What We Know So Far
- Kevin Jorgeson and Tommy Caldwell are attempting to be the first free climbers to scale the Dawn Wall of El Capitan.
- The rock face rises more than 3,000 feet above the valley floor. A safety rope is meant to keep the climbers from falling to their deaths if they lose their grips.
- The route has 32 sections, called pitches. Caldwell has reportedly reached Pitch 18, but Jorgeson experienced difficulty surpassing Pitch 15, where razor sharp holds ripped into his fingers.
- The duo completed their climb Wednesday afternoon, but do not plan to address the media until Thursday, leaving time to celebrate the feat with friends and family.
Updates
Free climbers complete hardest route in the world, scaling Dawn Wall in Yosemite.
Kevin Jorgeson and Tommy Caldwell on Wednesday became the first free climbers to scale the treacherous Dawn Wall of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, completing what's considered to be the hardest rock climb in the world without the aid of ropes or harnesses.
Jorgeson, 36, and Caldwell, 30, started their ascent of the 3,000-foot granite rock face Dec. 27 with nothing but safety ropes to keep them from falling to their deaths.
SUMMIT! Yosemite climbers reach the top of El Capitan http://t.co/DLKksvffEN
Congrats @tommycaldwell1 & @kjorgeson for just completing the #dawnwall on #Yosemite's #ElCapitan. #GetHighonGranite
In the weeks that ensued, the men endured razor-sharp holds that ripped into their fingers as they worked to climb through 32 pitches, or sections, of the route.
Along the way, the duo's climb was documented on their social media accounts and by photographers. And a live stream cam tracked the men as they made their final push Wednesday.
A spokeswoman for the Jorgeson and Caldwell said the climbers planned to spend the rest of the day alone with friends and family celebrating their feat, and that a news conference was planned for Thursday.
Of course, the celebration came on swift at the summit.
Complete with a congratulatory tweet from the White House.
So proud of @TommyCaldwell1 and @KJorgeson for conquering El Capitan. You remind us that anything is possible. -bo
Free climbers inch their way to top of El Capitan's Dawn Wall.
A spokeswoman for free climbers Kevin Jorgeson and Tommy Caldwell said they were still pushing toward the top of Dawn Wall as of Wednesday afternoon after starting off "a bit slower than expected."
"We are still anticipating for them to finish this afternoon/evening, but it is very hard to say at this point," Jess Clayton said in an email.
Live stream footage of the climb showed Jorgeson and Caldwell in brightly colored shirts inching their way ever closer to the top of the route, considered to be the toughest climb in the world.
Should the duo finish Wednesday night, a news conference in Yosemite is scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday, she added.
Duo expected to finish epic rock climb in Yosemite National Park on Wednesday.
Kevin Jorgeson and Tommy Caldwell are expected to become the first free climbers to scale the Dawn Wall of El Capitan in Yosemite on Wednesday, completing a grueling half-mile journey up the perilous rock face without the aid of ropes or harnesses.
The route up the sheer granite formation is considered to be the hardest rock climb in the world.
Caldwell, 36, and Jorgeson, 30, started their ascent of the 3,000-foot peak on Dec. 27.
Representatives for the men said the duo was expected to complete the climb Wednesday afternoon, after which they would spend the rest of the day with friends and family celebrating their feat.
A news conference with Jorgeson and Caldwell is planned for Thursday if all goes according to plan.
One of two free climbers attempting to scale what's considered the hardest rock face in the world has encountered his toughest challenge yet.
For nearly two weeks now, Kevin Jorgeson of California and Tommy Caldwell of Colorado have been attempting to scale the Dawn Wall of El Capitan at Yosemite National Park.
There are 32 pitches, or sections, on the route. Caldwell reached Pitch 18 on Wednesday. But Jorgeson continues to fight Pitch 15 and its punishing, razor-sharp holds that literally rip skin off of fingers, the Associated Press reported.
Once Caldwell is able to reach a ledge, he plans to wait for his climbing partner.