Free ascent climbing Connor Herson joined The Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome was the first Grade VI big wall climbing route in the United States. Oct 14, 2025 · The Freerider route El Capitan stands as a monumental challenge and a coveted prize in the world of rock climbing. Ascent Studio Climbing & FitnessYou MUST have an active, paid-in-full or recurring monthly membership at your home facility. The scope of free climbing extends beyond being a mere recreational activity; it encompasses a philosophy towards nature, personal challenge, and physical fitness. Oct 15, 2021 · Free solo climbing (or free soloing) involves ascending and descending a rock wall with no ropes, quickdraws (a type of gear), or manmade anchors. Subscribe: http Oct 15, 2021 · The opposite of free climbing is aid climbing, where climbers may use top roping, a belayer (a climber who controls a safety rope), and manmade anchors in the rock to assist their ascent and descent. In 2016, Adam Ondra climbed every pitch himself, which amounts to the first individual ascent and second free You are welcome here. Then in 2018, Keita Kurakami became the first climber to rope-solo free The Nose. Few have accomplished an athletic feat more than a decade before anyone else- man or woman. In the case of rock climbing, free soloists use only their hands, rock shoes, and sometimes climbing chalk to ascend a wall, with no rope to catch them in the event of a fall. The development of free climbing was a transformational moment in the history of rock climbing, including the concept and definition of what determined a first free ascent (or FFA) of a climbing route by a climber. Immerse yourself in the experience of free solo climbing Yosemite’s famous El Capitan alongside Alex Honnold in this breathtaking 360 video. This makes the distinction clear: free climbing emphasizes the ascent itself, where physical and mental strength are tested against the rock face. Climbing is permeating the culture at the moment. Later in the decade two Austrian brothers, Alex and Thomas Huber stormed through Yosemite, adding to El Capitan free climbing. Adam Ondra topped out the route after just a few weeks' work during his first trip to Yosemite. On an aid route, an aid climber places pieces of equipment to the rock then they pull on the gear to move past a blank section on the cliff. Free solo climbing is, in its simplest form, rock climbing stripped down to its raw essentials: just the climber, their climbing shoes, chalk and the rock. She tells of her near-fatal 72-foot fall, her youth as a stunt artist for Hollywood, her friendships with climbing’s most colorful personalities, and Mar 3, 2022 · This is the most common form of hard free ascents and first free ascents. They established free variations from the Muir into the into the Shield via new terrain they called The Shaft. Join us for indoor climbing, yoga, and fitness classes at our South Side, Point Breeze, or Erie locations. A meter of snow fell and winds exceeded 80 miles per hour. 9 A1. Academy award-winning films, medals in the Olympics, and indoor gyms popping up in every town in the country. To ascend the route, climbers rely alone on their own physical stamina, coordination, and expertise. On its mottled wall I noticed a play of shadows form the shape of a heart. The route is known for its exposed and dramatic crux that consists of a 20-foot (6. After freeing the Salathe Wall, they established El Nino, Freerider and Golden Gate. Dec 13, 2024 · The variation pitch was established by Brooke Sandahl and Dave Schultz in the early 1990s, prior to Lynn Hill’s first free ascent, according to the Climbing Zine here. Aug 5, 2022 · HBO just released the third episode of the Edge of Earth series, which features Emily Harrington and Adrian Ballinger free climbing on Pik Slesova, an El Cap-sized tower in Kyrgyzstan. Free solo climbing (sometimes also just called soloing) [2] is where the solo-climber uses no climbing protection (or any form of climbing aids), whatsoever, except for their climbing shoes and climbing chalk (for a rock-climber) or ice tools (for an ice-climber), to ascend a climbing route. (His El Cap partner, Yusuke Sato, made the route’s second free ascent, and the pair later returned to Aug 3, 2022 · Catalan climber Edu Marín made the second free ascent of the legendary Nameless Tower route Eternal Flame (VI 