History Main / ClimbingTheCliffsOfInsanity

* ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsTheCloneWars'': In [[Recap/StarWarsTheCloneWarsS3E18TheCitadel "The Citadel"]], a Republic strike team infiltrating the titular prison has to climb up a vertical cliff to a remote entrance freehand because electro-mines dotting the cliff make using grappling lines too dangerous.

->''"El Capitan, the great big granite monolith in Yosemite Valley that apparently attracts all kinds of nuts who want to die horrible, splattering deaths -- I mean, mountain climbers, it attracts lots of mountain climbers."''

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* In Season 1 of ''Podcast/WithinTheWires,'' this is {{Invoked}} in "Cassette #4: Sadness, Lungs," by its {{Narrator}}, who uses a visualization exercise as a pretext to prepare their listener, a patient at a research hospital, for a difficult phase once they've eventually EscapedFromTheLab.
-->'''Narrator''': Remember: the cave is high, and it is hidden, and it is difficult to get to. Falling water thunders past you and sprays you as you climb. The slope is slippery and your clothes are wet. It is difficult, but freedom always is.

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* The Cliffs of Madness in ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'' could almost be the [[TropeNamers Trope Namer]].

* ''VideoGame/{{Grandia}}'' has a man-made version in the form of an absurdly high ''wall'' that apparently spans the entire width of a continent, known as "The End of the World". Everybody else deems it an impassible barrier, but the game's hero instead just climbs over it (which takes several days).

* In ''Film/BeyondSherwoodForest'', Robin has to climb an almost sheer cliff in order the fruit that will allow Alina to regain her mortality.

->''El Capitan, the great big granite monolith in Yosemite Valley that apparently attracts all kinds of nuts who want to die horrible, splattering deaths--I mean, mountain climbers, it attracts lots of mountain climbers.''

[[folder: Anime & Manga ]]

* In ''Podcast/WithinTheWires,'' this is {{Invoked}} in Cassette #4 by its {{Narrator}}, who uses a visualization exercise as a pretext to prepare their listener, a patient at a research hospital for a difficult phase once she's eventually EscapedFromTheLab.

Whenever an obstacle arises in an action or adventure story, it is usually this. Often encountered on [[WalkIntoMordor the way into]] {{Mordor}}, it is also found in urban settings. CliffsOfInsanity can be natural or man-made; if the latter, they may involve LeParkour or a ClockTower.

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* You climb some high cliffs at two points in ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII''. When you're doing it the second time you're constantly losing body heat, so you have to stop on ledges to heat yourself up occasionally.
* The cliffs to Manhannan's house in ''VideoGame/KingsQuestIII''. This was one of the last times that Sierra made you navigate a maze with the arrow keys, where the slightest misstep led to instant death. And you had to do this every time you needed to enter or leave the house, which you had to do all the time.
* The Cliffs of Logic in ''VideoGame/KingsQuestVI'': half puzzle sequence, half CopyProtection! Naturally, if you get a certain puzzle wrong, you tumble to your death.
* The cliffs in ''VideoGame/PeasantsQuest''.
* The Cliffs of Madness in ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'' could almost be the [[TropeNamers Trope Namer]].
* The ladder sequence in ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid3SnakeEater''.
* This has to be done in order to get the Blue Feather in ''VideoGame/HarvestMoon: Magical Melody''.
* ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas: Honest Hearts'', in addition to being a RiverOfInsanity expedition, has a lot of cliff climbing.
* ''VideoGame/{{Grandia}}'' has a man-made version in the form of an absurdly high ''wall'' that apparently spans the entire width of a continent, known as "The End of the World". Everybody else deems it an impassible barrier, but the game's hero instead just climbs over it (which takes several days).

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->''El Capitan, the great big granite monolith in Yosemite Valley that apparently attracts all kinds of nuts who want to die horrible, splattering deaths�I mean, mountain climbers, it attracts lots of mountain climbers.''

[[folder: Live Action TV ]]

->''El Capitan, the great big granite monolith in Yosemite Valley that apparently attracts all kinds of nuts who want to die horrible, splattering deaths—I mean, mountain climbers, it attracts lots of mountain climbers.''

