DOCSLIB.ORG

Duo at Yosemite About Halfway Through

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Duo at Yosemite About Halfway Through SATURDAY, JANUARY 10, 2015 Duo at Yosemite about halfway through world’s hardest climb wo men are attempting what has been Free climbing should not be confused with called the hardest rock climb in the solo climbing, where a person goes alone Tworld: a free climb of a half-mile section and does not use ropes, harnesses or any of exposed granite in California’s Yosemite other protective gear. A fall can mean seri- National Park. Kevin Jorgeson, 30, of Santa ous injury or death. Rosa, California, and Tommy Caldwell, 36, of Estes Park, Colorado, are using only their Q: who are the climbers? hands and feet as they make their way up the A: Caldwell is a professional climber who has steep and difficult exposed granite on one free climbed 11 routes on El Capitan. He’s side of El Capitan. The attempt - their third been climbing since he was 17. since 2010 - has caught the world’s attention. His life has been peppered with some They have been climbing to the towering peril. In August 2000, Caldwell and three summit for two weeks and could finish this other climbers went to the former Soviet weekend or next week. If they do, they will be republic of Kyrgyzstan to scale the tower- the first people in the world to complete the ing rock walls of its southern mountains. free climb. Seventeen days in, they were captured by Here’s a look at the latest: the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan. Caldwell shoved a guard over a cliff (he Q: Why is this free climb on El Capitan’s survived), and the climbers bolted and dawn wall so difficult? eventually got to a Kyrgyz army outpost. In A: No one has ever free climbed the Dawn 2001, Caldwell cut off his left index finger Wall on El Capitan, the largest monolith of with a table saw. granite in the world, which rises more than Six months later, he scaled El Capitan in 3,000 feet above the Yosemite Valley floor. 19 1/2 hours with only protective hard- For more than 27 days in 1970, Warren ware to stop any falls. Only once before Harding and Dean Caldwell-no relation to had anyone managed such a climb in less Tommy-climbed the Dawn Wall using har- than 24 hours. Jorgeson is also a profes- nesses and ropes, but they didn’t make it sional climber, speaker and instructor. On to the top. There are about 100 routes to his personal website he says he’s been the top of El Capitan. Of those routes, the climbing since he was born. hardest and steepest is the Dawn Wall, “At first, it was fences, cupboards, lad- which faces east toward the rising sun. The ders and trees.” “Climbing was always a climbers are using only harnesses and very natural thing for me to do, so when I ropes that catch them if they slip from the found rock climbing, it felt perfect. I can’t wall during a pitch from one area to the imagine a sport that fits my personality next. any better,” he writes on his website. Q: what is free climbing and how does it Q: What are the hazards of the climb? differ from other types of climbing? A: Climbers’ fingers take a beating. Jorgeson A: In free climbing, athletes use only their battled with one section so many times physical strength and their hands and feet that the razor sharp holds ripped both the to scale the glacier-polished granite. The tape and the skin off his fingers. Caldwell’s cracks that they grip are as thin as razor fingers are so beat up that he sets his blades, some the size of a dime, and the alarm to reapply a special product to his footholds are nothing more than an inden- skin. The two must grip cracks as thin as tation on the wall. They are harnessed to razor blades and maintain footholds on ropes, which are there to catch them if Photo provided by Tom Evans, Kevin Jorgeson ascends what is known as Pitch 8. mere indentations on glacier-polished they fall. granite. Photo provided File photo shows by Tom Evans, the climbing Kevin Jorgeson face of El climbs Pitch 15. Capitan in Yosemite National Park..
