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| El Capitan | |
|---|---|
El Capitan from Yosemite Valley | |
| Elevation: | 7,569 ft (2,307 m) |
| Latitude: | 37° 44′ 02.4″ N |
| Longitude: | 119° 38′ 13.2″ W |
| Location: | California, USA |
| Topo map: | USGS El Capitan |
| Range: | Sierra Nevada |
| Type: | granite rock |
| Age of rock: | CretaceousThe Cretaceous period is one of the major divisions of the geologic timescale, reaching from the end of the Jurassic period (about 135 mya) to the beginning of the Paleocene epoch of the Tertiary period (65 mya). The end of the Cretaceous also defines the |
| First ascentIn climbing, a first ascent (FA) is the first climb to reach the top of a mountain, or the first to follow a particular climbing route. First ascents are notable because they are the climbs that entail genuine exploration; the risks are higher and the cha: | unknown |
| Easiest routeMount Everest climbing routes as seen from the International Space Station. A climbing route is a route by which a climber reaches the top of a mountain, rock, or ice wall. Routes can vary drastically in difficulty, and it can be difficult to change one's: | hike |
El Capitan is a 3,000 foot vertical rock formation in the Yosemite Valley, which is very popular with rock climbers.
The top of El Capitan can be reached by hiking out of Yosemite Valley on the trail next to Yosemite FallsYosemite Falls is the highest waterfall in North America. Located in Yosemite National Park in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, it is a breathtaking sight best viewed in the late spring. The total 2425 foot distance from the top of the upper fal, then proceeding west. For climbers, the challenge is to climb up the sheer granite face; there are dozens of named climbing routeMount Everest climbing routes as seen from the International Space Station. A climbing route is a route by which a climber reaches the top of a mountain, rock, or ice wall. Routes can vary drastically in difficulty, and it can be difficult to change one'ss, all of them long and difficult.
The most prominent part of El Capitan, the "Nose", was first climbed in 1958Events January January 1 Treaty of Rome founding the EU is implemented January 4 Sputnik 1 falls to Earth from its orbit (launched on October 4 1957) January 8 14 year old Bobby Fischer wins the United States Chess Championship January 18 Armed Lumbee Nat by Warren Harding , Wayne Merry and George Whitmore after 47 days of actual climbing spread over seventeen months. The team used rope, pitons and expansion bolts to make it to the top, using aid climbing much of the way. The route was repeated in 1960 by Royal Robbins , Joe Fitschen , Chuck Pratt and Tom Frost , who took seven days. The first ascent of the Nose in one day was accomplished in 1975 by John Long, Jim Bridwell and Billy Westbay .
Efforts during the 1960s explored the other faces of "El Cap", including the North America Wall on the southeast side. As it became clear that any face could be conquered with sufficient perseverance and bolt hole drilling, some climbers began to eschew the use of bolts and attempted to find El Cap routes that could be climbed either free or with a minimal use of aid. Even so, the West Face was not free climbed until 1979 ( Ray Jardine and Bill Price ), the Nose was only freed by Lynn Hill in 1993.