How Not to Climb a Mountain | National Geographic

so this one time we’re trying to climb

so this one time we’re trying to climb middle palisade which is one of the

middle palisade which is one of the

middle palisade which is one of the 14,000 foot peaks in California with my

14,000 foot peaks in California with my

14,000 foot peaks in California with my good friend and climbing partner Alex

good friend and climbing partner Alex

good friend and climbing partner Alex Honnold we basically were very

Honnold we basically were very

Honnold we basically were very ill-prepared we had read the description

ill-prepared we had read the description

ill-prepared we had read the description of how to climb the mountain on our

of how to climb the mountain on our

of how to climb the mountain on our honor phones and so we get to the base

honor phones and so we get to the base

honor phones and so we get to the base of this like really big looking peak and

of this like really big looking peak and

of this like really big looking peak and like that’s for sure you got to be it I

like that’s for sure you got to be it I

like that’s for sure you got to be it I mean it’s like the biggest mountain here

we start heading up the peak and it’s

we start heading up the peak and it’s kind of vertical it’s getting kind of

kind of vertical it’s getting kind of

kind of vertical it’s getting kind of hard I’m like huh don’t really remember

hard I’m like huh don’t really remember

hard I’m like huh don’t really remember like the description of this route like

like the description of this route like

like the description of this route like having such difficult climbing on it but

having such difficult climbing on it but

having such difficult climbing on it but I’m like oh man we’re just a little off

I’m like oh man we’re just a little off

I’m like oh man we’re just a little off route

at the summit of each of these Peaks

at the summit of each of these Peaks there’s a a summit register and so you

there’s a a summit register and so you

there’s a a summit register and so you know we were assigning all the summit

know we were assigning all the summit

know we were assigning all the summit registers and so we get up there and

registers and so we get up there and

registers and so we get up there and we’re I guess that was awesome and we go

we’re I guess that was awesome and we go

we’re I guess that was awesome and we go to a look at the summit register and

to a look at the summit register and

to a look at the summit register and Alex opens it up and he’s like just

Alex opens it up and he’s like just

Alex opens it up and he’s like just calling the wrong mountain tragedy just

calling the wrong mountain tragedy just

calling the wrong mountain tragedy just still emotional recovering from factory

still emotional recovering from factory

still emotional recovering from factory cry yeah it was a big bummer

cry yeah it was a big bummer

cry yeah it was a big bummer and then like to make matters worse

and then like to make matters worse

and then like to make matters worse we’re like oh well there’s the mountain

we’re like oh well there’s the mountain

we’re like oh well there’s the mountain and we’re like looking out like and it’s

and we’re like looking out like and it’s

and we’re like looking out like and it’s this huge like treacherous Ridge just

this huge like treacherous Ridge just

this huge like treacherous Ridge just like just looks like death look death on

like just looks like death look death on

like just looks like death look death on a stick we start out across this Ridge

a stick we start out across this Ridge

a stick we start out across this Ridge and it is terrible it is the rock is

and it is terrible it is the rock is

and it is terrible it is the rock is just peeling off like just like sheets

just peeling off like just like sheets

just peeling off like just like sheets of paper you know it’s like one one

of paper you know it’s like one one

of paper you know it’s like one one false move if you go off without rock

false move if you go off without rock

false move if you go off without rock you’re dead we pick our way up get the

you’re dead we pick our way up get the

you’re dead we pick our way up get the top of middle palisade it’s like 12

top of middle palisade it’s like 12

top of middle palisade it’s like 12 hours later I’m completely exhausted

hours later I’m completely exhausted

hours later I’m completely exhausted more rich it was awful it was awful

more rich it was awful it was awful

more rich it was awful it was awful yeah good times you should totally do it

yeah good times you should totally do it

yeah good times you should totally do it you should get out there dry it’ll be

you should get out there dry it’ll be

you should get out there dry it’ll be terrible