Absolute class from the host. Cody was worried Alex would be self conscious about his skiing ability, so he gave himself heat stroke to even things out.
I doubt that was heat stroke in any clinical sense of the term. A diagnosis requires a 104 degree core temperature at a minimum, and is usually accompanied by a bunch of additional symptoms that Cody wasn't exhibiting. He cooked himself (definitely severe heat exhaustion), got dehydrated, and experienced ventricular tachycardia of some sort. Most of us who've ridden century+ distances in serious heat have done that at least once, and a lot of us talk it up as heat stroke in the bar afterwards, but the real deal is much more rare and usually lands you in the hospital. IIRC it almost always requires active measures (cool bath, ice packs, etc) to re-cool the body, since your body's own regulation has broken down at that point. I don't think anybody could recover from clinical heat stroke by sitting down for an hour or so, and then proceed to ride another 50 miles.
@@brettmollenhauer4114 V-tach can be fairly benign, or it can be really serious. I know people who've had fairly benign VT episodes in situations like this (though one of them ultimately needed ablative treatment because it kept happening) You're right that we only know that he had tachycardia, period. Thanks for the correction.
Seriously though. I live in this environment...you'd be better off wearing all white long sleeve than that short sleeve thing in black. And you gotta be sipping water and electrolytes non stop. Like 12 oz of water per 15 minutes.
@@someusername121 That (water + salts) was my immediate thought, but I formulated it slightly differently: ½ strength Gatorade continuously. I've already learned the hard way that if you run out/low on salt you stop sweating, no matter how much water you take in.
Previous episode: "Not every line has to be a sufferfest". This episode: "Hey, let's bike 135 miles with 15000 ft ascent before hitting the approach to the peak. Oh, and we are biking the Death Valley too".
@@CodyTownsend Right - the last one was too easy so this one had to be a suckfest. Truly, thanks to both of you for showing your vulnerable sides in the final edit.
18:44: "Sorry for all the snow, don't know how to ski" - says the dude in a 35-55 deg couloir. That's pure epicness one can only aspire to, right there. (skiing alone - the rest is a whole different territory)
that was pretty badass! But there is no way the parts they filmed were anywhere near 55 deg. Even 45 is pretty challenging if you don't know what you are doing... Especially if the snow pack is frozen.
@@mettflow2648, Totally agree. That's a pretty daring thing to do for 'not knowing how to ski.' He's probably a little savvier than the rest of us who 'doesn't know how to ski' than he lets on. Like really, I don't know how to ski, and if I tried that, I would have died.
Also, this is a really good illustration of why Death Valley is called Death Valley. Without cars and AC, the heatstroke recovery... In any case, glad you made it ok.
Recently took a wilderness first aid course - seems like Cody was suffering from heat *exhaustion* not yet heat stroke. In the future for anyone reading - apply rapid aggressive cooling as fast as possible to bring down body temp and avoid heat *stroke* which is a very different and often fatal animal
I just finished WFA myself and certainly question why they didn't know basic first aid in that situation. Seems for all Cody's talk of safety (not to mention the other folks around) that there was no appropriate assessment of a debilitating health problem.
@@chriswoods2647 Did WFA myself years ago as part of guiding qual which also included a unit on adventure risk assessment at Ed Hillary OPC down here in NZ. A lot of these trips aren't especially well planned and seem very shoestring on the whole preparation side of the expeditions. The video production side seems to be eating up far to much of the spend and Cody seems by the look of it short cutting having someone outside the talent on screen making the safety calls and he is essentially acting as the 'safety officer'. You need someone qualified who isn't going to be caught up in the 'summit fever' psychology this whole project runs real risks of being. There's no way in hell once he blew up he should have been let back on that bike nor allowed to attempt Mt. Whitney after barely 3 hr rest. When a guy as fit as him has his heart rate above 120 for a sustained period when at rest he should have been taken to hospital for checks right there and then.
@@user-uy6uc5ey5q I second this. The whole heatstroke thing was super painful to watch. Even the Australian Army loses a few soldiers a year to heatstroke. Often super fit young guys who just push too far. Its surprisingly an easy thing to do. Cody should have called it when he was puking and gone to at least a hotel with ac to recover for 24 hrs. Most of the heat related fatalities I've heard of happen the day after something like this. Especially with little sleep. Honestly he's super lucky he didn't get really fucked up the next day. It sort of ticked all the boxes for a potentially really bad time on the climb the next day. I also realise this is really easy to say as an observer. They must've been under a fair bit of pressure I'm sure.
@@MrCALLUM9999 Hence why you need someone in the production crew who has the quals to say - 'nah mate we will pack it in now' outside of the adventurers. Cody was in no fit state to be making those calls which i'm guessing from the fortage he was doing.
imagine hiking Whiney and seeing some guy struggle to ski down, decked out in full Summit Series North Face gear. You'd probably think to yourself, "what a poser" and then immediate notice and say, "oh f*ck, that's Alex!"
