El Capitan free climb attempt

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Steve Climber
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Re: El Capitan free climb attempt

Post by Steve Climber »

14erAddict wrote:I think what's most impressive is that Tommy does this all with missing part of a finger...
Hmmm...less tendon means more torque...

*scratches head and leaves to cut off all fingertips
Dave B wrote:And/or line thy helmet with tin foil and realize this is a freaking mountaineering website.
Steve Climber wrote:So that's your backpack, huh?
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MatB
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Re: El Capitan free climb attempt

Post by MatB »

I've been following this through Tommy's instagram account which has been updated daily with a picture of the climbing. Gives a great visual for how difficult this undertaking is.

His account is tommycaldwell.
"Man. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived,'"
- Dalai Lama, when asked about what surprises him the most about humanity
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meg383
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Re: El Capitan free climb attempt

Post by meg383 »

If you want a good laugh...(or to get really angry at stupid people...)

http://www.adventure-journal.com/2015/0 ... b-is-dumb/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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plantmandan
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Re: El Capitan free climb attempt

Post by plantmandan »

This attempt is now the subject of international news. It's funny how the Telegraph refers to a pitch as a "stage":

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... atest.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The scale of this project is just staggering. About half of the route (1500 ft.) is 5.13 or harder. In comparison, the Nose has only two pitches (about 200 ft.) that are 5.13 or harder and has only been free climbed by four people (Tommy being one of them, and he did it in 11 hours). That they have made it even this far is truly remarkable.
Last edited by plantmandan on Thu Jan 08, 2015 9:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
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I Man
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Re: El Capitan free climb attempt

Post by I Man »

meg383 wrote:If you want a good laugh...(or to get really angry at stupid people...)

http://www.adventure-journal.com/2015/0 ... b-is-dumb/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Clearly many people do not understand what "free" climbing is. I also especially appreciate those who judge their style, because I guarantee those judging can't even climb half that grade on the YDS, let alone on a big wall.

Sure, this isn't exactly the type of climbing I am personally interested in, but its still cool (and respectable) as s**t.
You can touch the void, just don't fall into it.

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sean bennett
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Re: El Capitan free climb attempt

Post by sean bennett »

I Man wrote:
meg383 wrote:If you want a good laugh...(or to get really angry at stupid people...)

http://www.adventure-journal.com/2015/0 ... b-is-dumb/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Clearly many people do not understand what "free" climbing is. I also especially appreciate those who judge their style, because I guarantee those judging can't even climb half that grade on the YDS, let alone on a big wall.

Sure, this isn't exactly the type of climbing I am personally interested in, but its still cool (and respectable) as s**t.
I would say that those judging have not left their sofa for many years except to go to the gas station to get Mountain Dew and Doritos to snack on whilst they play with the internet.
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crossfitter
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Re: El Capitan free climb attempt

Post by crossfitter »

I Man wrote:Clearly many people do not understand what "free" climbing is. I also especially appreciate those who judge their style, because I guarantee those judging can't even climb half that grade on the YDS, let alone on a big wall.

Sure, this isn't exactly the type of climbing I am personally interested in, but its still cool (and respectable) as s**t.
In defense of the layman, it's pretty understandable to assume "free climbing" and "free soloing" are interchangeable. A significant portion of the population still thinks grappling hooks are a staple in the climber's arsenal, so expecting them to appreciate the difference between aid and free is a little optimistic.

I would not be surprised to see Tommy and Kevin come back and repeat the dawn wall free, in better style, within a few years. An unsupported attempt would be the obvious next evolution in style, but that would probably require compromising by allowing the second to jug rather than requiring each climber to free every pitch.

Found a full topo of the entire route: http://www.yosemitebigwall.com/free-dawn-wall

Pitch count breakdown:

5.9: 1
5.11: 4
5.12: 8
5.13a: 2
5.13b: 1
5.13c: 7
5.13d: 2
5.14a: 3
5.14b: 1
5.14d: 2
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jomagam
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Re: El Capitan free climb attempt

Post by jomagam »

plantmandan wrote:the Nose has only two pitches (about 200 ft.) that are 5.13 or harder
To be fair, those are both 5.14 pitches. Lynn Hill rules !
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Skip Perkins
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Re: El Capitan free climb attempt

Post by Skip Perkins »

As long as you are clarifying climbing terms: I have been telling people that I have climbed 5.14 because I did link up two 5.7 pitches. Am I correct? I did teach elementary math, but it was in Wisconsin.
Perseverance - The courage to ignore the obvious wisdom of turning back.
Doug Shaw
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Re: El Capitan free climb attempt

Post by Doug Shaw »

Skip Perkins wrote:As long as you are clarifying climbing terms: I have been telling people that I have climbed 5.14 because I did link up two 5.7 pitches. Am I correct? I did teach elementary math, but it was in Wisconsin.
Apparently it was very elementary math. Anybody with even a modicum of knowledge can tell that two 5.7s would be a 10.14 pitch, 5 full grades harder than the hardest 5th class climbing. As such I don't believe that there is currently a definition for 10th class climbing, but in the interests of being proactive I would like to suggest that it should contain the following criteria:
- you must be naked
- you must be gearless
- you must be climbing upside down
- you must have had your arms amputated
- you must be suffocating or asphyxiating
- all 10th class climbs must be performed on a perfectly frictionless surface
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I Man
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Re: El Capitan free climb attempt

Post by I Man »

crossfitter wrote:
I would not be surprised to see Tommy and Kevin come back and repeat the dawn wall free, in better style, within a few years. An unsupported attempt would be the obvious next evolution in style, but that would probably require compromising by allowing the second to jug rather than requiring each climber to free every pitch.
I agree. This is the nartual progression of climbing.
First you do the route by any means, then you focus on style, then on it going free, and finally on speed.

In the big mountains we focus first on the summit by any means, then by a harder route and eventually in pure style without any artificial assistance.
You can touch the void, just don't fall into it.

I fly a starship across the universe divide....and when I reach the other side...I'll find a place to rest my spirit if I can. Perhaps I may become a Mountain Man again.
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its_not_a_tuba
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Re: El Capitan free climb attempt

Post by its_not_a_tuba »

Doug Shaw wrote:
Skip Perkins wrote:As long as you are clarifying climbing terms: I have been telling people that I have climbed 5.14 because I did link up two 5.7 pitches. Am I correct? I did teach elementary math, but it was in Wisconsin.
Apparently it was very elementary math. Anybody with even a modicum of knowledge can tell that two 5.7s would be a 10.14 pitch, 5 full grades harder than the hardest 5th class climbing. As such I don't believe that there is currently a definition for 10th class climbing, but in the interests of being proactive I would like to suggest that it should contain the following criteria:
- you must be naked
- you must be gearless
- you must be climbing upside down
- you must have had your arms amputated
- you must be suffocating or asphyxiating
- all 10th class climbs must be performed on a perfectly frictionless surface
Meh - this guy does that all the time.

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