The Alpinist

[skinipenem]

I was completely gripped watching him on the Stanley Headwall, incredible how well shot it is.

Agree 100% and I'm not a climber.

I'm about half way through the movie...
LeClerc's story is truly a wonder. Great quote from Honnold about how he himself was more interested in the athletic/competitive aspect of climbing whereas LeClerc climbed for the love of adventure and 'spirituality' (honnold's word) of climbing.

What struck me was Reinhold Messner's comment that if climbing didn't have the mortality factor it would just be "kindergarten."

Honestly, that is a sad statement. I am not a climber; however, when I was younger and taking risks, I many times wished that whitewater kayaking did NOT carry such a high risk of fatality. The risk of death never really added much to the experience for me. It was always about flow.

That being said, a few of my friends got off on the getting scared bit.

I would be lying if I absolutely never enjoyed the fear factor; however, I would have happily traded the risk of mortality for the knowledge that I wouldn't join any of my fallen friends on any given day.

To each his own I guess.

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[plugboots]

Wait.
That's the plot to Free Solo...

Right? This chick’s even crazier though. Lived with him in a stairwell. She is an amazing climber. There could be a movie about her.

[skinipenem]

Just finished watching. What an incredible and full life he lived. Tragic, yet expected and inevitably abrupt ending to his life; unfortunately, too early.

A lot to learn from him. Condolences to those he left behind.



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[Marshall Tucker]

Absolutely riveting and I know dick about climbing. Perhaps the most undersold point the movie makes, and by far the most poignant.

he loved his girlfriend and she accepted him wholly

[ticketchecker]

I loved when he told the camera crew they couldn't come with him because then it wouldn't be a solo if they watched, wasn't the experience he was looking for.

[Danno]

And how he climbed it (or maybe it was a different face) completely alone, but agreed to go back and solo it again with them filming.

[LeeLau]

And how he climbed it (or maybe it was a different face) completely alone, but agreed to go back and solo it again with them filming.

Same face. Essentially the same route. But he explained that the first time was an on sight; which was important to him

[Danno]

That's just nuts to me, to solo climb something crazy like that (crazy enough that someone wants to make a film about you doing it) and then solo climb it a second time so that it can get filmed.

[jmedslc]

Watched this the other night and what a rollercoaster of a film. I was hanging on the edge with each scene.

[Sluff]

Watched this last night. A+. Can’t believe how nervous I got when watching some of the ice climbing scenes. Just watched 14 Peaks the other night and this one was even better.

[jmedslc]

Watched this last night. A+. Can’t believe how nervous I got when watching some of the ice climbing scenes. Just watched 14 Peaks the other night and this one was even better.

Oh yeah 14 peaks is up next.

[Marshall Tucker]

"there was a big party scene. and if the party was to take, like, a tab of acid and sit around the campfire. well. I'd take six and go off in the woods for 20 hours."

[The Tortoise]

I think my favorite part is when the two of them just blow past the two guys on that face in Squamish. They were roped up and all serious and the two of them went by like it was a Sunday walk.

The entire time I was watching the film I was wondering how long he could keep doing it. I was pretty crushed to find out the answer was "not very".

[Dantheman]

Watched it last night, that guy was on an other plane of existence.

Genuine question--How'd he afford to globetrot like he did before anyone knew of him? Living in a tent is cheap, but getting to places like Patagonia, Baffin, etc. is still pretty expensive.

[John_B]

Watched it last night, that guy was on an other plane of existence.

Genuine question--How'd he afford to globetrot like he did before anyone knew of him? Living in a tent is cheap, but getting to places like Patagonia, Baffin, etc. is still pretty expensive.

At that point he was sponsored by Arc'teryx as well as other companies I'm unsure of. I'd imagine they helped out.

[cravenmorhead]

For those who weren't convinced to watch already, it's now on Netflix

[Danno]

Watched it last night, that guy was on an other plane of existence.

Genuine question--How'd he afford to globetrot like he did before anyone knew of him? Living in a tent is cheap, but getting to places like Patagonia, Baffin, etc. is still pretty expensive.

I think his globetrotting came after that small crowd did know of him, and he was sponsored for those trips.

[Marshall Tucker]

SPOILER ALTERT ^movie totally fishes ya. an hour in you're like WTF. How does anyone live like that, on those terms. let alone the hula hoop skills.

BTW i cannot imagine what those climbing scenes looked like on a big screen.

[Danno]

SPOILER ALTERT.

I'll delete if y'all think I should, as I certainly appreciate that nobody spoiled it for me. But how many people read deep into a thread on a movie without knowing anything? Seems like many already knew about the guy (I didn't, admittedly). Again, if you think I should delete I will; don't know if you really meant it or were just poking.

[Wapow]

I think my favorite part is when the two of them just blow past the two guys on that face in Squamish. They were roped up and all serious and the two of them went by like it was a Sunday walk.

The entire time I was watching the film I was wondering how long he could keep doing it. I was pretty crushed to find out the answer was "not very".

They were soloing the Grand Wall route at Squamish, which is 11a, i.e., serious shit for most climbers, myself included. The move they show Brette casually soloing is the crux of the first pitch, called "Apron Strings" (which is a notorious Squamish sandbag at 10b). Here's what falling at that spot looks like:

[LeeLau]

They were soloing the Grand Wall route at Squamish, which is 11a, i.e., serious shit for most climbers, myself included. The move they show Brette casually soloing is the crux of the first pitch, called "Apron Strings" (which is a notorious Squamish sandbag at 10b). Here's what falling at that spot looks like:

I was going to say I'd be those guys all roped up. The level Marc-Andre and Brett climb at is hard to describe

[seano732]

^^^^^This.

[uglymoney]

Just watched. Incredible.

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[muted reborn]

But how many people read deep into a thread on a movie without knowing anything?

Many including me. I didn't know who he was, that he died or anything about the movie before this thread.

Just watched it. What a beautiful, driven human being.

[Danno]

I truly apologize if my post spoiled it for you. And while mine wasn't the first, I've deleted it.

I assumed that people don't read a lot about a movie they've never seen and know nothing about, for fear of spoilers, because it's very hard for people to discuss a movie -- in a thread devoted to that movie -- without spoiling it. But I know what happens when you assume.