretty good idea how it would go getting started that late.

Simply, it was timing for snow quality. The days before when Bjarne and I did it, it was some of the worst refrozen punch crust you could imagine. Knowing Alex’s ski skills I really didn’t want him blowing an ACL and ending his climbing season. So I did the math to try to get the skiing in decent corn and disregarded the heat of DV. Alex felt fine because he lives in Vegas and I didn’t know any better…until it was too late

**subtle plague** · 11-04-2021, 02:45 AM

Highangle does not approve the roadbiking.
I still stand on the sidelines wondering about the fun of suffering.

**Abol98** · 11-04-2021, 12:56 PM

There was enough grief about the black kit given on the Tube so I'll leave it. From years of racing in the dead heat of flyover country, I'll say there's not much you can do - big dudes just suffer. If you HAVE to ride in it, podium chill bottles full of ice on the bike, and nylons (as in your mom's socks) full of ice wrapped around your neck and down your back do wonders.

Was anyone else on the edge of their seat for Alex, waiting to hear "I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU'RE A PRO I'M WAY BETTER THAN YOU."

**himavan** · 11-04-2021, 02:26 PM

The heatstroke looked real scary. That can fuck you up fast and long term. I can imagine Elyse's reaction to seeing Alka get back on his bike after that....might have deserved a solid slap upside the head.

**MakersTeleMark** · 11-04-2021, 02:31 PM

I'll just punch in my armchair youtube comment here:

One day, me and my best friend CJ, waiting for a leftover permit for whitney, got one, hiked up there, set up camp, bagged I think Russel at sunset (we solo'd some peak to the right), hit the east ridge of whit, ran down the mountaineers route, then down to the valley with a flask I had saved of jameson, and drove that old civic to the bottom of the valley to catch a lowest and highest in 24 hrs. Not the same at all, but I know that sentiment. Brings back memories. All highs fortunately from the late 90's. We were beat to crap, but I picked up a pizza, a 12er of sierra nevada, and a penthouse, and he passed the fuck out in a no tell in lone pine, and we drove to jtree the next day only to come back next year to do some more alpine walls. Some of the best times of my life.

**AlexC** · 11-04-2021, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by Abol98

There was enough grief about the black kit given on the Tube so I'll leave it. From years of racing in the dead heat of flyover country, I'll say there's not much you can do - big dudes just suffer. If you HAVE to ride in it, podium chill bottles full of ice on the bike, and nylons (as in your mom's socks) full of ice wrapped around your neck and down your back do wonders.

Here's some good advice on dealing with extreme heat, from the woman who won the 1,000km BC Epic bike race in the middle of the heat dome: https://meaghanhackinen.com/2021/07/...-2021-bc-epic/

**jackstraw** · 11-04-2021, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by AlexC

Here's some good advice on dealing with extreme heat, from the woman who won the 1,000km BC Epic bike race in the middle of the heat dome: https://meaghanhackinen.com/2021/07/...-2021-bc-epic/

Yeah, no. The best way to avoid heatstroke is to avoid going anywhere that is heat hell!

**mcski** · 11-04-2021, 03:41 PM

except the heat hell number is relative

**jackstraw** · 11-04-2021, 04:36 PM

Originally Posted by mcski

except the heat hell number is relative

Yes. Me 90f, 31-2c. I melt. Need to be in the ocean at that point.

**t.odd** · 11-04-2021, 06:01 PM

Originally Posted by jackstraw

Yes. Me 90f, 31-2c. I melt. Need to be in the ocean at that point.

yeah, here people were going out in 40C heat dome weather for rides this summer....WTF is wrong with you?! clearly you've melted your brain!

**TahoeJ** · 11-04-2021, 07:26 PM

What a great episode. Alex is funny as hell - some great one liners. "I wouldn't be surprised if Cody dies." lol... "Sorry about all of the snow, I don't know how to ski."

Imagine the shock of some guy climbing up and seeing some beater coming down from above, and it turns out said beater is a legend.