North Bay Climber, Partner Make History, Claw Way To Top Of El Capitan

Two rock climbers, including a Santa Rosa native, made it to the summit of 3,000-foot El Capitan in Yosemite National Park Wednesday afternoon after a weeks-long climb, a park spokeswoman said.

Kevin Jorgeson, 30, of Santa Rosa, and Tommy Caldwell, 36, of Estes Park, Colorado, reached the summit sometime after 3 p.m. with Caldwell reaching it first and Jorgeson following a short time later, Yosemite spokeswoman Ashley Mayer said.

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The two rock climbers, who began their ascent Dec. 27, plan to hold a news conference at 11 a.m. today in the meadow below El Capitan to discuss their climb, Mayer said.

They are the first to “free climb” the Dawn Wall on the world’s largest granite monolith using ropes and pins only for safety.

[Previous: A ‘Free Climb’ First: Sonoma County Man, Partner Expected To Complete Ascent of El Capitan Today.]

The pair ate and rested in portaledges -- small tents on ledges of the rock -- and their endeavor attracted the attention of media from around the world. Jorgeson and Caldwell posted updates of their climb on Facebook, Twitter and other social media.

On Twitter Wednesday morning, Jorgeson wrote, “It’s not over until it’s over” before finishing the climb.

The weather in Yosemite Valley during the climb was mild, with daytime temperatures near 60 degrees and in the low and mid 30s at night.

--Bay City News

--Photos courtesy of Kevin Jorgeson on Facebook

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