"The Sharp End of Life"

[skiguy]

This looks like a potentially good read. Has anyone done so yet? Ahhhh…..to be 66! https://www.tetongravity.com/video/r...Kp0xpSNMKWuOVE

[sierra]

I watched the interview you posted. I don't have any interest in the book at all. Her fame is solely based on her sons success.

[skiguy]

Wowzers. Picking up climbing at 58 and doing El Cap at 66 is pretty nuts for anyone. On top of that, she's got a pretty interesting kid.

I agree...most rock climbers are done well before 58...whether or not if their kid soloed El Cap.

[sierra]

Wowzers. Picking up climbing at 58 and doing El Cap at 66 is pretty nuts for anyone. On top of that, she's got a pretty interesting kid.

She didn't ''Do" El Cap. Her son led it and she jumared behind him. If Alex wasn't her son, she never would have done it. She even admitted to not being a good climber. I will concede that even jumarring the route for her age is an accomplishment, but I hardly seeing that translating into a book. Just my opinion.

[ChrisB]

I agree...most rock climbers are done well before 58...

No way. In the MW Valley they just get overweight and move to friction routes!

[ChrisB]

She didn't ''Do" El Cap. Her son led it and she jumared behind him. If Alex wasn't her son, she never would have done it. She even admitted to not being a good climber. I will concede that even jumarring the route for her age is an accomplishment, but I hardly seeing that translating into a book. Just my opinion.

Interesting. She did not come across as a very loving mom in Free Solo.

At one point Alex, reflecting on his new relationship with a girl, says he can't ever remember being hugged as a kid! Yikes. His dad seemed to be the involved and enthusiastic parent. In Free Solo she seemed a bit depressed and distant in all her interview scenes (and there were not that many). A bit of an enigma.

[skiguy]

She didn't ''Do" El Cap. Her son led it and she jumared behind him. If Alex wasn't her son, she never would have done it. She even admitted to not being a good climber. I will concede that even jumarring the route for her age is an accomplishment, but I hardly seeing that translating into a book. Just my opinion.

I think I’ll wait on Monday morning Quarterbacking on whether she jugged the whole route until I read the book. If she did I see your point. Either which way I would given the chance to climb with Alex a privilege what ever style it would be. Just my opinion.

[sierra]

I think I’ll wait on Monday morning Quarterbacking on whether she jugged the whole route until I read the book. If she did I see your point. Either which way I would given the chance to climb with Alex a privilege what ever style it would be. Just my opinion.

Let me clarify my stance on this, so I don't come across as someone who is beating up on an older lady. I was a technical climber for about 12 years. I was and am of the opinion, that unless you lead a route or at least half of it, you have no real right to claim credit for doing it. Climbing a route with a rope tight over your head is nothing compared to, placing all the gear and risking all the fall potential. It's apples and oranges. I could top rope grade 5 ice all day, I never led one pitch of grade 5 ice. My point is, its nice that Alex got out with his Mom. But, to say she bagged El Cap like she led the thing after only ten years of climbing, is not only farfetched, its gratuitous at best. I'll go yell at some kids now, maybe kick a puppy or two.

[Jazzbo]

Let me clarify my stance on this, so I don't come across as someone who is beating up on an older lady. I was a technical climber for about 12 years. I was and am of the opinion, that unless you lead a route or at least half of it, you have no real right to claim credit for doing it. Climbing a route with a rope tight over your head is nothing compared to, placing all the gear and risking all the fall potential. It's apples and oranges. I could top rope grade 5 ice all day, I never led one pitch of grade 5 ice. My point is, its nice that Alex got out with his Mom. But, to say she bagged El Cap like she led the thing after only ten years of climbing, is not only farfetched, its gratuitous at best. I'll go yell at some kids now, maybe kick a puppy or two.

This reminds me of a conversation I had with my son this afternoon. I was attempting to describe to him difference between "lead" climbing and what I did once upon a time when I was experimenting with climbing in Sierra Nevada. I had learned some climbing basics and tagged along with two guys who introduced me to climbing. They invited me join them for a to climb something called Lovers Leap. I said OK and tagged along with them and we did one of the easier climbs. I'm sure it was probably one of the easier climbs. They traded off leads back and forth and just followed along in the middle most of the time cleaning up the tools as we went along. I was scared most of the time probably was dumb thing to do on all of our parts having me along, but I survived and it remains a memorable experience for me. I remember clearly them discussing/debating/arguing about which way to go. El Capitan well that's something else altogether even for someone not leading. By the way that was last time I rock climbed except for few occasions rappelling just for some yucks, but I'm glad for the experience.

[JustJoe]

Ahhhh…..to be 66!

I'm 66. I must have missed a motivational speech somewhere along the line.

[Salty]

I'm 66. I most have missed a motivational speech somewhere along the line.

You fall enough on flat ground!

Here's her own words, and it does sound like she used a jumar the whole way, since there's no reference to anything but.
https://www.climbing.com/people/el-c...-lurking-fear/

[TCD]

Jumaring (or climbing the rope with any of the several different kinds of "ascender devices" that are available) is physically strenuous, simply because you are raising your body weight straight up (in the same way that climbing a vertical ladder is physically strenuous). Yes, most reasonably fit people can do it.

Ascending the rope does not require any real technical skill, once a competent person has secured the ascenders to the rope. But a little coaching, and some practice, are needed to do this efficiently. If you are ascending efficiently, you will be in balance, and most of the work will be done using your legs, in long, fairly smooth pushes. Beginners often climb the rope inefficiently, with shorter jerky motions, and using a lot of arm muscle. That can wear you out after just a little while.

[skiguy]

This looks like a potentially good read. Has anyone done so yet? Ahhhh…..to be 66! https://www.tetongravity.com/video/r...Kp0xpSNMKWuOVE

After a critique on climbing ethics and technique I am reposting my original post. With all due respect for that discussion my original intent was not to fire that off. But more to post a book that might be a story of human interest. Being an aging hiker and climber myself I am interested to read the book more out of her personal story and journey through life. Climbing has a means of expressing metaphorical analogies in one’s own life. I hope that is what this book is about rather than a dissection of technique and ethics. There is plenty of those types of reads around already. In a lot of ways this reminds me of when Bill Bryson’s book “A walk in the Woods” was published. Many were quick to criticize the book as not a good representation of Hiking the AT. Which it was not. But rather a book about human introspection and friendship.

[Grey J]

After a critique on climbing ethics and technique I am reposting my original post. With all due respect for that discussion my original intent was not to fire that off. But more to post a book that might be a story of human interest. Being an aging hiker and climber myself I am interested to read the book more out of her personal story and journey through life. Climbing has a means of expressing metaphorical analogies in one’s own life. I hope that is what this book is about rather than a dissection of technique and ethics. There is plenty of those types of reads around already. In a lot of ways this reminds me of when Bill Bryson’s book “A walk in the Woods” was published. Many were quick to criticize the book as not a good representation of Hiking the AT. Which it was not. But rather a book about human introspection and friendship.

Well said skiguy.