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Wall Free Climb in the World by Tommy Caldwell
    FREE PASSAGE Finding the path of least resistance means climbing the hardest big- wall free climb in the world By Tommy Caldwell Obsession is like an illness. At first you don't realize anything is happening. But then the pain grows in your gut, like something is shredding your insides. Suddenly, the only thing that matters is beating it. You’ll do whatever it takes; spend all of your time, money and energy trying to overcome. Over months, even years, the obsession eats away at you. Then one day you look in the mirror, see the sunken cheeks and protruding ribs, and realize the toll taken. My obsession is a 3,000-foot chunk of granite, El Capitan in Yosemite Valley. As a teenager, I was first lured to El Cap because I could drive my van right up to the base of North America’s grandest wall and start climbing. I grew up a clumsy kid with bad hand-eye coordination, yet here on El Cap I felt as though I had stumbled into a world where I thrived. Being up on those steep walls demanded the right amount of climbing skill, pain tolerance and sheer bull-headedness that came naturally to me. For the last decade El Cap has beaten the crap out of me, yet I return to scour its monstrous walls to find the tiniest holds that will just barely go free. So far I have dedicated a third of my life to free climbing these soaring cracks and razor-sharp crimpers. Getting to the top is no longer important.
    [Show full text]
  • Seattle the Potential for More Depth and Richness Than Any Other Culture I Can Think Of
    WWW.MOUNTAINEERS.ORG ANNUAL REPORT SPECIAL EDITION SPRING 2016 • VOLUME 110 • NO. 2 MountaineerEXPLORE • LEARN • CONSERVE The Doug Walker I Knew PAGE 12 Your Go-To Adventure Buddy PAGE 16 Leading the Way - Annual Report PAGES 19 - 40 Rescue on Dome Peak PAGE 41 2 mountaineer » spring 2016 tableofcontents Spring 2016 » Volume 110 » Number 2 Annual Report The Mountaineers enriches lives and communities by helping people explore, conserve, learn about and enjoy 19 Leading the Way the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest and beyond. The Mountaineers Annual Report 2015 Features 12 The Doug Walker I knew a special tribute by Glenn Nelson 16 Your Go-To Adventure Buddy an interview with Andre Gougisha 41 Rescue on Dome Peak Everett Mountaineers save the day 16 Columns 6 PEAK FITNESS reducing knee pain 7 MEMBER HIGHLIGHT Tom Vogl 8 OUTDOOR EDUCATION from camper to pioneer 10 SAFETY FIRST VHF radios and sea kayaking 14 CONSERVATION CURRENTS our four conservation priorities 46 RETRO REWIND Wolf Bauer - a wonderful life 50 BRANCHING OUT your guide to the seven branches 52 GO GUIDE activities and courses listing 60 OFF BELAY 41 celebrating lives of cherished members 63 LAST WORD explore by Steve Scher Mountaineer magazine would like to thank The Mountaineers Foundation for its financial assistance. The Foundation operates as Discover The Mountaineers a separate organization from The Mountaineers, which has received about one-third of the Foundation’s gifts to various nonprofit If you're thinking of joining — or have joined and aren’t sure where organizations. to start — why not set a date to Meet The Mountaineers? Check the Branching Out section of the magazine for times and locations of Mountaineer uses: informational meetings at each of our seven branches.
    [Show full text]
  • The Dawn Wall
    AAC Publications The Dawn Wall The Long Struggle For The World's Hardest Big-Wall Free Climb Standing at the base of the Dawn Wall on December 27, 2014, I attempt to break the nervous tension. “It’s the low-pressure push,” I say with a grin. I know it’s bullshit. Once we start, we’re going to the top. “One pitch at a time,” Tommy responds. I nod and start climbing. Six years earlier, I was sitting on top of a 55-foot boulder at the Buttermilks in Bishop, California. Just a few moments before, I’d been 45 feet off the deck, ropeless, on my most ambitious highball first ascent to date. For the past two years, I’d constantly put myself in positions like this. I was obsessed with pushing the standards of highball bouldering, rolling the dice with each sketchy first ascent. Ambrosia pushed the bar even higher, not just blurring the lines between highball and solo but crossing it. To continue meant becoming a free soloist, and I was unwilling. Not only did I need a new project, I needed a new discipline of the sport. The climbing film Progression, released in late summer of 2009, featured both Ambrosia and Tommy Caldwell’s new big-wall free climbing project. When I saw the closing scene of Tommy’s segment, I heard an invitation: “I look at this next generation of climbers doing things on the boulders and sport climbs that I can’t conceive of. If they could apply that kind of talent to the big walls, that’s what it would take to free climb this project.
