Black Diamond Presents: A Weekend in the Valley with Alex Honnold and Connor Herson

On a random weekend in May, BD Athletes Connor Herson and Alex Honnold got together for a little Yosemite Valley climbing. OK, maybe it wasn’t that random. Connor had a weekend break from his grueling schedule at Stanford (he had a mid-term the following Monday!), and Alex had a rare reprieve in his hectic schedule as a father of two and an Oscar-winning global superstar. We connected the dots and thought, “This could be epic.” Though the timing was tight, we figured anything could happen if this legendary crew got together.

For two days, we followed Connor and Alex around the Valley, capturing priceless banter and some good old-fashioned try-hard as Connor racked up for the second ascent New Leaf (5.13d)—Yosemite’s latest trad testpiece. Giddy up.

[nicholasrandell]

Excited that Alex found a Rope Gun for his Trad Dad Era.

[TheNorthFace]

Need more of these two climbing together 🤓

[dannyswayze]

Black Diamond: it is great to see Alex wearing his north face shirt. Although he is sponsored by both, you aren’t being a corporate dingus.
Kudos BD.

[clarkebrogger]

Epic! 13th place is insane!!! Great flick! Thanks!

[yeskiii]

need a part 2 of them on the nose! so great haha

[skatex]

Everything about this video rad. Please keep it up Black Diamond!

[moldpirate]

that was so good!!!! that video focused so much on the interactions an not just the climbing and I was so here for it!!!

[CollinGill]

2:00 probably the cleanest, smoothest bat hang ive ever seen

[SammyGammon]

Love watching this type of climbing, just amazing climbers doing 13d trad and speed climbing a big wall all in one weekend.

[ticklefritz]

That was spectacular fun to watch. Love the ending...

[Fluflo]

Art, pure art, the way is film and edited, the content...💪🔥.
Please give us more !!!

[jumpingjackflash]

Great duo here! We need more videos of these guys!

[omidj]

Gates in/out is the toilet paper over/under for climbers.

[makaicreative]

I was totally in that part of Yosemite when they were climbing it. It would have been so rad to have seen this in action.

[buckmanriver]

I think I like the edit style of the first route. Dont see that too often.

[chrishill]

I've never been a "where's your helmet??" person (always considered it a personal decision), but I was glad to see Herson wearing one.

[chriskerr]

Brought tears to my eyes. Passing the torch!

[jon-williammurphy]

Proud FA from Bissell. I wonder what their time was for NIAD

[elliotrichards]

3:10 *hands covered in blood* "it's kinda hard..."

[diegoamalfitano]

Cool but why the cuts in the film! I think we enjoy see people clipping, specially in trad