Who Are The Real-Life Climbers Featured In 'Climbing High'?

I've been obsessed with 'Climbing High' since it dropped, and the real-life climbers it features are absolute legends. The documentary focuses on Alex Honnold, the guy who free soloed El Capitan without ropes—pure insanity. Then there's Tommy Caldwell, who pushed through insane challenges on the Dawn Wall. Ueli Stek makes an appearance too, this Swiss speed climber who scaled the Eiger in crazy record time. These aren’t just athletes; they’re pioneers who redefine human limits. The film also touches on lesser-known climbers like Ashima Shiraishi, a teenage prodigy crushing boulders most adults wouldn’t dare touch. If you want more gritty climbs, check out 'The Alpinist' for Marc-André Leclerc’s wild solo adventures.

As someone who’s followed climbing culture for years, 'Climbing High' does a brilliant job spotlighting the diversity in this sport. The documentary isn’t just about the big names—though it does feature Reinhold Messner, the first to summit Everest without oxygen, and Lynn Hill, the first person to free climb the Nose on El Capitan. What’s fascinating is how it contrasts their eras: Messner’s raw 1980s grit versus modern technical climbers like Adam Ondra, who’s redefining difficulty grades with his spider-monkey flexibility.

The film also highlights unsung heroes. Take Steph Davis, a free soloist who specializes in desert towers, or Conrad Anker, whose rescue missions in the Himalayas are as gripping as his ascents. The director cleverly weaves in archival footage of legends like Chris Bonington, making it a time capsule of climbing evolution. For deeper dives, 'Meru' showcases Anker’s team tackling the Shark’s Fin, and 'Free Solo'—while obvious—remains unmatched for sheer adrenaline.

What grabbed me about 'Climbing High' is how human these climbers feel. Yes, Honnold’s El Cap feat is mind-blowing, but the documentary spends equal time on his meticulous prep—the guy maps every handhold for months. Then there’s Beth Rodden, whose mental comeback after a kidnapping ordeal in Kyrgyzstan is as inspiring as her Yosemite routes. The film also nods to historical figures like Gaston Rébuffat, whose poetic approach to climbing in the Alps contrasts sharply with today’s speed-focused athletes.

It’s not all about mountains either. Sharma’s deep-water soloing in Mallorca shows how climbing adapts to environments. The documentary’s strength is balance: raw danger versus artistry, individual obsession versus community (like the Camp 4 scene). For more niche stories, 'Dawn Wall' dives deeper into Caldwell’s partnership with Kevin Jorgeson, and 'Valley Uprising' captures Yosemite’s rebel culture.