    [Show full text]
  • {PDF} the Push a Climbers Journey of Endurance, Risk, and Going Beyond Limits 1St Edition Pdf Free Download
    THE PUSH A CLIMBERS JOURNEY OF ENDURANCE, RISK, AND GOING BEYOND LIMITS 1ST EDITION PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Tommy Caldwell | 9780399562709 | | | | | The Push A Climbers Journey of Endurance, Risk, and Going Beyond Limits 1st edition PDF Book Caldwell emerged from these hardships with a renewed sense of purpose and determination. Jul 13, Wendy Gilbert rated it it was amazing. As his heart beats next to mine, my own doubles in size. Read more Read less. Alex Honnold. Children's Books. A New York Times Bestseller A dramatic, inspiring memoir by legendary rock climber Tommy Caldwell, the first person to free climb the Dawn Wall of Yosemite's El Capitan "The rarest of adventure reads: it thrills with colorful details of courage and perseverance but it enriches readers with an absolutely captivating glimpse into how a simple yet unwavering resolve can turn a A New York Times Bestseller A dramatic, inspiring memoir by legendary rock climber Tommy Caldwell, the first person to free climb the Dawn Wall of Yosemite's El Capitan "The rarest of adventure reads: it thrills with colorful details of courage and perseverance but it enriches readers with an absolutely captivating glimpse into how a simple yet unwavering resolve can turn adversity into reward. Caldwell is a fascinating guy. This engrossing memoir chronicles the journey of a boy with a fanatical mountain- guide father who was determined to instill toughness in his son to a teen whose obsessive nature drove him to the top of the sport-climbing circuit. I finished the book in less than two days, excited, cried, inspired, cried again, and now, i am more determined to train! Fiction Books.
    [Show full text]
  • ALP 48 Caldwell.Pdf
    THE ECHO OF THE WIND 84 THE ECHO OF THE WIND TOMMY CALDWELL PHOTOS BY AUSTIN SIADAK “I DON’T KNOW ABOUT THIS,” I SAY. HUGE BLOBS OF RIME CLING TO THE WALL ABOVE. A WATERFALL RUNS OUT FROM A HOLE IN THE MOUNTAIN THAT RESEMBLES THE MOUTH OF A DRAGON. ICICLES GLISTEN LIKE GIANT TEETH. THE AIR IS STILL, BUT IN MY MIND, THE MEMORY OF THE WIND ROARS LIKE A DIN OF INHUMAN VOICES AND A RATTLE OF ICE AND STONES. 85 I look down at Alex Honnold for reassurance. get there,” Topher said, “we’re going to have to go His back has stiffened; his eyebrows are slightly straight into the mountains and start climbing.” furrowed. “Dude, you got this,” he says. “You’re a He was already dressed in his ratty synthetic pants total boss.” What have I gotten us into? I wonder. and a polypro shirt. I forced my eyelids shut. I Just three days ago, we were walking down the woke up when the rattling stopped. newly paved streets of El Chaltén, our footsteps From a distance, the peaks were hard to com- quick with anticipation. Alex had never been to prehend. Tumbling glaciers and jagged shapes Patagonia before. made a strange contrast to the desert plains that To the west, the evening sky washes in pale surrounded them. We dragged our duffel bags past purple. Far below, the shadow of the Fitz Roy a few scattered buildings. As plumes of dust blew massif stretches across the eastern plains: steep, in, we pulled our collars over our noses.
