Austrian powerhouse Barbara 鈥淏absi鈥� Zangerl has stunned the climbing world, becoming the first person in history to successfully flash a route on El Capitan. Zangerl blitzed the 3,300-foot granite monolith via the iconic Free Rider听route over a four-day ground-up push from November 19 to 22, all without falling. Zangerl was supported by her longtime partner鈥攐n and off the wall鈥擩acopo Larcher, who was attempting a flash as well, but had a single fall.

Free Rider, a Huber-brothers variation to the Salath茅 Wall, is one of the most famous routes in Yosemite Valley. It鈥檚 perhaps best known as the route Alex Honnold climbed in the film Free Solo.

For years, 36-year-old Zangerl has proven to be one of the most versatile climbers in the game. She鈥檚 bouldered V13, , and has made rare free ascents of both high altitude climbs like the Nameless Tower鈥檚 , the Eiger鈥檚 Odyssee, and iconic Yosemite lines like The Nose, El Ni帽o, Zodiac, and . Zangerl was also the fourth person (and still only woman) to complete the 鈥�,鈥� entailing three 5.14 multi-pitch routes in the Alps: Des Kaisers neue Kleider, Silbergeier, and End of Silence.

There are few climbers with such an appetite for long, big, bad routes, and Zangerl鈥檚 eyes aren鈥檛 bigger than her stomach. She puts it down. Now she鈥檚 become the first person to flash a route on the Big Stone.

Zangerl said for her friend Kolin Powick had spent years trying to convince her and Larcher that they should have a go at Free Rider, but she didn鈥檛 really believe a flash was possible. 鈥淚 had really low expectations,鈥� she said.

It鈥檚 worth noting that in 2014 Pete Whittaker also , but with two caveats. First, after he and partner Tom Randall鈥檚 first day on the wall, they descended to the ground to escape heavy traffic, so the ascent was not completed in a continuous, ground-up push. Second, he fell on the 鈥淏oulder Problem鈥� and then pivoted to the alternate 鈥淭eflon Corner,鈥� which he sent without falling. C茅dric Lachat 鈥渇lashed鈥� the route under similar circumstances in 2009. And Adam Ondra attempted to鈥攂ut he fell above the Boulder Problem, on the Salath茅鈥檚 鈥淗eadwall鈥� pitch.

Zangerl took us through her climb. 鈥淭he Freeblast was quite tricky,鈥� she said, speaking of Free Rider鈥檚 initial 10 pitches, which go at 5.11 and are often completed as a route on their own. The climbing isn鈥檛 as physically demanding as some pitches higher on the route, but it鈥檚 techy, footwork-intensive climbing that demands full concentration. 鈥淭here are a lot of pitches where you don鈥檛 have good handholds, and you鈥檙e standing on quite bad feet. It鈥檚 a lot of insecure climbing, smearing on slippery holds, there are so many chances to make a mistake and fall.鈥�

 

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Another crux sequence, for Zangerl, was the 鈥淢onster Offwidth,鈥� which she led first. As the name suggests, this is a sustained offwidth crack, requiring an arsenal of jams. 鈥淭he Monster was a real fight for me,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not really good at offwidth climbing.鈥� She wore two shoes (one La Sportiva TC Pro inside another TC Pro) on her right foot during this pitch to lengthen her feet while heel-toe-camming.

A last-minute meeting with Alex Honnold just before they climbed may have saved the day. 鈥淎lex told me when it鈥檚 getting super exhausting on the Monster, I should lean out to the right, jamming my left leg, so I can rest,鈥� Zangerl explained. 鈥淭his was really helpful for me. There was a moment when I felt I couldn鈥檛 go any further, I was so exhausted, and then I leaned out of the crack like [Alex] told me, and it worked.鈥�

The infamous 鈥淏oulder Problem鈥� was the overwhelming crux, Zangerl said. Larcher took the first lead on this sequence, a tenuous, friction-based pitch that ends with a desperate 鈥渘inja kick鈥� out to a dihedral, and this is where he took his fall, ending his flash attempt.

When Zangerl set off on lead, she quickly realized she was too short to use the same footholds as Larcher. She downclimbed to a rest and weighed her options. 鈥淲hen I found my own way, and got to the ninja kick, it was just completely out of control,鈥� she explained. At the same time as Zangerl kicked her foot out, her left hand peeled off. 鈥淚 thought I was falling,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut at the very last moment, I stuck the foot on the other side,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was extremely insecure. I was really lucky.鈥�

鈥淭he further up we got, there was more and more tension,鈥� she explained, 鈥渁s I began to think maybe it was possible.鈥� Zangerl said that topping out with a flash left her with an incredible feeling. It was a feat she hadn鈥檛 really believed she could accomplish. But it was also tainted by the fact that her partner came up short by just a single move. 鈥淚 was sad for Jacopo,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd, really, this was a team effort. We did this together. I could not have done this without Jacopo.鈥� The duo has been climbing together for 11 years, and most of her hardest climbs, like Eternal Flame, have been completed with him on the other end of the rope. Zangerl admitted she also had an advantage over Larcher on the Boulder Problem, as he led the pitch first and provided real-time beta for her to consider.

Larcher offered some insight into his own experience . 鈥淚 briefly felt relieved [after falling,] as now I could just climb the rest without pressure鈥� but after topping out, feelings changed. I won鈥檛 lie. This one meant a lot to me and failure is, and will be, hard to accept. We had an amazing time up there and I couldn鈥檛 be more proud of Babsi and her achievement!鈥�

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Two American rock climbers from Utah with less-than-household names recently set a new speed record in Yosemite National Park.

On October 20, Tanner Wanish and Mike Vaill, both 32, scaled El Capitan, Half Dome, and Mount Watkins in succession鈥攃ollectively known as the Yosemite Triple Crown鈥攊n 17 hours and 55 minutes. Their time shaved approximately 35 minutes off of the previous record, set in 2018 by Brad Gobright and Jim Reynolds.

鈥淲e were just trying to go sub-24 hours, so it was kind of amazing to learn we鈥檇 broken the record,鈥� Wanish told 国产吃瓜黑料.

The Yosemite Triple Crown is one of the toughest objectives in big-wall climbing, requiring mastery of a broad range of climbing skills, as well as physical endurance and impeccable planning. The massive link-up ascends more than 7,000 vertical feet spread between 71 pitches on three different iconic rock faces, with nearly 20 miles of hiking in between. Simply breaking the 24-hour mark places the duo in exclusive company: only eight other parties have done so since famed climbers Dean Potter and Timmy O鈥橬eill first went under 24 hours in 2001. In 2012, Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell became the first (and so far only) team to freeclimb it鈥攗sing gear for protection but not aid鈥攃ompleting the link-up in 21 hours and 15 minutes. Later that year, Honnold set the record for completing the Triple Crown as a team of one, doing it in 18 hours 55 minutes.

A former Navy SEAL, Wanish has only been rock climbing for four-and-a-half years. But the Salt Lake City-native has already ascended some of the hardest routes in the park.

鈥淚 was shooting above my pay grade because I feel like that’s how you get better,鈥� Wanish said. 鈥淲ith the Triple Crown, we didn’t have any guarantees or know we were going to succeed there.鈥�

Wanish and Vaill, who lives in St. George, started climbing together in Yosemite in 2021 after connecting via the Mountain Project website. They first ascended the Nose鈥攖he 2,900-foot route on El Capitan鈥攊n October of that year. 鈥淲e climbed 50 hours straight through two nights to beat a storm,鈥� Wanish said.

In subsequent years, the duo took on harder routes in Yosemite and succeeded. In 2022 they ascended the northwest face of Half Dome and the Freerider route on El Capitan. In 2023 they took on the NIAD (Nose in a Day), hoping to complete the ascent in 16 hours. They did it in nine.

鈥淚 remember we were sitting up at the tree on top of the Nose, wide-eyed and silent after what we鈥檇 done,鈥� Wanish said. 鈥淚n that moment, it was like the whole valley opened up to us, like we could climb anything.鈥�

A week later, they completed their first link-up: the Nose and the northwest face of Half Dome, a challenge known as “Double.” Wanish called it 鈥渢he best day of climbing ever.鈥� Before they鈥檇 even topped out, they鈥檇 decided to try the Triple Crown in 2024.

After receiving advice from other Triple Crown climbers, they decided to follow the standard order of climbs: Mount Watkins, then the Nose on El Capitan, before completing the Northwest face on Half Dome. The unofficial rule for timing the route is that the clock starts when the first climber touches the first wall. It ends after both climbers top out on the third route. The clock doesn鈥檛 stop for hikes or drives in between routes.

Wanish and Vaill touched the rock at the base of Mount Watkins at 4 P.M. on Saturday, October 19. Wanish took the lead for the first half, with Vaill taking over to the top. Climbing in blocks like this is standard for speed attempts, as it鈥檚 more efficient than switching leads every other pitch. Their total time to climb the 2,200-foot route was 2 hours and 55 minutes.

They got back to Wanish鈥檚 van at 8 P.M., and his wife was waiting to drive them to the El Capitan meadow. They ate dinner and organized their gear during the drive.

鈥淎t the meadow there was a big group of friends waiting on us,鈥� Wanish said. 鈥淭hey were all cheering and it was so good for morale鈥攚e knew we were going into a long night.鈥�

They started climbing the Nose at 9:30 P.M. After two hours of climbing in the dark, Wanish hit a low point. 鈥淚 felt overwhelmed,鈥� Wanish said. 鈥淢aybe that鈥檚 not the right word. I just knew we had another seven hours of darkness and cold, and another 6,000 feet of climbing ahead of us.鈥�

He swapped the lead with Vaill about halfway up, as planned, at the pitch known as Camp IV. While belaying Vaill, Wanish crammed as many Trader Joe’s Fruit Bars into his mouth as he could stomach. They topped out in 5 hours and 25 minutes and raced down the East Ledges to the meadow where Wanish鈥檚 wife was waiting with a big plate of pancakes, eggs, bacon, and plenty of coffee.

鈥淚 was eating handfuls of eggs like an animal,鈥� Wanish said.

