“The Alpinist” shares the achievements of an incredible climber who challenged the limitations of his field

Cole Boeck | Freelancer

This review contains spoilers. 

Rock climbing has gained notoriety throughout the past decade, particularly free soloing, which is climbing without the safety of a rope to anchor the climber to the route. The 2021 documentary “The Alpinist,” currently available to stream on Netflix, focuses on a solo alpine climber who didn’t reach out for the limelight: Marc-André Leclerc.

This film demands to be seen. I assumed that the film, which is rated PG-13, would be stressful to watch as free soloing is such an intense sport. But there was something different about watching Leclerc climb. Seeing his ascent of The Grand Wall in Squamish, British Columbia, Canada, was breathtaking. There was a sense of serenity. Leclerc was so sure in his placement and his body. There was trust in every second. 

I found myself asking how he could be so at peace in such a dangerous situation. How could anyone risk it?

Alex Honnold, a famed name in the climbing scene, responded to those ideas by laughing it off, “Those are just dumb questions.” 

I guess they are. There is no gray area there. There is either understanding — an acceptance of those risks — or there isn’t. It’s unfathomable to attempt to explain such a lived experience without a similar frame of reference.

Perhaps there will always be a gap between our own and another’s experiences — a divide that can never fully be crossed. Is that the essence of humanity, to strive for empathy in spite of that knowledge? That noble goal of reaching out speaks to the importance of the journeys in our lives, as the destinations may never come. Leclerc said, “When you’re in the mountains … it’s like all of the superficialities of life just sort of evaporate. … You appreciate everything so much. … It’s kinda funny, the actual achievement doesn’t really change your life like you think it might, when you’re buildin’ up to it, but what you’re left with is the journey that got you to that point, … you’re left with so much more of a story. …  And that’s what I find is the most important.”

I have a love for language, but I find myself unable to find words suited to describe Marc-André Leclerc’s life. He didn’t need them. He simply lived it, and he lived it fully. 

I find it poignant that it wasn’t the climbing that killed him, but the descent. Cheers to a life that burned bright — d–n the consequences.

9.5/10

Contact the author at cboeck19@wou.edu