The Dawn Wall vs. Free Solo are two films that most likely blew your mind a first time you viewed them. You also can’t seem to decide which is best. You’re possibly confused or intrigued by certain questions.
Free Solo wound up winning the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2019, catapulting it to worldwide acclaim.
So, Free Solo is the superior option… right?
Please, hold on.
There’s a lot more to the tale than that, and many people disagree. free solo vs dawn wall In this essay, we’ll compare and contrast the two films, as well as their respective perspectives, in order to determine which one is the best climbing film.
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Best Climbing Film.
both films and even asked for aid on social media to uncover the solution.
It didn’t help much because my little research group was split almost evenly down the centre.
Free Solo is an enthralling journey filled with laughter, dramatic action, and magnificent sights. It appeals to the general public because the dangers are obvious.
The Dawn Wall, on the other hand, takes it for me. It’s more than just a climbing film. It’s the autobiography of a true visionary.
The climb itself, as well as Tommy Caldwell‘s incredible life experience, provided an emotional rollercoaster.
A spectacular display of grit and drive, putting one’s whole heart and soul into a project that no one else thought was achievable for a long time.
The storylines & feats of climbing excellence in these two documentaries are tremendously amazing. I don’t know what boulder you’ve been living under, but you’re in for a wild ride if you haven’t seen one of these yet.
Now I’m waiting for your response.
Which of the two movies did you prefer, and why? Let me know in the comments below!
What is it about these films that makes them so different?
Despite the fact that these films have some similarities, there are five distinct ways to tell them apart. These are the ones.
Here are five interesting differences between the two films.
1) Another difference is the presence of climbers.
In the films, the difference in their climbing methods is obvious. From the film Free Solo, which starred Alex Honnold, he gained recognition for his dangerous climbing style, free soloing.
Alex Honnold climbs free solo, which means he does it without any protection from the potential for damage.
This type of climbing is extremely dangerous, and only a few courageous climbers attempt it. Imagine yourself a metre above the earth, relying completely on your talents, chalk, and shoes to keep you afloat. This style is terrifying, yet Alex Honnold does it flawlessly.
The Dawn wall movie, which starred Kevin Jorgeson and Tommy Caldwell, on the other hand, used an entirely different climbing method, maybe to distinguish out.
They chose to climb without the use of safety equipment such as a rope and harness, but they nevertheless used it.
2) The Climbers
Here’s one that may surprise you. Did you notice how diverse the climbers were?
Please don’t leave. I promise, things will get better.
Three professional climbers, Alex Honnold, Tommy Caldwell, and Kevin Jorgeson, are followed in the films.
Each man has put in his fair share of time in Yosemite, with thousands of hours spent on those magnificent granite walls.
The film Free Solo stars Alex Honnold, a Yosemite veteran. Alex started living in his Mom’s old minivan and travelling across the country to climb at some of the top sites the US has to offer after dropping out of Civil Engineering at the University of California.
Since then, he’s terrified the globe by soloing Half Dome, Moonlight Buttress, and 50-foot boulders such as Too Big To Flail.
Tommy Caldwell is the only climber who can match Honnold’s record. Caldwell has been crushing insanely difficult large walls for over two decades, including six first ascents on El Cap alone.
Caldwell and Honnold are good friends who go on some kickass adventures together, if the documentaries didn’t make it plain enough.
These two guys experience exploits that would make even Batman and Robin jealous, from mounting the Fitz Roy Traverse to breaking the Nose speed record.
Kevin is still a top-tier player, but he lacks Tommy and Alex’s track records. His bouldering in California parallels his climbing experience.
The first ascents of various highballs, including Ambrosia (V11) and the Beautiful and The Damned, are among his most significant accomplishments (V13).
3) Dawn Wall Vs Free Solo Route Comparison
The only thing the Free Solo and Dawn Wall routes have in common is that they both take place on El Capitan.
Kevin and Tommy made their first free ascent after planning for six years following the release of the Dawn Wall film.
The Dawn Wall’s route, which goes up the south-eastern half of El Capitan, is regarded the most hardest in Yosemite. This is also the world’s most difficult huge wall climb. This road was well-taken by these two.
