Shanghai Tower Climb

[Mutzo Nutzo]

my mate freefalls out of helicopters down that, and then does that touching down on patches of snow with skis & taking off again thing.


with a parachute obviously.

pffft.... parachutes

 

[ricardobee]

Reidy,

Smearing is a necessity not a choice in high-altitude mountaineering. The only alternative is to curl one in a plastic bag and stuff it in your mates rucksack without him noticing.

Anyway - here's a proper climb....Ueli Steck speed climbing the north face of the Eiger.

[video=youtube;UxEtJoK0-jA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxEtJoK0-jA[/video]

Holy Schmidt.


Both are impressive in their own way, I get vertigo on a stepladder ffs.


Anyway, my rock climbing question is:

Why do these videos never show them coming down? I imagine climbing down would be harder than climbing up, as you'd be facing in the wrong direction. Unless you spiderman it down head first of course.

So how do they get down? Addison Lee definitely won't go up there, I've checked

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

pffft.... parachutes

here he is with Ralf Little strapped to him, theres a longer vid apparently which showed problems with the parachute & Ralf screaming.
[video=youtube;6fYPpmrE9r0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fYPpmrE9r0[/video]

 

[4737carlin]

That Shanghai Tower Climb vid is mental. I have been on top of tower cranes myself, to be honest they are pretty safe, as long as you dont do something stupid. Dont forget the people who put them up and take them back down will go to the very top of the jib as well (although without standing on it haha) Fred climbing this chimney is more dangerous!!

[video=youtube;3R3-YwDZrzg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3R3-YwDZrzg[/video]

 

[Black Belt Jones]

This guy is off the scale - Alex Honnold, US free climber:

[video=youtube;Phl82D57P58]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Phl82D57P58[/video]

Want to say it's inspirational but I'm not sure that's the right word...

 

[The Esk]

Holy Schmidt.


Both are impressive in their own way, I get vertigo on a stepladder ffs.


Anyway, my rock climbing question is:

Why do these videos never show them coming down? I imagine climbing down would be harder than climbing up, as you'd be facing in the wrong direction. Unless you spiderman it down head first of course.

So how do they get down? Addison Lee definitely won't go up there, I've checked

Descending is almost always more difficult than ascending - statistically 2 out of 3 mountaineering accidents happen on the way down - often caused because of tiredness, post adrenalin rush symptoms or rushing because of failing light etc.

With the Eiger, descent is normally down the west flank or south ridge. The North Face was only successfully climbed for the 1st time in 1938 - it is also known as Mordwand in German meaning killer wall.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

This guy is off the scale - Alex Honnold, US free climber:

[video=youtube;Phl82D57P58]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Phl82D57P58[/video]

Want to say it's inspirational but I'm not sure that's the right word...

Remarkable. What would happen if he went down a dead end? It didn't look as though retracing steps was an option on such a sheer face, it's going up or nothing (it seems).

 

[The Esk]

Remarkable. What would happen if he went down a dead end? It didn't look as though retracing steps was an option on such a sheer face, it's going up or nothing (it seems).

The shining path is a well known route, frequently climbed, albeit normally protected. If you look closely at the video you will see chalk marks and scrapes on the rock face from other climbers. There were a few bolts also permanently on the wall.

 

[Black Belt Jones]

I guess him reccy-ing it roped up is a key part of the exercise. Doing it on sight would be another level again.

I believe that guy is quite polarising within the climbing community - as the Esk says he's climbing a very well known route, obv doing it unprotected is insane, but you could argue he's not really pushing the sport anywhere new in a meaningful sense. Whereas other guys who are innovating in a way that others will follow do not get anywhere near the same attention / sponsorship etc.