Amity Warme and Brent Barghahn Climb 25-Pitch Yosemite 5.13c
The two experienced big wall free climbers have redpointed El Niño via the Pineapple Express variation
In a big week of sends on El Capitan, Amity Warme and Brent Barghahn have climbed El Niño with via the Pineapple Express variation. The 25-pitch route goes at 5.13c. The route was recently climbed by Angus Kille and Hazel Findlay, with Kille redpointing every pitch and Findlay sending all but two. Earlier today, we reported Babsi Zangerl and Lara Neumeier climbed the 35-pitch Muir Blast into El Corazon at 5.13-, and Miška Izakovičová climbed Golden Gate, a 36-pitch 5.13-. Two weeks ago, we reported about two Canadians free-climbing El Capitan – read here.
Pineapple Express was opened by Canadian Sonnie Trotter in 2018. The climb is technically a three-pitch variation to El Niño VI 5.13c. Trotter established the route over a few seasons with Alex Honnold, and then sent it in a 13-hour push with Tommy Caldwell supporting. Honnold and Brad Gobright made the second ascent of Pineapple Express in 2019.
Warme is one of America’s most accomplished trad climbers, with an impressive list of repeats and first ascents. In Yosemite, she’s climbed Father Time 5.13b 20 pitches, Golden Gate 5.13a 36 pitches ground-up, Freerider 5.13a 31 pitches (twice), NIAD at 11:45, The Niels Tietze Memorial Route AKA The Nexus 5.13a/b 9 pitches, The Final Frontier 5.13a/b 9 pitches, The Dream Team 5.13a 10 pitches, Scarface Free 5.12 9 pitches, Wayward Son 5.12 14 pitches, The Crucifix 5.12 5 pitches, Cosmic Debris 5.13b and more. She was recently in Squamish where she repeated a 5.13+ corner – read here.
Barghahn is also a highly accomplished Yosemite climber, with several test-piece ascents to his name, such as a rope-solo of Father Time 5.13b 20 pitches; ground-up ascents of Golden Gate 5.13a 36 pitches and El Corazon 5.13b 35 pitches; and a new 950-metre route called The American Way up Pik Slesova in Kyrgystan with Nik Berry, Eric Bissell, and Dave Allfrey. Barghahn isn’t on social media, but keeps an up-to-date blog that you can find here.
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