7c+/5. After three "approach pitches", the route follows steep and stunning cracks. Berthe, 31, climbed it with French climber Soline Kentzel in a 14-day push. It was first climbed in 1957 by a team consisting of Royal Robbins, Mike Sherrick, and Jerry Gallwas. The Climbing great Greg Cameron made several iconic ascents, including the first free ascent of Pipeline in Squamish, onsight free solo Mar 21, 2024 · The 1,300-meter Riders on the Storm received a free ascent over 18 stormy days. In this realm, a select few climbers have pushed the boundaries of what's possible, achieving ascents that leave us mere mortals in awe. [1] Traditional climbing differs from sport Join Outside+ to get access to exclusive content, thousands of training plans, and more. aid climbing: using ropes and gear to pull yourself up the mountain. Jun 4, 2022 · The term free soloing is usually applied to steep and technical rock climbing done with only hands and feet, with the sole equipment being climbing shoes and chalk bag, but the word solo also applies to ice climbs and routes done ropeless in the Alps and Greater Ranges. Smith Rock quickly garnered fame as a cutting-edge climbing spot. You are welcome to use your own rope for lead climbing as well. We think younger kids should get to climb, which is why we enthusiastically recommend our friends at two local climbing gyms. 12 free climbs and big walls. In the late `60s, Jim Bridwell and Jim Stanton freed the classic Stoveleg Crack pitches at 5. Both facilities offer terrain and routesetting dedicated to younger climbers. First Ascent is built from the ground up so that we can offer everything an avid climber or fitness adventurer could want: Sport climbing: sustained overhangs, roofs, slabs, and cracks up to 55 ft. On their final push, the team spent 10 days climbing. 14a R/X, 250m) on Mount Mizugaki, Japan, an incredibly bold route that features run-outs up to 20 meters. (Photo: Kyle Higby) Lynn Hill is a living legend. free climbing: using only your body and the rock's natural features to climb, while having ropes as backup in a fall. . Nov 16, 2023 · Free solo climbing, or free soloing, is the practice of climbing rock or ice without a rope. Chephren in the Canadian Rockies, making the probable first free ascent of the route. 13a, the first-ever big wall free solo ascent at that grade), [3] a climb described in The New Nov 23, 2023 · Of the twelve free ascents of the Nose, only Tommy Caldwell and Beth Rodden’s 2005 ascent and Babsi Zangerl and Jacopo Larcher’s 2019 ascent involved both climbers freeing the route. 13+, 31 pitches) in 1993, then made a one-day free ascent of the route the next year. The route’s path to a free ascent required significant work. e. Jul 13, 2016 · Free climbing is a term that was coined to describe any style of climbing that does not involve aids. Free solo refers to climbing a route without any assistance from other people. We will explore its storied history, delve into the technical demands of its pitches, outline gear Dec 6, 2024 · Babsi Zangerl blasted up the 3,300-foot Free Rider (5. Within this category, you have endless opportunities to reduce overall ascent effort by rappelling in, stashing, headpointing, leaving fixed lines in place, or having dedicated haulers, dedicated juggers, Honnold Feb 7, 2025 · Belgian climber Sébastien Berthe has made the fourth free ascent of El Capitan’s Dawn Wall in Yosemite. Learn More Mar 19, 2024 · Fully Supported An ascent focused on one individual’s success, where anything goes—as long as the leader does the free climbing. Free climbing is a form of rock climbing in which the climber can use their rock-climbing equipment only for their protection, not as an artificial aid to help them in ascending a climbing route. The iconic Monkey tower in Smith Rock. 14d climbing, it is also considered the hardest big wall ascent in the world. [1] It is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America and Free soloing or free solo climbing is a type of rock or ice climbing where climbers, or more commonly known as free soloists, climb alone without using safety equipment such as ropes, harnesses, helmets, and the like. You MUST adhere to each participating facility’s policies including: Signing a valid release of liability. 9 A1 or 5. 