Yosemite

"What Beth did in 2008... was way ahead of the times"

John Long is one of climbing's most prolific authors. He's also one of its most beloved characters.

When an airplane smuggling a load of high-grade marijuana crashed in a Yosemite lake, a gold rush of climbers hauled out a fortune in brick weed right under the noses of the authorities.

The route features hard slab, 5.13+ seams, and a 5.13c finger crack of such high quality that the climbers named the ropelength "As Good as It Gets."

You've heard of Alex Honnold and all of his groundbreaking ropeless ascents. But here are a few things you may not have known about Honnold, many of which are also quite impressive.

Big wall permits are here to stay in Yosemite. But what they look like is still evolving. Make yourself heard before November 16.

The summit of El Cap was a garbage dump of abandoned equipment with portaledges, static ropes, camping gear, 93 empty water bottles stashed under boulders, and cans of chili.

This curated selection of Glen Denny images captures the rawness and wild adventure of Yosemite in the 1960s.

Three greenhorn wall climbers headed up the Big Stone in 1981. They vowed to reach the top or nearly die trying. They got their wish.

Progress or persecution? Yosemite's now permanent big wall permit program has met a mixed reaction in the climbing world. Here's what we know so far.

From the first women recorded in mountaineering in the late eighteenth century, to the first 5.15 female ascent by Margo Hayes in 2017.

"After those first few days, I noticed that he hadn’t used the bathroom—he’d been too afraid to remove his harness leg loops. On day four..."

“Amity doesn’t seem to take rest days. ... That's probably the biggest influence on her impressive ticklist."

It was an artful deceit, a blurring of fact that eventually led to one of Yosemite's finest routes.

New Zealand student Anna Parsons has broken nearly every bone in her body following a trad fall on Snake Dike (5.7 R).

As a teenager he saw a terrible accident on El Capitan. A chance meeting 40 years later finally brought closure.

The 1970s were heady times in Yosemite, ruled by the high kings of rock, The Stonemasters. And then there were the HoseMasters, ordinary climbers who did something extraordinary.

For five decades Dean Fidelmen has been Yosemite’s artistic don. But he’s still evolving. Now, after a three-year hiatus, he’s bringing his Stone Nudes calendar back. With some twists.

He was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease. Then he lost nearly everything to the Oak Fire. Climbing grounds him, as it always has.

Stonemaster John Long recounts his time with Jeff, a one-time climbing bum and the son of an affluent family. Jeff leaves climbing and dutifully follows his family's riches, while John stays true to the only rule that counts.

Alex Honnold's free solo of El Capitan did not occur in a bubble of solitude and inspiration. In this archive piece, originally published shortly after Honnold's ascent, James Lucas dives into the story (and backstory) of Honnold's path to Freerider.

"The Bird" was a leading and often controversial Yosemite climber who overlapped with the Valley's "Golden Era" that included Royal Robbins and Warren Harding, and the Stonemasters, for whom he was the defacto leader. Here, he muses over what was then the new concept of detailed climbing grades, and how ego affects ratings—thinking that still applies.

Hand-placed beaks, anyone?

This is pure climbing footage; there is no story, no interview, and no posing. And it's beautiful.

A month at sea, with its requisite sickness and insomnia, didn’t stop Berthe from having an incredible Yosemite season. 

The staunch Yosemite hardman pioneered modern free climbing ethics, and accomplished first ascents of some of America’s most iconic climbs.

"A hodgepodge of slightly newer hardware dots the cliff, a marker of all the old bolts that have ripped and needed replacement over the years.”

In the winter of 1986, three highly experienced Yosemite wall climbers were trapped for days in a blizzard on Half Dome's South Face.

Corbett, a.k.a. “Mr. El Cap”, climbed El Cap 56 times while helping others achieve their dream of climbing the Big Stone.

Climbing legend Jim Erickson pulls the curtain back to reveal what really happened ... or didn't happen.

In this excerpt from "Valley of Giants," a new anthology of writing by some Yosemite's most iconic women climbers, Beth Rodden describes how her six-month journey on Meltdown (5.14c) brought an end to one period of her life and introduced another.

Some climbers wait to attempt famous free routes until they’re good enough to do them in perfect style. But what if you are never that good? Purists would say you should stay off the climb—leave it for those who have the necessary strength and talent. I say go for it, with a few points of A0.

The 33-year-old made the fourth ascent of Magic Line after first trying it in 2016.

The following photos provide a glimpse into the evolution of Yosemite's climbing scene, including pioneers like Royal Robbins and Warren Harding, as well as present-day badasses like Alex Honnold.

