This has got to be one of the craziest and most bonehead things to do, ever. Dan Osman climbs 400 feet of vertical 5.7 rock in less than 4 and a half minutes. Without a rope or any climbing aid. It's called speed-soloing, aka lunacy. I'm nuts to even post this video link, but I'll do it all the same.
http://broadbandsports.com/node/203
He jumps up for inch-wide holds 300 feet off the ground. Yes, jumps. As in both hands off the rock. Sick, isn't it?
PS: For the record, Osman is no longer with us. No, he didn't die soloing. He went trying to jump 1100 feet off a cliff tethered only to a climbing rope. The rope broke. So did Osman.
PPS: Here's a discussion regarding Osman's death (and life) on a rock-climbing forum. The comments can be extended to the ethics of free-soloing (climbing alone, without protection) in general. I'm not picking sides here -- your opinions are invited.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
6 comments:
What can I say? My kind of man.. better than dying of a long list of ailments and bed sores, after having lived "safely" for 80 years..
maybe I am sick too...
Actually - I know I am
@chitra: Read the discussion in the forum -- it's not quite so cut and dried.
Also, there are very many categories of rock-climbing -- free-soloing is by far the most dangerous, but it's by no means the most technically difficult. There are a great many people who climb routes much harder than this one, but climb safely, with a rope or a pad, to hold a fall. By no means are they less macho, or less extreme, than the free-soloers -- they just prefer to stay a little further from death. Does this devalue their exploits?
He could have been of much use to scientists...for studying him!
There are many other sports involving risk and accident does happen. But this one is kind of suicidal. If suicide is a crime, then this is a crime too.
see, by publicizing his feats, he must have inspired many young kids to try such dangerous stunts unsupervised. i only hope that his death will force people to be more careful.
The video was great and so was the discussion, but im definitely going to agree with chitra, and not just bcos my life expectancy is dangerously low due to the amount marlboros consumed
Post a Comment