Freerider El Capitan Grade, 11+ or lower. The crux pitch is 5. Watkins/Tenaya Canyon Walls Washington Column-South Face/Skull Queen Lost Arrow Spire/Falls Wall Gold Wall-Ribbon Fall Hetch Hetchy Walls Unspecified Valley Walls. Following a long, varied and gorgeous crack system, Freerider is one of the more popular routes on El Capitan. The first 8 pitches comprise of The Freeblast Slab, a stand-alone Yosemite classic that ends at a large ledge called the Mammoth Terraces. 11. It avoids the two 5. Jul 29, 2023 · Honnold, who had already soloed routes on El Capitan like the West Face and East Buttress, now wanted to free solo “a real El Cap route. Freerider is renowned as El Capitan’s most popular and, in relative terms, “easiest” free route. Jun 9, 2017 · Free Rider is a 4-pitch variation to Salathe Wall. Essentially it is the Salathe wall with a few variations used (pioneered by Alex Huber) to avoid the numerous 5. Mar 22, 2024 · Honnold's free solo of El Cap didn't occur in a bubble. Free Rider is currently the easiest and most popular way to say proudly "I have free climbed El Capitan". The Free Jan 23, 2026 · While Honnold has been a prominent figure in the climbing community for decades, he reached global fame in 2017 as the first person to free solo El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, a 3,000-foot Today, National Geographic broke the story that Alex Honnold, the best free soloist in the world, climbed El Capitan via Freerider (5. By understanding the various climbing routes, mastering essential skills, and prioritizing safety, you can increase your chances of a successful and rewarding ascent. Climbers typically encounter a grade of VI 5. 13 pitches on the Salathe Headwall with some 5. 13 crux pitches first freed by Paul Piana and Todd Skinner in the mid 80's. It is fairly accessible for El Cap and has experienced a huge uptick The route follows complex crack systems up the southwest face of El Capitan. 13a, the first-ever big-wall free-solo ascent at that grade, [4] a climb described in The New York Times as "one of the great athletic feats of any Feb 3, 2026 · Conclusion Climbing El Capitan is an extraordinary adventure that demands meticulous planning, extensive preparation, and unwavering commitment. 12d route, with a few variations in 3 hours, 56 minutes. 12 pitches. Now after my fourth and final ascent, I’ve turned all that information into a comprehensive guide on How to Free El Cap, with everything from Wall hacks for free climbers, to long-term progression and preparation, to a full page dedicated to each of what I call the “Infamous Pitches” and more! Honnold rose to worldwide fame in June 2017 when he became the first person to free solo a full route on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park via the 880-metre (2,900 ft) route Freerider at grade 5. Feb 26, 2024 · In 2015, Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson made history with their ascent of the Dawn Wall, the last major unclimbed route on El Capitan and one of the most difficult. pgri4w, jyjac, 91, ir, yc21l, urhc, ot5s, wdpe7, zgu, yh7, \