Alex didn't know what skins or a skin cutter was. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't know his boots had a walk mode until someone told him and just forgot to switch it off.
I did the mountaineer route up Whitney and if I had seen someone ski down saying “sorry for the snow. Don’t know how to ski” I would have fallen to my death laughing 😂
Black kit is really popular right now, but I’m not a fan. I know it’s more flattering but I really think a light colored kit and unzipping the jersey would help with the heat on the bike quite a bit here. Edit: I don’t mean to sound overly critical. Mad respect! Awesome trip!
Heat acclimatization would’ve done far more for me than any color Jersey. I’ve worn black in similar temps riding before, it has little effect beyond comfort.
Oh man, that's rough. Heat injury is a very real thing and this video demonstrates some good and bad. The good is that you did stop. The bad is that you kept going after you heard alarm bells ringing. Once you red line, you stay red lined for a long time. The second and bigger problem was trying to treat heat injury with hydration. Hydration is good... if you are dehydrated. It is not a solution for over heating. To treat heat injury you need to cool the patient off; shade, ice, getting your skin wet in conjunction with moving air for evaporative cooling, get into a car with cold AC. Other than that, another killer video! KEEP IT UP!!!
I hope Cody gives himself a nice long break after this. Scary seeing some of this knowing medically what was likely going on. Really should have stopped. I had the unfortunate experience of seeing someone die from heat stroke at Fort Sill and it is a horrible way to go. Cody came very close to not having the same quality of life he experiences now.
One day, me and my best friend CJ, waiting for a leftover permit for whitney, got one, hiked up there, set up camp, bagged I think Russel at sunset (we solo'd some peak to the right), hit the east ridge of whit, ran down the mountaineers route, then down to the valley with a flask I had saved of jameson, and drove that old civic to the bottom of the valley to catch a lowest and highest in 24 hrs. Not the same at all, but I know that sentiment. Brings back memories. All highs fortunately from the late 90's. We were beat to crap, but I picked up a pizza, a 12er of sierra nevada, and a penthouse, and he passed the fuck out in a no tell in lone pine, and we drove to jtree the next day only to come back next year to do some more alpine walls. Some of the best times of my life.
This episode made me genuinely smile. For a guy to run into his inspiration to be there in the first place and then get the selfie. Good stuff. Plus Alex seems to be a superb human being.
Oh brother...I could feel the sufferfest through the screen. And then you have the GOAT Honnold over here excited to climb an "actual slab of rock" ...IN SKI BOOTS... awkward selfies commence along with some serious edge work (yes Alex, you DO know how to use your edges 😂). I loved every minute...so happy nobody was killed during the filming of this episode! 🙃🎿🤙
Not exactly the same route to the summit of Whitney, but on foot was the way this was originally conceived and carried out. ua-cam.com/video/Gz1ipT7kmp8/v-deo.html
I had a heat stroke earlier this year backpacking in canyonlands, that feeling of “something is seriously wrong” is exactly it. It sucks man, just takes over your whole body.
Great episode. Biking death valley in the afternoon. Can't think of a worse hell... Alex is too funny, so hard core. Impressive to side slip down all of mt Whitney in crap conditions, with minimal ski background! Great job guys 👍
He described his panic in Free Solo. It happened on his on sight solo of half dome. Perhaps 200 feet left to the top on near vertical face (no cracks) on tiny edges he was halted at something like 5.11+ moves (think nickle edge wide edges randomly placed). He froze there for minutes and almost grabbed a bolt hanger (loop of metal) but pulled himself together cause that would be 'cheating'. Grab this or die? Alex, I can't say I soloed this if I use the artificial hold (mind you that standard was created under roped climbing). Nope Alex focused his mind and soloed on. He did concede that he needs to rehearse deadly moves before he solos and not do foolish things like that anymore. Brains scans show his brain lights up only 1 or 2% of normal human fear response. The reality of that means that he accesses a lot of energy that would be lost in trying to combat fear. This results in making the climbing less difficult physically.
@@Harry-qq2ww The conclusion of the doctors is that he has trained his fear response through repeated exposure, not that he lacks an amygdala... I'm continually astounded by how frequently this line is spread around the comments sections of everything Alex... I guess its just a compelling idea so people choose to go with it, despite it being the opposite of what was actually in the movie.
@@nomadtrails yeah I agree his fear tolerance is more having to do with his constant preparation and exposure than anything else. Saying that, when he was skiing down that steep walled section in this video, he looked absolutely calm and honestly kinda bored. I know if I was up there and didnt know how to ski, I'd be shitting myself.
I almost died of heat stroke when I was 7 years old. All I remember was suddenly feeling the need to vomit and then I blacked out. Not something to mess with. He did good by listening to what his body was saying. Mad respect to these guys for trying new challenges and finding new limits to push- all while letting us watch. Awesome humans!