14d. you could make it much simpler. Either I would make the first free ascent of this pitch on my next try, or we would have to abandon our all free attempt and finish climbing to the top. Taking a belay test. In many ways, it’s the purest form of climbing. That means no pulling on ropes or protection, no jugging fixed lines, and so on. The Diamond is Longs Peak’s famous alpine wall, topping out at around Alex Honnold (born August 17, 1985) is an American rock climber best known for his free solo ascents of big walls. Enclosed was a summary from a marketing team of what promised to be exciting news for Climbing ’s audience: Jesse Huey had just realized a six-year dream of free climbing D7 in winter. First-free-ascents that set new grade milestones are important events in rock Dec 18, 2024 · In the ensuing years, the route became the crucible for free climbing. In 2015, he made the first ascent of Senjitsu-no Ruri (5. Abiding by general facility rules (eg. If you Nov 10, 2006 · 11/10/06 - Leo Houlding and Dean Potter have free-climbed the notorious Southern Belle (V 5. Nov 22, 2016 · The first ascent of the Dawn Wall took seven years from inception. This comprehensive guide aims to unpack the allure of this iconic big wall free climb, providing experienced climbers with the essential knowledge for a successful ascent. Feb 14, 2025 · This marks the fourth free ascent of the Dawn Wall (Free), first climbed by Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson after 19 days on the wall and a combined seven years of work, sending the 3,000-foot 5. With her free ascents of Free Rider, Davis became the second woman to individually free every pitch of an El Cap route and the second woman to free El Cap in a day. Oct 7, 2014 · She returned a few years later to free climb the route in a single day. He was climbing with Marek Holeček, via a route that Holeček later christened Ondrova Hvězda (Ondra’s Star) in his late partner’s honor. Sep 3, 2023 · Many people will use the terms free solo, solo, and free climbing interchangeably. You still wear a rope to catch you if you fall. [1][2] Free climbing, therefore, cannot use any of the mechanical tools that are widely used in aid climbing to help the climber overcome the obstacles they encounter while ascending a route (e. It is a common misconception that these terms all refer to the same thing. Menšík swapped ice tools for powder skis and beelined for Japan. Though that’s beginning to change—with parties freeing El Cap routes almost every week during peak season—unsupported, ground-up, one-day free ascents remain few and far between. In most cases, free climbers have a partner who will belay them up the route. First Ascent: Jeff Lowe and Mike Weiss, 1971 First Free Ascent: Jonny Woodward and Peter Croft, 1992. Since watching The Dawn Wall film and reading about the climb and some of the interviews from Tommy, Kevin, Alex Honnold, Beth Rodden, and other involved with the first ascent I’ve got a few questions about free climbing vs aid and what constitutes a first free ascent. 12 for the free climbing variation. Jul 5, 2024 · What is free soloing? Alex Honnold is the most famous name in free solo climbing (Image credit: JJ Kelly, National Geographic for Disney+) Free soloing is a style of climbing involving no rope and no protection. Let's climb! Find your First Ascent and experience world-class climbing, yoga, and fitness for all ability levels. The current aid climbing rating stands at VI 5. 13a 2,100 feet). A True First Free Ascent? How to rank Reynolds’s ascent within the context of Fitz Roy’s climbing history will undoubtedly become a point of debate for the mountaineering community. In rock-climbing, a first free ascent (FFA) is the first redpoint, onsight or flash of a single-pitch, multi-pitch or bouldering climbing route that did not involve using aid equipment to help progression or resting — the ascent must thus be performed in either a sport, a traditional, or a free solo manner. If the facility requires an assisted braking device to lead belay, as we do Traditional climbing (or trad climbing) is a type of free climbing in the sport of rock climbing where the lead climber places temporary and removable protection while simultaneously ascending the route; when the lead climber has completed the route, the second climber (also called the belayer) then removes this protection as they ascend the route. 