How I climbed a 3,000-foot vertical cliff -- without ropes | Alex Honnold | TED

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

Hello. I'd like to show you guys 30 seconds of the best day of my life.

哈囉。我想先讓大家 看一段三十秒的影片，

這是我人生中最棒的一天。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

So that was El Capitan in California's Yosemite National Park,

那是加州優勝美地 國家公園的「酋長岩」，

and in case you couldn't tell,

萬一你們看不出來， 我是獨自攀爬，且沒有用繩索，

I was climbing by myself without a rope,

a style of a climbing known as free soloing.

這種攀爬方式稱為「自由獨攀」。

That was the culmination of a nearly decade-long dream,

那是我近十年夢想的巔峰結晶。

and in the video I'm over 2,500 feet off the ground.

影片中的我離地面 超過兩千五百英呎。

Seems scary? Yeah, it is,

似乎很可怕？的確，

which is why I spent so many years dreaming about soloing El Cap

這就是為什麼我夢想要獨攀酋長岩 這麼多年，卻一直沒有行動。

and not actually doing it.

But on the day that that video was taken,

但在拍攝那支影片的那一天，

it didn't feel scary at all.

感覺一點也不可怕。

It felt as comfortable and natural as a walk in the park,

感覺就像在公園散步一樣舒服自然，

which is what most folks were doing in Yosemite that day.

那天在優勝美地大部分人 也的確只是在公園散步。

Today I'd like to talk about how I was able to feel so comfortable

今天，我想要談談我 怎麼能夠感到這麼舒服，

and how I overcame my fear.

及我如何克服恐懼。

I'll start with a very brief version of how I became a climber,

我會先簡短說明我如何變成攀岩者，

and then tell the story of my two most significant free solos.

接下來說的故事則是我 近期兩次最重要的自由獨攀。

They were both successful, which is why I'm here.

兩次都很成功， 這就是為什麼我能在這裡。

（笑聲）

(Laughter)

But the first felt largely unsatisfying,

但第一次感覺非常不滿足，

whereas the second, El Cap, was by far the most fulfilling day of my life.

而第二次，爬酋長岩， 是我人生目前為止最滿足的一天。

Through these two climbs, you'll see my process for managing fear.

透過這兩次攀爬， 你們可以了解我管理恐懼的過程。

So I started climbing in a gym when I was around 10 years old,

我約十歲時，就開始 在健身房中攀岩，

which means that my life has been centered on climbing

意即二十多年來 我的生活一直以攀岩為中心。

for more than 20 years.

After nearly a decade of climbing mostly indoors,

近十年的時間， 我多半是在室內攀爬，

之後，我轉向戶外， 漸漸開始了自由獨攀。

I made the transition to the outdoors and gradually started free soloing.

I built up my comfort over time

隨時間，我建立起舒適感，

慢慢地開始嘗試更大、 更有挑戰性的山壁。

and slowly took on bigger and more challenging walls.

And there have been many free soloists before me,

在我之前已有許多自由獨攀者，

有很多人可以當鼓舞我的榜樣。

so I had plenty of inspiration to draw from.

到 2008 年，我已爬過大部分 他們過去獨攀過的優勝美地路線，

But by 2008, I'd repeated most of their previous solos in Yosemite

我開始想像攀爬新的地形。

and was starting to imagine breaking into new terrain.

The obvious first choice was Half Dome,

很明顯的第一選擇就是半圓丘，

an iconic 2,000-foot wall that lords over the east end of the valley.

它是個代表性的兩千英呎山壁， 稱霸在山谷的東側。

The problem, though also the allure,

它的問題，也是它的魅力所在，

was that it was too big.

就是它太大了。

I didn't really know how to prepare for a potential free solo.

我不知道要如何為一趟 潛在的自由獨攀行程做準備。

So I decided to skip the preparations

所以我決定跳過準備階段， 直接上去冒險。

and just go up there and have an adventure.

I figured I would rise to the occasion,

我覺得我可以迎接挑戰，

which, unsurprisingly, was not the best strategy.

結果，並不意外， 那並非最好的策略。

I did at least climb the route roped up with a friend two days before

我至少有在兩天前和一位朋友 綁著繩索，爬過那段路線，

just to make sure that I knew roughly where to go

只要確保我大致上知道方向，

and that I could physically do it.

且確保我在身體上能辦得到。

But when I came back by myself two days later,

但兩天後我獨自再次返回時，

I decided that I didn't want to go that way.

我決定不走那條路。

I knew that there was a 300-foot variation

我知道有一條 三百英呎的替代路線，

that circled around one of the hardest parts of the climb.

