On November 11-12, 2016, Pete Whittaker became the first person to rope solo and free climb every pitch of a route on El Capitan in a day, choosing Freerider (5.13a) and managing to finish the entire route in just 20 hours and six minutes.
By free climbing, rappelling, and then cleaning each pitch, Pete essentially covered the length of El Capitan three separate times, in just a single day. This week’s Friday Flick Pick follows Pete’s journey.
It does make a difference doing it with someone else; it makes it easier. When you’re feeling tired or you feel like, this is epic and I’m not going to finish, the other person is always there … but when you’re by yourself, you have to keep pushing yourself on.
If you liked this article, we think you’ll also enjoy:
- Of Ghosts and Gracks — On becoming a Yosemite Climber
- What’s In Your Pack: Peter Croft on Gear and Alpine Efficiency
- Video: The El Cap Bridge: A Special Place for Yosemite’s Big Wall Climbers
- Video: California Dreamer — Tommy Caldwell & Kevin Jorgeson’s Dawn Wall Ascent
Lastly, don’t forget to check out our most popular articles ever published, free rock climbing eBooks, and the internet’s best climbing gear sales.