10 out of 10, hands down my favorite episode! The best part is the heavy metal music in the background while the world's greatest free solo climber is "skiing" down! So much type 2 fun!
just finished the bike portion of the vid. reminds me of early June this year when I showed up in the Portland area to run a trail 50k race. it was the weekend of the "heat dome". trail temps were 115 - 120 degrees. I was coming from East Coast 50F temps. I made it 20 miles and had to DNF. I know exactly what Cody felt like. there is a reason that pros like Sally McRae to intensive heat acclimatization before racing Badwater. I applaud the effort though, sometimes you just don't know until you try. Now on to the rest if the vid...
Pretty serious heat stroke/heat exhaustion symptoms, man! You guys may have looked into this already but it’s helpful to know that-with heat stroke-rapid cooling, i.e. submerging the patient in the coldest water possible, is the recommended treatment. Your buddy gave you pedialyte, which could be an effective treatment if you were sweating a ton, but it typically does little for treating heat stroke. Getting into an air conditioned vehicle was probably the best solution if there was a lack of ice or cold water. Scary stuff! Glad you’re alright.
How you can suffer heatstroke then continue to go another 35 miles is unbelievable. Also I know Alex is a beast on the walls but for some reason I never pictured him as someone who could keep up and outlast Cody during sufferfests. I'm impressed!
Alex was actually in two short adventure films with Cedar Wright called Sufferfest 1 and 2. He also did the Rim to Rim to Rim in a day. Dude is a ridiculous elite athlete through and through.
@@CodyTownsend hey hope you're feeling better. Once you got in the car you became quite pale, be careful out there. I've sent folks to ICU before from severe heatstroke
The first step of treating heat stroke is to get out of the heat immediately. I’m glad you didn’t collapse. Watched this again and it’s scary. Be more careful.
It's absolutely wild the footrace that happens on that same route every summer. I know the strategy the runners use is definitely take it really easy when the sun is out but at night is when you can push it a bit more. Also wearing white or light colored clothing might have helped in this episode as I noticed you were wearing almost black. Awesome episode and thanks for taking us along!
I helped crew a friend through two Badwater finishes and am intimately familiar with that entire route. That heat is hard to deal with, big respect for making the right calls. Great video, really enjoyed watching the adventure :)
Cody, I'm sure I'm not the first to say it here, but hopefully you see this advise somewhere. In environments like the desert you should be wearing a lightweight and light colored long sleeve shirt (and I like one with a hood) and I also recommend all your cloths be somewhat baggy or at least not skin tight, this all helps you stay cool by keeping the sun off your skin and allowing the air to cool you off while you sweat. I say this as a fellow skier who for some reason lives in the high desert of NM and does a lot of hot (upper 90's to 100F) hiking and biking in the summer. Keep up the good work though, these are my favorite videos, always motivates me to get out and push my limits and explore!!
It’s so awesome that Cody shares ALL of the ups and downs of Type 2 raddness. Sometimes you’ve just got to call it a day when you realize your body is done. The mountain ain’t going anywhere. You’ll get another shot. Thanks for your vids man love it. Hope to see you in the whites one year!!
Loved Alex was your guest (WoW).....As for Alex taking time to take a photo on the mtn ( so surreal to see their suprise when they realize who he was......thank you thank you thank you, a great moment.....!!!! Hopefully the heatstroke is short lived!!!
As an avid bicyclist myself, at the begining of the video I was thinking "Why would he wear a black helmet, black shirt and all, while cycling through Death Valley? Had the helmet and Jersey been white, it could've done a huge difference." But glad you took the decision to stop and drive there, no line is worth your life in such conditions.-
I think you a right about the black jersey, but ultimately, the route would have been better to do as an all-night ride because even with a support van, the heat is tough thing to counteract.
Inspiring to see Alex outside his comfort zone and still positive. Also inspiring to see Cody secure enough to share what heatstroke looks like. A great lesson.
This video is all the best things. Conflict, resolution, bad snow, good weather, wish fulfillment... I can only imagine how the guy that got a selfie feels in the middle of his own achievement!
Cody, take care of your heart! I've been in the OR 3 times now for arrhythmias and that scene in the van was all too familiar. Unfortunately I had to quit any long distance cycling.
When I saw they were starting to bike in the heat of the day I was certainly curious how it was going to end! Alex, your skis look a little long for you haha
Cody you madman. I'm so glad you stopped before there was permanent damage!! You are awesome... Alex puts skis on even though he knows he shouldn't!!!! You two!!!!!!! Get out. 😀😀😀
Did this a couple years ago! But spread the bike ride over a few days and did the hiker's route. I also struggled around mile 40 on the bike ride; it was still pretty hot even in October. Tough ride up to Towne Pass. The whole adventure was super challenging but rewarding and it brought back a lot of fun memories watching your video :)
What an effort, you guys are stubborn ! Congrats to both of you for stepping out of your confort zone like this, the selfie dude is right you are an inspiration. (Well done to all of the crew too, legend)
Thanks to both of you putting this out there and showing how hard these expeditions can be while also revealing how humbling the desert and the mountains can be. As for conditions on Whitney? Should have waited for this year 🤣😂 there's hardly any snow in that gully!? Classic! Praying we have a better year this year! Thanks again guys! There are some local crushers on the Eastside you just made feel real proud! A few have FKTs for that mission!