After a 15-minute drive to Half Dome, the duo had to hike the so-called 鈥淒eath Slabs鈥� approach to reach the rock face. Normally the hike, which includes Class 4 scrambling, takes three hours to complete. They did it in an hour and a half. 鈥淲e were charging,鈥� Wanish said.

They hit the wall at 6:30 A.M. and began simul-climbing the 2,200-foot route. Simul-climbing is an advanced technique where both people are simultaneously climbing up the wall together, tied to the same rope, with pieces of protection continually placed between them by the lead climber.

It took Wanish and Vaill 3.5 hours to scale the 2,200-foot route. When Wanish hit stop on his watch, it was 9:55 A.M. on Sunday, October 20. They were astonished by the 17 hours and 55 minute time鈥攊t was well under their goal of 24 hours.

鈥淲e should go for a fourth wall, we have tons of time left,鈥� Wanish said.

They heard yells and cheers from Wanish鈥檚 wife and their friends, who鈥檇 been watching with binoculars from the meadow below. Wanish pulled out his phone and sent a photo of his watch with an ecstatic Vaill in the background to Maxim Climbing Ropes, his sponsor. A sponsor representative texted back that the time was the new fastest mark on the Triple Crown. Maxim turned around and posted the news, along with Wanish鈥檚 photo, to its Instagram account.

鈥淚t was a nice surprise,鈥� says Wanish. 鈥淢aybe we should have patted ourselves on the back more, but we were already talking about the ways we could have improved.鈥�

Besides, they already have a new Yosemite climbing objective, one that they hope to complete in October. As for now, Wanish wants to keep the ambitious challenge a secret. 鈥淚t will be even bigger than the speed record on the Triple Crown,鈥� Wanish said. 鈥淚 can tell you that.鈥�

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The solo speed record on the Salath茅 Wall, a climbing route on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, had stood for 10 years. Then, on May 11a climber from Lake Tahoe named Brant Hysell tagged the tree on the summit of the 3,500-foot route to stop the clock at 19 hours and 57 minutes, shaving eight minutes off of the previous fastest time, which had been set in 2013 by filmmaker Cheyne Lempe. You might think that Hysell’s mark would stand another decade, but then Alex Honnold heard about it. On May 23, Honnold returned to the valley and completed the route in a jaw-dropping 11 hours and 18 minutes, cutting more than eight hours off of Hysell’s time.

 

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鈥淚鈥檝e never had the Salath茅 solo [speed] record,鈥� Honnold the San Francisco Chronicle. 鈥淲hen it was my friend who held it, it would have felt weird to go and dunk on him. But if it鈥檚 someone I don鈥檛 know, it鈥檚 like, game on!鈥�

So, what’s all the fuss about? Why were Hysell and Honnold so set on this record and the route? We have a helpful explainer below to hopefully address all of your questions.

Why Choose This Route?

Even though it lacks the mainstream recognition of The Dawn Wall and The Nose, the Salath茅 Wall is one of the oldest routes up El Capitan. It was originally established by Yosemite legends , Tom Frost, and Chuck Pratt in 1961. The trio climbed the route in nine-and-a-half days, using only 13 bolts for protection. That style was remarkable for the era, which was characterized by siege tactics like drilling hundreds of bolts into the rock to make upward progress. Warren Harding, by contrast, drilled 300 bolts on his 47-day odyssey climbing the first-ever ascent of El Cap, via a route called The Nose. While The Nose goes up the center prow of El Cap, the Salath茅 Wall meanders up the east face, taking a 500-foot longer path to the summit. Free climbing The Nose is much more difficult, but if one were to aid climb each route, the Salath茅 is just as hard.

The Salath茅 Wall was the first route on El Capitan to be free climbed after Todd Skinner and Paul Piana climbed the entire route without pulling on gear in 1988. Steph Davis made the first female free ascent in 2005.

Just How Difficult is the Salath茅 Wall?

Done as a free climb, the most difficult sections of the route are rated 5.13b on the Yosemite Decimal System scale. Not only is that out of reach for most climbers, this extremely strenuous stretch of climbing听comes at the very top of the route, just a few hundred feet from the summit. Most climbers choose to aid climb much of the Salath茅, free climbing the occasional easy pitches and taking an average of three-to-four days to climb the route.

To Honnold, who free soloed vast swaths of terrain on the Salath茅 Wall and roped up for just the few very difficult sections, the day seemed to be just a good workout.

But Not Everyone Is as Psyched as Honnold

Brittany Elyse, Hysell鈥檚 girlfriend who supported the climber鈥檚 bid for the speed record, took to social media on May 27 to complain that Honnold 鈥渃ouldn鈥檛 let someone else have attention for more than a week.鈥� She conceded that 鈥淩ecords are meant to be broken, but it鈥檚 not cool to go take it from someone, make it unattainable for basically anyone else a week after Brant worked really hard to get the record, and it sat for 10 years with no one interested just because you can.鈥�

Honnold was able to crush Hysell鈥檚 speed record in part because he free soloed vast swaths of terrain on the Salath茅 Wall, roping up just to tackle the hardest bits of the climb.

鈥淚鈥檇 love to see how fast he could do salathe if he properly rope soloed it and did all the work that takes,鈥� Elyse said on Instagram.

 

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Why Is This Speed Record Significant to Honnold?

Honnold and his partner, Sanni McCandless, welcomed their second child, Alice, in February, and since then he has stayed close to their home in Las Vegas to climb. In a recent interview with 翱耻迟蝉颈诲别,听Honnold said he was still searching for his next big expedition project, and in the meantime he was climbing just for himself鈥攊.e. not climbing in support of an adventure film or documentary project. In the interview Honnold shot down a few large-scale projects that we proposed: Himalayan mountaineering, Pakistan’s Trango Towers, among others. Instead, he said he wanted to be a dad, enjoy family life, and tackle climbing objectives that presented personal challenges. It sure looks like the Salath茅 Wall checked those boxes.

The post Alex Honnold Just Smashed a Speed Record on El Capitan. Here鈥檚 What to Know. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

On Tuesday, October 10, Alex Honnold鈥檚 solo record of the Nose, set in 2010, fell quickly and quietly. By late afternoon, Nick Ehman had outpaced the prior record of 5 hours, 50 minutes, topping out after 4 hours, 39 minutes. Both climbers used a mix of aid and free climbing.听

The first Nose-in-a-Day solo was completed in 1989 by Steve 鈥淪hipoopi鈥� Schneider in 21 hours 22 minutes. Over the past thirty-plus years, the feat has only been accomplished by a select few, including record-setting climbers Dean Potter and . Climbers completing the feat have used a variety of techniques, including free soloing, rope soloing, and 鈥淢etroviching鈥濃�攗sing daisy chains to clip into two or more pieces; the term was coined by Russ Mitrovich, who used the technique on a rope-less speed-solo of Zodiac.听

Ehman, originally from Bloomington, Indiana, has worked in Yosemite Valley since 2020 as part of the Search and Rescue team. Over the last few years, he has fallen in love with the Nose, estimating that he鈥檚 completed it at least 36 times. 鈥淚鈥檝e spent a lot of time thinking about [soloing] it,鈥� Ehman says. 鈥淏y getting really comfortable short fixing without self-belay 鈥� doing that for the last three years up there allowed me to feel like if I went back up to rope solo it I wouldn鈥檛 feel like I needed to do traditional systems like belaying myself with a Grigri.鈥� Taking the Jardine Traverse enabled Ehman to use a shorter rope, which he considers key to his success. Not only did it allow him to feel light and unencumbered, but it also provided a sense of calm. 鈥淚 knew that if I wasn鈥檛 feeling it, I could just fall back on different tactics that would be more comfortable. [It meant] being able to start up it with a short rope and less gear, but still have a lot of peace of mind,鈥� he says.

On that morning, Ehman wasn鈥檛 setting out to beat Honnold鈥檚 time: He was merely aiming to spend a gorgeous day climbing some of his favorite lines. 鈥淚 knew it was something that I wanted to try, but I didn鈥檛 think that morning that that was something I was going to do,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 just felt so good when I tried it鈥�. I felt super secure and that just gave me more confidence that built throughout the route.鈥� As Ehman went on, the smoother he felt, the more the record creeped from the back of his mind to the forefront.听

As he topped out and took his phone off airplane mode, Ehman was quickly hit by waves of emotion and an outpouring of support from friends and family. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a little surreal 鈥� I had such a good time and I鈥檓 really psyched,鈥� he says. News of his achievement quickly spread via Facebook and ElCap Report author Tom Evans.听

Honnold was congratulatory, telling Climbing, 鈥�I鈥檇 love to talk to Nick about his whole experience鈥揾e must be feeling super dialed on the Nose. No one has really been playing the speed climbing game for several years; it鈥檚 great to see someone getting after it again,鈥� he says.听

Both climbers played coy when asked if the 4:39 mark would stand for long. 鈥淚鈥檓 content with it, but I know I could go faster if I wanted to,鈥� Ehman says. Will Honnold ever make a return to take possession of his record once again? It鈥檚 doubtful, but not impossible. 鈥淚鈥檓 not sure if I鈥檇 ever try to go faster. It would take a lot of time in Yosemite and I鈥檓 just not there as much anymore. But it sure would be fun,鈥� he says.听

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国产吃瓜黑料 my window in Mariposa, California, in the Sierra foothills, I can see that the leaves have turned. Yosemite National Park and the surrounding mountains are an incredible year-round destination, with dustings of snow in winter and plenty of river access to cool off during hot summers. Spring and autumn are practically perfect for trekking the best hikes in Yosemite. Winter is a quiet and peaceful time to be on the trails, too.

The valley offers some of the greatest vistas in North America, or even the world, with the verdant Merced River dotted by meadows and encircled by massive walls鈥攗p to Middle Cathedral at 1,700 feet, Half Dome at 2,500, and El Capitan at over 3,000鈥攁nd a huge variety of hiking trails to see views of them.

The area was once known as the Ahwahnee Valley, and the original inhabitants were the Ahwahneechee. By the late 1700s, most of Yosemite was inhabited by the Miwok, and in the 1800s, Paiute and others. Their lives changed in the mid-1800s with the Gold Rush, and many were killed or displaced. In the 1900s, most dispersed.

