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May 25, 2016 - 06:18am PT
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WORLD
THE DAWN WALL: THE INSIDE STORY
BY ANDY CAVE ON 1/20/15 AT 10:03 AM
EXTREME SPORTS
Grass-roots climbers are uncomfortable with statements like “the hardest climb in the world”. But most would agree that last week’s first free ascent of the Dawn Wall on El Capitan, Yosemite, ranks as one of the toughest rock-climbs ever to be completed.
Definitely grass rooted.
During rest periods they repaired the holes in their fingertips with sandpaper and superglue, and sanded the rough edges of their tight-fitting, rubber compound rock shoes.
For many people, climbing seems an odd activity; strange really, as we all start out climbing instinctively – how else do we go up and down stairs in the first few months of life? Most of us give up early, due to discouraging parents and a sense of self-preservation. Tommy Caldwell never did;
Now I understand.
it was crucial that both members of the team made the summit – a rare sentiment in a sport that has, in recent years, followed the trend of many mainstream sports in celebrating the cult of the individual.
A cult? Stay away from the Elcap bridge Kool=aid stand.
So what does it take to climb at this level? There are three broad spheres requiring mastery: physical, technical and mental. Being strong in all three is rare. Think elite gymnast, ballerina and chess-player rolled into one.
I agree and think of myself as such.
Physical requirements include finger strength, the ability to maintain contact with a variety of different-shaped holds; the ability to generate anaerobic power via fast-twitch muscle fibres for single, desperate moves; good lactate tolerance in the forearms to sustain strength through consecutive difficult moves; core strength and flexibility to ensure the feet can reach and engage footholds.
Totally engaged it.
Technically, these climbers have thousands of movement patterns ingrained from years of experience, as well as very specific moves for this climb that are rehearsed over several years. These mental schemes mean they can act on a sequence of moves quickly, almost unconsciously.
They can never truly onsight.
It was re-attached by surgeons but it lost most of its function, so Caldwell had it re-amputated.
? There is a route name in here, somewhere.
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