In June of 1960, Tom Frost and Yvon Chouinard successfully established the first ascent of the West Face of Yosemite’s Sentinal—marking the third big wall climbed in America.

This impressive 2,000-foot wall, graded at VI 5.9 A5 hadn’t yet seen a free ascent when Kevin Jorgeson and Ben Rueck arrived at its base. This was due in part to a particularly challenging crux pitch, which Kevin discovered demanded an 8-foot dyno move. Once this key beta was unlocked, the pair felt confident in their ability to free the route (5.13).

The only question that remained:

Could they do it in a day?

Find out in this week’s Friday Flick Pick.


Explore More

Related articles you'll love

This Week’s Best Rock Climbing Gear Deals
Our 30+ most popular articles ever
What’s In Your Pack: An Interview with Ben Rueck and Delaney Miller
Video: Sasha DiGiulian & Kevin Jorgeson Climb Lost Arrow Spire in Yosemite
Story: Ben Rueck and Mayan Smith-Gobat Climbing the Tasmanian Totem Pole
Video: Ben Rueck & Mayan Smith-Gobat in China’s Quingfeng Valley
Video: California Dreamer—Tommy Caldwell & Kevin Jorgeson’s Ascent of Yosemite’s Dawn Wall
Climbing Destination Guide: Yosemite Valley, California
23 Best Gifts for Rock Climbers
Free rock climbing PDFs on technique, training, knots, and more