UKC

Jorg Verhoeven, born in a small valley among the huge mountains in Holland, has become the first European to free climb The Nose on El Capitan in Yosemite, first done by Lynn Hill in 1993.

Yeeeaaaaah! I freeclimbed the Nose!!! In three days time I managed to grab the 4th ascent of this iconic...

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=69289

In reply to UKC News:

check the spelling of Caldwell

In reply to UKC News:
Umnn...

"The Free Nose has previously been repeated by Tommy Cardwell and Beth Rodden."

What about Scott Burke, sure he toproped the great roof... but lead the rest.

Read more from here:
http://themountainworld.blogspot.fi/2005/10/caldwell-on-burke.html

In reply to UKC News:

Jorg must be one of the best all-round climbers in the world. Any chance of an interview?

In reply to HeMa:


Whilst an amazing achievement, far greater than I will ever do, to be able to claim a full free ascent, it must be all on the lead.

That is the standard for all types of climbing, trad and sport. There are many climbers who have top roped routes far harder than their best lead grade, but haven't claimed it as an ascent.

Correct me if I am wrong, but that has always been the criteria for a full free ascent hasn't it?

Cheers, Rich.

In reply to Richard White:

Well...


Then Rodden is off the list as well...
http://themountainworld.blogspot.fi/2005/10/caldwell-on-burke.html

And also Hazel (albeit on a different route) has not free-climbed El Cap (contrary to how it was published as news).

Food for thoughts.

In reply to HeMa:

All of those climbers have achieved more than I will ever do and it is not for me to criticise or question their ascents.

Thinking further on this;

If I climb a multi-pitch route and swap leads, seconding and thus top-roping my non-lead pitches, I still claim the route as a free ascent, as long as my partner did lead free all their pitches.

I'll shut up and let those who are really pushing the boundaries and limits to make their own decisions.

In reply to Michael Gordon:


At least they didn't put Cadwell or Caudwell...

In reply to Richard White:
If I top-roped every pitch up the Nose but free-climbed them all, even with falls, then I will have free-climbed the Nose (I suspect there's more chance of winning the lottery jackpot , even if the style was poor. Obviously, leading every pitch would be a much bigger achievement.

By this criteria it would appear that Jorg is the 5th; Lynn Hill twice, once alt lead, once lead all, Scott Burke, led all except great roof, Tommy Caldwell twice, once alt lead, once lead all, and Beth Rodden, once alt lead.

SImilarly Salathe was free climbed by Skinner AND Piana, but was not free climbed by either Skinner (singular) or Piana (singular) as they jugged some pitches when not leading.

Of course this is all just playing with semantics and the main thing for us as observers of these feats is that the style of ascent is accurately recorded; all of them are significant achievements that we rightly applaud.

In reply to UKC News:

not bad for a comp climber.

In reply to Morgan Woods:


Yeah, but what has ever done o...... oh I can't be bothered.

In reply to Michael Hood:

I absolutely agree, hence why I think my initial thoughts / comments aren't applicable.

The ethics and standards that are applied on a single or multi-pitch crag in the UK are not appropriate on a route such as the the nose. Having aid climbed the nose, even the thought of top roping the Great Roof is mind boggling.

In reply to Byronius Maximus:
E7 on sight on grit and Strawberries in the same style...

In reply to Richard White:


Exactly. At least they are honest in the reporting. Eventually, it will be lead on sight placing all the gear , don't hold your breath.



The last thing on my mind when cleaning the pitch was it would eventually be freed. I was more surprised that my jumaring skills had developed to the point of being able to clean downhill.


Being the above mentioned descending traverse, not the easiest place to set up a top rope.

Only a handful of free ascents in 20 years of the most famous climb in the world shows how big a deal this is. Well done.

It seems pretty standard on big routes that doing it free doesn't entail leading every pitch. I suppose it would be a bit odd if somebody seconded all of the pitches, but I suppose that might be different.

As for losing kudos for "toproping" the great roof, with it being sideways, I don't see how it's any different to leading it!

In reply to GDes:

Yep. The protection on the Nose is easy to place (its a C1 aid climb), most of the great roof is in-situ, and the falls on the hard bits are into space, so I'm not sure it would be that much easier to second free than lead.

But I guess I'll never get to find out.

In reply to HeMa:


How do you top rope a horizontal traverse?

In reply to jon:


With an anchor on rails above?

Seen it done on Excalibur (Garbh Bheinn) by a leader taking a stance *way* above, but know that's not practical here!

In reply to petestack:

Thanks Pete. I knew there'd be a way!