UKC

Back in October of last year we reported that New Zealand climber Mayan Smith-Gobat had made a free ascent of the famous Salathe on El Capitan, California.

Here's the video from Five-Ten...

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/item.php?id=66391

In reply to UKC News:

"...rest you way through it"

Yeah looks pretty restful! What a star.

>Are we correct in thinking the list of women to free climb El Capitan are >(feel free to comment and correct/add names):
>
>Lynn Hill (The Nose)
>Steph Davies (Free Rider and Salathe)
>Kate Rutherford and Madaleine Sorkin ('team free' - Free Rider)
>Mayan Smith-Gobat (Salathe)
>Hazel Findlay (Golden Gate)

Didn't Katie Brown free the west face of El Cap ?

In reply to UKC News:

Seriously hot skier as well.

Yum.

In reply to UKC News: Brilliant. What an utterly ridiculous view from the hands off rest. I'm not sure if looking down and out 3000 ft would help me rest much!

She's a total star. As a granite crack aficionado, I'm developing quite a crush on her.

In reply to Chubbard:

...and Beth Rodden too. She climbed the nose free with Tommy Caldwell in 2005.

In reply to Mick Ryan - Senior Editor - UKC:

thanks for the link Mick. That took up more time than expected. Besides being my kind of gorgeous, she is a very interesting and wholesome character to boot. Her blog makes good reading and is definitely inspiring. A talented woman indeed.

In reply to UKC News:

Good little video, but I can't help thinking that a non climber watching that would only understand about 30% of the words!

In reply to Glen: Depends where the non climber is from

Anyway, I don't think you need to understand the words to know it's awesome!

In reply to UKC News:

Totally agree but can someone please define 'free climbed' I appear to be under the wrong assumption that you did it without any aid, I appear wrong clarification on this would be gratefully recieved.

or does free ascent and free climbed mean something different?

Good film and very impressive climber.


In reply to UKC News:

>Are we correct in thinking the list of women to free climb El Capitan are >(feel free to comment and correct/add names):


Stephanie Bodet has done Freerider leading all the pitches (Arnaud Petit was belay bunny, but I can't see how this disqualifies her)

Beth Rodden had a hand in the FFA of Lurking Fear and was first to red-point the crux pitch. I don't know if she freed every pitch. She has made a 'team free' ascent of The Nose with Tommy Caldwell but 'only' top-roped the Changing Corners pitch.

I think that very select list illustrates how impressive Hazel's ascent of Golden Gate was.

In reply to fozmeister:

Which bits did she aid??

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In reply to UKC News:

I am assuming that her use of rope and tackle was 'aid' this is the bit I need clarification on please

In reply to fozmeister:

It states:

Back in October of last year we reported that New Zealand climber Mayan Smith-Gobat had made a free ascent of the famous Salathe on El Capitan, California.

No aid, she repeated the free version of the Salathé.

In reply to fozmeister:

You've lost me Foz.

E

In reply to Enty:

I think he's saying, Enty, that to 'free' climb El Cap, it has to be done without ropes and tackle. You know, solo. Bit like bouldering. Lots of pads probably.

In reply to jon:

Ok forget it, I was confused witht the terminology that was all. Maybe I didn't help with how I worded it - I will remain in dark about the meanings of
free ascent
free climbed
and how these differ from soloing - maybe I didnt explain myself properly my wife says I don't.

In reply to Mick Ryan - Senior Editor - UKC:

Cheers Mick

In reply to fozmeister:

When Enty climbed El Cap last year he used aid on some of the pitches. He climbed it with a partner, using ropes, and they pulled on the nuts, Friends and pitons to make upward progress. Mayan, on the other hand, also climbed with a partner using ropes but instead of pulling on the gear, she just clipped the rope into it for protection in case she fell. She used only the rock for upward progress. This is free climbing, not soloing.

In reply to UKC News:

Argh thanks that makes sense now thanks very much for the clarification

In reply to fozmeister:

In other words - she's shit hot and I'm a punter

Once you've been up there you really appreciate the effort that goes into freeing an El Cap route. The knee bar rest she gets is outrageous - amazing!!!


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