BEST EPISODE YET!!!!! having once set the CR in the Furnace Creek 508 (a 508-Mile bike race through Death Valley) and a sponsored climber in the ‘80’s, you can imagine how deeeeeeply I enjoyed and appreciated this episode featuring the only guy on this plane(t) that can turn big walls into boulder problems, so THANK YOU!!!!! Will be SURE to tell many others about this episode! ❄️⛷🙏🏾
Looks like a tough outing all around. Just wanted to give props for the long exposure timelapse at 11:05ish - really incredible. Well done all around guys
Absolute class from the host. Cody was worried Alex would be self conscious about his skiing ability, so he gave himself heat stroke to even things out.
Just one of the many ways Cody is awesome. Just hope he never does this again.
this comment has me dying
I doubt that was heat stroke in any clinical sense of the term. A diagnosis requires a 104 degree core temperature at a minimum, and is usually accompanied by a bunch of additional symptoms that Cody wasn't exhibiting.
He cooked himself (definitely severe heat exhaustion), got dehydrated, and experienced ventricular tachycardia of some sort. Most of us who've ridden century+ distances in serious heat have done that at least once, and a lot of us talk it up as heat stroke in the bar afterwards, but the real deal is much more rare and usually lands you in the hospital. IIRC it almost always requires active measures (cool bath, ice packs, etc) to re-cool the body, since your body's own regulation has broken down at that point.
I don't think anybody could recover from clinical heat stroke by sitting down for an hour or so, and then proceed to ride another 50 miles.
It was total class act. What the situation clearly called for.
@@brettmollenhauer4114 V-tach can be fairly benign, or it can be really serious. I know people who've had fairly benign VT episodes in situations like this (though one of them ultimately needed ablative treatment because it kept happening)
You're right that we only know that he had tachycardia, period. Thanks for the correction.
Alex Honnold getting to the top and saying "I don't think I can ski down this" is iconic.
"I feel uncomfortable and unhappy but basically fine". Alex is such a fucking beast.
I think this is the Most Alex thing he's said since the fridge shopping in his doc, lol
You'd be up for a massive day if he said he was feeling good.
My favorite thing is he’s literally always eating
Alex Honnold is relentlessly optimistic and it's infectuous
He truly is.
@@CodyTownsend And he delivers it with bomb funny irony about death.
And always hungry ❤️
Alex: "Sorry for all the snow, don't know how to ski" AHAHAHAH best line of the 50 so far this year.
And that person he said it to probably didn't realize he is one of the greatest climbers of all time.
He free solo'd the last bit in ski boots 😉
Cody: "I don't know what's wrong with me."
Also Cody: Wears all black in the desert on a 100 degree day.
Seriously though. I live in this environment...you'd be better off wearing all white long sleeve than that short sleeve thing in black. And you gotta be sipping water and electrolytes non stop. Like 12 oz of water per 15 minutes.
@@someusername121 you voluntarily live in such environment? are you fucking fremen or what? ;D
@@someusername121 That (water + salts) was my immediate thought, but I formulated it slightly differently: ½ strength Gatorade continuously. I've already learned the hard way that if you run out/low on salt you stop sweating, no matter how much water you take in.
and a helmet and long hair. the mustache prob doesn't help either. gotta keep that upper lip cool
@@walterlippmann6292 you made a lip comment and your last name is Lippmann. I appreciate this, thank you.
Previous episode: "Not every line has to be a sufferfest".
This episode: "Hey, let's bike 135 miles with 15000 ft ascent before hitting the approach to the peak. Oh, and we are biking the Death Valley too".
And let's wear a completely black outfit on a sunny day in case I get cold...
At noon...
Just every other line must be a sufferfest
@@CodyTownsend Right - the last one was too easy so this one had to be a suckfest. Truly, thanks to both of you for showing your vulnerable sides in the final edit.
The Sufferfest part 99% came from Alex.
That moment between Alex and that climber was priceless! “You’re the reason why I’m climbing Whitney Alex!” That’s so cool!
Finally a relatable episode! Alex not knowing how to ski and Cody dying in the heat, love to see a good ole fashioned struggle fest!
18:44: "Sorry for all the snow, don't know how to ski" - says the dude in a 35-55 deg couloir.
That's pure epicness one can only aspire to, right there. (skiing alone - the rest is a whole different territory)
that was pretty badass! But there is no way the parts they filmed were anywhere near 55 deg. Even 45 is pretty challenging if you don't know what you are doing... Especially if the snow pack is frozen.