In Free Solo, Alex Honnold takes a completely different route than Dawn Wall. The free-rider is an iconic line that he has created.
The free-rider route was first introduced to the world by the Huber brothers in 1998. The Free Solo path is a breeze compared to the Dawn Wall route.
4) Box Office And Popularity
Both films won critical acclaim and grossed a tidy sum.
The Dawn Wall not only won numerous honours (including at the PGA Awards and the SXSW Film Festival), but it also amassed a sizable sum of money. The film grossed $1,630,000 at the international box office in 2018.
However, both the prizes and the money produced by The Dawn Wall were eclipsed by the success of Free Solo.
The independent film grossed a whopping $28,600,000 during its four months in theatres around the world. Outside of the United States, the picture was well-received in China and the United Kingdom, grossing over $5,000,000 and $1,300,000, respectively.
Not to mention the Sprinter Van load of accolades that Free Solo received. Free Solo received 14 of the 22 nominations, including an Oscar, a BAFTA, and an EMMY.
5) The Result
These films, like anything that attracts attention, drew criticism from both within and outside the climbing community.
The Dawn Wall has been chastised for not showcasing more of the route’s crux pitches. For example, pitch 14 was one of Ondra’s toughest problems, but it was completely overlooked by the Dawn Wall during Caldwell and Jorgeson’s ascent.
Cliff Bars stopped sponsoring Alex and other free soloists in 2014, citing the disciple’s danger and risk as the basis for the breakup.
Other big newspapers, including as Vanity Fair, were concerned about the prospect of other, less talented climbers being inspired by Free Solo and risking their lives.
The Conclusion: The Dawn Wall vs Free Solo
Putting these two films together is no simple task. The stars, without a question, deserve our respect and admiration; they both did an outstanding job.
El Cape was a challenge that climbers eagerly accepted; despite the difficulty, they were determined to succeed, which they accomplished, with each team employing an own approach.
If there’s one thing we can all learn from these films, it’s how perseverant these great guys were. You can achieve everything you set your mind to with enough determination.
Who Is Considered The World’s Greatest Rock Climber?
Sport climbing, big wall climbing, trad climbing, soloing (unroped), and bouldering are all types of climbing. Alex Honnold, who recently climbed El Capitan unroped, is without a doubt the best unroped solo climber.
Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgensen, who free climbed El Capitan’s Dawn Wall with only their hands and feet and no slings hanging from gear, are the best large wall free climbers.
In sport climbing, it’s Adam Ondra, who just climbed the world’s first 5.15d in Flatanger, Norway, “establishing the world’s first 9c route, currently the world’s hardest and only route of this grade.”
Adam Ondra is the first person to climb a 9-degree cliff in the world (5.15d)
I’m not sure who the best boulderers are right now. There’s also indoor gym climbing and climbing competitions, each with their own current stars.
Lynn Hill, without a doubt, because it references “retired” climbers. In 1993, Lynn became the first free climber to complete El Capitan’s Nose route – Lynn Hill – Wikipedia She then free climbed the Nose in a single day, leading every pitch.
Tommy Caldwell and Beth Rodden free climbed the Nose in 2005, making it the first time this achievement was duplicated in 12 years.
Free Solo Vs Free Climbing?
The phrase “free climbing” was coined to denote any type of climbing that does not require the use of any aids. Free soloing is a sort of free climbing that involves climbing routes without the use of any aids or protection, such as trad gear, bolts, ropes, or anything to catch a fall.
Difference Between Free Climbing And Free Soloing?
Climbing without a rope to catch you if you fall is referred to as “free soloing.” Free climbing entails wearing a rope to keep you safe, but no other artificial aids are used to help you mount the wall. Climbing without the use of any aids (such as a rope) is known as free climbing.
El Capitan Alex Aonnold Route?
The Freerider is the route that Honnold took to the summit of the El Capian. The route is notoriously challenging, with 30 pitches. A climber’s job is to look for cracks and fissures that will aid in their progress.
Who Climbed The Dawn Wall First?
Tommy Caldwell
Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson of the United States made the historic first free ascent of Dawn Wall on El Capitan, Yosemite, on January 14, 2015, after 19 days on the wall and years of preparation.
What Route Did Alex Honnold Free Solo?