12d, 9 pitches). tall Bouldering: caves, prows, top outs, and overhangs Training: system boards, campus boards, fitness equipment, yoga studio, and slackline Other Jan 22, 2025 · Húserka, 34, died on October 31, after making the first ascent of the 2,220-meter East Face of remote peak Langtang Lirung (7,234m), in Nepal. For those attempting the free Join First Ascent and gain access to 4 world-class climbing, yoga, and fitness gyms in Chicago. Zangerl and climbing partner Jacopo Larcher became the 8th and 9th climbers to make a free (i. While resting at the belay, I looked across the valley at the face of Middle Cathedral. Jan 7, 2022 · The Pioneering Ascent of El Capitan by Alex Honnold Free solo climbing, a form of rock climbing where climbers ascend without the use of ropes or safety gear, has grown in popularity over the past few decades. Apr 2, 2025 · Subject line: First Winter Free Ascent—Diamond. We’re going to Aug 11, 2022 · Free climbing is a style of rock climbing where the climber uses their hands and feet to ascent a rock. In 2015, Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson sent the Dawn Wall as a team ascent and free ascent, since they swapped pitches; however, each sent the crux pitches. It is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America and considered a classic around the world. Aid climbing is when one uses additional equipment to complete the climb. Jun 8, 2023 · With four first winter ascents of 8,000-meter peaks, Simone Moro has taken the art of climbing in harsh conditions to new heights, but controversy plagues his climbing résumé. [2] Free soloing is the most dramatic soloing-technique and in 2017 became an Oscar-winning documentary Nov 15, 2023 · This is the exhilarating world of free solo climbing, where the stakes are as high as the peaks themselves. Experience ASCEND Climbing's top-tier rock climbing gym in Pittsburgh and Erie. Aug 15, 2025 · In today’s climbing world, where sport climbing is the norm, it’s easy to forget just how bold and controversial Watts’s bolting practices were at the time. [2] Apr 2, 2019 · Free climbing is the common climbing discipline when a climber ascends a rock face by only using his hands and feet, and using gear only for protection. Free climbing is just what most of us would consider normal climbing. Its rare to find such continuous sandstone splitter cracks with so much exposure. Apr 22, 2022 · A free ascent of El Capitan used to be a rare beast. Correct. 5 days ago · 2018: Danny Parker becomes the first American to send Century Crack, calling it “exhilarating!” 2023: Japanese climber Fumiya Nakamura completes the fourth ascent of Century in 83 minutes. Towering over the Yosemite Valley, this iconic granite face offers climbers a challenging ascent that has captivated the climbing community for decades. Just the climber, a chalk bag, climbing shoes and the crag. 12a) (it was temporarily downgraded one notch Dec 2, 2008 · Find rock climbing routes, photos, and guides for every state, along with experiences and advice from fellow climbers. Aids can range from ascenders to skyhooks to ladders, but their purpose is the same: the climber puts their full weight on the gear to directly assist in moving up the wall. g You are welcome here. Nov 19, 2025 · The term free climbing means you are ascending a wall using only your hands, feet, and physical ability. Jun 15, 2012 · 12/01/08 - Jon Simms and Jon Walsh have completed a rare ascent of The Wild Thing on the east face of Mt. [2] El Capitan has two Ascent Studio Climbing & FitnessRental Gear We've got everything you need to get going! For more experienced climbers: we have the Edelrid Jul2, Petzl Grigri's, and Ohms that can be checked out at the front desk for no cost. Exclusive: Alex Honnold Completes the Most Dangerous Free-Solo Ascent Ever The climber is the first person to reach the top of Yosemite’s 3,000-foot El Capitan wall without ropes. Get on up in Uptown with world-class bouldering terrain, great city views, yoga classes, fitness equipment, and a welcoming atmosphere. A free soloist may therefore only use natural cracks, ledges, and handholds found in the wall itself. In a free climb, such gear only exists for safety reasons. Lead ropes are free for members and can be rented by non-members on a first come, first serve basis. 