它會繞過攀爬路線中 最困難的部分。

I suddenly decided to skip the hard part and take the variation,

我突然決定要跳過困難的部分， 選擇走替代路線，

even though I'd never climbed it before,

即使我以前沒有爬過那條路，

but I immediately began to doubt myself.

但我馬上就開始自我懷疑了。

Imagine being by yourself in the dead center of a 2,000-foot face,

想像你獨自一人 在兩千英呎表面的正中心，

wondering if you're lost.

納悶你是否迷路了。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Thankfully, it was pretty much the right way

謝天謝地，我大致上沒走錯路，

and I circled back to the route.

我繞回了原來的路線。

I was slightly rattled, I was pretty rattled,

我有點驚恐，我蠻驚恐的，

but I tried not to let it bother me too much

但我試著不要讓 驚恐的感覺煩擾我，

because I knew that all the hardest climbing was up at the top.

因為我知道攀爬 最困難的部分是在頂端。

I needed to stay composed.

我需要保持沉著。

It was a beautiful September morning, and as I climbed higher,

那是個美好的九月早晨， 我越爬越高，

I could hear the sounds of tourists chatting and laughing on the summit.

我能聽到頂峰上傳來 遊客聊天說笑的聲音。

他們都是從背後的 正常小道步行上去的，

They'd all hiked up the normal trail on the back,

which I was planning on using for my descent.

我打算在下山時也要走那條小道。

But between me and the summit lay a blank slab of granite.

但在我和頂峰之間有著 平平的花崗岩斜岩板。

There were no cracks or edges to hold on to,

上面沒有裂縫或是邊緣可以抓，

just small ripples of texture up a slightly less than vertical wall.

只有小小的漣漪紋理， 在這近乎垂直的山壁上。

我把性命託付於攀登鞋 和平滑花崗岩之間的磨擦力。

I had to trust my life to the friction between my climbing shoes

and the smooth granite.

我很小心地保持平衡向上爬，

I carefully balanced my way upward,

在每次小小的貼踩之間， 前後移動我的重心。

shifting my weight back and forth between the small smears.

But then I reached a foothold that I didn't quite trust.

但接著，我遇到了一個 我不太信任的踩腳處。

Two days ago, I'd have just stepped right up on it,

兩天前，我可能 就會直接踩上去了，

但那是因為我有綁繩索。

but that would have been with a rope on.

Now it felt too small and too slippery.

現在，那個踩腳處 感覺太小又太滑。

I doubted that my foot would stay on if I weighted it.

我懷疑當我把體重壓上去 腳還能不能踩得住。

I considered a foot further to the side, which seemed worse.

我考慮再向旁邊一英呎的地方， 但那裡似乎更糟。

I switched my feet and tried a foot further out.

我交換了腳，試圖再向外一英呎。 那裡似乎還更糟。

It seemed even worse.

I started to panic.

我開始慌了。

我能聽到人們的笑聲 從我上面的頂峰傳來。

I could hear people laughing on the summit just above me.

I wanted to be anywhere but on that slab.

在任何地方，都比 在這片斜岩板上好。

My mind was racing in every direction.

我的腦袋轉個不停。

I knew what I had to do, but I was too afraid to do it.

我知道我該怎麼做， 但我太害怕了不敢去做。

I just had to stand up on my right foot.

我只需要靠右腳站好。

And so after what felt like an eternity, I accepted what I had to do

在經過一段彷彿是永恆的掙扎 之後，我接受了我該做的事，

and I stood up on the right foot,

我靠右腳站好了，

and it didn't slip, and so I didn't die,

結果沒有打滑，所以我沒有死，

and that move marked the end of the hardest climbing.

這段攀岩最困難的部分 就到此告一段落。

And so I charged from there towards the summit.

從那裡，我朝向頂峰挺進。

And so normally when you summit Half Dome,

通常，當你登上半圓丘時，

you have a rope and a bunch of climbing gear on you,

你身上會有一根繩索 和一堆攀岩裝備，

and tourists gasp and they flock around you for photos.

遊客會驚訝地發出聲音， 圍著你拍照。

這次，我砰一聲翻過邊緣， 沒穿上衣，喘吁吁，肌肉賁張。

This time I popped over the edge shirtless, panting, jacked.

我很興奮，但大家都面不改色。

I was amped, but nobody batted an eye.

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

I looked like a lost hiker that was too close to the edge.

我看起來像是個迷路的健行者， 站得太靠近邊緣。

I was surrounded by people talking on cell phones and having picnics.

