Free Solo refers to climbing without ropes or protection. The hashtag exploded around the 2018 documentary film chronicling Alex Honnold’s ropeless ascent of El Capitan’s Freerider route (3,000 feet) in Yosemite National Park.
The Climb
On June 3, 2017, Alex Honnold completed the first free solo ascent of El Capitan in 3 hours 56 minutes. The climb required memorizing every handhold on 30+ pitches of granite. One mistake meant death. Filmmakers Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi captured the preparation and ascent.
Documentary Success
Released September 2018, “Free Solo” won the 2019 Academy Award for Best Documentary. The film grossed $29 million worldwide (record for climbing documentary) and introduced millions to climbing culture. Honnold’s calm demeanor and relationship with girlfriend Sanni McCandless humanized the extreme achievement.
Cultural Impact
The film drove climbing gym memberships up 20% in 2019. It also sparked debates about ethics of filming life-threatening activities and whether Honnold’s MRI-documented fearlessness (amygdala response study) made him uniquely suited for free soloing.
Legacy
While the film celebrated free soloing, climbing community emphasized this is an extreme outlier activity. Most climbers use ropes and protection. The hashtag documents Honnold’s other achievements (speed records, big wall climbs) and occasional free solo content from other elite climbers.
Sources: National Geographic, Outside Magazine