@@Thuky1 I mean he slid it down, but respect for pretty big balls, knowing that you are not a good skier and still sending it :D
anybody else looks like a goon doing that, but because its Alex is hilarious
@@mettflow2648, Totally agree. That's a pretty daring thing to do for 'not knowing how to ski.' He's probably a little savvier than the rest of us who 'doesn't know how to ski' than he lets on. Like really, I don't know how to ski, and if I tried that, I would have died.
@@Thuky1 I've taken that route and guess it to be between 35 and 40 degrees, pretty consistent until reaching the runout near Iceberg lake.
"It's like brutal. I'll just say I'm like suffering from the heat now, and I wouldn't be surprised if Cody dies." Hahahaha so good.
The visual of Alex Honnald as Jerry is my favorite thing in the fifty project so far. Alex just has the best attitude ever.
Editing & soundtrack were on point for this one, between Alex’s extreme descent and Cody’s Ocean’s Eleven-esque reveal of the “insurance policy”
The moment when the song stops when Alex attempts the turn, so good!
Exactly what I was thinking!
Glad ya noticed, made some backend changes lately. Loved the way this one came out
Recognizing where you are in your body is as important as planning for avalanches. Cody, don’t kill yourself.
The Fifty Project is the best series on UA-cam! Number one rule of mountaineering: know your limit and never be afraid to turn back, safety first.
props to Cody for knowing when to call it. props to Alex for getting way out of his comfort zone in skis !
Also, this is a really good illustration of why Death Valley is called Death Valley. Without cars and AC, the heatstroke recovery... In any case, glad you made it ok.
Yup, fitting name!
Recently took a wilderness first aid course - seems like Cody was suffering from heat *exhaustion* not yet heat stroke. In the future for anyone reading - apply rapid aggressive cooling as fast as possible to bring down body temp and avoid heat *stroke* which is a very different and often fatal animal
I just finished WFA myself and certainly question why they didn't know basic first aid in that situation. Seems for all Cody's talk of safety (not to mention the other folks around) that there was no appropriate assessment of a debilitating health problem.
@@chriswoods2647 Did WFA myself years ago as part of guiding qual which also included a unit on adventure risk assessment at Ed Hillary OPC down here in NZ.
A lot of these trips aren't especially well planned and seem very shoestring on the whole preparation side of the expeditions. The video production side seems to be eating up far to much of the spend and Cody seems by the look of it short cutting having someone outside the talent on screen making the safety calls and he is essentially acting as the 'safety officer'. You need someone qualified who isn't going to be caught up in the 'summit fever' psychology this whole project runs real risks of being.
There's no way in hell once he blew up he should have been let back on that bike nor allowed to attempt Mt. Whitney after barely 3 hr rest. When a guy as fit as him has his heart rate above 120 for a sustained period when at rest he should have been taken to hospital for checks right there and then.
@@user-uy6uc5ey5q I second this. The whole heatstroke thing was super painful to watch. Even the Australian Army loses a few soldiers a year to heatstroke. Often super fit young guys who just push too far. Its surprisingly an easy thing to do.
Cody should have called it when he was puking and gone to at least a hotel with ac to recover for 24 hrs. Most of the heat related fatalities I've heard of happen the day after something like this. Especially with little sleep.
Honestly he's super lucky he didn't get really fucked up the next day. It sort of ticked all the boxes for a potentially really bad time on the climb the next day.
I also realise this is really easy to say as an observer. They must've been under a fair bit of pressure I'm sure.
@@MrCALLUM9999 Hence why you need someone in the production crew who has the quals to say - 'nah mate we will pack it in now' outside of the adventurers.
Cody was in no fit state to be making those calls which i'm guessing from the fortage he was doing.
Agree with heat exhaustion, though his case did seem pretty extreme with dryheaving, etc. They could have prepared a better recovery for him.
The editing with Alex's descent is the best thing I've seen on UA-cam possibly ever
imagine hiking Whiney and seeing some guy struggle to ski down, decked out in full Summit Series North Face gear. You'd probably think to yourself, "what a poser" and then immediate notice and say, "oh f*ck, that's Alex!"
I'm 90% sure Alex left his boots in walk mode
Alex didn't know what skins or a skin cutter was. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't know his boots had a walk mode until someone told him and just forgot to switch it off.
They were !
Experts suggest that complete recovery from heat stroke and its effects on the internal organs may take 2 months to a year. Let's do mt whitney!! :D
I did the mountaineer route up Whitney and if I had seen someone ski down saying “sorry for the snow. Don’t know how to ski” I would have fallen to my death laughing 😂
Black kit is really popular right now, but I’m not a fan. I know it’s more flattering but I really think a light colored kit and unzipping the jersey would help with the heat on the bike quite a bit here.
Edit: I don’t mean to sound overly critical. Mad respect! Awesome trip!
It’s also always a good idea to have something bright and visible from far away in your pack in case of a rescue
Heat acclimatization would’ve done far more for me than any color Jersey. I’ve worn black in similar temps riding before, it has little effect beyond comfort.