In 1890, the area was designated as the country鈥檚 third national park. Today, 4.5 million tourists visit annually from around the world. Most, however, don鈥檛 make it more than a mile down many trails, so if you go out a ways it feels like you have the place to yourself. Or yourself and some others: you鈥檒l likely see ravens, Stellar鈥檚 jays, and if you鈥檙e lucky, coyotes and black bears.

Trails and walks in the park may be short and feasible for people of all ages, or they may climb thousands of vertical feet, offering incredible views of changing plants and trees. From the Valley floor to its rim, trees transition from black oaks, incense cedars, and Douglas firs to Jeffrey pines, with their longer needles and larger pine cones. Sugar pine trees at higher elevations grow cones so enormous that they鈥檙e visible from a distance, over a foot long and weighing down the branches. Granite slabs reflect the sunlight, and Half Dome, isolated at the far end of the valley, commands the view.

My favorite time to hike in Yosemite is during the peak of winter, January and February, when no one else is around. Tree branches hang down due to heavy snow, the long sweep of Glacier Point Apron is coated in white, and the roaring Yosemite Falls are visible through the clouds.

The trails listed below are in order from west to east as you drive up Highway 140, then back west. As a Valley local for decades and a former Yosemite hiking guide, I have compiled this list of the best hikes in Yosemite, in my opinion, in concert with those recommended by my guiding mentor Ira Estin from , which offers hiking outings in Yosemite.

Below, a lucky 13 sampler of the hikes that Estin and I frequent for their beauty and accessibility. (Check conditions and before you visit. See more on safety below.)

1. Hite Cove

Distance: 6.5 miles round trip

Difficulty Level: Moderate

This area was home of the Ahwahneechee people for more than a thousand years and later the location of the famous namesake hard-rock gold mine. In the mid-1800s, the Ahwahneechee people鈥攕pecifically his future wife, who would eventually be known as Lucy Hite鈥攕howed John Hite the location of a potential mining operation on the South Fork of the Merced that would make him a millionaire. In time the mine was deserted, and in 1924, a fire burned the structures to the ground. What remains are scattered rock walls and old mining equipment.

is a great hike every time of year except for the peak of summer, when it is closed for fire danger and would be blistering anyway. The poppy bloom peaks during March and April, bringing the hillsides alive with an explosion of orange. This hike starts 21 miles east of the town of Mariposa on Highway 140, at the confluence of the South Fork of the Merced and the Merced, outside of Yosemite National Park but in the Sierra National Forest. The trail snakes up a steep, narrow canyon, passing poppies, lupines, redbud, sky pilots, and baby blue eyes. The final view overlooks the side of the old mine. If on a hot day (which happens as late as October) you鈥檇 rather not commit to the challenge of the whole canyon, Estin says you can get a trip highlight right out of the trailhead: 鈥淭he first half mile has ten times more flowers than the rest of the trail.鈥�

2. Incline Road

Distance: 28 total miles, but broken up into short sections of 2 to ten miles each

Difficulty Level: Easy

From 1907 to 1945, the Yosemite Valley Railroad carried passengers and freight along the Merced River Canyon for 28 miles, though not clear into Yosemite Valley. Just outside the valley, in El Portal, passengers had to dismount from the train and take horses and buggies on another road 14 miles into Yosemite Valley. There, after the rough journey, they reached their reward, starting with the overlooks showing them Bridalveil Fall and El Capitan, while Half Dome stared down on the Valley floor and Yosemite Falls flowed across the park.

Long ago, the old railroad ties on , located just outside the park in the Sierra National Forest, were ripped up, leaving a wide trail that bends and turns as it parallels the Merced River. This mostly flat path, a great place to walk, has west and east access points, including Briceburg and at the end of Incline Road accessed from the trail on the North Fork of the Merced. Choose either of these starting points for a hike as short as two miles or as long as a dozen-plus. There are also plenty of sub-trails leading to the river, making nice detours. This whole trail is an excellent poppy-bloom viewing area in spring.

3. Wildcat Falls

Distance: .125, or an eighth of a mile, one way, .25 miles round trip

Difficulty Level: Easy

is a must jaunt, perfect for families and kids because it’s a short walk that leads to a small, stunning waterfall you can approach. 鈥淚f you take your shoes off or wear river shoes, you can walk right up to it,鈥� Estin says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 also a great spot to take photos of your kids playing in the water.鈥� Wildcat Falls鈥攚hich only runs in spring and early summer鈥攊s near Cascade Falls, but if you get to Cascade you鈥檝e gone too far. You reach Wildcat Falls via an unmarked turnout on the left on Highway 140, 2.7 miles east of Arch Rock park entrance station at Arch Rock, Yosemite. The turnout allows parking for several cars, and while the trail is not marked, it鈥檚 easy to see.

4. Cascade Falls

Distance: .25 to .5 one way, less than 1 mile roundtrip

Difficulty Level: Strenuous

Cascade is the first significant waterfall visitors encounter when entering the park. Though only 500 feet tall, the waterfall spills out of the wall with so much force that over the millennia it has created a huge swath of smooth river rocks below. Some of them are so slippery they feel like glass and squeak underfoot. There isn鈥檛 a defined hike to reach the falls. But people want to get close to them and find a way, walking and crawling over the rocks. I have done this dozens of times, too, but beware that it requires river hopping and grabbing tree branches to keep balance.

Estin has a better idea for a way to the falls that is less direct but also less taxing in that it avoids the slick rocks. 鈥淭here is a trail 200 yards upstream from the parking at the bridge where water from Cascade Falls flows through to meet the Merced River,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 unmarked and unmaintained, but it鈥檚 the best way to reach the falls. You may have to hunt for it, but once you find the trail it leads right there.鈥� This trail cuts through the trees and climbs up and to the east side of the mouth of the falls, where you can look down on them. Though only half a mile, it鈥檚 steep, so it packs a punch. 鈥淚 only take people up there who are competent, as there is some rock scrambling involved,鈥� Estin says. It鈥檚 a short, one-way adventure trail that can be reversed at any time if it鈥檚 too much.

This stop is usually the first for people who have just been traveling for hours, and the bridge area has ample parking and nearby restrooms.

5. Four Mile Trail

Distance: 4.8 miles one way

Difficulty Level: Strenuous

This iconic trail is steep, with an elevation gain from 4,000 to 7,200 feet. Starting with views of Yosemite Falls, the rewards hikers with a changing landscape, as it switchbacks up past Sentinel Rock and ends at Glacier Point, which offers spectacular views of the Valley below, including of El Capitan. At Glacier Point there is a cluster of buildings with a gift shop, water fountain, and restrooms, and an overlook of the east end of the Valley, from which you can see Liberty Cap, Nevada Fall and Yosemite Falls in the distance.

From Glacier Point, visitors can reverse the trail, or make it a loop by continuing down the Panorama Trail (described below). However,听 is temporarily closed until May 2023, so for now if you go up you will have to walk back down the same way or on the Panorama Trail. When Glacier Point Road opens again, you can have a second vehicle parked at the top or arrange for a shuttle down to the Valley. By car, be sure to stop at the trailhead 6.5 miles away on the way down to see one of the most magnificent overlooks in the park鈥攊t stares right over at mighty El Cap. You can hike 2.2 miles to Taft Point from the trailhead when the Glacier Point Road is open. Otherwise you can gain Taft Point by hiking the Four Mile Trail to Glacier Point, then taking the Pohono Trail another 3.4 miles.

6. Panorama Trail

Distance: 8.5 miles

Difficulty Level: Strenuous if going up, moderate if going down

Passing Illilouette, Nevada Fall, and Vernal Falls, this wandering, circuitous path takes visitors along the east end of the Valley rim. In addition to bringing hikers back from Glacier Point to the Valley, the connects to the Half Dome Trail (and Little Yosemite Valley), Clouds Rest, and Tuolumne Meadows to the east. As a National Park Service website notes, 鈥淪ome of Yosemite’s most iconic natural features can be seen and experienced along this trail.鈥� Estin hikes this trail often because, he says, 鈥淚t鈥檚 spectacular鈥攜ou see three huge waterfalls and views of Half Dome and Yosemite Valley.鈥� The top of the Panorama Trail is accessed from Glacier Point, which you reach via hiking, arranging a shuttle, or leaving a car (see road closures above). From the Valley floor, the Panorama Trail is accessed via Happy Isles.

7. Lower Yosemite Fall Trail

Distance: .25 mile one way to the Falls, .5 mile roundtrip, or a 2-mile round trip walk from Yosemite Village

Difficulty Level: Easy

This quarter-mile paved trail from Yosemite Lodge to the base of Lower Falls is perhaps the most traveled path in the park, and is wheelchair and stroller accessible. The only caveat is that the last 75 feet are steep enough that a wheelchair would need assistance. 鈥淵ou have to push someone up there, which I鈥檝e done many times,鈥� Estin says. In total, the trail gains 50 feet in elevation. As you hike in, views of Upper Falls (1,430 feet) filter through the trees, and once there, you get a direct view of the 320-foot Lower Falls. Additional benefits of the is that at the start of it are flushable toilets, picnic tables, and an ice-cold drinking fountain. I like it because from the viewing area along the footbridge that directly overlooks the Lower Falls鈥攚hich also peers up at Lost Arrow Spire鈥擨 can scramble upstream and walk right up to the base of the Lower Fall. The National Park Service advises staying on the paved trail and says 鈥淪crambling off-trail in this area has led to serious injuries.鈥� From April through June, you can see a nighttime moonbow here between 9 p.m. and midnight during a full moon.

Continuing past the bridge, the trail wanders through the trees, passes large boulders, and exits by the government stables.

8. Upper Yosemite Fall Trail

Distance: 7.2 miles round-trip

Difficulty Level: Strenuous

The not-to-be-missed, arduous 7.2-mile , started by the master early trailbuilder John Conway (who also designed the Four Mile Trail) in 1873 and taking until 1877 to complete, is accessed by the historic climbers鈥� located to the west of Lower Falls. This trail is downright hard, ascending 2,700 feet via 60 switchbacks and on slick granite steps. But it鈥檚 tough to find a more scenic trail in the park: this one offers the sights of Half Dome, Sentinel Rock, and the Tuolumne high country. From the top of Upper Yosemite Fall, a 15-minute hike from a marked trailhead takes you to providing unobstructed views of the Valley.

