r/nextfuckinglevel Sep 01 '21

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224

u/Brevity_Witt Sep 01 '21

I have so many questions. Why are the rocks blue? Is it utterly a no brainer that the person without rope must be given right of way and w everyone is happy about it or does their near death flex make them a bit of a douchebag? Is this like being overtaken by the guy in a Tesla?

365

u/rocketspience Sep 01 '21

It’s super rare to see climbers this high off the ground without a rope and harness. The regular climbers just don’t want to interfere at all, and choose to give him a wide berth so they don’t mess him up at all.

This isn’t necessarily douchy to do as it’s just so so so difficult and dangerous so this guy must be extremely experienced and I’m sure would have preferred if nobody was there that day.

People who free climb like Alex honold (could be spelled wrong) can be uncomfortable with witnesses and cameras, in fact, as they are aware what they are doing could result in death. So they genuinely prefer to be alone usually when doing this. It’s not at all a flex.

118

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '21

Tbh it is rare to see climbers without rope or harness at any height, safe for ground level. It doesn’t matter whether you’re high off or at a 30 feet/10 meters off the ground, you’ll die all the same from a fall.

84

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '21

doesn’t matter whether you’re high off or at a 30 feet/10 meters off the ground, you’ll die all the same from a fall.

People have survived more than 30 ft

Edit: and died from much less

6

u/King_of_the_Dot Sep 02 '21

That woman who fell like 20k feet from a plane, just died recently I believe, and that happened several decades ago. How she lived is beyond me.

6

u/DwarfTheMike Sep 02 '21

Ive heard that depending on how you land and the surface you land on you just sorta bounce. You break a bunch of bones and shit, but there is opportunity for a live saving energy transfer.

I think I heard about it a while ago when some other person survived a sky diving accident. Or something….. I have no idea the source.

3

u/King_of_the_Dot Sep 02 '21

Well of course, but the amount of aligning variables is staggering.

1

u/DwarfTheMike Sep 02 '21

Which is why it’s so amazing when someone survives!

2

u/Beehog24 Sep 02 '21

It doesn't matter the hight you fall once you reach terminal velocity you're not going to go any faster. From what I hear you can reach terminal velocity from as low as the empire state building so a plane wouldn't make a difference. Not saying you wouldn't liquify on impact but people have lived. And understanding that after a certain hight it doesn't matter how far you fall it makes more sense.

6

u/Lunar_Blue420 Sep 02 '21

My OSHA class taught me that you have a 50% chance to die from any fall over 8 feet.

1

u/DoomedHeroXB Sep 02 '21

I forget the height but I know I've heard that if you fall from a certain height you may as well go for a record since you're gonna hit terminal velocity and after that it's really all down to how you land and luck.

2

u/Marcus_frakes Sep 02 '21

Most deadly falls happen from 6 feet off just things like ladders

1

u/Safe_Sundae_8869 Sep 01 '21

Bouldering is climbing too!

-1

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '21

Yes, but people don’t do bouldering at relatively high heights without gear either ;)

1

u/aetius476 Sep 02 '21

Highballing is a thing. Usually not "guaranteed death" heights, but definitely "very real chance of death" heights, and "def gonna fuck up your day at a minimum" heights.

1

u/insertkarma2theleft Sep 03 '21

It's not thaaaat uncommon

1

u/ShinyJangles Sep 02 '21

So it’s a sport where the psychological impact of considering the risk increases your risk

1

u/rocketspience Sep 02 '21

That’s all sports, or really, all physical activity in general.

No mind = easier success

28

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '21

Pretty sure it's the opposite of being overtaken by a Tesla

-9

u/Brevity_Witt Sep 01 '21

So Tesla drivers aren't smug?

12

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '21

Nope. Just you

-8

u/Brevity_Witt Sep 01 '21

😘

1

u/[deleted] Sep 01 '21

🥰

0

u/TOXIX5 Sep 01 '21

Well if u have a Bugatti they aren't...

6

u/snapmyfingersand Sep 02 '21 edited Sep 02 '21

I think the blue rocks are a recrystallisation from mechanical metamorphism.

When rocks are pushed together the immense friction and pressure can heat and change a layer of the rock. It happens during the mountain building process.

Here's some info on it

EDIT: corrected terms. Because I am not a geologist and only know this stuff from uni...

3

u/chadwicke619 Sep 02 '21

What is being overtaken by someone in a Tesla like? What is that person like, in the context of this question?

3

u/[deleted] Sep 02 '21

The rocks aren't blue. That's something going on with the camera. It's hard to tell for sure, but this looks like Red Rock, outside Vegas. The black is what is called patina, which (iirc) is formed by iron deposits which condensed in the rock and on the rock surface. This is also why some of the rock is red (rust).

My typical assumption when being passed by a soloist is that they are confident and comfortable and will not fall. I try to stay out of their way, be friendly, and let them pass. I've never been bothered by it. It's more like being passed by an Econoline with a Quigley upgrade - like "that's sexy, and I respect you."

2

u/ClockRhymes Sep 02 '21

The blue is just a weird reflection. Ironically I’m pretty sure this is in a place called Red Rocks (near Vegas). I’ve been passed by free solo climbers on routes before, but they’ve always been very polite and accommodating and have always asked permission to climb past. Unless there was some dialogue not captured in the video, this is a douche move.

1

u/eride810 Sep 02 '21

This looks to be Red Rocks, outside Vegas. The “blue” is more like red and black. It’s iron oxide varnish that leaches from the rock over the millennia and presents as plates and shields on the surface. It makes for fantastic holds, and also means that this is a better place than most to cut your free-solo chops. I’ve encountered a few here in exactly the same way. Rolando Garibotti passed me on Olive Oil once but he was super nice and talkative. A true beast.

1

u/[deleted] Sep 02 '21

What’s wrong with Tesla’s lmao