Oh man, that's rough. Heat injury is a very real thing and this video demonstrates some good and bad. The good is that you did stop. The bad is that you kept going after you heard alarm bells ringing. Once you red line, you stay red lined for a long time.
The second and bigger problem was trying to treat heat injury with hydration. Hydration is good... if you are dehydrated. It is not a solution for over heating. To treat heat injury you need to cool the patient off; shade, ice, getting your skin wet in conjunction with moving air for evaporative cooling, get into a car with cold AC.
Other than that, another killer video! KEEP IT UP!!!
Never thought I’d see honnold ski, lmao. He seemed so happy when he was 30ft from the summit and finally encountered some rock he could climb.
I hope Cody gives himself a nice long break after this. Scary seeing some of this knowing medically what was likely going on. Really should have stopped. I had the unfortunate experience of seeing someone die from heat stroke at Fort Sill and it is a horrible way to go. Cody came very close to not having the same quality of life he experiences now.
I had heat stroke this year, thought I was going to die. I never want to experience that again
A wonderful addition to "Sufferfest" and "Sufferfest 2" with Alex and Cedar Wright. Has a similar feel evoking a certain type of stoke
Omg taking the plastic off of Alex's skis and trimming the skins with a knife 🤣
well he actually gave them to Alex as he is sponsored by Salomon soo.. :)
One day, me and my best friend CJ, waiting for a leftover permit for whitney, got one, hiked up there, set up camp, bagged I think Russel at sunset (we solo'd some peak to the right), hit the east ridge of whit, ran down the mountaineers route, then down to the valley with a flask I had saved of jameson, and drove that old civic to the bottom of the valley to catch a lowest and highest in 24 hrs. Not the same at all, but I know that sentiment. Brings back memories. All highs fortunately from the late 90's. We were beat to crap, but I picked up a pizza, a 12er of sierra nevada, and a penthouse, and he passed the fuck out in a no tell in lone pine, and we drove to jtree the next day only to come back next year to do some more alpine walls. Some of the best times of my life.
This episode made me genuinely smile. For a guy to run into his inspiration to be there in the first place and then get the selfie. Good stuff. Plus Alex seems to be a superb human being.
Alex is a hero of our time for, pace, consistency, attitude, pateince and commitment. He IS amazing!
I love how casual these guys can be when actually pushing themselves outside of their own comfort zones.
Like, “yep, there’s my limit!”
Oh brother...I could feel the sufferfest through the screen. And then you have the GOAT Honnold over here excited to climb an "actual slab of rock" ...IN SKI BOOTS... awkward selfies commence along with some serious edge work (yes Alex, you DO know how to use your edges 😂). I loved every minute...so happy nobody was killed during the filming of this episode! 🙃🎿🤙
This has got to be one of my favorite episodes so far
"Please don't tell anyone you saw this"
Alex. This is going right to UA-cam.
This makes me feel better for some of my failed adventures in the past. Stoked to see pros be raw like this with their experiences!
Now imagine Running that line!
Imagine running that line into Alex Hannold
Not exactly the same route to the summit of Whitney, but on foot was the way this was originally conceived and carried out. ua-cam.com/video/Gz1ipT7kmp8/v-deo.html
I had a heat stroke earlier this year backpacking in canyonlands, that feeling of “something is seriously wrong” is exactly it. It sucks man, just takes over your whole body.
Great episode. Biking death valley in the afternoon. Can't think of a worse hell... Alex is too funny, so hard core. Impressive to side slip down all of mt Whitney in crap conditions, with minimal ski background! Great job guys 👍
Alex is the slowest breather ever. Trying to imagine what it would take to panic that guy.
IIRC in the movie they clinically tried to panic him and failed. He lacks the brain part that makes all of us scared.
He described his panic in Free Solo. It happened on his on sight solo of half dome. Perhaps 200 feet left to the top on near vertical face (no cracks) on tiny edges he was halted at something like 5.11+ moves (think nickle edge wide edges randomly placed). He froze there for minutes and almost grabbed a bolt hanger (loop of metal) but pulled himself together cause that would be 'cheating'. Grab this or die? Alex, I can't say I soloed this if I use the artificial hold (mind you that standard was created under roped climbing). Nope Alex focused his mind and soloed on. He did concede that he needs to rehearse deadly moves before he solos and not do foolish things like that anymore. Brains scans show his brain lights up only 1 or 2% of normal human fear response. The reality of that means that he accesses a lot of energy that would be lost in trying to combat fear. This results in making the climbing less difficult physically.
@@Harry-qq2ww The conclusion of the doctors is that he has trained his fear response through repeated exposure, not that he lacks an amygdala... I'm continually astounded by how frequently this line is spread around the comments sections of everything Alex... I guess its just a compelling idea so people choose to go with it, despite it being the opposite of what was actually in the movie.
Maybe a friendly game of Chess next to a cozy fire really scares the crap out of him
@@nomadtrails yeah I agree his fear tolerance is more having to do with his constant preparation and exposure than anything else. Saying that, when he was skiing down that steep walled section in this video, he looked absolutely calm and honestly kinda bored. I know if I was up there and didnt know how to ski, I'd be shitting myself.