    [Show full text]
  • Rock Climbing Fundamentals Has Been Crafted Exclusively For
    Disclaimer Rock climbing is an inherently dangerous activity; severe injury or death can occur. The content in this eBook is not a substitute to learning from a professional. Moja Outdoors, Inc. and Pacific Edge Climbing Gym may not be held responsible for any injury or death that might occur upon reading this material. Copyright © 2016 Moja Outdoors, Inc. You are free to share this PDF. Unless credited otherwise, photographs are property of Michael Lim. Other images are from online sources that allow for commercial use with attribution provided. 2 About Words: Sander DiAngelis Images: Michael Lim, @murkytimes This copy of Rock Climbing Fundamentals has been crafted exclusively for: Pacific Edge Climbing Gym Santa Cruz, California 3 Table of Contents 1. A Brief History of Climbing 2. Styles of Climbing 3. An Overview of Climbing Gear 4. Introduction to Common Climbing Holds 5. Basic Technique for New Climbers 6. Belaying Fundamentals 7. Climbing Grades, Explained 8. General Tips and Advice for New Climbers 9. Your Responsibility as a Climber 10.A Simplified Climbing Glossary 11.Useful Bonus Materials More topics at mojagear.com/content 4 Michael Lim 5 A Brief History of Climbing Prior to the evolution of modern rock climbing, the most daring ambitions revolved around peak-bagging in alpine terrain. The concept of climbing a rock face, not necessarily reaching the top of the mountain, was a foreign concept that seemed trivial by comparison. However, by the late 1800s, rock climbing began to evolve into its very own sport. There are 3 areas credited as the birthplace of rock climbing: 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Reel Rock Press Release
    It’s been a big year in climbing – from Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson’s epic saga on the Dawn Wall to the tragic loss of Dean Potter, one of the sport’s all-time greats. In our 10th year, the REEL ROCK Film Tour will celebrate them all with an incredible lineup of films that go beyond the headlines to stories that are both intimate and awe-inspiring. REEL ROCK 10 FILM LINEUP A LINE ACROSS the SKY 35 mins The Fitz Roy traverse is one of the most sought after achievements in modern alpinism: a gnarly journey across seven jagged summits and 13,000 vertical feet of climbing. Who knew it could be so much fun? Join Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold on the inspiring – and at times hilarious – quest that earned the Piolet d’Or, mountaineering’s highest prize. HIGH and MIGHTY 20 mins High ball bouldering – where a fall could lead to serious injury – is not for the faint of heart. Add to the equation a level of difficulty at climbing’s cutting edge, and things can get downright out of control. Follow Daniel Woods’ epic battle to conquer fear and climb the high ball test piece The Process. SHOWDOWN at HORSESHOE HELL 20 mins 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell is the wildest event in the climbing world; a mash-up of ultramarathon and Burning Man where elite climbers and gumbies alike go for broke in a sun-up to sun-down orgy of lactic acid and beer. But all fun aside, the competition is real: Can the team of Nik Berry and Mason Earle stand up Clockwise from top left: Alex Honnold at 24 Hours of Horseshoe Hell; adventure sport icon Dean Potter; against the all-powerful Alex Honnold? Kevin Jorgeson on the Dawn Wall in Yosemite; Tommy Caldwell on the Dawn Wall in Yosemite DEAN POTTER TRIBUTE DAWN WALL: FIRST LOOK 6 mins 15 mins Dean Potter was the most iconic vertical adventurer of a Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson’s epic final push to free climb generation.
    [Show full text]
  • The American Alpine Club Guidebook to Membership Alpinist Magazine
    THE AMERICAN ALPINE CLUB GUIDEBOOK TO MEMBERSHIP ALPINIST MAGAZINE ith each print edition of Alpinist, we aim to create a work of art, paying attention to every detail— from our extended photo captions to our carefully Wselected images and well-crafted stories. Inside our pages, we strive to offer our readers an experience like that of exploratory climbing, a realm of words and images where they can wander, discover surprising new viewpoints, and encounter moments of excitement, humor, awe and beauty. By publishing the work of climbers from a wide range of ages, technical abilities, nations and cultures—united by their passion for adventure and wild places—we hope to reflect and enhance the sense of community within the climbing life. Over time, back issues have become collectors’ items, serving as historical references and ongoing inspirations. Like our readers, we believe that great writing and art about climbing demand the same boldness, commitment and vision as the pursuit itself. JOIN US. Exclusive AAC Member Pricing 1 Year - $29.95 | 2 Years - $54.95 Alpinist.com/AAC ALPINIST IS A PROUD PARTNER OF THE AMERICAN ALPINE CLUB Stay Connected! @AlpinistMag @Alpinist @AlpinistMag ALP_2019_AAC Ad FIN.indd 1 6/26/19 4:14 PM WELCOME, ALL 5 You Belong Here ARTIST SPOTLIGHT 8 Brooklyn Bell on Art for the In-betweens MEMBERSHIP THROUGH THE LENS 10 Inspiration, Delivered Directly NAVAJO RISING 23 An Indigenous Emergence Story WHEN WOMEN LEAD 27 Single Pitch Instructors for the 21st Century GLACIAL VIEWS 29 A Climate Scientist Reflects & Other Research Stories CLIMBERS FOR CLIMATE 32 Taking a Stand on Climate Change, Together 1CLIMB, INFINITE POTENTIAL 34 Kevin Jorgeson Breaks Down Walls by Building Them ON PUSHING 37 24 Hours Into the Black, the AAC Grief Fund AN ODE TO MOBILITY 40 The Range of Motion Project Tackles Cotopaxi YOSEMITE'S CAMP 4 43 The Center of the Climbing Universe REWIND THE CLIMB 47 The Tragedy of the 1932 American K2 Expedition BETA 48 Everything a Club Member Needs to Know PARTING SHOT 72 Jeremiah Watt on Travel & Life a Greg Kerzhner climbing Mr.
