Last weekend Alex Honnold climbed the mighty El Capitan in Yosemite National Park without any safety gear.
The elite rock climber reached the summit in about four hours using only his hands and feet. Honnold was the first to climb the 3,000-foot granite wall alone without a safety harness or ropes to catch him if he fell.
“I was pretty much elated,” Honnold says of reaching the top. “I was probably the happiest I’ve ever been. It’s something that I thought about for so long and dreamed about and worked so hard for. I mean, it’s pretty satisfying.”
Honnold began preparing for this historic climb two years ago. He rehearsed the route while climbing with protective gear. He memorized each hole he had to grab and the way he had to position his body until he felt comfortable enough to attempt the “free solo” climb.
The most difficult part of the route is about 2,300 feet off the ground, where there are very small holds where only a thumb can fit.
The most challenging part was overcoming the mental hurdle, Honnold says.
Observers say his climb has pushed the limits in a sport that requires a high level of athleticism, risk-taking, and mental focus.
“It’s hard to imagine anybody ever coming close to what he’s done,” says Daniel Duane, author of El Capitan: Historic Feats and Radical Routes. “He is totally alone at the top of his game.”
And that is a very high summit.
(Photo: Alex Honnold stands atop El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, after his historic climb. AP)