I almost died of heat stroke when I was 7 years old. All I remember was suddenly feeling the need to vomit and then I blacked out. Not something to mess with. He did good by listening to what his body was saying. Mad respect to these guys for trying new challenges and finding new limits to push- all while letting us watch. Awesome humans!
10 out of 10, hands down my favorite episode! The best part is the heavy metal music in the background while the world's greatest free solo climber is "skiing" down! So much type 2 fun!
Cheers!
just finished the bike portion of the vid. reminds me of early June this year when I showed up in the Portland area to run a trail 50k race. it was the weekend of the "heat dome". trail temps were 115 - 120 degrees. I was coming from East Coast 50F temps. I made it 20 miles and had to DNF. I know exactly what Cody felt like. there is a reason that pros like Sally McRae to intensive heat acclimatization before racing Badwater. I applaud the effort though, sometimes you just don't know until you try. Now on to the rest if the vid...
That weekend was brutal. Had to DNF my day at the river with my gf because of heat exhaustion
Pretty serious heat stroke/heat exhaustion symptoms, man! You guys may have looked into this already but it’s helpful to know that-with heat stroke-rapid cooling, i.e. submerging the patient in the coldest water possible, is the recommended treatment. Your buddy gave you pedialyte, which could be an effective treatment if you were sweating a ton, but it typically does little for treating heat stroke. Getting into an air conditioned vehicle was probably the best solution if there was a lack of ice or cold water. Scary stuff! Glad you’re alright.
Spot on, best of both worlds. Keep inspiring people.
I can only imagine what that guy was thinking as he’s climbing a mountain and sees Alex awkwardly skidding down. Absolutely mind blowing.
I’ve skied 50deg slopes with that exact same style. No shame in it. At least you did it.
Its the only way to do it when they are icy and you are like me and suck at skiing. Lol.
How you can suffer heatstroke then continue to go another 35 miles is unbelievable. Also I know Alex is a beast on the walls but for some reason I never pictured him as someone who could keep up and outlast Cody during sufferfests. I'm impressed!
Alex was actually in two short adventure films with Cedar Wright called Sufferfest 1 and 2. He also did the Rim to Rim to Rim in a day. Dude is a ridiculous elite athlete through and through.
I’m going to offer that he wasn’t suffering heat stroke but heat exhaustion.
Love Alex’s quote at 8:33. Such a great mindset to have when faced with adversity
The cross-over we didn't know we needed 🙌🏻🙌🏻
Alex skiing off the top of Whitney is my favorite ski segment of all time.
I was so bummed to not be there for that. Oh and I tend to agree with you, our editor Lou, she crushed it on making that seg.
@@CodyTownsend hey hope you're feeling better. Once you got in the car you became quite pale, be careful out there. I've sent folks to ICU before from severe heatstroke
The first step of treating heat stroke is to get out of the heat immediately. I’m glad you didn’t collapse.
Watched this again and it’s scary. Be more careful.
You guys are savages! I have bonked pretty hard myself once or twice, but nothing like what got Cody here... Props for soldiering through!
Favorite episode of the entire series so far!
I love Alex, so fit and committed to the journey. A special breed
It's absolutely wild the footrace that happens on that same route every summer. I know the strategy the runners use is definitely take it really easy when the sun is out but at night is when you can push it a bit more. Also wearing white or light colored clothing might have helped in this episode as I noticed you were wearing almost black. Awesome episode and thanks for taking us along!
I helped crew a friend through two Badwater finishes and am intimately familiar with that entire route. That heat is hard to deal with, big respect for making the right calls. Great video, really enjoyed watching the adventure :)
I LOVE the rawness and realness of these videos! Nice job, Cody and crew!
Textbook example of type 3 fun, complete with the line "that was still super fun" at the end. Love it
Bystander: "The only reason I climb is because you inspired me to pursue it!" Alex: "Sick!"
The fifty project featuring elite endurance athlete… Bjarne Salen!
Class video! Alex was a great guest, it’s refreshing to see him doing something other than climbing.. aka skiing quite badly and taking selfie’s 😂
Cody, I'm sure I'm not the first to say it here, but hopefully you see this advise somewhere. In environments like the desert you should be wearing a lightweight and light colored long sleeve shirt (and I like one with a hood) and I also recommend all your cloths be somewhat baggy or at least not skin tight, this all helps you stay cool by keeping the sun off your skin and allowing the air to cool you off while you sweat. I say this as a fellow skier who for some reason lives in the high desert of NM and does a lot of hot (upper 90's to 100F) hiking and biking in the summer. Keep up the good work though, these are my favorite videos, always motivates me to get out and push my limits and explore!!
It’s so awesome that Cody shares ALL of the ups and downs of Type 2 raddness. Sometimes you’ve just got to call it a day when you realize your body is done. The mountain ain’t going anywhere. You’ll get another shot. Thanks for your vids man love it. Hope to see you in the whites one year!!