Granite. Climbers love it, even as it tears their flesh, steals their gear, and makes them feel oh-so-small. You know how granite feels under your hands and feet, how it smells, and the way it turns to gold in the last light of day, but here are a few things you probably didn't know.

First published in 1994, this interview with the late Jim Bridwell runs the gamut: aid routes, alpinism, fast free climbs, vivid dreams, Patagonia, sport climbing, and more.

The writer and stonemaster John Long dives into the lore (and his own experiences) on his favorite 5.10: The East Buttress of El Cap

No matter how experienced you are, gravity never sleeps. Stay safe and stay vigilant with these 10 time-tested tips.

Climbing has long celebrated hard drinking and drugs. Many climbers become lifelong alcoholics and addicts and their families, friends and climbing partners bear the high price. One of climbing's most iconic figures fell into the pit, but pulled himself out and now has an important lesson every climber should read.

A rare glimpse of the hardware carried by John Salathé, Royal Robbins, Warren Harding and William "Dolt "Feurer to pioneer Yosemite's granite crucibles.

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The Boulder Farm offers private instructional climbing via toproping and bouldering, along with a WiFi-enabled Airbnb and an outdoor grill. All on the outskirts of Yosemite.

Check out John Long's author page.

The climbers thought they might do a variation to the Steck-Salathé and brought a bolt kit—a decision that would prove crucial.

Check out Cedar Wright's author page.

Check out Dougald MacDonald's author page.

This new anthology chronicles the history of women climbers in Yosemite from the 1930 to the present.

Check out Chris Kalman's author page.

Check out Dave Wetmore's author page.

Check out Kevin Corrigan's author page.

I hated this situation. I loved it, too. Not a soul, not even God, stood between me and the decision I faced. Do or fly.

Against the odds, Mash Alexander, who was hit in the face and head as he slept, is recovering.

Check out Hannah Singleton's author page.

Check out Hannah Singleton's author page.

Phillip Bay and Brian Degenhardt were on top of Higher Cathedral Spire when they saw this fearsome act of nature. If you take one thing from the article to which this post is related, it is that rockfall on El Cap and elsewhere is continual—take, and wear, your helmet.

Oh, plus miles of approach and descent for Jordan Cannon and Scott Bennett, who also biked between the walls.

It was a close call on the Big Stone when the route they were climbing started falling apart, and then most of the route did collapse.

Are you inspired by Alex Honnold? So is his mom, who is the oldest woman to scale El Capitan. Here she shares her thoughts on how essential a little inspiration can be.

Adams and Wickstrom establish 1,100 feet of new terrain; Warme and Karow go ground up on all-team-free ascent.

Off-the-radar crankster Pablo Hammack, 20, of Santa Barbara, snagged the first problem in the Valley with the proposed grade of V15.

A Valley first timer gets a rude awakening on the particular brand of greasy holdless granite that eats the unaccustomed for lunch.

Seven times up El Cap is the lucky number for Squamish big wall climber

“It’s cool doing an older route that doesn’t get climbed. That’s part of the appeal.”

Goris, who climbed 5.14 trad earlier this year, sent the legendary 35-pitch route in a mere five days.

Starting on May 21, wilderness permits will be required for all those who climb overnight in the Park. We talked with the park's Climbing Rangers and the American Alpine Club to learn more.

Two lifelong friends face rockfall and the life-altering aspects of sudden Injury.

Check out Peter Beal's author page.

On April 11, 2021, 31-year-old climber Josh Ourada fell approximately 150 to 200 feet while free soloing Nutcracker, on the Manure Pile Buttress, Yosemite. Climbing magazine caught up with Ourada in a phone call to find out more details about the accident and to learn how his recovery is going.

Check out Michael Levy's author page.

Maximize big wall success with one of these three tactics

Tierrany is the Yosemite National Park's first boulder problem to be graded V14—though it may not be the first V14.

Yosemite National Park has announced plans to set up an extensive network of auto belays on the iconic big wall, beginning with a series of auto belays protecting the Nose.

Last year, at age 50, the unstoppable Tom Herbert lapped El Cap twice in a day. This year he re-sent Midnight Lighting... then he lapped that too.

Check out Climbing Staff's author page.

Check out James Lucas's author page.

Check out Kevin Corrigan's author page.

Check out James Lucas's author page.

The Yosemite Climbing Association Museum and Gallery was set to open this spring, featuring artifacts and photographs from Yosemite’s climbing history, but was delayed due to the pandemic. Here’s how you can help preserve these artifacts.

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Check out Levi Harrell's author page.