Dan Osman, aka “Spider Man Dan” died in a free-fall accident in Yosemite. He was an incredible athlete. See Osman scale an incredbile climb at unbelievable speed with no protection- completely free-climbing:
That is just sick. Does gravity even apply to this guy? I love the look-ma-hands-off jumps.
I wonder how Chuck Norris would have done on this climb…
Osman was great and Reardon is heading that way having solo’d Romantic Warrior a multi-pitch 5.12b
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Is this the same guy who is a French national that is always climbing the skyscrapers and getting arrested?
I always wondered what is the driving force behind the motivation of free style climbers. It’s not like you get a second chance to learn from your mistake. (Dammit- should have used more chalk!)
Oh wait, I remember this guy now. He didn’t die in a free climbing incident, he did in a free “falling” incident. He was the guy who was taking dives off of high places with a length of rope to arrest his fall as he neared the base. It’s one of those things that Yosimite puts on their “not approved” list.
He actually got arrested there while setting up his diving rig, sat in jail for a couple months, then went back to his rig when he got out, and instead of taking it down, tried using it after it had been exposed to the elements for the length of his interim. I remember his family tried to sue the rope maker for the rope failing, even though it was being used for a purpose and environmental condition it was not designed for.
Amazing.
That video gave me vertigo.
thats an impressive feat and shows incredible athleticism. but i cant get over the sheer ridiculousness of doing something like that with no protection … it makes no sense, and leaves me thinking the guy had passive suicidal tendencies.
i’ll get slammed for this … but climbing as a sport leaves me flaccid (and i live on the front range of the rockies … you cant drink a fat tire around here without bumping into a dreadlocked dirtbag climber (or, worse yet, a climber wannabe).)
how many climbers die every year? how many big names have died?
thats an impressive feat and shows incredible athleticism. but i cant get over the sheer ridiculousness of doing something like that with no protection … it makes no sense, and leaves me thinking the guy had passive suicidal tendencies.
i’ll get slammed for this … but climbing as a sport leaves me flaccid (and i live on the front range of the rockies … you cant drink a fat tire around here without bumping into a dreadlocked dirtbag climber (or, worse yet, a climber wannabe).)
how many climbers die every year? how many big names have died?
It’s OK, man. I sort of consider myself an equipment and adventure junkie, and by all of it’s characteristics, climbing should be right up my alley. I’ve been to a couple climbing gyms, and yes, it was kind of oddly fun to find yourself out of breath, muscles aching, and tired, just to be hanging on a wall. A friend of mine finally took me on a weekend climbing trip. We had to organize all this gear (which I love), hike in several miles (which I love), camp (which I love), eat food out of boxes and cans (which I love), crap into a bag (not fantastic, but not as bad once you get used to the idea). Pitched on some 5.8 climb, did it three times, and thought, eh OK. Wanted to go somewhere else and do another route, but doing the standard three top anchors took an hour to setup, and we only did two other routes. I ended up most of the time, sitting on the anchor rocks watching the Bald Eagles soar above the lake instead. For all the work that is involved in doing the real thing, climbing just did not give me a full stiffy. And in order to do lead climbing, which sounds like fun, you have to be really good and really into the climbing thing before anyone will trust you.
Overall, I had more fun in the gym, which to me, makes me sound like a person who would rather ride an stationary bike at the gym instead of hitting the open road with two wheels.
“Does gravity even apply to this guy?”
Since they’re still scraping him off a rock with a spatula at Yosemite, i’d say that’s a big ‘yes.’
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how long would it take an average climber to do that climb?
How many triathletes would quit 50 ft up that wall?
That is just sick. Does gravity even apply to this guy? I love the look-ma-hands-off jumps.
I wonder how Chuck Norris would have done on this climb…
The cliffs would have crumbled in front of Chuck Norris…and he wouldn’t have to climb them to begin with.
how many climbers die every year? how many big names have died?
I’m not sure how many climbers die every year, but I bet a lot more road bikers die. Not to mention kayakers, hikers, smokers, and automobile drivers (or passengers). Like lots of things in life, climbing can be high risk or low risk.
Big name climbers…well, if you don’t count mountaineering, which is a whole different game, I can think of one off the top of my head. Derek Hersey died back in 1993 while soloing the Steck-Salathe in Yosemite.
The fact is, climbing deaths among big-name rock climbers are pretty rare. By the way, Dan Osman’s demise does not count as a climbing death.
how long would it take an average climber to do that climb?
About 4 hours, give or take.
A tribute video of dano showing some of his free falling stuff.
i’ll get slammed for this … but climbing as a sport leaves me flaccid (and i live on the front range of the rockies … you cant drink a fat tire around here without bumping into a dreadlocked dirtbag climber (or, worse yet, a climber wannabe).)
how many climbers die every year? how many big names have died?
IMO, free-soloists are their own breed and do not represent the best (or smartest) of the clibing community.
See Osman scale an incredbile climb at unbelievable speed with no protection- completely free-climbing:
He is “free-soloing”, not free climbing. Free climbing simply means he is not using aid - most rock climbers today free climb. Free climbing does not have anything to do with using a rope or not.
Climbing’s actually a pretty safe sport, certainly one of the safest ‘adventure’ sports. As with any sport that has a degree of risk, the people pushing the boundaries of the sport will be the most at risk of death.
I’m not a rock gym person, I enjoy going out and just working on crags, although that’s been very limited in recent years. Now I’m back in my home country with access to old partners I hope to be climbing fit again soon. I guess you’d count me as an old, has-been-a-dirtbag climber!
As an aside, my old climbing mentor and best friend is guiding Mike Reardon around the English gritstone climbing crags over the next week, I’m being an usher at a wedding this weekend or I’d be up there watching the artist at work.
No, I’m not even remotely in that league any more.
He’s almost as good as Tom Cruise in the opening to Mission Impossible.