9. Vernal Falls

Distance: 2.4 miles round trip

Difficulty Level: Strenuous

From the , it鈥檚 just shy of a mile to reach the bridge that marks the start of the Mist Trail and its rainy and wet sections, especially when the falls are peaking. At Happy Isles visitors can refill water bottles from a fountain, throw on a poncho, and prepare to get soaked for 20 minutes hiking to the base of the fall. Many will stop at the bottom of Vernal Falls (317 feet), rather than continuing on the staircase carved out of granite rocks that winds up the cliffside above. Hand rails help visitors keep their balance but be careful, as the rails get soaked during peak season (April to June). The trail continues from the top of Vernal Falls to Nevada Fall (594 feet tall) and eventually Half Dome, seven more miles (), and Clouds Rest, at nine more miles. By June, the waterfall ebbs and the mist recedes. The Mist Trail closes in winter due to frozen mist and snow.

To reach the start of the trail to Vernal Fall at Happy Isles (shuttle stop 16), catch the bus from Curry Village or walk for 20 minutes along the road or a parallel dirt path. (For traveling short distances like this, it鈥檚 often faster to walk than it is to wait for the shuttle.)

Vernal Fall is 1.6 miles round trip from the footbridge to the base of the fall and 2.4 miles round trip if you go to the top. Nevada Falls is 5.4 miles round trip with an elevation gain of 2,000 feet.

10. Half Dome Trail

Distance: 16.5 miles round trip

Difficulty Level: Strenuous

Despite a permit requirement and seasonal closures due to snow, this trail brings people to the park from all over the world. Starting at Happy Isles at 4,000 feet, it climbs to 8,839, gaining 4,800 feet. The tops out at the Cables route, where in 1875 George Anderson painstakingly pounded in metal spikes to reach the summit, then considered impossible to attain. The park service issues 300 permits per day, with 225 for hikers and 75 for backpackers, by . This hike is strenuous and beautiful, as it overlooks everything鈥攃liffs, trees, and the little city of lights that make up the Valley floor below.

The last 400 feet of the Half Dome trail ascends the Cables route, opened in 1919, which is too steep for many (including the author鈥檚 mom, who has been frequenting the park since the 1970s).

To break up the long hike, some people camp at Little Yosemite Valley, which I recommend as it鈥檚 near water, spacious, and scenic. Permits are required.

11. Mirror Lake

Distance: 2 miles round trip

Difficulty Level: Easy

This one-mile, one-way hike from the Ahwahnee Hotel to follows a paved road and a parallel trail. Though called Mirror Lake, it only fills in April and is a sandbar for the remainder of the year. Once hikers reach the seasonal lake and sandy beaches, all great for kids for swimming, they take in the sights of willow trees and stunning views of Half Dome and Tenaya Canyon, which leads all the way to Tuolumne Meadows. Mirror Lake can also be a loop hike by walking past the Snow Creek Trailhead, crossing the Merced River and hiking back on the south side, which is about the same distance.

12. Snow Creek Trail

Distance: 9.4 miles round trip

Difficulty Level: Strenuous

Once you pass Mirror Lake, the path splits. The left fork climbs up the 鈥斺�渢he most strenuous hike in the Valley,鈥� as one longtime local, Paul Carrol, told me. (Continuing straight past the lake takes you up Tenaya Canyon.) Despite its steep, demanding nature, the Snow Creek Trail is still a top pick for many. Tucked in the eastern end of the Valley floor and laden with switchbacks, the trail offers epic views of Half Dome as it climbs from the Valley floor to the rim. The hike can be connected to the Upper Yosemite Falls loop, which at 18.8 miles makes for a backpacking trip instead of a day hike.

The top of Snow Creek rewards you with a postcard-worthy view, especially at sunset, from right below North Dome across the valley to Half Dome.

13. Tuolumne Grove

Distance: 2 miles round trip

Difficulty Level: Moderate

A quarter mile east of Crane Flat is parking for the , comprised of 25 trees, and one of three ancient Sequoia groves in the park. The other two are the Merced Grove, with 20 trees, located six miles west at Crane Flat and accessed via a three-mile round-trip hike. And then there鈥檚 the Mariposa Grove, the most popular and home to the largest sequoia tree in Yosemite, the 209-foot Grizzly Giant, among more than 500 mature trees. Though the Tuolumne and Merced groves are close together, the Mariposa Grove, as it鈥檚 near the south entrance, is a 1.5-hour drive away (40 miles).

Several of the Tuolumne Grove trees are over 100 feet tall, and one is a tunnel tree that you can walk through. 鈥淥ne of my favorite guiding activities is to go and walk or crawl through the fallen tunneled-out tree,鈥� Estin says. 鈥淎 fire hollowed it out, and you can walk inside it for 50 to 100 feet.鈥�

The paved path to the Tuolumne Grove is a mile downhill and is closed to cars. Just be prepared for huffing and puffing as you hike out, as you鈥檒l gain 500 feet of vertical over merely one mile.

Know Before You Go

Watch for poison oak, swift rapids, slick rock, and burning sun. Bring plenty of water and pace yourself, as on many of the best hikes in Yosemite the terrain is steep and unforgiving. Though it rarely rains here six months out of the year, when it does it鈥檚 often heavy. Bring a rain jacket.

Many of the trails pass over stone steps polished by countless shoe prints. The rocks are smooth and may be slippery. Wear good lug-sole hiking shoes, and you can improve traction by choosing sticky-soled approach shoes made by climbing companies such as La Sportiva, SCARPA, and Five Ten.

Learn more about hiking safety in Yosemite .

The post The 13 Best Hikes in Yosemite Valley appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

I鈥檓 not saying anyone needs another reason to visit a national park this summer. Grandiose landscapes and epic adventure are plenty and then some. But our national-park system hosts a series of special and regular events in warmer weather that give you all the more reason to go outside. I once lucked into a ranger-led event in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, with my young children that had us spotting moose in a river valley. Our unplanned tour ended up being one of the highlights of a month-long road trip.

Here鈥檚 a list of the best national park events of the summer, from hands-on crabbing in the Atlantic to ranger-led star-spotting hikes in the moonlight, to鈥攎y personal favorite鈥攎eeting sled dogs in Alaska.

Special Summer Events by Month

June 3: National Trails Day, Multiple Parks

National Trails Day, created by the American Hiking Society, is a nation-wide day of service that includes work projects and group hikes on trails all over the country, including in many national park units. It鈥檚 a chance to get your hands dirty and give back to the hiking community. You can find events in your backyard .

If you鈥檙e looking for inspiration, check out the trail workday at Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield, north of Atlanta, where volunteers will help spruce up some of the 22 miles of hiking trails that traverse the mountain and historic Civil War battlefield. Or head to Ohio鈥檚 Cuyahoga Valley National Park to add stone to 154 steps on the Buckeye Trail to Blue Hen Falls. If you鈥檙e in Colorado, consider helping the Rocky Mountain Park Conservancy clean up trash that鈥檚 being exposed as the snow melts inside Rocky Mountain National Park.

June 8, Centennial Celebration, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

This year marks the 100th birthday of Bryce Canyon National Park, and the park service is celebrating in style with a variety of events, from an ongoing exhibit of historic photos in the Bryce Canyon Lodge, to a day-long butterfly count where volunteers help scientists tally the different number of species in the park. On June 8^th, the 100^th anniversary date, the Park Service will host a commemoration ceremony on the rim of Bryce Canyon between Sunset and Sunrise Points at 11 A.M., open to the public. At 6 P.M. attend a concert on the Ruby鈥檚 Inn section of the canyon rim to hear performances by the local Bryce Canyon Wranglers and the Utah icons The Piano Guys. The concert is free, but guests must register .

June 10 to 17: Grand Canyon Star Party, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona

You think the big ditch, with all its depths, is impressive? Try looking up at the sky at night. It鈥檚 mesmerizing. Every summer, Grand Canyon National Park puts on a free where you can view stars through a telescope and follow a ranger through a 鈥渃onstellation tour.鈥� There are star parties at both the North and South Rim Visitor Centers throughout the week. Entrance fee of $35 per vehicle required, but it鈥檚 good for 7 days.

June 15 to 17 and Every Night Through Summer: Native America Speaks, Glacier National Park, Montana

Members of the Blackfeet Nation and the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes discuss their culture and history through singing, storytelling, and presentations. Last year marked the 40^th anniversary of the program in Glacier National Park. The June 15 event takes place at the Museum of the Plains Indian, which displays historic clothing, horse gear, weapons, and toys used by the area鈥檚 tribes. The event on the 16th is at the Rising Sun Campground, and the one on 17th is at the Two Medicine Campground (see the time/location for each night Coupling the speaking series with the historic artifacts immerses visitors in the culture and history of the Northern Plains Tribal peoples. There are no fees for the programs, though the museum听 charges an entrance fee of $6 adults / $2 children (free for children under age six) in summer, and is free to visit October through May.

June 24 to September 2: North Canoe Voyage Ash River, Voyageurs National Park, Minnesota

Every Saturday throughout the summer, you can help rangers and other visitors paddle a , learning about the life of a voyageur in the process. Voyageurs were licensed canoe operators, mostly French Canadians, who worked to transport and trade goods like furs over long distances in the 18th and 19th century. Their massive North Canoes weighed up to 300 pounds each, carried up to 3,500 pounds of goods, and were paddled by crews of four to six men. You鈥檒l paddle for 1.5 hours. It鈥檚 free, but you need to register. 听听

July 14 to 15: Geology Festival, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Two days of rocks in Bryce Canyon! The features guided hikes, geology talks, and evening programs at the outdoor theater. Highlights from the weekend have to be the guided two-mile hike of the Queens Garden Trail, which passes by a number of unique hoodoo outcroppings, including one that looks like Queen Victoria, and the Sunset Point Hoodoo talk, where you鈥檒l learn exactly how the pillars of sandstone are formed (hint: it has something to do with 鈥渋ce wedging鈥�). Free with a park entrance.