    [Show full text]
  • Genre Bending Narrative, VALHALLA Tells the Tale of One Man’S Search for Satisfaction, Understanding, and Love in Some of the Deepest Snows on Earth
    62 Years The last time Ken Brower traveled down the Yampa River in Northwest Colorado was with his father, David Brower, in 1952. This was the year his father became the first executive director of the Sierra Club and joined the fight against a pair of proposed dams on the Green River in Northwest Colorado. The dams would have flooded the canyons of the Green and its tributary, Yampa, inundating the heart of Dinosaur National Monument. With a conservation campaign that included a book, magazine articles, a film, a traveling slideshow, grassroots organizing, river trips and lobbying, David Brower and the Sierra Club ultimately won the fight ushering in a period many consider the dawn of modern environmentalism. 62 years later, Ken revisited the Yampa & Green Rivers to reflect on his father's work, their 1952 river trip, and how we will confront the looming water crisis in the American West. 9 Minutes. Filmmaker: Logan Bockrath 2010 Brower Youth Awards Six beautiful films highlight the activism of The Earth Island Institute’s 2011 Brower Youth Award winners, today’s most visionary and strategic young environmentalists. Meet Girl Scouts Rhiannon Tomtishen and Madison Vorva, 15 and 16, who are winning their fight to green Girl Scout cookies; Victor Davila, 17, who is teaching environmental education through skateboarding; Alex Epstein and Tania Pulido, 20 and 21, who bring urban communities together through gardening; Junior Walk, 21 who is challenging the coal industry in his own community, and Kyle Thiermann, 21, whose surf videos have created millions of dollars in environmentally responsible investments.
    [Show full text]
  • Free Solo (2018) 4,652 This PG-13 | 1H 40Min | Documentary | 21 March 2019 (Germany)
    IMDb Find Movies, TV shows, Celebrities and more... All | Help | Movies, TV Celebs, Events News & & Showtimes & Photos Community Watchlist Sign in FULL CAST AND CREW | TRIVIA | USER REVIEWS | IMDbPro | MORE SHARE Watch Our Favorite Trailers of the Week 8.6/10 Rate Free Solo (2018) 4,652 This PG-13 | 1h 40min | Documentary | 21 March 2019 (Germany) Watch all of our favorite trailers of the week in under a minute, including "The Umbrella Academy," "The Boys," and more. 0:31 | Trailer 4 VIDEOS | 23 IMAGES Watch our trailer of trailers » Coming Soon Release Date: March 21 Related News Follow Alex Honnold as he becomes the first person to ever free solo climb Yosemite's 3,000ft high El Capitan Wall. With no ropes or safety gear, he completed arguably the greatest feat in Nat Geo Acquires Leonardo DiCaprio- Produced Documentary ‘Sea of Shadows’ rock climbing history. 31 minutes ago | The Wrap Directors: Jimmy Chin, Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi 'How To Train Your Dragon 3' soars to UK Stars: Tommy Caldwell, Jimmy Chin, Alex Honnold | See full cast & crew » box office summit 5 hours ago | ScreenDaily Add to Watchlist Box Office: ‘Free Solo’ Becomes Second- Biggest Documentary of 2018 Metascore Reviews Popularity 83 22 hours ago | Variety From metacritic.com 68 user | 61 critic 224 ( 9) Oscar Interviews: 'Roma,' 'The Favourite,' and More See all related articles » Around The Web Powered by ZergNet Actors Who Were Great Movies That Replaced and No One Were Ruined By One Noticed Scene Watch our interviews with the casts of Oscar nominees Roma, The Favourite, Bohemian Rhapsody, and more.
