50th Anniversary of First Ascent of El Capitan

by Jordan Yerman | November 13, 2008 at 09:13 am

3385 views | 41 Recommendations | 55 comments

El Capitan dominates the Yosemite Valley vista, taunting climbers from around the globe. However, for generations the stark, bare face was considered unclimbable... that is, until November 1958.

Harding, Merry and Whitmore stepped into history with the first ascent; since then, climbers have scaled every aspect of the cliff face, and have since linked the discreet routes into several variations.

Fifty years on, the valley's elder statesmen/women and climbing newbies alike are convening to celebrate a milestone in climbing history.

caling the colossal, 3,000-foot-tall granite cliff known as El Capitan was something most people regarded as beyond the capability of humans, but when Warren Harding had a mind to do something, he did it.

It took Harding, Wayne Merry and George Whitmore 47 days of climbing over 16 months to turn what had seemed like a fantasy into a reality.

While El Capitan has witnessed many astonishing climbs over the decades, none are more celebrated than the first ascent, a gargantuan effort finally completed in November 1958 by Warren Harding, Wayne Merry and George Whitmore.

The route that Harding, the party leader and one of Yosemite's legendary figures, had chosen and literally nailed his way up would become known as the Nose.

Fifty years later, the Nose remains the most popular route out of dozens on El Capitan. Each year hundreds of climbers, many of them from far-away countries, travel to Yosemite to tackle iconic features such as Stoveleg Crack, King Swing and the Great Roof.

Faced with a blank, overhanging wall above him, an exhausted Harding worked through the night, pounding 28 bolts into the rock before finally pulling himself onto the summit slabs shortly after dawn on Nov. 12, 1958.

El Cap was considered only in terms of aid climbing until Todd Skinner and Paul Piana conquered the Salathe Wall in a 9-day war of attrition in 1988: 30 years after the first aid ascent. Skinner died in 2006 in a rappelling mishap.

Climbing phenomenon Lynn Hill then completed the first free ascent of The Nose in 1993, and then returned in 1994 to set the new benchmark: in 23 hours she turned El Capitan into a day-climb. Only a handful of people have repeated the feat, including Beth Rodden, and Tommy Caldwell.

Speed demon Hans Florine holds the record time for an aid ascent of El Cap: under three hours.

From Lynn Hill's account of her groundbreaking climb:

The final realization of this ascent was not only the culmination of my eighteen years of climbing, but it was also symbolic of the kind of values that give meaning and richness to my climbing experiences. Throughout my life, one of the underlying qualities that has inspired me to pursue my vision of what is possible has to do with trusting in what I truly love and believe in. Cultivating such feelings of passion and conviction is what has enabled me to tap the source of my being and access the immense power of the human spirit.

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RockLizardTahoe

at 16:29 on November 13th, 2008

Coming up on El Cap is something I always look forward to when heading into the valley. You can't help but feel miniscule when confronted with that huge slab of rock. Someday I'll join the thousands that have made that ascent.

RockLizardTahoe has contributed a photo to this story.

Duncan Wilson From Glasgow

at 16:42 on November 13th, 2008

I was on holiday in San Fransisco in the summer of 2008 and only had one day visit to the national park but it was awesome. I would love to go back. El Capitan is the jewel in an amazing crown

Duncan Wilson From Glasgow has contributed a photo to this story.

reno_fog

at 17:31 on November 13th, 2008

To watch people climbing on the face of El Cap is breathtaking and nerve rattling. As you look up and notice two or three moving black dots, thinking "now what's that" you realize that it is not a what but a them. Incredible... great report

iancamarillo

at 17:39 on November 13th, 2008

Just another beautiful day in California!

iancamarillo has contributed a photo to this story.

mutechatterbox

at 17:52 on November 13th, 2008

When I took this picture I was standing on a cliff looking out at the view. This was conflicting because the view was so beautiful, I wanted to walk closer to it!

mutechatterbox has contributed a photo to this story.

Sublime ®

at 18:18 on November 13th, 2008

I spent a weekend at Yosemite and I was amazed at the beuty and majestic of El Capitan, We witnessed 3 intrepid climbers going up there, it was crazy!

Sublime ® has contributed a photo to this story.

wisecracktv

at 18:46 on November 13th, 2008

El Capitan
Captivating majesty, these mountains have, call me back year after year. I find freedom and peace near nature’s most wonderful creation.

wisecracktv has contributed a photo to this story.

BrianHawkins

at 18:59 on November 13th, 2008

El Capitan just before sunset. October 2008.

BrianHawkins has contributed a photo to this story.

NateEaton

at 19:08 on November 13th, 2008

Unfortunately, I took over 50 years to make it to Yosemite myself... seeing it for the first time in October 2008. The impression one gets driving out of the forest into the meadow below El Cap is hard to describe - it is breathtaking. It seemed too much to take in from so close so I passed on a shot from the meadow in favor of this shot from Inspiration Point.

Though you can't see it in this photo, there are numerous people scaling El Cap at the time - what is hard to fathom is that even from much closer, in the meadow below the monolith, it is so large you still have to have binoculars to make out the climbers.

Hurrah to Harding, Merry, Whitmore and all who have followed them to the summit.

NateEaton has contributed a photo to this story.

puliarf

at 19:52 on November 13th, 2008

The most amazing thing is looking through binoculars or the telephoto lens and seeing the climbers hanging on the side of the cliff. Nuts.

puliarf has contributed a photo to this story.

sindel3

at 21:20 on November 13th, 2008

great story awesome pictures

sindel3

at 21:22 on November 13th, 2008

A lot of information about the topic and great pictures too.

schermke

at 00:06 on November 14th, 2008

There is a climber in the wall

schermke has contributed a photo to this story.

Syrius Daimon

at 03:07 on November 14th, 2008

I was unaware of the 50th anniversary of the first climbing when I took my picture of El Capitan on August 2008, now I'm glad I can join and celebrate! :)

Syrius Daimon has contributed a photo to this story.

Su Lou

at 13:09 on November 14th, 2008

Great day for viewing climbers. Yuji Hirayama & Hans Florine achieve new speed record at 2hrs 37 min's (10/12/08)!

Su Lou has contributed a photo to this story.

stevelarose

at 20:39 on November 14th, 2008

This was a beautiful day in October, the park was calm, the weather was gorgeous and the view was stunning.

stevelarose has contributed a photo to this story.

thecollegekid

at 21:54 on November 14th, 2008

Whats the current record?

I bet Ben Jones could crush that record. "googleit"

-dc

Jennings David L

at 05:25 on November 15th, 2008

Quite an achievement by anyone who has climbed this cliff. Those who made the "firsts" are exceptional. Good story.

avi_ostfeld

at 15:35 on November 15th, 2008

avi_ostfeld has contributed a photo to this story.

max zambon

at 17:14 on November 16th, 2008

max zambon has contributed a photo to this story.

terri_lg

at 13:43 on November 17th, 2008

An awe-inspiring entrance to Yosemite....

terri_lg has contributed a photo to this story.

ThijsFr

at 23:46 on November 21st, 2008

Late September sunrise from sentinel bridge.
Please visit my flickr website to view more images.
Cheers!

ThijsFr has contributed a photo to this story.

ThijsFr

at 23:48 on November 21st, 2008

Late September sunrise from sentinel bridge.
Please visit my flickr website to view more images.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/85272967@N00/
Cheers!

ThijsFr has contributed a photo to this story.

thom.crowder

at 04:31 on December 5th, 2008

Yosemite Valley was dream destination on an already amazing year long Photography Expedition. Standing here at sunset, I would not want to be anywhere else.

thom.crowder has contributed a photo to this story.