description:
Climber Alex Honnold has been dreaming of free-soloing the 3,000 feet (900 m) rock wall of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, a feat no one has performed. His choice of big wall climbing route on El Capitan is called Freerider, a route that was created by Alexander Huber in 1998, and which is graded at 5.13a (7c+) in difficulty. No climber has ever completed a big-wall free solo at such a grade of difficulty in rock climbing history. Honnold, who has completed Freerider several times with protection equipment, is a shy loner, who lives in his van with then-girlfriend (now wife) Sanni McCandless.
Alex goes climbing with Sanni, but while Sanni is feeding the rope through a grigri, she makes a mistake and Alex falls. He visits a physician, where it is revealed he has a compression fracture. Alex then admits wanting to break up with Sanni. In the summer of 2016, Alex and Tommy Caldwell are climbing in Morocco in preparation for his free solo. The crew also prepares, discussing where to place cameras to best capture Alex’s climb while minimizing distractions and interference. Producer Jimmy Chin discusses the ethical dilemma of creating this documentary knowing Alex may die on camera. Alex also receives an MRI in order to understand his brain’s response to fear.
In the fall of 2016, Alex sprains his ankle on El Capitan while traditional climbing (i.e., using climbing protection equipment) on the first section of Freerider, the giant multi-pitch slab known as Freeblast and graded at 5.11b (6c). Although his foot is swollen, Alex continues to climb in fear of his schedule being delayed. Around Halloween, Alex and Sanni visit Tommy and his wife and children for carving pumpkins. This prompts Alex to describe his upbringing: the word “love” was not used in his household, as his father lacked the ability to form emotional bonds. Alex and Tommy rappel down Freerider on El Capitan and Alex outlines his route, discussing the areas about which he is apprehensive: one section offers him two alternative pathways on Freerider that he calls “The Teflon Corner” (a right-angled section with a smooth slippery surface), or the famous “Boulder Problem” (a particularly intricate piece of the rock wall that he must finish either with a jump or a wide “karate kick” stance). Both the crew and Sanni suggest abandoning the plan, and Alex admits that he does not want his friends to see him die if he falls while free soloing; he finds out about the death of Ueli Steck and reflects on his own risk-taking. In a trial run, Alex climbs El Capitan with equipment but stops after the slab section of Freeblast. As a result, filmmaker Jimmy grows apprehensive of filming Alex, fearful it will put unnecessary pressure on him.
On June 3, 2017, Alex begins his free solo climb of Freerider on El Capitan; Sanni leaves and expresses her apprehensions. As Alex is climbing, the crew narrates his progress, and watches nervously as Alex completes the “Boulder Problem”; one cameraman turns away as he can’t bear to watch. Alex continues with his climb and completes the free solo, and celebrates at the top with Jimmy and Sanni over a phone call.
Alex goes climbing with Sanni, but while Sanni is feeding the rope through a grigri, she makes a mistake and Alex falls. He visits a physician, where it is revealed he has a compression fracture. Alex then admits wanting to break up with Sanni. In the summer of 2016, Alex and Tommy Caldwell are climbing in Morocco in preparation for his free solo. The crew also prepares, discussing where to place cameras to best capture Alex’s climb while minimizing distractions and interference. Producer Jimmy Chin discusses the ethical dilemma of creating this documentary knowing Alex may die on camera. Alex also receives an MRI in order to understand his brain’s response to fear.
In the fall of 2016, Alex sprains his ankle on El Capitan while traditional climbing (i.e., using climbing protection equipment) on the first section of Freerider, the giant multi-pitch slab known as Freeblast and graded at 5.11b (6c). Although his foot is swollen, Alex continues to climb in fear of his schedule being delayed. Around Halloween, Alex and Sanni visit Tommy and his wife and children for carving pumpkins. This prompts Alex to describe his upbringing: the word “love” was not used in his household, as his father lacked the ability to form emotional bonds. Alex and Tommy rappel down Freerider on El Capitan and Alex outlines his route, discussing the areas about which he is apprehensive: one section offers him two alternative pathways on Freerider that he calls “The Teflon Corner” (a right-angled section with a smooth slippery surface), or the famous “Boulder Problem” (a particularly intricate piece of the rock wall that he must finish either with a jump or a wide “karate kick” stance). Both the crew and Sanni suggest abandoning the plan, and Alex admits that he does not want his friends to see him die if he falls while free soloing; he finds out about the death of Ueli Steck and reflects on his own risk-taking. In a trial run, Alex climbs El Capitan with equipment but stops after the slab section of Freeblast. As a result, filmmaker Jimmy grows apprehensive of filming Alex, fearful it will put unnecessary pressure on him.
On June 3, 2017, Alex begins his free solo climb of Freerider on El Capitan; Sanni leaves and expresses her apprehensions. As Alex is climbing, the crew narrates his progress, and watches nervously as Alex completes the “Boulder Problem”; one cameraman turns away as he can’t bear to watch. Alex continues with his climb and completes the free solo, and celebrates at the top with Jimmy and Sanni over a phone call.