我身邊圍繞著人群，

不是在講手機就是在野餐。 我好像在購物中心裡。

I felt like I was in a mall.

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

I took off my tight climbing shoes and started hiking back down,

我脫下了我很緊的攀岩鞋， 開始向下步行，

and that's when people stopped me.

此時有人叫住了我。

「你赤腳步行？真是硬漢。」

"You're hiking barefoot? That's so hard-core."

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

I didn't bother to explain,

我也懶得解釋，

but that night in my climbing journal, I duly noted my free solo of Half Dome,

但那晚，我在我的攀岩日誌中

審慎記載了我的半圓丘自由獨攀，

but I included a frowny face and a comment, "Do better?"

但我還畫上了一個哭臉， 加註「做更好？」

I'd succeeded in the solo

我的獨攀成功了，它被當成 重大的第一次攀爬來慶祝。

and it was celebrated as a big first in climbing.

Some friends later made a film about it.

有些朋友後來為此 製作了一支影片。

But I was unsatisfied.

但我不滿足。

I was disappointed in my performance,

我對我的表現很失望，

because I knew that I had gotten away with something.

因為我知道我有僥倖之處。

I didn't want to be a lucky climber. I wanted to be a great climber.

我不想要當個幸運的攀岩者， 我想要當個偉大的攀岩者。

I actually took the next year or so off from free soloing,

我休了一年多的假， 沒有去自由獨攀，

because I knew that I shouldn't make a habit of relying on luck.

因為我知道我不應該 養成依賴運氣的習慣。

但即使我不常去獨攀，

But even though I wasn't soloing very much,

我已經開始想著酋長岩了。

I'd already started to think about El Cap.

我內心深處一直把它 視為是獨攀的至寶。

It was always in the back of my mind as the obvious crown jewel of solos.

它是世界上最惹人注目的山壁。

It's the most striking wall in the world.

Each year, for the next seven years,

接下來的七年，每一年

I'd think, "This is the year that I'm going to solo El Cap."

我都會想：「今年 我要去獨攀酋長岩。」

And then I would drive into Yosemite, look up at the wall, and think,

接著，我會開車去優勝美地， 抬頭看著山壁，

"No frickin' way."

心想：「門都沒有。」

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

It's too big and too scary.

它太大了，太駭人了。

But eventually I came to accept that I wanted to test myself against El Cap.

但最終，我漸漸接受我想要 測試我自己對抗酋長岩的能耐。

It represented true mastery,

它代表著真正的征服，

but I needed it to feel different.

但我需要有不同的感覺。

I didn't want to get away with anything or barely squeak by.

我並不想要有任何僥倖 或是勉強過關。

This time I wanted to do it right.

這次我想要把它做對。

The thing that makes El Cap so intimidating

酋長岩之所以令人生畏，

is the sheer scale of the wall.

完全是因為山壁的規模。

大部分的攀岩者要花三到五天 來攀登三千英呎的垂直花崗岩。

Most climbers take three to five days

to ascend the 3,000 feet of vertical granite.

The idea of setting out up a wall of that size

向上攀爬這麼巨大的山壁，

with nothing but shoes and a chalk bag seemed impossible.

且只有鞋子和一個攀岩粉袋， 似乎是不可能的。

3,000 feet of climbing represents

攀爬三千英呎，就表示有 數千個手和腳的移動動作，

thousands of distinct hand and foot movements,

多到很難記住。

which is a lot to remember.

Many of the moves I knew through sheer repetition.

我會記住許多移動動作 只是因為不斷重覆。

I'd climbed El Cap maybe 50 times over the previous decade with a rope.

過去十年，我用繩索爬過 酋長岩大約五十次，

But this photo shows my preferred method of rehearsing the moves.

但這張照片呈現的 是我偏好的排練動作方式。

I'm on the summit,

我在頂峰，準備用一千英呎的 繩索向下爬，挑戰這個表面，

about to rappel down the face with over a thousand feet of rope

to spend the day practicing.

花一天的時間自己練習。

Once I found sequences that felt secure and repeatable,

一旦找到感覺很安全且可重覆的 順序，我就得記住它們。

I had to memorize them.

I had to make sure that they were so deeply ingrained within me

我得要確保它們都 深深刻在我的腦海中，

不能有任何失誤的可能。

that there was no possibility of error.

I didn't want to be wondering if I was going the right way

我不想要納悶我是否 爬對方向、用到最好的洞。

or using the best holds.

我得讓一切都感覺像自動的一樣。

I needed everything to feel automatic.

Climbing with a rope is a largely physical effort.

用繩索攀爬，主要就是靠體力。

You just have to be strong enough to hold on and make the movements upward.

