John MiddendorfJohn William Middendorf IV (November 18, 1959 – June 21, 2024) was an American big wall climber, mountaineering writer and designer of climbing equipment. In the 1980s, he climbed the hardest walls of Yosemite, including El Capitan and Half Dome, and in 1992 he climbed the largest rock wall in the world, Great Trango Tower. Also in the late 1980s and early 1990s, he pioneered numerous difficult big wall routes in Zion National Park.Warren Harding (climber)Warren Harding (June 18, 1924 – February 27, 2002) was an American rock climber. He was the leader of the first team to climb El Capitan, Yosemite Valley, in 1958. Harding made many first ascents in Yosemite, some 28 in all, including The Wall of Early Morning Light (later The Dawn Wall). He was nicknamed "Batso", a reference to his penchant for spending days living on vertical cliffs and his exuberant and iconoclastic nature.
Big wall climbingBig wall climbers on the route Zodiac (5.7 A2+ VI (aid), 5.13d VI (free), 16-pitches) on El Capitan, in YosemiteBig wall climbing is a form of rock climbing that takes place on both very long and very sheer multi-pitchclimbing routes – of at least 10 pitches or 300–500 metres (980–1,640 ft) in length – that require a full day, if not several days, to ascend.
Anchor (climbing)In rock climbing, an anchor can be any device or method for attaching a climber, rope, or load to a climbing surface—typically rock, ice, steep dirt, or a building—either permanently or temporarily. The intention of an anchor is case-specific but is usually for fall protection, primarily fall arrest and fall restraint. Climbing anchors are also used for hoisting, holding static loads, or redirecting (also called deviating) a rope.
El CapitanEl Capitan (Spanish: El Capitán; lit.'the Captain') is a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. The granitemonolith is about 3,000 feet (914 m) from base to summit along its tallest face and is a world-famous location for big wall climbing, including the disciplines of aid climbing, free climbing, and more recently for free solo climbing.
Rock climbingRock climbing is a climbing sports discipline that involves ascending routes consisting of natural rock in an outdoor environment, or on artificial climbing walls in a mostly indoor environment. Routes are documented in guidebooks, and on online databases, detailing how to climb the route (called the beta), and who made the first ascent (or FA) and the coveted first free ascent (or FFA).
Climbing routeA climbing route (German: Kletterrouten) is a path by which a climber reaches the top of a mountain, a rock-face, or an ice-covered obstacle. Climbing routes are recorded in a climbing guidebooks and/or in online climbing-route databases.
Yosemite ValleyYosemite Valley ( ; Yosemite, Miwok for "killer") is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of Central California, United States. The valley is about 7.5 mi (12.1 km) long and 3,000–3,500 ft (910–1,070 m) deep, surrounded by high granite summits such as Half Dome and El Capitan, and densely forested with pines.
Billy WestbayBilly Westbay was an American rock climber, known for his ascents of El Capitan in California. Westbay worked as a climbing ranger in Rocky Mountain National Park, and was known for his skills in mountain rescue. He was a skilled and adventurous climber, and was part of the climbing scene that had gathered around Lumpy Ridge. Westbay was a member of the Stonemasters, an influential group of climbers in California who gathered in locations such as the Yosemite Mountains.
TentA tent is a shelter consisting of sheets of fabric or other material draped over or attached to a frame of poles or a supporting rope. While smaller tents may be free-standing or attached to the ground, large tents are usually anchored using guy ropes tied to stakes or tent pegs. First used as portable homes by nomads, tents are now more often used for recreational camping and as temporary shelters.
CarabinerShackle with a spring-loaded gate Clockwise from top left: D-shaped wire gateD-shaped straight gateoval straight gatepear-shaped auto lockerD-shaped screw locker.Center is a standard carabiner rating.
Yosemite National ParkYosemite National Park ( yoh-SEM-ih-tee) is a national park of the United States in California. It is bordered on the southeast by the Sierra National Forest and on the northwest by Stanislaus National Forest. The park is managed by the National Park Service and covers 1,187 mi2 (3,070 km2) in four counties – centered in Tuolumne and Mariposa, extending north and east to Mono and south to Madera.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.