Four New El Capitan Speed Records in 2023
Magic Mushroom, New Dawn, The Nose and Grape Race all had speed records set over the past few months
It’s been a busy year in Yosemite Valley, with bold repeats, hard free ascents and a handful of new speed records. We’ll have a complete recap at the end of 2023, but for now here are the four new speed records on El Capitan that we’re aware of.
A new record was set on the 12-pitch Grape Race, a 5.9 A2+, on June 19 by Miles Fullman, Nick Ehman. They climbed it in 7 hours and 46 minutes. Ehman continued his speedy climbing and on Oct. 10, he set a new solo speed record up The Nose in 4 hours and 39 minutes.
A new speed record was set on Magic Mushroom on Oct. 15 by Jim Reynolds, Brandon Adams and Tyler Karow in 14 hours and 37 minutes. They used a mix of free and aid climbing. In June 2008, Tommy Caldwell freed/led the entire 31-pitch 5.14a in 20 hours with Beth Rodden. We’re not sure of any other one-day free ascents.
The most recent speed record set on El Capitan was on Oct. 27 up New Dawn by Karow, Adams and Miles Fullman. They climbed the 25-pitch 5.8 C3+ in 16 hours and 45 minutes, shaving 7 hours off the record. Read what Karow said about their climb below.
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