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Modern day climbing started when mountaineers were competing to become the first to climb the world’s top summits. With the lack of technological advancements we have today it was a huge accomplishment for them to survive let alone reach the summit. With such conditions early pioneer climbers chose the less difficult routes to the summit.
As popularity grew and the sport matured, climbers looked for more complicated routes to scale to the top. This required time to practice and train, therefore the need to develop techniques and seeking locations to climb close to home. The cliffs, crags, buttresses, and gullies became their playground. They realized that this was not only fun or a method of practice but a sport in its own. Rock Climbing and Ice Climbing were formed. Years later they went indoor with their training during the winter months which also became popular and separate sport.
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History of El Capitan
One of the most breathtaking features in all of Yosemite National Park, and second only to Half Dome among Yosemite's most recognized features. It has a short climbing history. In 1958 Warren Harding led an impressive climb that lasted weeks, and became the first to aid-climb the 3,000 feet of vertical rock. Harding's monumental route up the prow became known as The Nose and started a new revolution in climbing. In 1961 Royal Robbins, Chuck Pratt and Tom Frost focused on another part of the wall called the Salathe Wall which was named by Yvon Chouinard in honor of John Salathe, one of Yosemite's early pioneers. The Salathe Wall climb established the Golden Age of Yosemite climbing and set the fundamental framework for a generation of climbers that persists today. |
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Over 70 big wall routes have been established on El Capitan's Southwest and Southeast faces. Most of these are variations connecting two or more of the earlier established routes. There are dozens of climbers making their way up one of the established routes at any given time from spring to fall. Ascents have been made in as little as 2 hours and as long as 200 days, but the average party takes 4-6 days to make their way up, hauling 100 lbs of gear, food, and water for each member. Tourists, friends, and loved ones park along Northside Drive and picnic in El Capitan Meadow while watching the climbers from below.
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