你只要夠強壯可以抓穩 並向上移動即可。

但自由獨攀有更大 一部分是在腦中。

But free soloing plays out more in the mind.

體力的需求大致上差不多。

The physical effort is largely the same.

你的身體還是在攀爬同一個山壁。

Your body is still climbing the same wall.

But staying calm and performing at your best

但在你知道犯錯就可能 意味著死亡的情況下，

when you know that any mistake could mean death

還要保持冷靜和做出最佳表現，

requires a certain kind of mindset.

這就需要某種心態了。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

That's not supposed to be funny, but if it is, it is.

這不應該是好笑的， 不過如果好笑也罷。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

I worked to cultivate that mindset through visualization,

我努力透過視覺化 來培養那種心態，

which basically just means imagining the entire experience of soloing the wall.

基本上，視覺化就表示想像 獨攀那山壁的整個經歷。

Partially, that was to help me remember all the holds,

這麼做有一部分是在 幫我記住所有的洞，

but mostly visualization was about feeling the texture

但主要是在感覺我手抓到的 每一個洞是什麼樣的結構，

of each hold in my hand

and imagining the sensation of my leg reaching out and placing my foot just so.

並想像我的腿向外伸出 再把腳放下來的感受。

I'd imagine it all like a choreographed dance thousands of feet up.

我會把它想像成編好的舞步， 只是在幾千英呎高。

The most difficult part of the whole route was called the Boulder Problem.

整條路線中最困難的部分， 被稱為「抱石問題」。

It was about 2,000 feet off the ground

它離地約兩千英呎，

包含有整條路線上 最困難的身體動作：

and consisted of the hardest physical moves on the whole route:

踩踏處又小又滑，手抓處不理想， 做長距離的拉式動作。

long pulls between poor handholds with very small, slippery feet.

This is what I mean by a poor handhold:

我說手抓處不理想的意思是：

an edge smaller than the width of a pencil but facing downward

邊緣比鉛筆的寬度 還要小，且洞口向下，

that I had to press up into with my thumb.

我得要把我的大拇指向上推進去。

But that wasn't even the hardest part.

但那還不是最難的部分。

The crux culminated in a karate kick

難關的高潮在於用我的左腳

with my left foot over to the inside of an adjacent corner,

做空手道踢腳， 踢向鄰接角落的內側，

a maneuver that required a high degree of precision and flexibility,

這一招需很高的精準度和柔軟度，

enough so that I'd been doing a nightly stretching routine

我提早整整一年， 晚上都為此在做例行的伸展，

for a full year ahead of time

確保我的腳能很舒適地搆著目標。

to make sure that I could comfortably make the reach with my leg.

當我練習動作的時候，

As I practiced the moves,

my visualization turned to the emotional component

我的視覺化會轉換為

of a potential solo.

潛在獨攀的情緒成分。

Basically, what if I got up there and it was too scary?

基本上，如果我爬上去之後， 發現太可怕怎麼辦？

What if I was too tired?

我太累了怎麼辦？我做不太到 那個踢的動作怎麼辦？

What if I couldn't quite make the kick?

I had to consider every possibility while I was safely on the ground,

我還安全地待在地上時， 就得要考量所有的可能性，

so that when the time came and I was actually making the moves without a rope,

等時候到了，我才能真正 不靠繩索就做出那些動作，

沒有任何懷疑的空間。

there was no room for doubt to creep in.

懷疑就是恐懼的前兆，

Doubt is the precursor to fear,

and I knew that I couldn't experience my perfect moment if I was afraid.

我知道如果害怕 就不能體驗到完美的時刻。

我得要做視覺化， 做足夠演練，消除所有懷疑。

I had to visualize and rehearse enough to remove all doubt.

但在那之外，我也會視覺化想像

But beyond that, I also visualized how it would feel

看似做不到時的感覺。

if it never seemed doable.

What if, after so much work, I was afraid to try?

萬一，做了這麼多努力之後， 我卻害怕不敢試呢？

What if I was wasting my time

萬一我是在浪費我的時間，

and I would never feel comfortable in such an exposed position?

我永遠不可能在這麼 無掩蔽的狀況下感到舒適呢？

There were no easy answers,

沒有簡單的答案。

but El Cap meant enough to me that I would put in the work and find out.

但酋長岩對我意義重大， 讓我願意努力去找答案。

Some of my preparations were more mundane.

有一些準備工作十分平凡。

This is a photo of my friend Conrad Anker

這張照片中的人 是我朋友康瑞安克，

climbing up the bottom of El Cap with an empty backpack.

