UKC

Great progress on Dawn wall!

© Brett Lowell/Big Up Productions
Björn Pohl UKC

This has been read 5,618 times

Since the last news item on December 30, Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson have made great progress on their Dawn wall-project and are now mid crux.

So far, it's going even better than anyone could expect, with both an ~8c and the first ~9a traverse pitch under their belt (they're sharing a belt). This first of the two traverse pitches is possibly the hardest on the whole route and both of them doing it on their first day of trying it suggests this may quite possibly turn out to be THE push i.e the push where this six year project could actually go down.

Of course, bodies, fingertips and perhaps most importantly the weather have to be on their side as well.

Tommy on Instagram:

Oh snap. The hardest pitch got sent by both of us tonight. I might be in a little shock right now. The route is taking a toll on our fingertips as we are now both climbing with taped up fingertips, but it doesn't seem to be slowing us down too much. Oh yeah!!!!

Kevin on Facebook:

Tonight, I sent the hardest pitch of my life and the hardest on the Dawn Wall! Best of all, Tommy sent right after me! Pitch 14 (the first traverse) is in the bag!

Once again, fingers crossed for the boys!

Tommy Caldwell is sponsored by: Black Diamond, Bluewater Ropes, Clifbar, Climb On, La Sportiva, Patagonia and REVO Sunglasses

 

Kevin Jorgeson is sponsored by: Black Diamond, adidas, FiveTen, Sterling Rope, Asana

This post has been read 5,618 times

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Comments

JLS
2 Jan, 2015
Even although it's clearly impossible it's looking like they are actually going to do it. Certainly grounds for optimism. The weather's looking pretty good too. It might even be too warm on Monday!
snoop6060
2 Jan, 2015
If they are spending such a long time on the wall, are people bringing them food and water and such like?
Mark Collins
2 Jan, 2015
Yes, I just read about that in one of Tom Evans' El Cap reports.
JJL
2 Jan, 2015
How come all the hardest pitches are being "sent" in the dark?
jon
2 Jan, 2015
I'm a bit confused as to the style of this ascent. It would seem to me that they intend to do something in between the Skinner/Piana Salathe 'team free' style and the now more accepted style where one person leads every pitch free. From looking at Tom Evans's commentary and photos we see TC leading a pitch free and then KJ seconding it free, and then swinging leads for the next pitch. Basically climbing as a normal pair would climb a long route. Is this a reasonable summary? As for the night climbing, maybe they're just running out of daylight? It's not like they need the temperatures to cool down - it's already very cold and they're on the east side of El Cap and so in the shade in the afternoon anyway.
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