12d) on the South Face of Half Dome in Yosemite Valley. Mar 3, 2022 · This is the most common form of hard free ascents and first free ascents. Then in 2018, Keita Kurakami became the first climber to rope-solo free-climb The Nose. Here's a beginner guide to the terminologies, definitions and key differences. Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson's heroic 19-day battle for the first free ascent of The Dawn Wall represented a monumental milestone in the climbing history books. Nov 9, 2020 · Emily Harrington is the first woman to free-climb the Golden Gate route up El Capitan, a 3,000-foot-high monolith in Yosemite National Park, in under 24 hours. He carried no rope or harness during his solo, which he completed before noon on September 6. Once considered impossible to climb, [1] El Capitan is now the standard for big wall climbing. Oct 27, 2021 · A free climb is any route that’s ascended without the use of extra gear to aid in upward motion. Mar 4, 2025 · A guide to the best rock climbing gyms of greater Chicagoland, including full-service rope gyms, bouldering-only gyms, and outdoor seasonal gyms. Mar 17, 2022 · The nine-fingered Dawn Wall climber was one of climbing’s first celebrities and a pioneer of big wall Yosemite free ascents. As mentioned above, a matter of semantics separates whether that means placing gear as you climb or not (pink-point). To take climbing to the next level, you have to innovate, which is just what Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson did to complete one of the most significant ascents in climbing history. 10+/6b+. Apr 19, 2022 · A few weeks later, the brilliant Breashears, carefully climbing up and down the big flake in an attempt to onsight the second free ascent, noticed that it was creaking. 1 m) long crack in its horizontal roof. Perhaps one of the vaguest and most misunderstood terms in rock climbing though, is free climbing. Rock climbing has many types and forms that are hard to explain to non-climbers, so we asked a climber to define them for us. Let’s climb! Our 4 Chicago gyms are built for all experience levels and include yoga studios and fitness facilities. this all comes up when googling either one, so I don't really see any additional value of the website. What is the difference between free ascent and free solo? Nov 19, 2025 · “What is free climbing?” That was a question on my friend’s mind when she was at the rock climbing gym for her first time. A free climber would simply make their way up a route without this kind of Definition of free climbing and free climb ascents. Climbing a route without using any man-made assistance, including ropes, harnesses, or anchors, is known as free ascent climbing. The publicity around this show has shed light on the complexities of reporting big wall ascents. You are not relying on equipment to assist you in moving upward. Let's climb! 18 hours ago · History First Free Ascent History In June 1994, Kurt Smith and Scott Cosgrove managed to free 99% of the Muir Wall. First Ascent Block 37 pairs world-class bouldering with big city views, yoga classes, fitness equipment, and chill, welcoming atmosphere. What is the difference between free solo climbing vs free climbing. Since it calls for the climber to complete the obstacles in the route without help, free ascent climbing is regarded as the sport’s purest form. Honnold, 23, made headlines earlier this year with his free-solo of Moonlight Buttress (5. Jul 1, 2022 · The next free ascent of The Nose didn’t come until 2014 when Jorg Verhoeven spent three days working on the send. Auto Belay orientations. Jan 30, 2025 · The next free ascent of The Nose didn’t come until 2014 when Jorg Verhoeven, who spent three days completing it. Apr 1, 2025 · A guide shares everything you need to know about how, when, and where to go rock climbing in Yosemite National Park. Description In Lynn Hill’s official autobiography Climbing Free, Hill describes her famous free ascent of the Nose on Yosemite’s El Capitan and meditates on how she harnesses the strength and the courage to push herself to such extremes. 14d route. Yes! Due to the nature or our facility, we’re open to climbers ages 12+. Adam Ondra, a world champion Czech climber, just achieved the second free ascent of Yosemite’s hardest big-wall free climb, the Dawn Wall—in record time. All this exposure has a lot of people wondering about free climbing vs free soloing. In 2016, Adam Ondra climbed every pitch himself, which amounts to the first individual ascent and second free Apr 9, 2015 · What re the differences between these 4 styles of rock climbing? Bouldering Aid Climbing Free Climbing Free solo climbing Jun 15, 2012 · Honnold had previously climbed the route five times, including a roped free ascent last year and another free ascent two days before his solo. This is one of the world's great 5. Its current aid climbing rating is VI 5. 