July 15: American Indian Cultural Arts Festival, Aztec Ruins National Monument, New Mexico

Aztec Ruins National Monument also turns 100 this year, and to celebrate the monument will host the featuring artwork from dozens of Native American artists, dancers, musicians, and speakers. Aztec Ruins protects a 900-year-old Pueblo Great House which has more than 400 rooms made from mortar, stone, and wood timbers. It was named an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 because it preserves an example of Pueblo architectural achievements. The American Indian Cultural Arts Festival is a chance to witness Native People鈥檚 culture in action as more than 20 artists perform and sell their work, from traditional pottery to contemporary art. Free.

July 20 to 21: Art in the Parks, Arches National Park, Utah

The national park service has a vibrant artist in residence program, and Arches chooses a different local artist to showcase at various events throughout the summer. This year, Moab-based carpenter and illustrator Jess Hough is the On the July 7-8, and 20-21, you can see her practicing various steps of her artwork within the park,and even join her in the process if you have your own art supplies.

August 1: Full Moon Hike, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Follow a ranger on an hour-long hike through Bryce鈥檚 iconic hoodoo amphitheater while listening to traditional stories about the moon. It鈥檚 a popular hike, so you鈥檒l have to gain a spot (free) through . Show up to the visitor center at 4 P.M. to enter the lottery.

August 4: Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act, Multiple Parks

Signed into law in 2020, the Great American Outdoors Act uses revenue from energy development to provide up to $1.9 billion a year to fund maintenance in our parks. To celebrate the signing of the act, entrance fees to national parks are waived on August 4.

August 5: Junior Ranger Day, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado

It鈥檚 all about the kids on . Rangers will lead children on activities where they can learn about the dunes, see fossils and wildlife, and win prizes.

August 10: Centennial Celebrations Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Our pick for a spectacular centennial event is a on the edge of Bryce Canyon. See other events listed above.

August 28 to 31, Camp Denali Speaker Series, Denali National Park, Alaska

Camp Denali sits at mile marker 89 on the park鈥檚 only road, deep in the backcountry. While the park road is still closed after mile 43, Camp Denali, re-opening June 2nd, is offering fly-in access to its 19-cabin lodge, where guests can sign up for naturalist-led hikes or paddle a canoe on Wonder Lake, a 2.5-mile-long natural lake at the base of Denali.

Camp Denali also hosts a speaker series from June through August, featuring experts on conservation, birding, and indigenous stewardship. We say show up for the (August 28-31), where you鈥檒l learn how to create compelling landscape and wildlife photographs from pro conservation photographer, David Shaw. The speaker series is free, but you need to be a guest of Camp Denali. Rates are $1,250 a night, per person, all inclusive.

Recurring Summer Events

In the Footsteps of Ansel Adams, Yosemite National Park, California

Every Monday at 1 P.M. until June 13, visitors can meet at the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite Village, Yosemite National Park, and walk to a series of locations where Adams, a landscape photographer best known for his black and white photos of the American West, made his most , such as his shots of Half Dome and El Capitan. You鈥檒l learn about the artist鈥檚 philosophy and life while taking in the landscapes that inspired him. $95.

Tipi Construction, Nez Perce National Historic Park, Idaho

Watch interpretive rangers as they set up a large traditional as originally made from buffalo skin and lodgepole-pine poles. Depending on the size of the tipi, it could take up to 40 buffalo hides to construct the walls, which were often painted inside and out with natural dyes.听 The demonstration is every morning throughout the summer. There鈥檚 no entrance fee to the park and the demonstration is free.

Crabbing With a Ranger, Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Every Tuesday and Friday until September 4, you can learn how to with a park ranger near the Bodie Island Lighthouse, Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The rangers bring the gear, but you need to bring the bait (raw chicken wings or necks work well). If you鈥檙e willing and able to cook the crab, you can keep鈥攁nd enjoy eating鈥攚hat you catch. It鈥檚 free, but you must register. Call (252) 966-1761 as of 9:00 A.M. EST the Saturday before the program you want to attend.

Archeology Talk, Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef is best known for its geology, but it also contains magnificent petroglyphs from the Fremont and Ancient Pueblan people that lived in the area from 600 to 1300 A.D. inside the park too. The markings they left behind tell stories of their hunting patterns, crop cycles, and mythology. This occurs daily until October 7 at the Petroglyph Panel boardwalk, which is accessible to wheelchairs and strollers, giving you a chance to learn about the cultures that have called the reef home. Free.

Paradise Night Skies Program, Mount Rainier National Park

Any Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night in July, you can meet with rangers outside the Jackson Visitor Center to through a telescope and learn about the constellations that light up the sky. Mount Rainier offers one of the darkest skies in the Pacific Northwest, and is a good location to see the Perseids meteor shower, which is forecasted to deliver up to 75 visible meteors per hour between July 14 and September 1. Free.

Ask a Climber, Yosemite National Park

Every day through June, are stationed at the El Capitan Meadow, ready to discuss big-wall climbing, in which participants scale large walls over multiple pitches, taking days or weeks. Yosemite is considered ground zero for big wall climbing in the U.S. thanks to its towering granite monoliths, like El Capitan, which rises 3000-plus vertical feet from the valley floor.听 No reservation required, just stop by and ask questions. Bring binoculars and try to spot climbers on the face of El Capitan.

Sled Dog Demonstration, Denali National Park

Every day from May 20 until September 14, park rangers lead a about the sled-dog tradition, which served as the main form of transportation and communication for native peoples of Canada and Alaska dating back to 1000 A.D. Sled dogs were used to carry the mail in Alaska in the 1800s, and the first sled-dog race was held in Nome, Alaska, in 1908.听 Visitors learn about the history of the practice, visit the kennels where today鈥檚 dogs are housed,听 and even get to meet the dogs. Free.

Graham Averill is 翱耻迟蝉颈诲别鈥�s National Parks Columnist. Every time he visits the Grand Canyon he鈥檚 blown away by the volume of stars in the night sky, but he鈥檚 equally impressed by people who can catch blue crabs with a chicken wing on a string.

The post Don鈥檛 Miss These National Park Events This Summer appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

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Loved by many for being a rowdy, charming, and encouraging, and for channeling a pirate鈥檚 attitude, Ammon passed away on February 18, 2023 in Moab, Utah at age 52. With over 75 ascents of El Capitan, nearly two dozen speed records of big wall routes in Yosemite and in Zion national parks, and first ascents of hard aid climbs across the U.S., Ammon made a huge impact on big-wall climbing. Besides his extensive BASE jumping resume and innate boldness, Ammon鈥檚 friends and family remember the nearly six-foot man with the earrings, the narrow face, and the wide grin for his kindness, his support, and his ability to authentically and unapologetically be himself. Ammon lived a life of volume.

Born in June of 1970 as the third of five kids to Ron, a construction worker, and Joan, a stay-at-home mom, Ammon grew up in a Mormon family in Saint George, Utah. 鈥淗e almost killed himself every year of his life,鈥� said his brother Gabe McNeely, who is 15 months older. Ammon dodged death from the start after being born breech. At 2 years old, he hopped into a raging section of the Colorado River. His uncle dove in and rescued him. As he grew, danger followed Ammon, or he followed it. He started climbing young, getting high in trees in Saint George and scrambling up 5.6 routes in Snow Canyon state park. He sometimes climbed a hundred-foot radio tower near town. 鈥淗e would walk along the top,鈥� Gabe said of the stunt. 鈥淚t was only a foot wide.鈥�

鈥淲e used to skate halfpipes when we were kids,鈥� Gabe said. Ammon would do hand plants, the rail slides and pull air way above the coping. When his parents divorced in high school, and his mother moved to Huntington Beach, California, Ammon lost his access to skating. In 1988, Ammon married his high school sweetheart, Kim Page, and their four-year marriage gave him his first son, Austin McNeely. He had a second son Zach, in 2001 with Shannon Culver and a third son Aiden, in 2001 with Saskia Stallings. In 2002 he married Catra Corbett. The pair divorced in 2007.

Living around Huntington Beach and Lake Arrowhead in the 90s, Ammon slowly explored the climbing at Taquitz, Suicide, and the crags of Southern California. Primarily self-taught, Ammon鈥檚 knowledge came from John Long鈥檚 climbing books and in buying a rope and shoes in 1995. He decided to push himself and became fully invested in the sport.

鈥淗e went up on the NA with nothing,鈥� Ammon鈥檚 friend, Kurt Arend, said of Ammon鈥檚 1996 arrival in Yosemite and his 10-day solo ascent of the North America Wall. 鈥淚 think he just had a couple set of cams and a ton of pins. He didn鈥檛 have a clue but he didn鈥檛 give a fuck. He was just going for it. True Ammon style was just go for broke.鈥� After summitting El Capitan, Ammon met the infamous big wall guru 鈥淐hongo鈥� Chuck, who in exchange for Olde English and some Indica taught him all about hauling systems. Ammon moved into a tent in the woods behind Camp 4. With a bit of wall knowledge from Chongo and an unparalleled boldness, Ammon began raging the granite seas of Yosemite. He quickly became known as the El Cap Pirate, climbing routes that others had bailed on and flying his skull and crossbones flag on the side of El Cap. 鈥淭o plunder the booty!鈥� He鈥檇 exclaim with a hearty 鈥淎RRRRG MATEY!鈥�

鈥淚 wanted to hit El Capitan with all the force I could muster,鈥� Ammon wrote in Alpinist of coming into Yosemite in 2004 for an unmatched season of wall climbing. While known for his antics on the ground, on the wall Ammon was known for his efficiency, safety, and willingness to keep going. 鈥淚t was like having a special weapon going up on the wall, if you had Ammon, you were going to succeed,鈥� Gabe said of climbing with his brother. His 2004 season reinforced that.

