YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, California – Alex Honnold is known for his daring free solo ascents, living life literally on the edge. But what does a casual weekend of climbing look like for him? What does it look like for any professional climber? Black Diamond got Honnold and Connor Herson together for a quick weekend in Yosemite Valley. Herson targeted a second ascent of New Leaf (5.13d), despite having a mid-term at Stanford the following Monday.
“On a random weekend in May, BD Athletes Connor Herson and Alex Honnold got together for a little Yosemite Valley climbing. OK, maybe it wasn’t that random. Connor had a weekend break from his grueling schedule at Stanford (he had a mid-term the following Monday!), and Alex had a rare reprieve in his hectic schedule as a father of two and an Oscar-winning global superstar. We connected the dots and thought, “This could be epic.” Though the timing was tight, we figured anything could happen if this legendary crew got together.“