Babsi Zangerl and Jacopo Larcher Free The Nose
The both led the crux pitches during their six-day free climbing push
Austrian climber Barbara Zangerl and South Tyrol climber Jacopo Larcher have freed The Nose on El Capitan after six days of climbing. Their free climb came a few days after Belgian climber Seb Berthe freed The Nose.
They power couple swung leads on the easy pitches, but both led the cruxes, including the Changing Corners and Great Roof. The overall grade of The Nose seems to range from 5.13+ to 5.14b, depending on who you ask.
Zangerl and Larcher attempted The Nose in 2018, but the route was too wet. They had to wait for a few other parties this year, but after sending the Great Roof, they rested for a day and then climbed to the top.
On El Capitan, the two top big wall climbers have freed El Nino, Zodiac and Magic Mushroom. This spring, Zangerl sent Pre-Muir Wall.
The first ascent of The Nose was in 1958 by Warren Harding, Wayne Merry and George Whitmore, who spent 47 days over a number of years working their way up. Lynn Hill made the first free ascent in 1993 and again in 1994.
The Nose Free
1993: Lynn Hill
1994: Lynn Hill
2005: Beth Rodden, Tommy Caldwell
2005: Tommy Caldwell
2014: Jorg Verhoeven
2018: Keita Kurakami
2018: Connor Herson
2019: Seb Berthe
2019: Babsi Zangerl
2019: Jacopo Larcher
Check out the latest buyer's guide:
