OT: Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson about to finish the first free ascent of Dawn Wall, Live Stream
You've probably heard about these two the last couple weeks. They are attempting to be the first team to free climb (climbing without using gear to ascend past sections) the Dawn Wall on El Cap in Yosemitie. For reference the hardest single pitch ever climbed is 5.15c. The Dawn Wall route has six pitches rated in the 5.14 range, with two rated 5.14d, just 3 steps below the hardest single pitch anyone has ever done.
You can watch the last push here and history in the making.
http://www.rockandice.com/lates-news/watch-the-final-push-of-the-dawn-w…
They just finished up pitch 30 and swung leads and Tommy Caldwell is starting up pitch 31. (EDIT: Actually they're starting up the final pitch!!). There are 32 pitches total.
January 14th, 2015 at 8:03 PM ^
it's so strange to see this story pop up on non-climbing websites. goes to show what an amazing accomplishment this is. so what's the line on when this gets repeated? at least a decade, right??
January 14th, 2015 at 8:20 PM ^
Harbaugh could do this in half the time. No sweat.
January 14th, 2015 at 8:28 PM ^
January 14th, 2015 at 8:38 PM ^
I doubt an established professional would devote the time to repeating this route because like you said, the amount of dedication it takes is absurd. And just look at the Nose, it's had 5 ascents in the ~25 years since it was established free. Crux pitches are like 13d and 14a on that right? Dawn Wall has 9 or 10 pitches that hard. That's just crazy to think about. You'd have to free the Nose just as part of your training regime...
January 14th, 2015 at 8:34 PM ^
Could Caldwell and Jorgeson receive the Piolet d'Or?
January 14th, 2015 at 8:41 PM ^
I kinda doubt it. Aren't the Piolet d'Ors more for alpinism/adventure climbing? There was nothing fast or light about this ascent, though more than enough badassery.
I think Caldwell probably stands a better chance of getting it for his Patagonia traverse with Honnold.
January 14th, 2015 at 9:16 PM ^
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcaHDvYKkMk
a flat wall is pretty insane...in this video Honnold is free climbing a wall with a concave curve to it....
January 15th, 2015 at 12:12 PM ^
that's 30 feet of 12d climbing, which is absurd without a rope, but there are at least 15 pitches harder than that on the dawn wall.
January 14th, 2015 at 9:17 PM ^
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January 14th, 2015 at 10:11 PM ^
January 15th, 2015 at 9:24 AM ^
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January 14th, 2015 at 9:18 PM ^
I mean, I guess it's impressive. But I climb my stairs several times a day successfully navigating around matchbox cars, legos and Thomas the tank engine. Nobody has televised me yet.
January 14th, 2015 at 9:23 PM ^
Put in some pro.
January 14th, 2015 at 9:25 PM ^
January 14th, 2015 at 10:14 PM ^
January 14th, 2015 at 11:55 PM ^
I wouldn't say what Honnold does is easy by any means. In what world is free soloing a 5.13b easy? Or doing a solo of El Sendero Luminoso? It's not the Dawn Wall for sure but come on. Unless you're Chris Sharma or Adam Ondra, it's ludicrous to be looking down at climbs like that.
January 15th, 2015 at 12:51 AM ^
January 15th, 2015 at 12:19 PM ^
funny you bring up sharma since he came out to yosemite last year and worked on the dawn wall with tommy and kevin, but never heard a thing about him sending any pitches those two hadn't already...
January 15th, 2015 at 12:17 PM ^
you're comparing apples and oranges dude. while i have a huge amount of respect for honnold, i hate that there's this notion that free-soloing is the ultimate form of climbing now, due mostly to him. you don't need to risk dying to make a notable climb.
January 14th, 2015 at 11:39 PM ^