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Watch Andy Kirkpatrick Alone on El Cap for 14 Days

“There was probably no other route that scared me more on El Cap than the Sea."

Watch a short film edited by Matt Pycroft of Andy Kirkpatrick’s 14-day solo of Sea of Dream on El Cap. The 800-metre A4+ 5.9 is a test-piece big wall route.

“But then, it’s always like this. I know the feeling well—the relief, the sadness, so desperate for it to be over for so long, yet wanting to hang on.” It was Kirkpatrick’s 34th trip and fourth solo up El Cap. He said, “the Sea was by far the most adventurous route I’ve done.”

Jim Bridwell, Dave Diegelman and Dale Bard established Sea of Dreams in 1978, they rated 12 of the 27 pitches A5, “If you fall, you die.” Kirkpatrick said, “There was probably no other route that scared me more on El Cap than the Sea. But then, why not do it for that very reason. I had come to sort my head out—to reboot my body and mind, something nothing can do like a hard wall can do—why not go for the full dose?”

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The tip of the spear

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Sea of Dreams

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