An Alaskan climbing influencer has died after falling from El Capitan, a famous vertical rock formation in California’s Yosemite National Park.
Balin Miller, 23, was live-streamed on TikTok ascending and subsequently falling from the monolith on Wednesday.
In an emotional social media post confirming her son’s death, his mother Jeanine Girard-Moorman said: “My heart is shattered in a million pieces. I don’t know how I will get through this. I love him so much. I want to wake up from this horrible nightmare.”
Details of what caused the incident are not clear, but Miller’s brother Dylan told AFP he was lead rope soloing - a technique that enables climbing alone while still protected by a rope - on a 2,400ft (730m) route named Sea of Dreams.
If you’re an expert in statistics, then I think you’ll immediately recognize why what you’re saying is misleading.
For one, we are talking about driving cars, period. For transportation. Not for pleasure. Not as a hobby.
Putting yourself in mortal danger for fun, by putting yourself into situations that no person will ever naturally be in (e.g. free climbing mountains), is not comparable to driving a car for your work commute.
I specifically used road trips as an example because they impetus is more closely aligned. Road trips are generally a pleasure hobby
I’ve done a road trip through the mountains of Colorado. Stunning views right from your car. Objectively a dangerous hobby
For the record, free climbing is a very different sport from rope soloing. It’s not the same ballpark of danger. Unless your name is Alex Hannold, free soloing is a bit more like riding a motorcycle through DC traffic with no helmet - a death wish