You really get criticized for wearing a helmet? Strange world. I remember Alexander Huber in Hasse Brandler with a helmet and am often surprised how many climbers choose to not wear one even when rock fall is a possiblity. So unnecessary to loose control because of being hit by a small stone. I have climbed with beginners who flat out refused to wear a helmet so its sadly a trend. They then tell me that guys like Honnold..etc also dont wear helmets.

It makes a lot of sense to me - helmets are mostly about rockfall, not lead falls

@@somanayr Aye I know, like I said it makes sense it just looks funny

Free soloing in itself is the thing that shouldn't make sense 😂

It's so we're not seeing his bald patch the whole time

Why does it look funny?

it's a great route but I seen to remember a long and fairly arduous walk off

@@tomvalentine4928 thanks for the advice! I'll keep that in mind and not start too late.

Interesting you think it looks good. I am never sure whether it is or not.

@@climbermacleod Are you using the Insta360? What kind of mount do you use?

@@airanmilian Yes, one inch edition on the standard selfie stick.

@@climbermacleod Thanks for the reply Dave! Do you have the stick just sticking out of your bag?

@@airanmilian Yes. Ideally leaning out away from you a bit.

Its odd that E11 hasn't killed anyone. Nor E9, E10... most deaths are E1 .. strange balance of things

@@danbrown4772 There are very few dangerous E11s. Most of the existing ones are pretty safe. That may change in the future.

Those comments must have gotten deleted, because there don't seem to be any

@@climbermacleod Yeah, when I started everyone told you not to fall on the lead and we didn't, whatever the grade, I remember the first E7 too.... I've hit the ground a few times and walked away, luckily.

I understand this (and no personal hate to Dave, I love your stuff). But it always makes me uneasy the pedestal soloing sometimes has. It can be portrayed as glamourous due to the mental game (which is impressive on an individual level). I know for me personally, I don't want to solo on the basis, I don't want a random incident like breaking a hold or a slipping foot to lead to potentially serious injury. Which is not to say, no one should solo anything. But I think it needs a nuanced discussion about the risks each climber is taking when they step on the wall.

BTW - do you have to climb that down also - or are you usually using a rope or another way down after such a solo climb project?

@@florianneumann9441 Well, you saw him walk to the bottom at the beginning of the video, here. But folks will sometimes bring a rope and gear to rappel (abseil) back down if there's not an easy/obvious walk off.

Its a 15 min walk to the road from the top.

Tea was a notable absence from my ascent.

@@climbermacleod Shame! It's really interesting to see these perspectives having done the route, brings back memories. The first climb I ever did was Cioch West (blame Highlander) and a few years later also did Cioch Direct with the same friends (in the wet, as is traditional XD). Either of these routes would offer some stunning possibilities for filming. The views down into Coire Lagan are superb. I wish we'd had this kind of kit when I was climbing way back... so many adventures and near death experiences!

I let folk know where I’m going in the mountains, even for a chilled out easy day like this.

Always telll someone where you're going and what your objective is. To do otherwise is one of the most dangerous things you can do.

Or, even safer, find someone to do with you.

@S0f1 eh, sure, but sometimes solitude is part of the objective.

@@climbermacleod This is a chilled out day for you?

Thanks. I just use Epidemic Sound.

@@climbermacleod thanks Dave, I'll have to check that out.

Except this is not a scary solo. This is an elite climber enjoying a day on easy terrain. From a training perspective, this would count as a rest day.

@@simonsimon9880 i understand all of that, what I don't understand is the mindset one needs to have to do stuff like this. Because there are a lot of elite climbers who would never even attempt to free solo even the easiest routes

@Kartashuvit I disagree. In almost 30 years of climbing, I don't think I've ever met an experienced climber (not even elite, just experienced) who wasn't comfortable soloing at least *some* terrain, even if it's just the easy start to a hard pitch. Yes, that's very different than soloing a full 200m route like this one, but it's still making the decision to travel on vertical terrain with zero margin for error. The only difference between a long run out to the first bolt and this, is duration. Frankly, there are a lot of scenarios in climbing where it will be safer to unrope and move faster, even if you're with a partner. If I've just come up 5 or 6 pitches of 5.11, and the weather looks like a storm is coming in, I'm going to solo the 5.3 slab to get to the summit, rather than waiting to get pinned down by an afternoon storm. Never mind climbers, I don't know a single home owner who sets up fall protection to clean their eaves, or put up Christmas lights. This route is easier for Dave MacLeod than a ladder is for most people. Obviously, he's known for soloing some ridiculously hard shit, but that's not what's going on here. Hell, he soloed .14a once. This is like 5.4. This is a casual day in the mountains.

There's always a certain level of risk. Rocks break, bugs can swarm, injuries can happen. By climbing well below your level you can mitigate a lot of that. Hold looks tenuous? Keep 3 points of contact and really check it out. That being said, crazy stuff can happen even on a well bolted sport route. Over time you acclimate to that, and if you're responsible - do what you can to minimize potential accidents.

@@kartashuvit4971The way I look at it is how often do you just randomly fall over, not often. These guys are at such a level falling off (except rock fall etc) there’s just no chance they fall it’s just mot feasible. Plus less gear means a lot more climbing can be done so much easier less faff

One inch edition, yes.

@@climbermacleod The positioning of the shoot is spot on! How do you set it up as such over your head? Selfie stick is tied up to your bag?

@@shawnlustig4556 Exactly yes.