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| El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, CA. |
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| Can you imagine how strong mentally you must be to do this, much less physically? |
Dear students:
Last week saw the completion of a vision no one thought possible in the small, elite world of rock climbing. Two men completed a free sport climb of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park in California. They practiced for six years. In that time span, each of them spend over 400 full days on the wall practicing in order to accomplish the climb in one effort without leaving the wall. That's over a year on a vertical rock face to try to achieve a dream! Pretty incredible and worth noting for our class theme, I believe.
They said they did it because they want to encourage other people to climb or find the Dawn Wall in their lives, and take it on.
Wow.
Many links below.
Assignment for Homework:
Read and browse as you prefer, but find one you really like and want to write about and share your thoughts. Then in the Comments section, write a short summary of what the article/video was about, and your response, including what you learned from it. To encourage active reading and listening (meaning you should take some notes as you read and listen!), please use one direct passage or quote from the article/video in your response.
As always, have fun, and every chance to write is a chance to write well.
Online articles and graphics
From National Geographichttp://news.
From New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/15/sports/el-capitans-dawn-wall-climbers-near-top-yosemite.html
Dawn Wall interactive graphic
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/01/09/sports/the-dawn-wall-el-capitan.html
Profile story on Tommy Caldwell
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/08/sports/on-el-capitan-dawn-wall-in-yosemite-and-beyond-climber-tommy-caldwells-drive-pushes-him-toward-the-impossible.html
Profile story on Kevin Jorgenson
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/10/sports/kevin-jorgeson-completes-crucial-pitch-on-el-capitans-dawn-wall.html
From Park Service and Friends of Yosemite. A list of dangers and accidents for El Capitan.
http://www.friendsofyosar.org/safety/climbingSafety.html#risk
http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/climbing_safety.htm
Videos
http://youtu.be/fANAk7UC6rg?list=PL-WnhqkddCM15K4y5qbTWNL2uHTML7F4KTommy Caldwell and the Dawn Wall
http://youtu.be/fANAk7UC6rg?list=PL-WnhqkddCM15K4y5qbTWNL2uHTML7F4K
The ascent of Alex Honnold from 60 Minutes
http://youtu.be/SR1jwwagtaQ?list=PL-WnhqkddCM15K4y5qbTWNL2uHTML7F4K
Top woman climber and boulders competitor Alex Puccio
http://youtu.be/2e3uXNOuHp4?list=PL-WnhqkddCM15K4y5qbTWNL2uHTML7F4K
11-year old girl is best young climber in the world
http://youtu.be/5P5akoQ_eNI?list=PL-WnhqkddCM15K4y5qbTWNL2uHTML7F4K
Chris Sharma and Adam Ondra spent two years working together to climb La Dura Dura (5.15c / 9b+), the world's hardest climb. If there are climbers as eccentric than Alex Honnold, these guys are it.
http://youtu.be/V1P97VVt6_k?list=PL-WnhqkddCM15K4y5qbTWNL2uHTML7F4K
Female rock climber and base jumper Steph Davis gives a powerful TED talk, which includes insights on the loss of her husband from base jumping.
http://youtu.be/BR9dbjubfuU?list=PL-WnhqkddCM15K4y5qbTWNL2uHTML7F4K
I went to the website http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/15/sports/el-capitans-dawn-wall-climbers-near-top-yosemite.html. This website has s summary and brief description of what occurred at Yosemite and who was apart of the history made. Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson were the two who complete "The hardest completed rock climb in the world." This also included a background of what the El Capitan's Dawn Wall truly is, how high it is, and the meaning of this cliff. Finally what I thought to be the coolest part of the any website I visited was that it had a graphic simulation of what the climb not only looked like, but a picture of where the two were in comparison to the whole cliff. It is the highest cliff I have ever witnessed. This takes rock climbing to a whole new level!
ReplyDeleteI read the natgeo piece, and I really like the comment that Kevin Jorgeson made about how it wasn't about conquering a challenge, it was about realizing a dream. I like how it wasnt an individual effort either, they were surrounded by people who were cheering them on, as well as people who brought them supplies when they needed it. It was nice to learn something about climbing, when I heard "free" climbing I assumed that they were just climbing with nothing in the way of ropes or supports. Which apparently is called free solo, that sounds almost suicidal though. Its nice to know that there are still things to be conquered in the modern world, and better still to know that there are people who are willing to take them on. This was an inspiring story to learn about, though I am not inspired enough to try it myself.
