| http://www.supertopo.com/inc/photo_zoom.php?dpid=Ojg7PjwgICE... [Warning: beta] That's a pretty good breakdown of the route. One of them completed pitch 15 yesterday and today were mapping out pitch 16 / continuing pitch 15. There's contention over whether 15 or 16 is more difficult :) Pitch 16 is the dyno pitch (video of him dyno-ing: http://vimeo.com/80908548) though it sounds like they might be doing a workaround to not have to do the dyno (they think its hard to do consistently.. for obvious reasons). http://instagram.com/p/xb6x5Oj5dz - a picture of how high and exposed they are on El Cap. And, more information just if you're still wanting to listen to a climbing nerd. Free climbing means that they climb without "aid" - e.g. nothing is pulling them up the wall but themselves. They still use ropes and other devices for protection. Pitch is a "section" like the article says, but you have to climb between these sections before you get any rest. Otherwise, you have to stayed glued to the wall on your own power. Once you get there, you set up camp and wait for the other person to climb up to you. Up you go the next pitch, etc. etc. Dyno is a move that requires a person to leave solid contact with the wall and move to another place. This is usually seen as a leap from one hand hold to the next hand hold. Traverse is a lateral, not upward movement. Yosemite is one of the world's premiere Big Wall locations. To do this in this place is iconic. Climbing can be very much like (a very physical) puzzle game. Especially for long climbs. You need the right gear, the right moves, the right body position, etc. in order to keep going. It's both mentally and physically taxing. |
I think Malcolm Matheson on Mirage comes close though: http://www.chockstone.org/Interviews/SCarter/hb3.jpg