Persistence, Preparation and Managing Risk with Alex Honnold

Preparing physically for a climb is the simplest part; mental preparation is much less concrete.

When discussing Free Solo, the film that chronicles his ascent of El Capitan, Alex Honnold suggests that the entire film bespeaks his fanatical preparation. He regards the physical aspects of getting prepared as the easiest element of his task and describes preparations specific to the configuration of each hand and foot-hold on each pitch of the climb. Honnold broke this immense project down into steps, laying out checklists and milestones. To climb without ropes, he had to diverge from the traditional route, see the problem from a broader perspective and open his mind to unique solutions. Honnold describes the other mental aspects of preparation, including building confidence and comfort, as more difficult to define.

Honnold...