So you want to free El Cap, Eh?
On November 8th 2018, I stood on the Freerider summit as the first Canadian female to free climb Yosemite's El Capitan. Over the course of my journey (it only took me 4 years and 4 attempts to finally send!), I kept detailed notes on every little piece of beta. Now I’ve turned all that information into a comprehensive guide to Big Wall Free Climbing, including my full Freerider beta spray down!
FREERIDER (12d/13a, 32 pitches)
You've seen it in “Free Solo,” Honnold climbed it before breakfast, how hard can it be? Freerider on El Capitan follows much of the classic route The Salathe, but with a four-pitch variation that avoids the sustained 5.13 free climbing on the insanely steep Salathe Headwall. The Freerider variation was pioneered by Alex Huber and then established free in-a-day in 1998 with his brother Thomas, claiming the spot for the easiest free line up El Capitan!
Freerider has it all. From glassy slabs to burly offwidths, technical crimping to steep cracks, it’s sure to put your granite skills to the test — especially while dealing with complex systems, wild exposure and the exhaustion of a multi-day Big Wall!
Welcome to the official Freerider beta spray down.
My Freerider Story.
2015
I first climbed Freerider with Jacob Cook (my then boyfriend — now husband) and Chris Bevins in June 2015. I’d only been climbing for two and a half years. It was our second trip to The Valley — one year earlier Jacob and I had managed to scrape our way up The Nose, as Big Wall newbies.
The wall was a blast! We hauled an inflatable shark the whole way and read aloud The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy every night from our portaledges. We reached the summit in 6 days, Jacob and Chris both managing to free the route. I was stoked just to be there and fell in love with vertical camping!
2016
After a year and a half of climbing I found my thoughts returning to Freerider. I climbed The Salathe over 5 days with my friend Sam Nightingale, this time not as the tag-along girlfriend but as an equal partner. I scoped out the pitches as we aided past, could I free this? I wondered. Don’t be silly.
Then I met Alix Morris. Alix is extremely ambitious and perma-psyched. Like me, she’d only been climbing for about 4 years, but she'd climbed El Cap numerous times, including a handful of in-a-day ascents. I was excited but nervous to join forces with Alix. No, actually I was terrified. Who was I to think I could free The Captain? The next 7 days were some of the most empowering, exhausting and memorable days of my life. After a full week of tears, laughter and battle wounds we reached the summit, Alix with a free ascent and mine thwarted only by a single move on the Huber Boulder. The infamous "Ninja Kick" became my nemesis.
2018
Over the next two years Jacob and I moved to Squamish, BC. I climbed on granite as much as I could and trained indoors whenever it rained. In November 2018, Jacob supported me on my successful free ascent of Freerider over 5 days! I led all the crux pitches and only weighted the rope three times, lowering and sending each pitch after. This time it almost felt easy. But it wasn’t easy, it was the end of a four year epic journey to become the first Canadian female to free climb El Cap.
What’s in the E-Book?
Through my attempts, I kept detailed notes on every little piece of beta that I could conceivably want to remember. 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! So, if you want to climb Freerider (or think you might want to someday!) then this is the book for you.
Some of the topics covered…
BIG WALL FREE
Pacing - including sun/shade tactics and climbing at night
Climbing Partners
Wall Systems for Free Climbers - with detailed illustrations
Self Care on the Wall - don’t underestimate the importance!
Packing - including a complete Freerider Packing List!
What Counts? Explained.
FREERIDER STRATEGY
Game Plans - effective strategies, including a discussion on pros and cons
Stashing - including logistics, ethics and etiquette
Rappelling/ Retreat
Freerider in-a-day (hot tips by Jacob)
El Cap Descent
THE CLIMBING
General Progression - how to prepare long term
8 Infamous Pitches: Freeblast Slab, The Hollow Flake, The Monster, The Huber Boulder/ Teflon Corner, The Enduro Corner, The 12a Traverse and Scotty Burke Offwidth.
Pitch-by-pitch printer-friendly full beta spray down!
Heavily annotated route Topo