鈥淚n all, I climbed 11 El Cap routes in five months, nine of them in record time, five as first one-day ascents,鈥� Ammon wrote in Alpinist. 鈥淚t was the greatest number of speed records anyone has made in a year in Yosemite. But without my partners, it would not have been possible. I owe many thanks to Chris (McNamara), Ivo (Ninov), Cedar (Wright) and Brian (McCray) for these amazing adventures.鈥�

Ivo recalled their record setting May 2004 33:02 ascent of the Pacific Ocean Wall route on El Capitan. 鈥淲e blasted with Ammon leading the first 11 pitches,鈥� he says. On the Island in the Sky ledge, at the end of Ivo鈥檚 block, Ammon just wanted to sleep, so Ivo pulled two beers from their haulbag. 鈥淲e drank the beer and blasted to the top of the Capitan.鈥� says Ivo, 鈥淗e鈥檚 my brother. We didn鈥檛 have to talk.鈥� The pair climbed 30 El Capitan routes together and set numerous speed records, including on the routes Pressure Cooker, Zenyatta Mondatta, Native Son, Magic Mushroom and The Reticent Wall. 鈥淩arely do you find people like this.鈥�

Chris McNamara also set speed records on El Capitan and in Zion with Ammon. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 say I ever saw him get scared,鈥� says Chris, 鈥淗e鈥檚 also just one of the biggest hearted, nicest people.鈥� The combination helped Ammon push his partners in a supportive way. On Rodeo Queen, Chris had a meltdown in the middle of the night wanting to bail on a pitch. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to feel a lot better if you finish this,鈥� Ammon said, wanting his friend to make it through the difficulties and raise his game.

鈥淗e truly was like that modern day pirate,鈥� says Chris. 鈥淗e was charging hard at all times, life to its fullest and always a little on the edge of what鈥檚 appropriate or legal.鈥�

Dave Allfrey and Skiy Detray were with Ammon when he took a 70 foot fall in 2010 while short fixing on the first one day ascent of a route called Scorched Earth. 鈥淗e burned the ink out of his arm,鈥� says Dave. When he fell, his aiders caught in his belay system, disengaged his GriGri, and he fell to the end of his rope. His fall bent the third bolt of the anchor upwards. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not to the bone, let鈥檚 keep going,鈥� Ammon said, according to Skiy鈥檚 recount of the ascent. The fall, one of many giant whippers in Ammon鈥檚 life, left a permanent scar in the tattoo band on his left forearm. The team fired the route in record time.

In late summer 2011, he made the second ascent of the notorious hooking route Wings of Steel 听over 13 days with Kait Barber. Jeff Vargen made a short documentary, Assault on El Cap, about their ascent.

Austin McNeely, 13, alongside his father and Uncle, Gabe, made the first ascent of the Jose Memorial Variation, a five pitch variation to the Zodiac. He presented the epic to his fifth grade class for a 鈥淲hat I Did This Summer鈥� presentation. He described not pooping for six days, and then doing the porch swing, the hundred foot rope swing at the top of the Dawn Wall. 鈥淭hey didn鈥檛 believe me dad,鈥� Austin told his father. Surprised, Ammon gave his son a disc of photos from their trip showing them on the side of El Cap and the epic. Austin returned to his fifth grade class and gave his presentation again. This time, the teacher鈥檚 mouth hung open. Austin climbed a few other walls with his father, including a spring 2020 ascent with their friend Hayden O鈥橲hay, which involved another classic Ammon epic.

鈥淚 thought he was falling to his death. He was screaming 鈥楩uck! Fuck! Fuck!鈥欌�� says Nicola 鈥淢otherfuckin鈥� Nickoli鈥� Martinez. Ammon had led most of听 the Muir Wall on El Capitan and, on the last pitch, Nickoli had hiked to the top of El Cap to help the team carry down loads. 鈥淚 thought I lost my friend,鈥� Nickoli says. After a moment, Nickoli yelled. 鈥淎mmon! Ammon! Are you there?鈥�

鈥淵eah,鈥� Ammon responded, pretty bummed. 鈥淚 lost my leg.鈥�

During one of the tension traverses on the last pitch, his prosthetic, which was attached by a button, scraped against the granite. The button came undone. His leg, which hadn鈥檛 been backed up to his harness, flew off the wall, bouncing past the Heart, past Mammoth Terraces, and onto the Valley Floor. Nickoli helped the team haul the last pitch and then hiked down to find assistance for Ammon鈥檚 descent. Before he drove to El Portal to get crutches, he stopped at the base of El Cap and hiked up to the area between Sacher Cracker and Moby Dick.

鈥淚 fucking found the leg,鈥� Nickoli said. Just two feet from the wall, Ammon鈥檚 leg sat there, having taken a 3,000 foot fall and surviving unscathed. Nickoli returned to the summit and gave Ammon his leg.

鈥淗e had the biggest grin,鈥� Nickoli says.

Beyond his leg taking flight, Ammon himself had an extensive flying career, having started BASE jumping in January of 2007, jumping off the 486-foot IB Perrine Bridge in Twin Falls, Idaho, with Chris McNamara, Ivo Ninov, and Sean Leary. He base jumped off of El Capitan, often narrowly and sometimes not so narrowly escaping the rangers upon landing in the meadow below. Once, he got tased by the rangers after jumping the formation. Unfortunately, Ammon suffered a few accidents while base jumping, twisting an ankle badly after jumping off El Cap in 2007. In 2013, Ammon nearly lost his left leg while base jumping in Moab Rim. On September 3, 2017, Ammon struck the wall while base jumping in Moab. He spent thirteen hours at the base of the wall before being extracted. Besides fractures of his left wrist, left leg tibia/fibula, and left clavicle, Ammon also severely damaged his right leg, resulting in amputation. He received his prosthetic after the accident. He often base jumped with a crew in Moab, Utah, climbing towers like Castleton and jumping off. With his prosthetic, it became easier to do the short hikes and base jump than the long approaches to climb.

Ammon supplemented his climbing and base jumping by working as a rigger over the years, often hanging acoustic insulation. With Ivo, he drove across the Midwest changing fiber optic cables in ATM machines. He occasionally worked doing tandem base jumps at skydiving sites. The past few years, Ammon had been working seasonally in Moab, Utah, for a hot air balloon company chasing the balloon and then loading it when it came down. Before his death he was transitioning to a job with Austin working for a Moab zip line company. In between work and base jumping, he continued to climb, establishing new routes in the Bartlett Wash including The Never Ending Story with his partner Sarah Watson, who had met him in Moab.

On February 18, Watson, Ammon, and a friend hiked to Hurrah Pass to watch the sunset. Watson stepped down on a diving board, which had a two hundred foot drop. As the sun dipped towards the horizon, Ammon lowered his prosthetic to descend onto the small stretch of sandstone. Weighting it incorrectly, Ammon lost his balance and fell to his death. He was 52.

The following day, a crew of Moab residents jumped to his body. They built a shrine where he fell and marked it with a flag. Below Last Hurrah Pass, the pirate skull and bones of the Jolly Roger flies.

The post Remembering Ammon McNeely, the El Capitan Pirate appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

On April 10, 2021, Josh Ourada, a 31-year-old climber from the听San Francisco Bay Area, fell while free-soloing the Nutcracker, a straightforward, five-pitch route in Yosemite听he had climbed鈥攂oth on rope and free solo鈥攂efore. He confidently sent the first three pitches, but on the fourth, he slipped, falling nearly 200 feet to a rock ledge. He was gravely injured听but survived.

Ourada, a former Marine who has been climbing for a decade, was primarily a boulderer until about two years ago, when he shifted his focus to trad climbing and big walls. Around the same time,听he started to experiment with free soloing, which he considers a meditative practice. On this trip to Yosemite, he intended to spend his time free-climbing bigger, more challenging routes than he had before, with some solos in between.

Ourada told 国产吃瓜黑料听the story of his accident while recovering in the hospital. Here鈥檚 what happened, in his own words.

That morning, I鈥檇 set out to meet up with some friends for a chill day of cragging. We had been together in the park for three weeks, and the attitude was casual.听We usually made spur-of-the-moment plans,听unless we had a big objective for the day. Two days prior, I had climbed Lurking Fear on El Capitan, so I was still in recovery mode. I slept in and got a later start, and by the time I drove into the park, the parking听lot at the Church Bowl鈥攁 popular picnic area where the rest of my party was making breakfast鈥攚as full. Instead of waiting around for a spot to open up, I thought about what I could reasonably climb on my own. That鈥�s when I settled on heading out to the Nutcracker, a five-pitch 5.8 on the Manure Pile Buttress, a granite crag in the park with moderate routes.

I let my friends at the Church Bowl know my rough plan, and went off to climb. Early spring is prime climbing season in Yosemite鈥攁 good time to beat crowds and get on the walls before the temperatures get too high鈥攁nd the weather that day was nice, reaching up in the seventies. So, predictably, there were quite a few climbing parties at the Buttress. There were two parties of two already climbing and nearing a ledge at the top of the second pitch of the Nutcracker. To kill time while I waited for the Nutcracker to open up, I decided to wander and check out other routes. All the other routes that would have been reasonable free solos were occupied, so I waited until I could climb my first choice.

I was starting to get a little antsy, and with all the other routes full, I decided to ask some of the climbers on the wall if I could climb behind them rather than wait for them to top out. I knew I鈥檇 quickly meet them on that ledge since I didn鈥檛 have to do any belaying or waiting for partners. Hindsight is 20/20 of course: I was definitely making decisions out of impatience.

To me听it felt like a pretty normal climb, even with the groups on the wall, so I had no reason to be nervous while ascending. I pretty quickly got up to where a climber was on a larger ledge where you can stop and stand. I spoke with the belayer and asked if I could keep climbing with them, and they gave me the OK, so after a quick rest,听I jumped back on the wall.

I was just past the top of the third pitch, and there were three climbers on the wall ahead of me and the belayer still on the ledge below me鈥攖hat was something I was aware of, but since things were going smoothly and they were friendly, I wasn鈥檛听concerned about being so close to them.

Before long听I was halfway up the fourth pitch, at the crux of the route鈥攁 mantle move that is the most technically challenging section of the whole climb鈥攕o I was taking decent care in how I climbed in that moment, moving slower and more intentionally. The last thing I remember is slipping. I鈥檓 not sure whether it was my hand or foot. I can鈥檛 remember the exact movement before the fall.

