This Looks Like One of the Scariest Free Solos Ever

South African rock climber Matt Bush has made a name for himself as one of the boldest free soloists in the world. He climbed routes as hard as 5.13d unroped, but says something about this particular route, Casualties of War (5.11b) on South Africa’s massive Paarl Mountain, really made him want to climb it. The ultra-committing climb, up a nearly featureless face, required delicate friction moves on the slippery rock and dynamic moves through the cruxes.

Like all his free-solo ventures, he tried the route numerous times with a rope to work out the moves before setting off ropeless. The best part? The no-hands rest near the top, that allowed him to face out from the rock and take it all in.