ReplyDeleteYou bring up a good point that it is nice to know there are still things to conquer in the modern world. I think what you mean by this is physical goals. It does seem like there is an instrument for us to do almost anything. If we want to fly, there is an airplane. If we want to travel to an island, we have cruise ships. But if we have the urge to free climb a cliff, yes we have safety devices, but mostly it takes strength, endurance and bravery. I agree the story is inspiring, but like you, I have no desire. I will keep my feet on the ground.
DeleteThe article that most intrigued me was the very first, from the National Geographic.
ReplyDeletehttp://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/01/150114-climbing-yosemite-caldwell-jorgeson-capitan/
What I enjoyed most about this article was how it explained their difficulties while climbing the "Dawn Wall". Tommy Caldwell, who was considered the more experienced climber of the two, crossed pitch 14 and had bolted up the wall and a quick two weeks later he had passed the hardest pitches of the wall. Unfortunately it took Kevin Jorgeson a while longer to pass the tough pitches. What I like most about these two men is their teamwork. After failing and failing on pitch 15, Jorgeson explains how he felt that he soon needed to decide if he had to let Caldwell go on without him. A statement that Caldwell makes after the climb is over really shows the respect and friendship these two had shared. ""More than anything, I want to top out together," Caldwell said on day 13. "We gotta make that happen. It would be such a bummer to finish this thing without Kevin. I can't imagine anything worse, really."" I liked that they were so dedicated not only to finishing the climb but finishing it together, which they had eventually done. I also enjoyed that this site has all kinds of interesting pictures of them climbing and some videos to watch as well. It's amazing what these men accomplished, I couldn't imagine doing that myself!
I read this same article and I absolutely loved the friendship and dedication these two shared. When Caldwell says "I can't imagine anything worse, really" regarding continuing without Jorgeson that showed me just how loyal and caring he is for his partner. Overall I thought this article was very inspirational to pursue your dreams and to make the impossible possible!! To also follow your dreams regardless if others say you cannot do it. I hope it had the same effect on you.
DeleteNot knowing much about rock climbing I had no idea just what these two men had achieved. I know see how difficult it had to have been for them to do. I think what you pointed out about Caldwell being ahead of Jorgeson and still stopping to wait on him was great. It seems he easily could have went on to finish the wall and achieve this great record himself. However, he didn't. He stopped to wait and finish with his partner.
DeleteI went on both http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/01/09/sports/the-dawn-wall-el-capitan.html?_r=0 and http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/10/sports/kevin-jorgeson-completes-crucial-pitch-on-el-capitans-dawn-wall.html. The interactive wall really gave me an idea of just how nearly impossible it had to be to climb up it. With almost nothing to hold onto, and practically only using their fingers to hold up their entire body, I can't even begin to imagine how hard it must've been for both Kevin Jorgeson and Tommy Caldwell, but truly they did something that no one before has done and that everyone thought was impossible, and they ought to be incredibly proud. While reading the details about how Kevin Jorgeson climbed the wall and the difficulties he faced during the climb, a quote that I found very admirable was. "“As disappointing as this is, I’m learning new levels of patience, perseverance and desire. I’m not giving up. I will rest. I will try again. I will succeed.”" I think this quote is something that everyone needs to take to heart, because it can be used in just about any circumstance and I think it's important to understand that sometimes you can't just conquer something in a day, but that it will take weeks or years to, but that in the end if you keep going you'll achieve your goal.
ReplyDeleteI too visited the New York Times website. I agree that the interactive wall was very helpful in understanding how large the Dawn Wall actually was and also how high up the two climbers were as well. Climbing up to the top was probably the toughest task they have ever had to accomplish, but I can't imagine getting up to the top and looking down.
DeleteI had a difficult time wrapping my head around the perseverance and endurance that was required to keep going too. I agree with both you and the quote that to not give up after failing to get up that pitch so many times is an example we should take to heart. We like things to be fast in our culture today, but if these guys had gone with that attitude, they might have been killed and surely wouldn't have succeeded. With their success they show us that anything is possible if your willing to stick it out.
DeleteWow. That quote really is a good one and one to definitely like you said take to heart. What these two men had to overcome to, weather, countless failures and so much more is very inspiring and i agree they should be proud! To succeed at something that was nearly impossible and never done before is a huge and amazing accomplishment.
