In this episode, Blister's climbing editor joins us in the attempt to wrap our heads around Honnold’s successful free solo of El Cap, and to debate whether this is the greatest athletic achievement ever.

TOPICS & TIMES:

• What exactly did Alex Honnold just do? (2:40)
• Difference between free solo climbing vs. free climbing vs. aid climbing vs. rope soloing (5:45)
• Talk about the specifics of the Freerider route / Honnold’s route (11:20)
• The *speed* of Alex’s ascent (22:25)
• Locating Honnold’s free solo among other climbing feats (32:17)
• Climbing and Mainstream Culture (41:30)
• Biggest Achievement in Sport Climbing? (45:22)
• Biggest Achievement in Bouldering? (52:55)
• Is Honnold’s free solo the greatest athletic achievement ever? What are the contenders? (59:12)
• Dean Potter’s take on Alex Honnold (1:11:30)
• Zen and the Art of (Honnold’s) Free Soloing (1:12:38)

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