Will Stanhope Frees El Cap in a Day

It seems to be big wall season in Yosemite. Despite the short days, a number climbers are heading up El Cap and Half Dome for warm November rock climbing.

Will Stanhope and Jesse Huey had been attempting to link El Cap and Half Dome, all free in a day. Early in the morning, they started up Freerider 5.12d, 37 pitches. The route is a 5.12 variation to Salathe Wall pioneered by the Alex Huber in 1998.

Jesse Huey reported, “We were smoking up the Freerider as the sun came out in force just as we got into the steep layback corners where it started to slip away for me. The extra weight of team free climbing and zero rest didn’t help the slippery soapy jams and feet up high.

It was awesome being there to see Will free El Cap in a day in such an awesome style. In all we simul-climbed all but 7 pitches getting to where I melted down (the enduro corner) in six hours.”