Dean Potter's Wicked No Safety Highline in Yosemite
Dean Potter, one of Yosemite’s most iconic and free-spirited daredevils, was attempting to cross the famed Lost Arrow Spire highline nearly 3,000 feet above the Yosemite Valley floor when he suddenly lost his balance. The veteran climber, BASE jumper, and highliner had chosen to make the traverse without any safety gear, heightening both the risk and the intensity of the moment.
As he slipped from the line, Potter instinctively wrapped his legs around the rope, grasped it with his hands, and swung himself into a seated position. He then inched his way back to the starting point, steadying his breath and preparing for another attempt.
Potter explained in the film Valley Uprising that confronting fear head-on is central to his approach. “With everything that I’m doing I’m trying to become more free,” he said. “With the highlining I’m not blocking out the fear; I’m feeling the fear and absorbing everything that’s around me, trying to calm my heart, not hyperventilate, and keep it together.”
In this case, that control likely saved his life. After regrouping, Potter tried again and ultimately completed the airy walk to the spire, shouting in triumph.