Loved Alex was your guest (WoW).....As for Alex taking time to take a photo on the mtn ( so surreal to see their suprise when they realize who he was......thank you thank you thank you, a great moment.....!!!! Hopefully the heatstroke is short lived!!!
I love these crossover adventures! Definitely looking forward to more of these!
As an avid bicyclist myself, at the begining of the video I was thinking "Why would he wear a black helmet, black shirt and all, while cycling through Death Valley? Had the helmet and Jersey been white, it could've done a huge difference."
But glad you took the decision to stop and drive there, no line is worth your life in such conditions.-
I was thinking the same thing! I have a white shirt for hot days, makes some difference, not sure how much exactly, but enough to notice it.
I think you a right about the black jersey, but ultimately, the route would have been better to do as an all-night ride because even with a support van, the heat is tough thing to counteract.
Inspiring to see Alex outside his comfort zone and still positive. Also inspiring to see Cody secure enough to share what heatstroke looks like. A great lesson.
This video is all the best things. Conflict, resolution, bad snow, good weather, wish fulfillment... I can only imagine how the guy that got a selfie feels in the middle of his own achievement!
Seriously! This was the best episode so far!!! Great job to all involved!!!
Alex has perfected the side slip. Well done.
2 legends and in one video. Happy u made it alive
Props to showing the bail. Its nice to know that failure IS an option and doesn't have to be bad when you stop and turn around.
Always love seeing Alex in the alpine any time I can. Such a fun personality no matter how close to death he is.
Cody, take care of your heart! I've been in the OR 3 times now for arrhythmias and that scene in the van was all too familiar. Unfortunately I had to quit any long distance cycling.
I was thinking the same thing
RFP. Says it all. True champion, Smart champion. Live to ski another day.
So cool to see you working with Alex! You guys make a great team.
When I saw they were starting to bike in the heat of the day I was certainly curious how it was going to end! Alex, your skis look a little long for you haha
Big ups to both of you! Cody, way to persevere but be careful, bro. Great to see Alex outside his comfort zone and still crushing. Stellar ep!
Awesome video, top effort from both you guys. How nice of Alex to stop for a selfie!
Two legends living the dream.
My favorite episode yet! Really hope this one blows up
It is so awesome to see Alex in a different element. It humanizes him. Well done guys.
Cody you madman. I'm so glad you stopped before there was permanent damage!! You are awesome... Alex puts skis on even though he knows he shouldn't!!!! You two!!!!!!! Get out. 😀😀😀
loved this adventure! super real and raw, things don't always go to plan, happy you didn't exclude any of it
Did this a couple years ago! But spread the bike ride over a few days and did the hiker's route. I also struggled around mile 40 on the bike ride; it was still pretty hot even in October. Tough ride up to Towne Pass. The whole adventure was super challenging but rewarding and it brought back a lot of fun memories watching your video :)
The Valley of the Shadow of Death... Make that two valleys! Great episode in some amazing country.
Great collab guys, love it and I’m glad you all survived.
What an effort, you guys are stubborn ! Congrats to both of you for stepping out of your confort zone like this, the selfie dude is right you are an inspiration. (Well done to all of the crew too, legend)
at 6:18 you can see Cody has goosebumps. That is a sure sign of heatstroke when you have goosebumps and it's 95 degrees outside.
Nice eye. Also the fact I wasn't sweating at all was a bad sign early on.
Incredible episode! Loved it because Cody really showed his humanity. Bjarne, ever the voice of reason, looking out for CT.
what a banger, watching Honnold crushing the descent was great
love the foreshadowing. "I've done some dumb stuff, but this might be the dumbest" - Cody Townsend. Definitely type 2 fun on this one!
Damn, that was entertaining! The combo of your personalities is a winner! Loved this one.
Thanks to both of you putting this out there and showing how hard these expeditions can be while also revealing how humbling the desert and the mountains can be. As for conditions on Whitney? Should have waited for this year 🤣😂 there's hardly any snow in that gully!? Classic! Praying we have a better year this year! Thanks again guys! There are some local crushers on the Eastside you just made feel real proud! A few have FKTs for that mission!
Glad you enjoyed it
Never thought I would see someone who can ski as well as I can on this channel!
What a duo! Another great episode!
BEST EPISODE YET!!!!! having once set the CR in the Furnace Creek 508 (a 508-Mile bike race through Death Valley) and a sponsored climber in the ‘80’s, you can imagine how deeeeeeply I enjoyed and appreciated this episode featuring the only guy on this plane(t) that can turn big walls into boulder problems, so THANK YOU!!!!! Will be SURE to tell many others about this episode! ❄️⛷🙏🏾
Maybe the funniest episode yet, so rad to see Alex gettin it!
Looks like a tough outing all around. Just wanted to give props for the long exposure timelapse at 11:05ish - really incredible. Well done all around guys