DeleteI read the National Geographic Article about the climbers crazy journey up Dawn Wall.http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/01/150114-climbing-yosemite-caldwell-jorgeson-capitan/
ReplyDeleteIt was amazing to read the story in National Geographic of how these two amazing climbers did something that no one believed to be possible. It took them a long time to accomplish their goal to climb the daunting 3,000 ft. wall. It took them 19 days in total to reach the summit, and it almost didn't happen for the both of them. Jorgeson the less skilled experienced of the two climbers could not surpass the 15th pitch; which was one of the hardest of the 32 pitches on the face. But after countless falls and 7 days of failure Jorgeson finally defeated the 15th pitch, and after that nothing could stand in the way of the duo's goal. The thing that I found interesting about this journey was the lack of gear/ equipment these two used to climb this rock face. They "free climbed" which means they used ropes only has measures to prevent falling fatally. They managed to climb the 3,000 ft. wall with their hands and several safety ropes. That is just absolutely amazing. Since they never came off the wall they were almost cut off from the outside world, but these quote goes to show they brought some modern world with them,"Jorgeson and Caldwell have been living in a "portaledge" 1,500 feet (457 meters) above the valley while working on the Dawn Wall route. The best amenities in their studio in the sky? A French press for coffee and their iPhones (charged with a solar panel)." I thought that was awesome that even though they were stuck on the wall they had some bit of home with them. These two men are such an inspiration, and this shows that nothing can stand in the way of a dream!
I liked how this article focused a little on how Caldwell waited for Jorgeson to finally overcome pitch 15. The article also mentions that they had both tried to accomplish this feat before but each time something happened to set them back, like injuries. They both didn't want to finish the wall without the other.
DeleteI think that it would be quite frustrating after failing countless times on the 15th pitch. However, that would just be more satisfying when he finally accomplished it. I agree that being that closed off from the world would be quite the difficult, it is great that they had a phone to keep them connected with loved ones.
DeleteI had read the same article that you explained here and I agree with all of your points. I also talked about how difficult the climb was for them period, mostly about pitch 15. But it is very cool how they lived and took care of themselves while being on the wall. I know I wouldn't be able to live on the side of a wall like they had. It was interesting to learn how they would do small things, like charging their phones. It's incredible what they accomplished, but mostly very brave.
DeleteIt's so incredible how they failed so many times but chose to continue, to persevere. I might suggest looking at the interactive map sometime. There some of pictures of them on the wall and sort of how they lived, but most interesting is a picture of one of their hands. It's ripped up and bleeding. There are so many impressive facts and figures in the article you read. I thought the picture of the beat up hand put that in a visceral physical context I wouldn't have had otherwise.
DeleteI read the article written by National Geographic. I actually enjoyed the story done on Jorgeson's and Caldwell's heroic climb of the Damn Wall. This story is more than a couple guys rock climbing. It is about two people struggling in life who set there minds and bodies toward a goal. Through countless setbacks these two men finished what they started. Sometimes the Dawn wall was the only constant thing in their lives. They picked the most difficult climb on El Captain in Yosemite National park. Out of 32 pitches (length of rope), 17 were some of the most difficult in the sport. Everyone has their own Dawn Wall in their lives. Something others say you will never accomplish. "I grew up a clumsy kid with bad hand-eye coordination,...Yet here on El Cap I felt as though I had stumbled into a world where I thrived". This quote from Caldwell tells me to never accept the cards you are dealt. He fought paste his boundaries for something he thought he would never accomplish. What I take away from this story is, never give up on your dreams. Fall after fall, if you keep trying, one day you will stand on top victorious.
ReplyDeleteHi Cory!
DeleteI enjoyed reading your comment about the Dawn Wall and these two amazing individuals. I think you did a great job in writing this comment, but I would've liked if you could of gone into some greater detail regarding the story and journey itself. If I would've not read this article I would't of gotten much out of your "summary". Otherwise I like the overall comment and the quote you included. It was hard to believe that someone that is capable of free climbing a 3,000 foot wall would of been a clumsy kid.
I completely agree that their story isn't just about successfully climbing the wall, but about making their minds and bodies accomplish the goal they had and about the journey they had to make to get to that point. Either way, it's bloody amazing that they were able to accomplish it. They are also great role models, showing us that if we keep trying we shall succeed.
