For anyone interested in some background information.
https://www.climbing.com/news/film-r...-the-alpinist/
For those that have seen Free Solo and Dawn Wall just have to watch the documentary film The Alpinist if you haven’t yet.
What Marc Andre Leclerc did, makes Alex Honnolds solo rock climbs look tame.
Several of the climbing sequences really made me feel uncomfortable, even as an ex-climber. Really tense.
It’s on Sky Documentaries at present.
Last edited by andy tims; 3rd February 2022 at 14:35.
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57
For anyone interested in some background information.
https://www.climbing.com/news/film-r...-the-alpinist/
Excellent watch really good
I was waiting for this to be available to stream...that's tonights viewing sorted!
Nice, been looking forward to watching this. I've never ever had sweater palms than when I watched Free Solo.
Thanks gor the heads up, super watch was that
God bless the guy
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Agreed. Been on a bit of a theme after Free Solo and 14 Peaks. Now added Patagonia to my bucket list (just to look mind, not climb)
The shot of him hanging by two ice axes from the frozen waterfall made me wince.
Amazing and very sad .
Myself and my wife watched it last week. Totally amazing and very scary in places.
I love mountains but climbing then that way would be a definite “nope” stick to the valley or well defined ridge walk.
He was definitely an interesting character, turning his back on fame and notoriety.
Cheers, Shaun
Difficult to watch if you don’t like heights but worth ninety minutes of anyones time.
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I can understand the challenge, enjoyment, thrill and satisfaction of difficult climbs but those kind of ascents are a completely different level of madness.
An amazing documentary. These people are a wholly different breed
This sounds like something I should, and will, watch. I don't have Sky but it's also available via iTunes and Amazon Prime.
I spent a day climbing with Marc in Chamonix a few years ago. He was an incredibly quiet, humble, slightly goofy guy - the film did well to portray that. His ability/ talent/ bravery though, even for me as a climber, was incomprehensible. In fact whilst the rest of us stopped for a spot of lunch, he popped off to solo a fairly gnarly route like it was nothing. Unbelievable.
We also met his girlfriend Brette, who was absolutely lovely, so we were heartbroken for her as we watched the rescue unfold. He was a tremendous person and his climbing was in another stratosphere to others.
Amazing. You climbed with one of the best there has been. Before I watched the documentary, I read the Ops claim that some of his climbs made Alex Honnolds look tame. I thought that was an exaggeration until I watched the documentary. Unbelievable achievements from any climber never mind such a young one.
A fitting few lines quoted from Alex,
“I couldn’t believe that he felt comfortable in such enormous mountains. But it seemed like he was just out having a good time.”
As per the OPs title - just wow! Finally got to watch it this evening as not working crazily late. I'm not a climber but love seeing individuals at the absolute pinnacle of their chosen passion; Marc-André Leclerc was beyond the pinnacle.
What a privilege to have climbed with Marc, although I guess having known him & his girlfriend, must have made his passing really hard?
I was a pretty reasonable rock climber from about 18 to 35. I never did any mountaineering, but do have an informed perspective on the talent, focus and the ability to stay calm in perilous situations (is that bravery?) that must be required to operate at that level.
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57
Given someone else has already given away he dies...I can comment....what seems to be so unfair as with many things in life his he didn't die from an error of judgement while climbing but a cruel act of nature got him. At least they saw that rope so they knew what had happened. If that rope had been buried it would have remained a mystery.
P.S. Mods...this thread needs a spolier alert in the subject
It's often said the decent is frequently the most dangerous part of mountaineering.
Given how little kit he climbed with I was wondering several times how he got down from those summits.
In a way, it's probably better for his friends & family that his death was not as a direct result of him climbing without a rope.
Last edited by andy tims; 3rd February 2022 at 14:43.
Andy
Wanted - Damasko DC57