Adam Ondra has done the two crux pitches on Dawn wall

19th November, 2016

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Adam Ondra on pitch 14, 9a, Dawn wall, Yosemite
© Pavel Blazek

After failing the day before, Adam Ondra recharged and made quick work pitches 14, 9a, and 15, 8c+ or 9a, on Dawn wall. All that stands between Adam and success now is pitch 16 ...and the rest of the pitches.

On cloud nine!

It has been magical evening. I was focused and calm. The mindset when climbing is actually fun! Sent the pitch 14 (5.14d) on my first go after a little warm up. Then, after it got dark and having a heartbraking fall on the top of pitch 15 (5.14c or d), I could still give it one more shot and send it too.

Skin feels too painful to continue tonight, but I will continue tomorrow!

For pitch 16, Adam can now choose between the "dyno pitch", 8c+, as climbed by Kevin Jorgeson or the "loop pitch", 8b+, as Climbed by Tommy Caldwell. I think Adam has decided on the latter variation.

After this, another 8b+ pitch follows, and then 14 more pitches to the top, the hardest of which are two 8b's.

Adam Ondra is sponsored by: Black Diamond, Entre-Prises, KIKU, Hudy Sports, La Sportiva, Montura and Tendon

This post has been read 23,679 times

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Comments

Greasy Prusiks

19 Nov, 2016

Adam, if I were you I'd at least pretend to struggle with pitch 16. I doubt you'll get another visa if make the whole thing look a walk in the park.

snoop6060

19 Nov, 2016

Rope solo it free in a day or it doesn't count these days :)

stp

19 Nov, 2016

Great news. Two 9a's in a day is pretty impressive by any standards let alone half way up a multi day ascent of El Cap. Hope the weather stays good for him for the rest. I thought he'd said previously he was planning to join the loop pitch with the next one because it seemed more logical to him that way - and made one combined pitch of 8c+.

La benya

19 Nov, 2016

I'm really glad you mention that, thanks. The way it's reported sounds like he's opted for the 'easy'option... which just didn't sound right in the context of Mr Ondra's past efforts. I wouldn't be surprised if he goes back for the dyno pitch after finishing off his preferred option.

Robert Durran

19 Nov, 2016

I think the beauty of the Dawn Wall is that Caldwell managed to find a line of least resistance which is only just possible at his and today's standards and the fact that Ondra hasn't cruised it seems to confirm this. To take the "hard" option would therefore seem somewhat contrived and missing the point (though which variation is harder seems to depend on which climber we are talking about). Having said that, the Loop pitch does sound a bizarre, even if logical, solution!

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