The fall, however, I remember well.听I was plummeting听feetfirst with my back toward听the rock. The route isn鈥檛 quite vertical, so I wasn鈥檛 free-falling. I was digging my heels into the rock as I fell, and my hands were on the wall behind me, searching for anything I could grab to catch myself or even just slow down. At that moment, it was all fear running through me.

Below, I could see the person on the ledge. I was falling right toward听them. I remember thinking, OK, I need to find a spot to fall so that hopefully I don鈥檛 hurt anyone.听I have a lot of guilt about how my accident put those climbers in harm鈥檚 way. It was my first thought once I realized where I was falling. I was also aware that I needed to try and land in a way that protected me from injury to whatever degree I could, and also to ensure that I stopped at the ledge instead of falling all the way to the ground.

After falling somewhere between 150 and 200 feet, and thankfully avoiding the belayer below me,听I landed in a seated position on the ledge between the second and third pitches, next to him.

At that point after landing, I can only remember things in bits and pieces, and the time frame is a bit unclear. I was battling a lot of pain. Of my many injuries, the biggest was a collapsed lung, which made it very challenging to breathe. The belayer called Yosemite Search and Rescue for help, and looked out for me while we waited. He kept me out of shock and tried to distract me from the pain. I asked him to put on music and eventually to play a television show I had downloaded on my phone while waiting, all to make sure I didn鈥檛 hyperventilate or pass out.

It took about two hours before the YOSAR team arrived. It was a huge relief to see them. After getting looked over medically, the rescue team had to figure out how to best take me down from the wall, which was tricky鈥攖hey first wanted to lower me to the ground with ropes, but decided that it was too risky with my injuries. Using a helicopter with a stretcher attached, they picked me up from the ledge and flew me to nearby El Capitan Meadow, where they planned to transfer me to a larger helicopter that could transport me to a hospital in Fresno.

From there听my memories are pretty hazy鈥擨 asked for pain medication once on board, which might have been the extent of my treatment at that moment. I don鈥檛 remember anything between that and waking up from surgery at Fresno鈥檚 Community Regional Medical Center.

I spent 37 days there. I had fractured my right heel so badly it actually disintegrated in parts. My left heel had a wound that needed 20 stitches. I fractured the left side of my pelvis, as well as听my spine听in several places鈥攁 severe crushing in my L1 vertebra听and a handful of smaller fractures in other vertebrae. I fractured my sternum, broke some ribs, collapsed my right lung, and broke my left thumb. I鈥檝e had two surgeries鈥攁 spinal fusion and one to put pins in my hands and feet鈥攁nd done extensive rehabilitation for muscle recovery.

Due to the spinal-cord injury, I can鈥檛 feel or move anything from my ankles down. There鈥檚 a decent chance that will never change, meaning I鈥檒l have paralyzed feet for the rest of my life. This entire experience was traumatic, but the thought of permanent paralysis is by far the hardest part to get my head around. The rest of my injuries will听hopefully听heal. I know that things could have been much worse.

This accident changed my entire life. I had planned to spend the next month training to climb the听Nose on El Cap. On an emotional level, I鈥檓 going to be processing this event for a long time. The feelings are still really raw鈥攔egret, naturally, comes to the forefront. I regret putting other climbers at risk, and I regret the impatience I felt.

My life听lately听has revolved around climbing听and being active outdoors. I鈥檓 struggling to understand what听it鈥檚听going to look like now. But I don鈥檛 think this has changed my perspective on鈥攐r love for鈥攃limbing. I don鈥檛 look at free soloing the same way anymore on a personal level.听I鈥檒l watch videos of free soloers and just feel uneasy thinking about my own experience. But I still don鈥檛 think of climbing as reckless or unnecessarily risky.

Now I鈥檓 discharged and heading to stay with my dad in Burwell, Nebraska, as I continue to recover. I鈥檓 taking stock of what I can do now听and trying to be as independent as I can. I鈥檒l do my best to live a somewhat normal life, and I鈥檓 holding out hope that I鈥檒l climb again. But for now, I鈥檓 slowing down on those kinds of plans听and focusing on how lucky I am鈥攁nd how I want to move forward.

The post A Free Soloist Remembers His Yosemite Free Fall appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

At first glance, Alex Honnold and Cedar Wright are a strange pair. Honnold is 35, doesn鈥檛 drink, and trains constantly. He looks as if he were chiseled from marble by Michelangelo. Wright, 46, calls to mind a different Michelangelo鈥攖he Ninja Turtle. He鈥檚 the life of the party, he caps off training days with pizza and whiskey, and he has passions other than rock climbing, including paragliding and filmmaking. They鈥檙e both opinionated, stubborn, and contrarian.

They鈥檙e also from different generations. When the two met in Yosemite in 2007, a couple thousand feet up the side of El Capitan, Wright had been on the North Face team for nearly five years, and Honnold was just getting noticed, quietly repeating some of Peter Croft鈥檚 free solos from back in the eighties. And yet theirs has become one of the climbing world鈥檚 most beloved friendships.

We interviewed each man separately, asking them the same questions about the other. They explained what makes their partnership work so well and unknowingly riffed off each other鈥攁s soul mates tend to do.

Shared Convictions

鈥淭here鈥檚 no replacement for spending time on real rock.鈥�

Alex Honnold: Cedar really represents a previous generation who were all about big outings. You know, the climbers who grew up adventuring in the outdoors, without access to a climbing gym. I represent the first generation of climbers who grew up in a gym. But I personally enjoy that old-school style of climbing.

Cedar Wright: One of my first big free ascents was Uncertainty Principle, on Sentinel Rock鈥攖his really beautiful formation in Yosemite Valley. I remember being frustrated by a 5.13 pitch and asking a friend, climber Jose Pereyra, what I could do to get stronger. He said, 鈥淭he universe will train you.鈥� I鈥檓 not sure if I think the universe trains me, but I do believe there鈥檚 no replacement for spending time on real rock, a philosophy Honnold and I share. In this day and age, the concept of training has become extremely gym focused, about pure performance. For us it鈥檚 about heading out and being unsure if what we want to do is going to be possible.

AH: Even though we prefer outdoor epics, we both value the strength that only focused gym training can bring. He鈥檚 always motivated to do basic fitness with me. Even after he started paragliding a lot, he鈥檚 still hang boarding and staying relatively fit.

Good-Natured Smack Talk

鈥淗onnold is a terrible partner for a lot of people, for sure.鈥�

AH: If I鈥檓 being mean, I鈥檇 call him the world鈥檚 weakest professional climber. I鈥檓 thinking specifically about a few of the bike-touring trips we鈥檝e done together [including riding to and summiting all 15 of California鈥檚 fourteeners in 2013]. There were certain routes that he鈥檇 see and say, 鈥淚 won鈥檛 climb that, it鈥檚 too hard.鈥� I鈥檇 be like, 鈥淚t鈥檚 the classic line. It looks great.鈥� Instead, he鈥檇 want to climb the overhanging 5.11 off-widths [cracks that are too big to fist or finger-jam, but too small for legs and upper bodies to fit inside], because he knew he could get up those rather than the beautiful, clean 5.13 corners.

CW: Honnold can be really matter-of-fact in a way that hurts your feelings. He鈥檒l say something like 鈥淚 don鈥檛 understand why you keep falling there, it鈥檚 not hard.鈥� His way of interacting with people doesn鈥檛 come from an emotional place but from an analytical or intellectual place. Honnold is a terrible partner for a lot of people, for sure.

AH: I think he has a stronger personality than I do. I mean, he鈥檚 burned more bridges in life than I have.

CW: But I appreciate the brutal honesty. I like to confront my flaws and inadequacies head-on. I go through cycles of extreme laziness, then extreme self-loathing, then extreme motivation. Honnold has pushed me to be a better climber through his discipline and consistency, and I think I鈥檝e pushed him as a person.

AH: I鈥檇 say my wife played a bigger role in that department than Cedar.

CW: I鈥檓 definitely a much more emotional, naturally gregarious person. Over time, Honnold has probably adopted some of my personality traits, and that鈥檚 probably been a godsend for his climbing career, because it doesn鈥檛 matter how hard you climb if you鈥檙e a dyed-in-the-wool asshole. He鈥檚 颅become more empathetic and willing to work with people.

Compatible Levels of 颅Mellow (or Lack Thereof)

鈥淲e鈥檙e both deeply impatient people who just want to fucking get it done.鈥�

AH: We were climbing together in Antarctica in 2017 on a bad-weather day. We skied across a glacier to look at an objective we thought might be manageable in those 颅conditions. We got to the base of a little tower and I was like, I don鈥檛 want to do this. This is just too grim. I was slightly resentful of the fact that I often get roped into expeditions and then, because I鈥檓 typically the stronger leader, wind up having to do all these things I don鈥檛 want to do. I said to Cedar, 鈥淚f you want to climb it, you lead it.鈥� And he was like, 鈥淣o problem.鈥� He led the whole thing, scraping snow off the ledges, getting all gripped, and being, you know, super scared as he was trying to climb this frozen tower. Because I was on top rope, I stayed in my ski boots and wore his extra jacket the whole time, completely comfortable, totally warm.

CW: He also wanted to climb as fast as possible. Honnold can egg you on to do shit that鈥檚 a little at the limit. He鈥檒l be like, 鈥淒ude, what鈥檚 your problem?鈥� And you鈥檙e like, 鈥淲ell, my problem is that I want to put in a piece before I do what looks like some really hard overhanging climbing.鈥� And he鈥檚 like, 鈥淲hatever, put in the piece then.鈥� And I鈥檓 like, 鈥淒ude, take a chill pill.鈥� But I appreciate somebody who鈥檚 impatient. That鈥檚 maybe one of the reasons we have a good relationship. We鈥檙e both deeply impatient people who just want to fucking get it done.

AH: It was one of those times when I thought, wow, we got to sneak in this extra-cool climb on a day that otherwise would鈥檝e just been a bad-weather day, because Cedar was willing to make it happen. To me that鈥檚 a good partner.

CW: It felt like we鈥檇 sort of gotten away with something.

AH: When you go through really 颅intense experiences together, it 颅either destroys or solidifies the friendship. And in this case, I think it solidified ours.

