Free solo climbing

[2] Some climbers' profiles have been increased by free soloing (e.g. Alex Honnold and John Bachar), but others question the ethics of this, and whether the risks they are undertaking should be encouraged and commercially rewarded.

[6] The most committing forms of free soloing are on multi-pitch — and the even longer big wall — routes, where any retreat is very difficult.

The 1958 ascent by Don Whillans of Goliath, one of the world's first E4 6a routes, was effectively a free solo (with a rope around his waist).

[16] He described the feeling of self-control over one's fears as a form of addiction that had brought benefits to his life outside of climbing.

[17] He also found a wider range of motivations than he expected telling The Seattle Times, "Are free soloists crazy?

The most prominent of this smaller group are those who have broken new grade milestones in free solo climbing and gained a significant profile from their soloing:[6] In addition, several other free solo practitioners are considered historically notable in free solo climbing and include the following: Ron Fawcett, Christophe Profit [fr], Brad Gobright, Dan Goodwin, Colin Haley, Derek Hersey, Jimmy Jewell, John Long, Dave MacLeod, Dan Osman, Dean Potter, Paul Preuss, and Tobin Sorenson.

[6] A number of notable films have been made focused on free solo climbing (both on rock and on ice) including:[35]