背著空的背包從 酋長岩的底部向上爬。

We spent the day climbing together

我們那天一起攀爬到 山壁中間一個特定的裂縫處，

to a specific crack in the middle of the wall

它被鬆動的岩石給塞住，

that was choked with loose rocks

that made that section difficult and potentially dangerous,

讓那個區段很難爬 且有潛在的危險性，

because any missed step might knock a rock to the ground

因為如果沒踩好， 就可能讓一塊岩石向下落，

砸死路過的攀岩者或登山客。

and kill a passing climber or hiker.

所以我們小心地把岩石 移除，放到背包中，

So we carefully removed the rocks, loaded them into the pack

再用繩索下降下來。

and rappelled back down.

Take a second to imagine how ridiculous it feels

想像一下這感覺有多可笑，

to climb 1,500 feet up a wall just to fill a backpack full of rocks.

爬上一千五百英呎的山壁， 只為了把背包裝滿岩石。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

It's never that easy to carry a pack full of rocks around.

平常背著一袋岩石就很不輕鬆了。

在峭壁邊上更是困難。

It's even harder on the side of a cliff.

It may have felt silly, but it still had to get done.

感覺可能很蠢， 但這是必需要做的。

I needed everything to feel perfect

若我真的要不用繩索去攀爬 那條路線，我得讓一切完美。

if I was ever going to climb the route without a rope.

我花了兩季的時間 專門準備潛在的酋長岩獨攀，

After two seasons of working specifically toward a potential free solo of El Cap,

I finally finished all my preparations.

終於，我把所有的準備做好了。

I knew every handhold and foothold on the whole route,

我知道整條路線上的 每個手抓處和腳踩處，

我非常清楚該做什麼。

and I knew exactly what to do.

Basically, I was ready.

基本上，我準備好了。

It was time to solo El Cap.

該是獨攀酋長岩的時候了。

On June 3, 2017,

2017 年 6 月 3 日，

I woke up early, ate my usual breakfast of muesli and fruit

我很早起，吃了平常的 牛奶什錦早餐和水果，

and made it to the base of the wall before sunrise.

在日出之前到達了山壁的底部。

I felt confident as I looked up the wall.

我抬頭看著山壁時感到自信。

I felt even better as I started climbing.

開始攀爬後我更有自信。

About 500 feet up, I reached a slab

大約向上爬了五百英呎， 我到達了一塊斜岩板，

very similar to the one that had given me so much trouble on Half Dome,

和半圓丘上給我添很多 麻煩的那一塊很類似，

but this time was different.

但這次可不一樣。

I'd scouted every option, including hundreds of feet of wall to either side.

我已經偵察過每個選項， 包括兩邊數百英呎的山壁。

I knew exactly what to do and how to do it.

我很清楚該做什麼以及怎麼做。

I had no doubts. I just climbed right through.

我毫無懷疑，直接攀爬過去。

Even the difficult and strenuous sections passed by with ease.

即使是困難且費勁的區段， 我也輕鬆通過。

I was perfectly executing my routine.

我完美地執行例行公事。

I rested for a moment below the Boulder Problem

我在抱石問題下面休息了一下，

and then climbed it just as I had practiced so many times with the rope on.

接著，就用我綁著繩索 練習過無數次的方式攀爬過它。

My foot shot across to the wall on the left without hesitation,

我毫無猶豫地把腳 跨過左邊的山壁，

and I knew that I had done it.

我知道我辦到了。

Climbing Half Dome had been a big goal

爬半圓丘是個很大的目標，

and I did it,

我做到了，但我沒有 得到我真正想要的。

but I didn't get what I really wanted.

I didn't achieve mastery.

我沒精通。

I was hesitant and afraid, and it wasn't the experience that I wanted.

我猶豫又害怕， 那不是我想要的經驗。

But El Cap was different.

但酋長岩就不同了。

With 600 feet to go, I felt like the mountain was offering me a victory lap.

還剩六百英呎要爬，我覺得這座山 在讓我拿著金牌繞場跑一圈。

I climbed with a smooth precision

我非常精準地攀爬著，

and enjoyed the sounds of the birds swooping around the cliff.

享受著在峭壁附近 俯衝的鳥兒的聲音。

It all felt like a celebration.

感覺就像是慶祝一樣。

And then I reached the summit

我花了 3 小時 56 分到達頂峰， 完成一段榮耀的攀登。

after three hours and 56 minutes of glorious climbing.

It was the climb that I wanted, and it felt like mastery.

這就是我想要的攀登， 感覺就像是精通了。

謝謝。

Thank you.

(Applause)

（掌聲）