Discussion Topic |
|
This thread has been locked |
BASE104
Social climber
An Oil Field
|
|
Has Tommy redpointed all of the 5.14 pitches now?
With Keven's finger torched, he might be done. Yet Tommy is going strong.
I see this possibility:
They do the route, but Kevin doesn't follow every pitch. As a team, they did free every pitch in a continuous push.
In the olden days, this would be a free ascent. You swung leads and never worried if somebody couldn't follow a pitch on toprope. The point was advancing the sharp end of the rope upwards by free climbing. Tommy has so far freed every pitch, and is now ahead of Kevin by a couple of pitches.
Maybe Tommy should come back and just free the whole thing? He is climbing really well. Well enough to have led every pitch.
I would still call it a free ascent if Tommy followed some of the pitches. It might be a mild asterisk, but not that bad.
|
|
Brian
climber
California
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 9, 2015 - 10:23am PT
|
If Tommy frees every pitch, in order, in a push, from belay to belay, pulling ropes if he falls (all of which are happening on this push), then he has clearly freed the route. No question. Under these conditions, Tommy will be the first to have successfully free climbed the Dawn Wall. (Obviously, I hope that Kevin pulls through as well and that it is a full "team" free ascent. Kevin clearly, I think, can do it; it's a question of whether or not his body [i.e., skin] will last on this attempt.)
Now, assuming Tommy has free climbed the Dawn Wall, there is always room for improving style:
-self-contained, without support
-a single climber leads every pitch
-in a day
-etc., etc.
I remember some old interview with, I believe, Tommy, in which he said his goals for El Cap free climbing are, in order: to free every pitch, to free the route, to free the route leading every pitch, to free the route in a sub-24 push--or something to this effect (I may not have those details right).
But if Tommy tops out having freed each pitch in order in a push belay to belay (many of which are also stance to stance), then he has clearly freed the route and the route has clearly "gone" as a free climb.
My 2.5 cents.
Brian
|
|
crøtch
climber
|
|
Another wonderful source of news regarding the ascent is Rebecca Caldwell's blog which has some touching glimpses of the support that Tommy's family is providing through this endeavor.
http://tommyandbecca.blogspot.com/.
She writes that he has redpointed p19 and p20 leaving only (only!) 10 pitches of 5.12 and 5.11 to the top, and that he will spend some time supporting Kevin's quest to free p15 and p16.
|
|
Alexey
climber
San Jose, CA
|
|
this is a good news. Make all situation eased up ! Go Tommy and Kevin!
|
|
Brian
climber
California
|
|
|
Topic Author's Reply - Jan 9, 2015 - 04:11pm PT
|
Sweet!
|
|
HighTraverse
Trad climber
Bay Area
|
|
Well done on p15 Kevin!
Get that last 5.14 pitch done. We're all rooting for you.
|
|
Clint Cummins
Trad climber
SF Bay area, CA
|
|
as posted above,
Kevin just sent 15!! Epic! #DawnWall [~ 3:30pm]
http://twitter.com/bigUPclimbing
It's great that Kevin got it after all that work.
Hopefully the current finger skin wear and tear will not be quite so critical on the remaining pitches.
|
|
nah000
climber
no/w/here
|
|
so wicked!
may the weather hold and given all of the work they have both put into it, may they both continue to succeed all the way to the top...
|
|
Vitaliy M.
Mountain climber
San Francisco
|
|
Wooooooooohhhhhoooooooo! !! Well done Kevin! Good luck on the other pitches...wait they need no luck, they got the hard earned skill!
But in any case, wish the weather to hold up for you. And everything that you can't control to work out to your advantage.
|
|
labrat
Trad climber
Auburn, CA
|
|
Nice!!!! Upward you go!
|
|
Largo
Sport climber
The Big Wide Open Face
|
|
One of the greatest free climbing efforts I have ever heard about. Now that is WANTING it. Go Kevin!
JL
|
|
climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
|
|
WOOT WOOT WOOT!!! So glad he got it. Thats BIG!
It's just not the same if your buddy can't pull something off with you.
|
|
Bob Harrington
climber
Bishop, California
|
|
I sat in my cubicle this afternoon looking out the window and thought, maybe this is sending weather... !!! This really is an inspired effort. I've heard it said that sending a hard pitch is like pissing in a dark suit ... Gives you a warm feeling and nobody else notices. No so for these lads!
|
|
stunewberry
Trad climber
Spokane, WA
|
|
I don't think 3 cubic cm of rock have been the focus of so much attention since the Apollo missions to the moon. Go Kevin! Go Tommy!
|
|
Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
|
|
Good on him!
Best vibes for the rest, team!
Yeah, Peter, ( below) the hero's Journey! What would Joseph Campbell have made of this?
|
|
Peter Haan
Trad climber
Santa Cruz, CA
|
|
It is so huge. I am deeply happy for both of our sons. Terrific men. The Journey of the Hero!!
|
|
guyman
Social climber
Moorpark, CA.
|
|
Go Go Go..... This is so amazing.
Best of luck
|
|
David D.
Trad climber
California
|
|
STOKED!
|
|
|
SuperTopo on the Web
|
Let us know!