    [Show full text]
  • Advanced Rock Climbing
    SPORTS / CLIMBING / HOW-TO $24.95 U.S. “This book needed to be written, and there is no better person MOUNTAINEERS O UTDOOR to write it than Topher Donahue.” MOUNTAINEERS —Tommy Caldwell series OUTDOOR EXPERT series E TAKE IT TO A NEW LEVEL XPERT Climber and former guide Topher Donahue not only knows a thing or two about serious climbing; he also knows how to achieve an even higher level. In Advanced Rock Climbing, Donahue draws ROCK CLIMBING ADVANCED efficiency tips from alpine and big wall climbers and training tips from gym climbers, while getting some of the biggest names in climbing to share the secrets of their success. Whether it’s how to save time on multipitch climbs by paring down the gear you carry and leading in blocks, the advantages of an active belayer, or why it matters whether you approach a new route with an onsight or redpoint mentality, Donahue has you covered. “Advanced rock climbing is an independent, self-ruling, intuitive, flexible, creative, anything-goes-as- backcover tagline, long-as-it’s-done-safely kind of climbing.” baseline of text is .25” —Topher Donahue front cover, logo lines up ush left at .25” from spine, from bottom of book Where other climbing guidebooks focus on how to tie particular knots and make specific moves,backcover tagline, Donahue digs deeper to get to the why behindbaseline such basics. of text You’ll is progress.25’’ from beyond applying textbook baseline of text is .25” front cover, logo lines up lessons to, instead, choosing for yourself the best optionsbottom for ofyour book particular situation.
    [Show full text]
  • 5 Star Routes
    1 | CALIFORNIA CLIMBER | | SPRING 2014 | 2 Climbingthat Solutions fit all your needs. ClimbTech’s Cable Draws ClimbTech’s permanent draws – Permadraws – are designed to be long-life rock climbing quickdraws that don’t wear or deteriorate like traditional nylon draws. Sustainable solutions and ClimbTech’s Legacy Bolt The new Legacy Bolt’s sleeve anchor now makes it possible to be installed and removed, allowing the same bolt hole to be used for rebolting. No need for a hammer, tighten down and you’re done! See new Legacy Bolt product videos at: Innovations climbtech.com/videos in climbing hardware. AWARD WINNER ClimbTech’s Wave Bolt The Wave Bolt is a glue-in rock climbing anchor, offering tremendous strength and increased resistance to corrosion. It combines the strength of glue-ins with the convenience of pitons. When installed in overhung terrain, the wavebolt will not slide out of the hole – like other glue-in bolts do – prior to the glue hardening. Power-Bolt™ Sleeve Anchor The Power-BoltTM is a heavy duty sleeve style anchor. Expansion is created by tightening a threaded bolt which draws a tapered cone expanding a sleve against the walls of the hole. These are the standard in new routing, available at climbtechgear.com ClimbTech’s Hangers A climbing hanger that combines the long life of stainless steel and strength in compliance with CE and UIAA standards. ClimbTech hangers are smooth to mitigate wear and tear on your carabiners. More at climbtechgear.com Follow us on Facebook Check us out on Vimeo /climbtech /climbtech 3 | CALIFORNIA CLIMBER | | SPRING 2014 | 4 photos: Merrick Ales & Felimon Hernandez California Climber CALIFORNIACLIMBERMAGAZINE.COM NO.
    [Show full text]