Stonemasters: Lynn Hill
A healthy dose of mojo arrived at my house last week, in the form of Patagonia's Spring 2010 catalog, featuring rock climbing pioneers called the Stonemasters, who honed their skills on California's most daunting natural landmarks beginning in the 1970s. It also triggered a couple of short but similar exchanges between my wife and me, the first of which went something like this:
Me: Whoa.
Wife: What?
Me: It’s this catalog … they’ve got some amazing photos of rock climbers in Yosemite and Joshua Tree. There’s this one girl who’s kind of unbelievable.
Lynn Hill climbing in Joshua Tree National Park, 1978 (from Patagonia catalog)
The girl is Lynn Hill, widely known as one of the best climbers in the world. Think of Michael Jordan, Roger Federer, and pre-scandal Tiger Woods … and Hill is in that same category. (Also note that it's not a "best among females" distinction - it's best, period.) One of her legendary climbs was the first free ascent of The Nose on El Capitan – a climb which, coincidentally, triggered the next conversation with my wife later that evening:
Wife: Whoa.
Me: What?
Wife: Did this girl climb El Capitan with no ropes?
Me: Um … I’m not sure. I don’t think anyone’s ever done that.
Lynn Hill on the Nose of El Cap, 1993 (from Patagonia catalog)
It turns out that we were getting free climbing - where ropes and harnesses are present for falls, but not used for upward progress - confused with free soloing, where no support equipment of any kind is used. However, to give you a sense of how difficult Hill’s El Cap climb was, consider this: none of the best climbers in the world were able to retrace the route for more than 10 years after her first ascent.
I’ve always been a fan of rock climbing, in no small part because it absolutely terrifies me, and because even the simplest moves require strength and flexibility that is simply incomprehensible unless you’ve actually tried to drag your butt over or across a wall in a gym somewhere. (I try it every now and then … it never goes well). I suspect that another part of its appeal is that the sport has many similarities to ultrarunning, particularly in the mental discipline that is required, and the systematic approach to tackling physical obstacles that seem insurmountable to the casual observer.
And just like in ultrarunning, the great ones make it look easy – as the following video will demonstrate. It was produced by Patagonia, and features the aforementioned Lynn Hill doing some freestyle bouldering that appears deceptively effortless. I generally file these particular skills under “Things I’ll Never Ever EVER Be Able to Do” – but I’m continually inspired by the fact that there are people out there who can.
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"Lynn Hill at Hueco Tanks", from Patagonia Video (click to play):
P.S. This should go without saying - but if you don't already receive Patagonia catalogs, get yourself on the mailing list. You can thank me later.
Me: Whoa.
Wife: What?
Me: It’s this catalog … they’ve got some amazing photos of rock climbers in Yosemite and Joshua Tree. There’s this one girl who’s kind of unbelievable.
Lynn Hill climbing in Joshua Tree National Park, 1978 (from Patagonia catalog)The girl is Lynn Hill, widely known as one of the best climbers in the world. Think of Michael Jordan, Roger Federer, and pre-scandal Tiger Woods … and Hill is in that same category. (Also note that it's not a "best among females" distinction - it's best, period.) One of her legendary climbs was the first free ascent of The Nose on El Capitan – a climb which, coincidentally, triggered the next conversation with my wife later that evening:
Wife: Whoa.
Me: What?
Wife: Did this girl climb El Capitan with no ropes?
Me: Um … I’m not sure. I don’t think anyone’s ever done that.
Lynn Hill on the Nose of El Cap, 1993 (from Patagonia catalog)It turns out that we were getting free climbing - where ropes and harnesses are present for falls, but not used for upward progress - confused with free soloing, where no support equipment of any kind is used. However, to give you a sense of how difficult Hill’s El Cap climb was, consider this: none of the best climbers in the world were able to retrace the route for more than 10 years after her first ascent.
I’ve always been a fan of rock climbing, in no small part because it absolutely terrifies me, and because even the simplest moves require strength and flexibility that is simply incomprehensible unless you’ve actually tried to drag your butt over or across a wall in a gym somewhere. (I try it every now and then … it never goes well). I suspect that another part of its appeal is that the sport has many similarities to ultrarunning, particularly in the mental discipline that is required, and the systematic approach to tackling physical obstacles that seem insurmountable to the casual observer.
And just like in ultrarunning, the great ones make it look easy – as the following video will demonstrate. It was produced by Patagonia, and features the aforementioned Lynn Hill doing some freestyle bouldering that appears deceptively effortless. I generally file these particular skills under “Things I’ll Never Ever EVER Be Able to Do” – but I’m continually inspired by the fact that there are people out there who can.
*
"Lynn Hill at Hueco Tanks", from Patagonia Video (click to play):
P.S. This should go without saying - but if you don't already receive Patagonia catalogs, get yourself on the mailing list. You can thank me later.
7 comments:
Don, you've struck a common thread here...I've been climbing for many, many years. I even met my wife at a climbing gym in St. Louis. Lynn Hill is one of the best at free climbing, perhaps THE best. But for a breathtaking look at free soloing -- no ropes or gear of any king -- just Google (or YouTube) Dan Osman. Of course, he was as reckless and fearless as he was talented -- and paid for it with his life. Still, the videos of some of his accomplishments will take your breath away. Thanks for sharing!
I have way, WAY too many things to say to you about all of this. "Rock climbing" just moved up the list of future conversation pieces for us.
Lynn has always been one of my heroes. No big surprise, right? you should rent the DVD about her first free ascent of The Nose. You will be even more in awe. I promise.
Back when I was climbing a lot, one of my favorite writing topics was the similarities between climbing and running. They're very different sports, but for me, they both tap into that primal sense of something that we were meant to do as human beings. When I climb, I just know my body was meant to move in this way. Same with running.
Anyway, I'll leave it at that for now...
She is incredible! It's amazing how she surpasses everyone else in her sport. Really inspiring.
I was awestruck... simply incredible...
She has moved up to the top of the list... ounce for ounce...pound for pound..I don't think I am using hyperbole when I say she is quite possibly the best athlete in the world...
Thanks for sharing that with us..
I agree, amazing - yet categorically crazy. At least with running the farthest I would generally fall is 6'2". In the case of these folks, I don't think the inches matter anymore...
“Things I’ll Never Ever EVER Be Able to Do” Thanks for adding another file to that folder. Amazing stuff. What I noticed after getting into trail running and spending more time outdoors is a bigger appreciation for the other outdoor sports. Even the ones with pictures that puts a lump in my throat.
"Woah!" is right. I will never be able to do that but I sure wish that I could.
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