His most recent accomplishment is the first free solo ascent of El Capitan via the infamous Freerider route. Alex Honnold, the world’s finest free soloist, climbed El Capitan without ropes through Freerider (5.12d) today, according to National Geographic.
Dawn Wall vs Free Solo Difficulty?
It is by far Yosemite’s most difficult route, as well as the world’s most difficult big wall climb. The Dawn Wall Route Topo is available here. The Huber brothers founded the Freerider line in 1998, and Alex Honnold’s Free Solo route is a part of it. Dawn Wall is far more difficult to climb than the 5.13a route.
Will Alex Honnold Eventually Die In A Free Solo?
I’m confident he will.
And, to be clear, Alex is one of history’s most passionate, motivating, truly nice, and brilliant climbers. I don’t think he’s crazy, or that he deserves it, or anything like that. I honestly hope I’m mistaken.
It will not be his own expertise that does this; rather, it will be something intangible. Some water where it shouldn’t be, a broken hold, faster-than-expected weather, another climber on the same route, or something else not considered.
I believe Alex is well aware of these dangers, but at the degree of soloing he does, it’s a mathematical question of when, not if. Accidents on multi-pitch free solos, however, only go one way.
Which feat is technically more impressive/difficult? Alex Honnold’s free solo or Tommy Caldwell’s scale of the Dawn Wall?
By the way, I think this is a fantastic topic, and it’s one I asked myself last year after seeing both documentaries. So, while I’m not a professional climber, I can climb to the best of my ability.
This is my opinion: Tommy’s accomplishments in rock climbing are unrivalled. Perhaps a more difficult wall, route will be discovered at some point, or perhaps one has already been discovered but not attempted.
I’m not sure, but this is the pinnacle of climbing for me, and it’s still unrivalled (to my knowledge). It had everything: technical talent, endurance, and mental power, and all praise goes to Tommy and Kevin, who deserve all the praise they received.
In my opinion, you need to look at what Alex accomplished in a different light. I mean, Free Solo is so far to the extreme right of rock climbing that it could be considered (a pastime, activity, pass-time, or whatever) in its own right.
To Free solo El Cap, I mean that the requirements for doing so are defined in absolute binary terms. When he reached a height of x metres above the ground, each finger grasp, step, shuffle, step out, or whatever you want to call it, you either succeed or you fail and perish.
For me, that level of danger with your own life (I know Alex claims in the video that he de-risked the climb, but in my mind, no, no, you just mentally found a way to get comfortable with the risk) takes it out of the realm of rock climbing and into something else.
It’s kind of like Russian roulette, but with a lower house edge. I believe that attempting to compare these feats does a disrespect to both the sport of rock climbing and the concept of “free-solo.” So all hail to you, Alex, and may the Gods continue to smile on you.
People Also Ask:? The Dawn Wall vs. Free Solo
Which is harder free solo or dawn wall?
It is by far the most difficult route in Yosemite and the world’s most difficult big wall climb. Our Dawn Wall Route Topo can be found here.
Alex Honnold’s Free Solo route is part of the Freerider line, which was founded by the Huber brothers in 1998. Dawn Wall is much more difficult than the 5.13a route.
Is The Dawn Wall worth watching?
It’s nothing short of amazing! The documentary is simple to follow and includes stunning images of Yosemite National Park.
A park that any nature lover should visit since it is so lovely and calm, and that I visited once a long time ago. The Dawn Wall is a must-see for everyone who like extreme sports or rock climbing.
Who was the movie free solo dedicated to?
‘After the death of fellow climber Brad Gobright in a fall, ‘Free Solo’ star Alex Honnold pays tribute to him.
Has Alex Honnold climbed The Dawn Wall?
We spoke with free-soloist Alex Honnold, who will be climbing Cerro Torre in Patagonia with Caldwell in February, and he told us why he’s pleased he’s not on the Wall with his friends.
Did Alex Honnold climb The Dawn Wall in free solo?
It didn’t play to packed theatres or win a slew of prestigious prizes for millions to watch. Free Solo, on the other hand, had accomplished this accomplishment.
Alex Honnold’s free solo attempt of El Capitan captured the hearts of millions of people around the world, and it may have prompted others to see The Dawn Wall as a result.