DeleteThe article by National Geographic grabbed my interest, so I decided to read that one. The article starts off detailing the path of the climb with a picture showing where they climbed. The article focuses on the hardest pitches of the climb, 14,15, and 17. One climber, Jorgeson, was stuck on pitch 15 for ten days in a row, resulting in the other climber to wait for him at pitch 20. Caldwell said "[m]ore than anything, I want to top out together." The climbers had multiple attempts before this one and had stopped to wait for the other through injuries. The article explains how difficult the Dawn Wall is to free climb, and how before even thinking of free climbing it was crazy.There are three main climbing styles, aid, free, and free solo. With aid, you use ropes and hardware to help you climb. For free you only rely on ropes to catch you. On free solo you climb without safety ropes. The article shows how the challenge of the Dawn Wall brought the climbers and others around them together.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I found interesting in the article is how they had to sleep on the Dawn Wall. The article includes a picture of a tent just hanging on the wall. Although that would freak me out, the two climbers looked perfectly comfy laying in them.
Sleeping on the wall would be pretty freaky but i want to think of it like hammocking. It would be a total pain to have to carry and set up the tent. I've heard of free solo climber and i still think its insane i'd be freaking out so bad about falling. And your summary shows how difficult the climb must be for someone to be stuck on one pitch or section im guessing for days at a time.
DeleteThis is the link I went to and this chick is awesome I saw 11-year old girl is best young climber in the world
ReplyDeletehttp://youtu.be/5P5akoQ_eNI?list=PL-WnhqkddCM15K4y5qbTWNL2uHTML7F4K
It is about Brook she's been setting climbing records since she was 9 can you believe that!!! Some of the climbs I saw her do in the video were amazing. Last semester I took rock climbing myself and I totally feel like total garage compared to her right now. Seeing her makes me really want to step up my own work out routine. Though it was only for a few seconds I saw she was able to stand and walk on her hands which is something I want to try to learn this year. I know I can't be a great climber like her but seeing her makes me want to learn parour or free running I know completely unrelated to rock climbing. Brook herself comes from a very athletic family, her mother and father themselves were great climbers and brooks teachers.
I agree with you that Brook is amazing. I actually watched the same video, and I think you did a very nice job summarizing it. Like you watching Brook inspired me to want to make changes in my life. I think the world could use more inspiring people like her.
DeleteI watched the 60 minutes segment on Alex Honnold, which showed him break records as he climbed places and routes that had never been attempted. Throughout the entire episode I was simply amazed at how ridiculously crazy he must be to climb those mountain faces with no harness or rope. It is clear that Alex is very passionate about climbing these extremely difficult environments and is very humble about his success. I was surprised at his response when asked if he felt the adrenaline while climbing. Alex responded, “There’s no adrenaline rush, if I get a rush that means that something has gone horribly wrong.” That statement conveys the necessity of maintaining total self-control over fear during his long assent. He trained 3 hours a day, 6 days a week for 7 years in order to achieve this control. The scariest moment for me was when he was at the point of no return and his feet were getting wet from the seeping rock. To experience that situation at such a high altitude would be the scariest feeling I could imagine. I think that it takes a lot of willpower and strength to accomplish what Alex does during each of his climbs. As for me, I got anxious just watching him during his climb. I think I will just keep my feet planted firmly on the ground and watch Alex have all the fun.
ReplyDeleteI didn't watch the segment on Alex Honnold, but I found the statement you picked about adrenaline very thought provoking. I mean, we obviously assimilate adrenaline to something bad happening, yet with people like Alex, who we view as reckless, we think they do their reckless sport because they love the adrenalin, but Alex doesn't. I agree that Alex has got to have super natural self control, something that I hope I'll gain someday, because it's truly an admirable trait.
DeleteHello Bryan!
DeleteThat sounds like a very interesting video and thanks for the summary! I completely agree with you about staying on the ground, heights and I do no get along! I also like the quote that you found when Alex was describing his adrenaline, you can feel your adrenaline race as you watch and read this story even though you are reading it from the safety of your home, and not climbing one of the hardest rock faces to climb. Again thanks for the comment!
When I think of rock climbing, I think of it as a sport for adrenaline junkies. Its interesting to hear that they don't do it for that reason, but for the enjoyment of the sport. I'm the same as you, I would rather watch others do the climbing then to go do it myself.
DeleteNo doubt it would take nerves of steel to even go near something like that! I don't really have a fear of heights, but in this case I think it would be appropriate to be afraid. I would imagine though, as much fear as he felt when he was climbing, the feeling when he gets to the top must be indescribale too. I found it interesting too that he didn't feel an adrenaline rush, I would have thought that was what he was chasing. I agree that control is the most important thing to maintain when your in such a precarious state. I like the language you used to end your comment, "feet firmly planted on the ground" That speaks to my sentiment as well.
