Climbing
The Austrian climbing legend and five-time Bouldering World Cup winner talks us through his favourite episodes of Reel Rock.
1. King Lines – Series 1 Episode 12-13
No other movie has influenced us in our approach to climbing adventures like King Lines has
“No other movie has influenced us in our approach to climbing and to climbing adventures like King Lines has. I mean, I think we've all adopted the phrase when we see a great line on the cliff. If we think it's the best, we call it the 'King Line' and that derives from this video.
"I think there have been other climbers before, like Klem Loskot, who have been on adventures on a similar scale, but no other movie has reached such a broad audience and Chris Sharma's approach – his easy-going attitude paired with his success in climbing – makes him so interesting as a character.
"This is an adventure that all of us could try. I mean, we can all board a plane and set out and try to find the next best climbing area in the world and that's what Chris does. He just travels the planet, travels the world in search of the best climbs. That's something we've all come to adopt and we've all tried over the last years, just setting out, trying to find the new King Lines out there.
"It's not an adventure in the icy cold, it's not life-threatening, it's not the hardest alpinism. It's just going out there, maybe even looking behind your house, looking in the cracks you've already seen. Or going to new places, going to new countries, unknown and undeveloped areas and finding that King Line. This motivation and this inspiration comes from this movie and I think it's still my all-time number one.”
2. Age of Ondra – Series 5 Episode 2-4
How many years will it take until someone raises the bar after him?
“I think by now we've all watched Adam Ondra movies. I mostly find myself muting him because he's screaming so much and I'm not a huge fan of the screaming. What he's done, though, what he's achieved, is exceptional and we have to look at it in a wider spectrum, compare it to other sports. There are not many people, not many sportsmen and women, who've pushed the limits and the boundaries in their discipline like Ondra has. I mean, how many years will it take until someone repeats his 9C in Flatanger [Norway] and how many years will it take until someone raises the bar after him?
"There's one thing that makes Ondra so special to me and that's his authenticity. He's just Ondra and he doesn't act, he is as he is. I'm kind of proud that I know him and I'm proud that I competed with him. Every time I meet him, he's such a humble person. He's such a nice guy. Still, when he puts his fingers to rock, he becomes that monster, that screaming monster, but the monster inside of him is probably what drives him and makes him the strongest climber on this planet.”
3. Dodo’s Delight – Series 3 Episode 2-3
If you want to see a real climbing adventure, watch Dodo's Delight
“I think Dodo's Delight embodies adventure like no other movie. It's not just the climbing, which is dangerous and hard, it's also the access by boats through dangerous waters. It's a group of people who try to survive their own adventure. It's interesting how they work together, how they overcome difficulties and how they strengthen their morale by music (which can sometimes get on your nerves, but I think it helps them overcome difficulties in a very special way). I think if you want to see a real climbing adventure, watch Dodo's Delight.”
4. The Nose speed record – Series 6 Episode 4-6
When Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold work together, they just act as if they are one
"It's about speed and, honestly, I'm not a huge fan of speed records, but in this case, it's crazy that after so many years and so many people trying to complete the nose in less time, it's still possible to squeeze out a couple of minutes. When Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold work together, they just act as if they are one and that's how it's possible to keep pushing the limits of the speed record."
5. A line across the sky – Series 2 Episode 1-2
Efficiency is something Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold, especially in combination, embody like no other
It's a movie about Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold trying or succeeding on the Fitz Roy Traverse. I think it's astonishing that this line, or this traverse, has been tried for such a long time and they finally succeed in completing it. You don't have to be just good climbers or good alpinists, you need a lot of luck, you need good weather, you have to trust that you can succeed and you have to be quick and efficient. Efficiency is something Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold, especially in combination, embody like no other. Watch part two here.
Bonus: Don't miss Terra Incognita
It would be remiss off us to talk about Kilian Fischhuber without mentioning his 2018 expedition to one of the most remote parts of Siberia. A new documentary about the special project which saw him explore the magical 'Granite Cities' of Ulakhan-Sis has just been released, so watch it and be mesmerised by Kilian’s awesome climbing skills in the player above right now.