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Big Sends on El Cap’s Zodiac and Pre Muir Wall

The action in Yosemite has not slowed down over the past few days. Barbara Zangerl and Jacopo Larcher sent the massive Zodiac Wall after a five-day push up Free Zodiac 5.13d with both climbers leading the pitches harder than 5.12+. Their send is the likely third ascent of Free Zodiac after the first ascent by the Alex and Thomas Huber and second ascent by Tommy Caldwell in 2003.

After the send, Zangerl said, “This was one of these days I never will forget! We invested nearly all the time we had here in Yosemite and finally all the hard work paid off. Both of us freed every single pitch and we both led all of the 5.12+ up to 5.13d pitches. Every single pitch was amazing and we had a lot of fun up there the last 5 days.”

Robbie Phillips sent the 30-pitch Pre Muir 5.13d with partner Ryan Richardson in just three days. The first free ascent was in 2007 by Justen Sjong and Rob Miller and it was repeated in 2012 by James McHaffie, Neil Dyer and Hazel Findlay. In 2015, Marc-Andre Leclerc sent the Shaft Variation to the Muir Wall 5.13c with Brette Harrington.

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