DeleteI read the article From National Geographic
ReplyDeletehttp://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/01/150114-climbing-yosemite-caldwell-jorgeson-capitan/.
The article was very interesting and I really enjoyed it. It first begins telling the audience of how everyone was waiting for Kevin Jorgeson and Tommy Caldwell to reach the very top so they could all celebrate with them. Dawn Wall has 32 pitches and during their climb they both passed pitch 12, this was a good sign because both climbers had never passed pitch 12 in their previous attempts. After passing pitch 12 Caldwell climbed all the way to pitch 20 without any difficulty whereas, Jorgeson was stuck on pitch 15 for 10 days in a row. On January 9th Jorgeson passed pitch 15 and that pitch everything was relatively easy. "The Dawn Wall has been the only constant in my life for the past seven years, Everything else changed, but the Dawn Wall has still been there." I really liked this quote from Caldwell because he shows how he never lost focus on what his true goal was even though everything around him was changing. Another reason I like this quote was because it tells me to always focus on what my true goal is and never lose sight of it, even if everything around you is changing.
Good morning Dhruv!
DeleteYour comment regarding the Dawn Wall journey was well put together and chalk full of information. Based off the assignment I think you did a great job in summarizing. I would though like to see a little more summary on how their story ended up. If I had not read this article I would be left essentially hanging by your comment (wondering if they made or not). I enjoyed your quote and found it amazing that they had devoted so much time to their goal/ dream to free climb this daunting obstacle.
I read this article too and also liked the quotes made by Jorgeson and Caldwell. One of the quotes I mentioned in my comment was made by Jorgeson "After 11 attempts spread across 7 days, my battle with Pitch 15 of the Dawn Wall is complete." He quote this quote on instagram. If you happen to have an instagram, go on Kevin Jorgeson's page. His posts consist of pictures from all his climbs and captions that are quite inspirational. His posts are always saying how far he has come, how hard he has worked and how rewarding he experiences are.
DeleteI found the article about Tommy Caldwell to be the most interesting. The article talked about Caldwell's his life before this record breaking climb. At the young age of 17 he entered a few rock climbing contests and ended up winning, he then sponsors calling and had already begun his career. Later on his life Caldwell was kidnapped by militants while climbing with three others in Kyrgyzstan. Six days later, Caldwell pushed an armed guard off of a cliff and they were all able to escape. Not very long after, he cut off one of his fingers with a table saw while trying to renovate his house. In the article it states that "Caldwell thrives on the virtually impossible". I think it's incredible that after all he has been through he still manages to set such high goals and expectations for himself and achieve them. I think Caldwell is a great influence to people that want to set our and accomplish their dreams but have ad a few obstacles in their past.
ReplyDeleteI thought what you had to say about Tommy Caldwell was very interested. I didn't read that article and I had no idea that he was kidnapped or cut his fingers off. I knew that he was the better climber of the two climbers. But to see the other struggles that he went through in life is very interesting and gives me a different perspective of him as a person.
DeleteWow! Most people who got kidnapped would stop trying to achieve their goals, maybe develop a fear associated with rock climbing, but not Tommy. He took his experiences and used them to be better, stronger and more determined. His life is very inspiring to anyone who had ever been through tough times.
DeleteTommy seems to have lived a crazy life. Kidnapped and lost a finger but keeps on going the distance. I totally agree he is a great influence.
DeleteI think you did a great job at explaining this article. The story is great, the way he had survived throughout his entire life despite all his struggles shows that truly, anything is possible.
DeleteYou did a nice job summarizing the article, and I think it’s obvious that you were actively reading. Your summary and thoughts influenced me to read the article myself. I agree with your thoughts on Caldwell, he is really impressive. It takes a truly unique individual to do what he does especially after going through such a traumatic event.
DeletePersonally I read the National Geographic article and the New York Times Dawn Wall interactive map. The stories of these two men are quite inspirational. Like what we have talked about in school from some of the comments that are in the articles is that not only where these guys just climbing a big rock, they were proving to the world that no matter how big, and how impossible your obstacle looks, there is always a way and the strength to persevere and overcome it.
ReplyDeleteBeing a guy that lives in Ohio there is not much to climb around here so rock climbing is not something that I know about. According to the National Geographic article the style of climbing and tricks these guys used can be best visualized with this description “climbers fall, hang, and rehearse each and every move, over and over. They memorize sequences. They scrub the rock with toothbrushes to remove any dust or dirt and improve the texture and friction on the hold. They place "tick marks," white chalk marks, to indicate the location of hard-to-see hand- and footholds”. I thought this article really gave me an in depth looks into the crazy world of rock climbing. I also used the interactive map because I am a visual learner and it really put things into perspective especially when it showed what a human looked like compared to the climb route, it looked like an ink spot! Any way this story was amazing and I really enjoyed reading about it!
