Watch Dean Potter Free-Solo Heaven 5.12d/13a in Yosemite

Back in 2006, Dean Potter made the first ever free-solo of Ron Kauk’s amazing route Heaven 5.12d/5.13a on Glacier Point Apron in Yosemite. Watch below.

In 2002, Potter made the first free-solo of Supercanaleta on Fitz Roy; in 2003 he made the first ascent of Conception 5.13+ in Moab; in 2006 he free-soloed Deep Blue Sea 5.12+ on the Eiger with a BASE set-up; and in 2010 he got the fastest time up The Nose at two hours and 36 minutes.

For more of Potter’s incredible Yosemite feats, watch the feature documentary, Valley Uprising. He died in 2015 in a wingsuit accident in Yosemite.

“Entranced by the flight of a raven, I watch its shadow move effortlessly against golden, shimmering granite. I long to be that free, flying above the cluttered world of normalcy, where so many are half alive.” – Dean Potter

Alex Honnold later free-soloed Heaven, and said: “I had never considered this style [onsite solo] before, but on our way to drive up there I thought about it and I got a little psyched. It’s one of those things that once the idea occurs it’s hard to shake. As soon as I thought ‘I should just flash it’ I felt compelled.”

Heaven Free-Solo