Mutual Enabling

鈥淲here鈥檚 my thank-you at the 颅Oscars, fuck face?鈥�

AH: I think Cedar鈥檚 biggest impact on my climbing has probably been facilitating certain sorts of adventures that I never would have done otherwise. Climbing California鈥檚 fourteeners and our expedition to Antarctica were some of the more formative moments in my career. And they wouldn鈥檛 have been possible without a motivated partner pushing just as hard to make those trips happen.

CW: Sometimes it鈥檚 about creating space for adventure. Just being like, 鈥淲e should try to do all the fourteeners by bike, it鈥檒l be awesome.鈥� That鈥檚 the best thing you could ask for out of a training partner鈥攕omeone who has a crazy idea and wants to try it. Even if I鈥檓 going to maybe be a little bit slower on the bike on certain days or a little bit slower on the rock on certain days, I鈥檓 there with him, with the motivation to keep going.

AH: I鈥檓 typically pushing for the harder routes and the more challenging lines. I think that鈥檚 probably helped Cedar stay strong as a rock climber. On the trips we鈥檝e done together, there was always a little bit of tension. But I鈥檇 constantly acknowledge it, like, 鈥淥h yeah, you鈥檙e gonna have to rest a little bit more than me because you鈥檙e like 11 years older.鈥�

CW: I think Honnold probably owes most of his climbing career to me. I was like, 鈥淲here鈥檚 my thank-you at the Oscars, fuck face?鈥� I should have at least gotten an 鈥淚 owe it all to Cedar Wright, a middle-of-the-road climber who loves to get out there and suffer.鈥�

The post Alex Honnold and Cedar Wright Are Friendship Goals appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

On June 3, 2017, my boyfriend, Alex Honnold, became the first person to free-solo El Capitan, a 3,000-foot wall in Yosemite National Park. It was an achievement .

Just a year and a half prior to that day, Alex and I met at a talk and book signing he鈥檇 done in Seattle. I hadn鈥檛 known a single thing about him, but after listening to him speak, I decided he was cute and funny, so I left my phone number on the table as I walked away. A few weeks later, we went on our first date. It was a dry, cloudy day in early December, and we sat across from each other in the upstairs of a crowded pizza joint. As we chatted, we learned about each other: I was an outdoor dilettante; he had committed his entire life to rock climbing. I lived with four friends in the middle of the city; he spent entire rest days alone in his van. I treasured nuance and context; he found clarity in the black and white. We were total opposites, yet somehow听there was a spark. As we laughed and watched each other, I was unaware that he had recently signed a contract with National Geographic听to film a documentary about his life.

In June 2016, six months after Alex and I met, I quit my job in Seattle, shoved eight boxes of my belongings into the crawl space beneath my rented room, and traveled to Europe with him for the summer. We climbed at crags across France and Switzerland and counted waterfalls as we hiked on trails through the Alps. He was like no one I had ever met: incredibly brave, quietly in need of love and approval,听confident,听and whip-smart. Mostly, he was playful and made me laugh. I think he appreciated my self-deprecating sense of humor and enthusiasm for life, but maybe it was my convenient lack of employment. When we got back to the States, it didn鈥檛 take long before we took听three听boxes from the basement and placed them in the back of his van. As we drove away from the house, I asked, 鈥淒id we just move in together?鈥�

As our relationship developed, so did the documentary. When I first heard about the project, I imagined a few days of interviews and some low-key climbing shooting over the course of a season. But on the day we awoke to a cameraman quietly entering the van to film our morning routine, I realized it was anything but low-key. Little did I know that in the months to come, many of our most intimate, painful moments would happen in front of the crew. A camera would be there when I asked Alex if we听would take me into account when he risked his life soloing, when I held myself together for a cheery goodbye before leaving Yosemite a few days before his ascent (only to lose it completely when I got in the car), and during petty fights as we bought our first house.

There were moments early on when I could tell the filmmakers were frustrated by my presence鈥攂ecause, let鈥檚 face it, relationships complicate things. My arrival hadn鈥檛 been part of anyone鈥檚 plans, and no one had expected Alex would fall for someone on the eve of his solo of El Cap.听Even Alex came to me at one point wondering if we should break up. He worried that I would get in the way of his climbing and that he needed to choose: love or greatness. I remember asking, 鈥淲hy not both?鈥� And so we forged ahead, delicately balancing our blossoming affection with the headspace听he needed to free-solo听at a high level. In the end, the story of us falling in love became a key plotline in the film, and the directors, Chai Vasarhelyi听and听Jimmy Chin, captured the intensity of a new relationship developing in the midst of Alex鈥檚 pursuit.

Then, one day, our relationship was on display for the world to see.

Free Solo premiered at the听Telluride Film Festival in August 2018. As I watched on opening night, I could appreciate the beautiful and skillful filmmaking, but that did not prevent the emotional roller coaster听I felt as I watched almost two years of our relationship condensed into 20听minutes of footage. There were moments when I wanted to leap up and provide context to the crowd. At one point, when asked if I climb, Alex responds,听鈥淚鈥檇 hardly characterize her as a climber.鈥� To a viewer, that听might sound like a rude, off-handed quip, but in reality, he made the comment when I鈥檇 only been climbing consistently for a few months. I didn鈥檛 even self-identify as a climber yet. I felt equally frustrated听as I watched a shot of me fumbling with a knotted rope shown right before Alex sprains his听ankle falling on a run-out听slab鈥攖he underlying implication being that my ineptitude was to blame. While I didn鈥檛 want to shy away from personal responsibility, details that felt important to me鈥攈e skipped a bolt, he pushed himself away from the wall鈥攆looded my mind. And yet听I recognized, painfully,听that I had no voice in how the story would be told or remembered.

I could see that the directors were addressing the concern that Alex was hanging out with someone new to the sport听while training for the greatest climbing feat of all time, but I couldn鈥檛 help but feel defensive. Ultimately,听I鈥檇 always trusted that he would do what needed to be done to succeed, whether I was in the picture or not.

In the months to come, Free Solo would win an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and seven Emmys. It would be听seen by millions of people and .听As more people around the world saw the film, it felt like opening up my heart and giving everyone a peek inside. My sensitivity grew, and even casual comments could feel torturous. Jimmy told me about an A-list actor who watched the film and said that the whole time he just wanted me to get out of the way so Alex could do his thing.听I received direct messages from people who believed I was in an emotionally abusive relationship. On my social media feeds, there were endless comments that Alex shouldn鈥檛 climb with me because I was a hazard. I was shocked that people felt they knew the ins and out of our relationship after having seen so little.

There was one interview that left me feeling particularly raw. Chai, Jimmy, Alex, and I were seated in a circle with a journalist from the Los Angeles Times. At some point, the group began discussing the infrequency with which Alex uses the word听鈥渓ove.鈥� (Words of affection aren鈥檛 always his strong suit.) It was a conversation I鈥檇 had many times in the early years of our relationship, usually in the van or under the covers, but always when he and I were alone. As the exchange continued, the group began debating where I stood in听his priority list鈥攚as it above or below his passion for extreme rock climbing? I remember holding my breath and thinking,听Can鈥檛 some things be equally important? As I exhaled, it hit me just how public my life had become.

In those first few months post-release, I suffered severe anxiety. I remember one night in particular, when Alex was away on the film tour and I was home alone. My anxiety had morphed into paranoia, and in the middle of eating dinner, after triple-checking the front door听and closing every blind in the house, I grabbed my largest chopping knife from its magnetic holder on the wall and laid it down next to my plate. A few nights later, I recall lying awake in bed for an entire night, certain the house had been bugged and there were hidden cameras in my room.

When I mentioned these occurrences to friends and family, I faintly registered their concern but felt helpless to do anything about it. The idea of seeing a therapist felt exhausting, and I perhaps naively believed that the situation was too unusual to be understood. It took me a while to identify this experience as the side effect of going from an everyday person to a subject of a documentary viewed by millions: I was feeling an utterly profound lack of control.

Initially, it was the fear of being misunderstood that clawed at my consciousness. In the weeks following the film鈥檚 release, Alex (the give-no-shits expert) reminded me again and again, 鈥淪anni, the only people whose opinions matter are your family, your friends, and yourself.鈥� Eventually, his point sunk in. I could not control how the world chose to interpret me.

Yet there was a bigger fear lingering听beneath the surface. Somewhere deep down I was realizing the pain of forever being seen simply as an extension of my significant other. I wanted to create a name for myself, and there was a line between closeness and independence that I was struggling to find. Could we pursue our own dreams without drifting apart? Slowly, I recognized that my frustration might be coming from a lack of confidence that I would find my own way.

A few months after the Free Solo premiere, I鈥檇 started with two friends designed to help people create outdoor-driven lifestyles held its first event. It was a Sunday night in early winter, and I had just spent four days running around, leading nearly 100 people through a life-altering weekend. I was exhausted. And yet听I felt like myself. It hit me that Alex鈥檚 life had the forward momentum of a tornado, but in the midst of falling in love, I didn鈥檛 want to be swept off my feet. Instead, I wanted to focus on what I knew to be true: I was very much a woman in love, and very much my own woman.

Time passed, and life began to slow down, as did the press, fan sightings, selfie requests, and Instagram threats. We came back to our routine, hit the road, and spent weeks in Yosemite thinking of nothing but climbing and hiking. As I healed, I felt immense gratitude for the Free Solo team, and I could once again appreciate the experience without triggering an anxiety attack.

More than a year after the film鈥檚 release, Alex and I were at a small Airbnb on Washington鈥檚 Whidbey Island when he pulled out a ring box and asked, 鈥淒o you want to keep doing what we were doing?鈥� I said, 鈥淵es,鈥� with an enormous smile.

Looking back, I can see how navigating Free Solo prepared us for the journey we are just beginning: our marriage. Alex and I faced almost every pressure a new relationship could take. We fell in love in front of a film crew, knowing that if it didn鈥檛 work out, we鈥檇 have complicated many people鈥檚 lives for nothing. We had to discuss not only the prospect of death, but what we each needed to truly feel alive. The overwhelming sea of press and publicity taught me to let go of what other people think of me and my relationship. Most important,听because of Free Solo,听when it comes to the dance between closeness and independence, I can finally ask: 鈥淲hy not both?鈥�

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