What is the hardest route on El Capitan?

Category: sports climbing
4.1/5 (54 Views . 22 Votes)
El Capitan: The World's Hardest Climb
  • Honnold navigates the Freerider route © National Geographic/Jimmy Chin.
  • Honnold makes the first free solo ascent of El Capitan's Freerider © National Geographic/Jimmy Chin.
  • Honnold climbs through the Enduro Corner on El Capitan © National Geographic/Jimmy Chin.



Also asked, what is the hardest route up El Capitan?

ondra)—the climber in the red coat—reached the summit of El Capitan, officially completing the second free ascent of the Dawn Wall. At 3,000 feet long, and with a Yosemite Decimal System difficulty rating of 5.14d, the Dawn Wall is considered to be the longest hardest free climb in the world.

Secondly, how many climbers have died on El Capitan? 25 people

Similarly, is El Capitan the hardest climb in the world?

So far the hardest climb in the world is 5.15d. That route, Silence, is only 45 meters (just under 150 feet) long, but the most technically difficult route in the world. Usually, free climbing attempts on El Capitan tend to follow old climbing routes.

What is the hardest route ever climbed?

Silence (climb) Silence (formerly known as Project Hard) is a notoriously difficult climbing route located in the Hanshelleren Cave in Flatanger, Norway. As of January 2020, it is considered to be the hardest route ever climbed, and the only route in the world to have a proposed rating of 9c (5.15d).

33 Related Question Answers Found

How do I get rid of El Capitan?

There actually are simple We walk to the top of the East ledges, an easy climbing route on the far east side of el Cap, and rappel down. We either rappel on the fixed ropes usually in place, or, if there are no fixed ropes, we rappel down using our own ropes.

How long does it normally take to climb El Capitan?

The first time a group of humans managed to scale El Capitan, a granite monolith rising 3,000 feet sheer from California's Yosemite Valley, it took at least 45 days of climbing over the course of about 18 months.

Has anyone died Free Climbing El Capitan?

Andrew Barnes died (12 June 2015; age 46) falling 50 ft (15 m) free solo climbing in New York's Shawangunk Mountains.

How much does it cost to climb El Capitan?

Guided Climbs Rates
Climb Duration (hours) Price (1 person)
Extreme Day 10+ $400
Grade V 3 days $1,830
Half Dome 5 days $4,784
El Capitan 6 days $6,032

Who is the best rock climber of all time?

Here's a list of the ten best rock climbers on this planet…
  • Chris Sharma. Chris Omprakash Sharma spent his childhood in Santa Cruz, California and has been rock climbing since he was 12 years old.
  • Steph Davis.
  • Catherine Destivelle.
  • Dean Potter.
  • Alex Honnold.
  • Lynn Hill.
  • Tommy Caldwell.
  • Beth Rodden.

How much is Alex Honnold worth?

Honnold is almost certainly the highest-earning rock climber on the planet, and puts his net worth at around $2 million. He's previously joked he makes about as much as a "moderately successful orthodontist."

Can you hike up El Capitan?

Hike the El Capitan Trail. The El Capitan Trail is a 15 mile hike in Yosemite National Park that drops you off at the top of El Capitan, offering stunning views of Taft Point, Dewey Point, Half Dome, Clouds Rest, and North Dome. Say hello to rock climbers at the top as they finish their El Cap route.

How do climbers poop on El Capitan?

Climbers are required by law to carry a “poop tube”, a section of plastic drain pipe with a removable end. The recommended technique is to poop into a grocery bag, seal it in a Ziploc bag and stuff it into the tube, which is then resealed.

Has anyone else free soloed El Capitan?


Honnold is the only person to free solo El Capitan in Yosemite National Park and holds the fastest ascent of the Yosemite triple crown, an 18-hour, 50-minute link-up of Mount Watkins, The Nose, and the Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome.

What climbing grade is El Capitan?

The Nose (El Capitan)
The Nose
Vertical Gain 2,900 feet (880 m)
Pitches 31
Rating 5.13+ or 5.8 C2
Grade VI

Who has climbed 9b+?

With this ascent Schubert has now become only the fifth climber in the world able to climb 9b+, after Adam Ondra, Chris Sharma, Alexander Megos and Stefano Ghisolfi.

Who is the best mountain climber in the world?

Reinhold Messner is acclaimed as one of the greatest mountaineers of all time. He was the first person to climb all 14 8,000-meter peaks—the tallest mountains in the world—and one of the first to climb Mount Everest without any supplemental oxygen.

Who is the greatest rock climber of all time?


Chris Sharma was once thought as the world's best rock climber due to his extraordinary first ascents and general climbing ability. Raised in Santa Cruz, California, Sharma started climbing when he was just 12 years old.

Did Alex Honnold marry Sanni?

Rock climber Alex Honnold, known for his free solo ascents—aka climbing without ropes, harnesses or any other equipment—had a pretty memorable 2019. Honnold proposed to his girlfriend Sanni McCandless on Christmas, announcing the news on Instagram the very same day. "@sannimccandless agreed to marry me.

How does Alex Honnold make his money?

For the past three years, he's kicked in about $50,000 a year [to the Honnold Foundation], about a third of an annual income that is enviable by pro-climbing standards. Before Alex's sponsorships, his beginning years as a dirtbag climber were sustained on $300 a month.