13a), becoming the first person to flash El Capitan. free soloing: same as free climbing minus any and all protection. It was first climbed by Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson in 2015, and then repeated by Adam Ondra in 2016. Billy Westbay, Jim Bridwell, and John Long after the first one-day ascent of the Nose in 1975 The Nose is a big wall climbing route up El Capitan. May 8, 2023 · Free climbing (as opposed to aid climbing) is any type of climbing that sees the climber ascending a formation entirely under their own power, using only the rock’s natural features and using gear only to protect in the event of a fall. Free soloing is the most dangerous form of climbing, and, unlike bouldering, free soloists climb at heights where any fall can be fatal. Soloing can also mean going alone with a rope, but free soloing means no rope. No need for a partner. Soon after, Vicha returned to Chamonix where he lives in his van. A red-point is climbing a pitch free, on lead, without falls or resting on the rope. Hill made the first true free ascent of El Capitan. Nov 7, 2022 · When it comes to climbing, there are two main types of climbing: free ascent and free solo. Not only was the route one of the last remaining lines on El Capitan to received a free ascent, but with two formidable pitches of 9a/5. 2025: On November 9, Mary Eden gets the fifth ascent—and first female ascent—of Century in under 40 minutes. Lynn changed the definition of what is possible in rock climbing with her first free ascent of the most famous big wall climb in the world called The Nose on El Capitan in … Continue reading "Biography" Nov 17, 2017 · The sixth free ascent of the Nose reaffirms Keita Kurakami’s reputation as one of the world’s top traditional rock climbers. I clocked the stats in my head. Sep 21, 2023 · Check out some of the world's most legendary, frightening, and ground-breaking free solos of all time. Free climbing simply means rock climbing where you don’t use any aid (like pulling on your rope) to help you ascend the route. ascent climbing gym 470 James St, Ste 4 New Haven, CT 06513 Group Fitness 6:15 - 7:00 pm Sep 1, 2004 · Editor’s Note: Lynn Hill free climbed every pitch of the Nose (VI 5. no use of aid climbing techniques) ascent of the famous big wall route that was first freed by Lynn Hill in 1993. The Route The Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome is a monumental Grade VI big wall climbing route, recognized as the first of its kind in the United States. Separate Reality is a 66-foot (20 m) traditional climbing route in Yosemite National Park in California. Jun 7, 2017 · Alex Honnold has done the unthinkable; on June 3, he completed the first-ever free solo of El Capitan, climbing the wall via Freerider. Free ascent refers to climbing a route without using any ropes or gear. May 3, 2022 · The American climber pushed the boundaries of free soloing and speed soloing, and was a preeminent highliner and BASE jumper. It’s considered the most difficult big wall free climb in the world at 5. Though many climbers have free soloed routes with technical grades that they are very comfortable on, only a tiny group free solo regularly, and at technical grades closer to the limit of their abilities. May 19, 2022 · Free climbing, sport climbing, trad climbing, bouldering – there seem to be so many different types of rock climbing. When it was first free-climbed by Ron Kauk in 1978, it was one of the first climbs in the world to have a grade of 7a+ (5. Feb 3, 2025 · Ecstatic about their free ascent, they descended via a hiking trail all the way down to the train station and arrived back home to their families in the Czech Republic right on time for New Year celebrations. Honnold rose to worldwide fame in June 2017 when he became the first person to free solo a full route on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park (via the 2,900-foot route Freerider at 5. nimzkn karcmy idhtn zpivluc vxj wmo gpqfe ujju urzi nioz abqvxe lvbnz fkgflptg ynlv uuwibii