“The defining thing about free-soloing is that the consequences are so much higher than other climbing,” says Alex Honnold. “Because you have no rope, you have no backup, you have no protection.” In this short video, shot for a Squarespace campaign, I wanted to give insight into the meditative approach Alex Honnold takes to free-soloing. What he does requires total commitment. I shot him on Heaven, a severe, overhanging route in Yosemite Valley that had only been free-soloed twice before. As soon as he started up, a fall meant a 3,000-foot drop to the valley floor. But the route offered sweeping views and epic scale. It’s called Heaven for a reason.