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* In ''Podcast/WithinTheWires,'' this is {{Invoked}} in Cassette #4 by its {{Narrator}}, who uses a visualization exercise as a pretext to prepare their listener, a patient at a research hospital for a difficult phase once she's eventually EscapedFromTheLab.
-->'''Narrator''': Remember: the cave is high, and it is hidden, and it is difficult to get to. Falling water thunders past you and sprays you as you climb. The slope is slippery and your clothes are wet. It is difficult, but freedom always is.

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* The climb from the Gates of the Moon to the Eyrie in ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' is steep, narrow and tremendously perilous. Any pretensions of bravery or saving face are swept aside by the treacherous side winds and the ever narrowing path. Because of these facts, the Eyrie is said to be impregnable from invasion by land.

* In ''ASongOfIceAndFire'', The Wall is an Ice Wall Of Insanity in the eyes of the wildlings. Nevertheless they climb it, using ropes, stakes and ice axes. Sometimes they fall too, as the Wall has a nasty habit of cracking off great sheets of ice in what may be a magical defense against those who attempt to breach it.

In ''Podcast/WithinTheWires,'' this is {{Invoked}} in Cassette #4 by its {{Narrator}}, who uses a visualization exercise as a pretext to prepare their listener, a patient at a research hospital for a difficult phase once she's eventually EscapedFromTheLab.

Whether or not he was known to be in the area, the villain will invariably CutTheRope before the hero can make it to the top. Fortunately, the hero will [[LiteralCliffhanger grab a ledge]] or [[SuperWindowJump something]] and reappear. He/she will [[TakeMyHand invariably need an assist]] for the last 5 feet of the climb. If the hero or villain is being pursued, he will invariably pick the tallest point in the landscape and ''[[Film/KingKong climb that]]'' (although that is [[ClimbingClimax a trope in itself]]). And at some point in the climb, expect to see a PlummetPerspective to emphasize the danger if the climber should fall.

* ''Film/StarTrekVTheFinalFrontier'': The film opens with Captain Kirk scaling El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.

See also ItsAllUpstairsFromHere.

* K2 is the world's second highest mountain and considered a more difficult climb than Everest due to the extremely steep and technical climb. Also it tends to have powerful storms that last several days. There is a reason it has the second highest fatality rate of any mountain.

Whether or not he was known to be in the area, the villain will invariably Cut The Rope before the hero can make it to the top. Fortunately, the hero will [[LiteralCliffhanger grab a ledge]] or [[SuperWindowJump something]] and reappear. He/she will [[TakeMyHand invariably need an assist]] for the last 5 feet of the climb. If the hero or villain is being pursued, he will invariably pick the tallest point in the landscape and ''[[Film/KingKong climb that]]'' (although that is [[ClimbingClimax a trope in itself]]). And at some point in the climb, expect to see a PlummetPerspective to emphasize the danger if the climber should fall.

* LedgeGravity

* In an episode of LegendOfTheSeeker "Eternity", Richard and Kahlan encounter cliffs of insanity that double as [[TheWallAroundTheWorld the wall around the]] [[strike:world]] [[TheWallAroundTheWorld magical valley]] and try to climb over them. Naturally, there's a LiteralCliffhanger moment.

** Before that, ''Film/MissionImpossibleII'' had Ethan climbing an Utah mountain barehanded to get his mission briefing.

-->We can't go over it\\
We can't go under it\\
We can't go around it\\
We'll have to go through it

* During the Invasion of Normandy during UsefulNotes/WorldWarII, US Army Rangers of the 2nd Ranger Battalion supporting the landings on Utah and Omaha Beach were ordered to scale Pointe du Hoc, a 100-foot promontory situated between the Utah and Omaha landing sites, and seize the battery positioned there. In truth the guns had been moved a mile inland (contrary to popular myth, the commanders of the assault were fully aware of this, though as shown in ''TheLongestDay'' the Rangers ''themselves'' weren't notified). The 2nd Rangers ultimately suffered nearly 50% casualties scaling the cliffs and seizing the bunkers there, denying their use by German artillery observers.