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/01/150114-climbing-yosemite-caldwell-jorgeson-capitan/
I think your comment about "No matter how big, and how impossible your obstacle looks, there is always a way and the strength to persevere and overcome it" really summed up what these guys were trying to do and tied it in with the general theme of our class. Everyday people are finding ways around obstacles to be able to live their dreams.
DeleteHey Zach,
DeleteI like the message you took away from this article because I also thought the message of this article was to show that everyone has a Dawn Wall in their life. Once people set a goal they keep trying and trying no matter how many times they fail. Also I thought it was really cool to learn how they helped each other out by placing tick marks and cleaning holds with toothbrushes.
I watched the video about Brooke Raboutou, an 11-year-old girl who is absolutely amazing. The video was all about her, and how she is able to do what she does. Both of her parents were competitive climbers, and her mother actually couches her. She has broken multiple climbing records, and never takes the easy route on her climbs. This girl challenges herself, and works every day to improve her skills. She is a determined individual who is truly inspiring.
ReplyDeleteI am inspired by this girl. I don’t mean that I am inspired to go climb, but rather I am inspired to do better at the things I’m passionate about. She works so hard, and is so determined to never leave a climb (task) unfinished. Sadly I can’t say the same about myself. At times I go for the easy route and when I fail at something I don’t always try again. After seeing this girl, I want to change. I want to challenge myself more, and see a task though no matter how many times I fail.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P5akoQ_eNI&feature=youtu.be&list=PL-WnhqkddCM15K4y5qbTWNL2uHTML7F4K
I had no idea about this girl. She truly is pretty incredible and can do and does things that I would never do in 20 lifetimes. I just looked at the youtube video and it makes you take a step back and look at your life. After watching this video, you immediately all for me at least want to go out and push yourself to the limit and try and accomplish and set goals that are tough to achieve.
DeleteShannon, I am guilty of taking the easy route too. In my training, when I am exhausted and tired, I will take off sets and not give 100%. My coach immediately gets on me to push harder and that is when I do things I thought I was never capable of. Sometimes all you need is someone to yell and motivate you to push yourself past your mental block. Much like the young girl from the video you watched. Anyone that wants to obtain a goal has to have someone there to keep you headed in the right direction. You can do it on your own, but it is much harder. My suggestion is whatever your goals are in life, find someone who shares those passions and make a pact to never give up on each other until you surpass your goals.
DeleteHi Shannon,
DeleteIt is amazing that at such a young age this girl is rock climbing prodigy. I took a rock climbing class and lets just say that compared to her I was awful. Also I am really shocked about how amazing her work ethic is at 11 years old, she is truly amazing. From reading your summary I also want to try and challenge myself more rather than taking the easy way out.
I watched another video about Alex Honnold. Brooke and Alex are separated by age, but their aspirations sound similar. The video with Alex is about how he takes one challenge after another, setting record after record. Alex doesn't take the easy way out either. The video captures one free climb that broke a record, but before Alex set out on that climb, he did another climb first to calm his nerves. Doing one climb directly after the next does not sound like taking the easy way out to me. I agree, people like this are impressive, and they inspire me to work harder as an individual as I go from one task to the next.
DeleteI went to the link on national geographic and i must say the story is amazing. I had always been a fan of rock climbing, i even took a rock climbing class last semester but i don't think i could ever make myself do what they did. If i ca recall they climbed 8 miles up the mount and when they finally made it to the the top there family, friends, news reporters and a Heep of others were there to congratulate them!
ReplyDeleteAfter Looking at some of the pictures on the site it looked to be way to dangerous and the rock looked to have little to no holds on it and i just cant imagine climbing a mountain without holds. Climbing a fake rock wall with perfect holes is hard enough so i think ill stick with that!
There story and accomplishment is very inspirational to not only me but to many others for sure, we can do anything we put our minds to.
That is awesome you have some first hand experience climbing last semester. I have to agree that I would most likely never attempt to actually climb the way these guys did. It must be really difficult to accomplish something of that magnitude.
DeleteI also read this article and to me the coolest part about it was how they slept in their tents on the side of the wall when they had to rest. I couldn't help but imagine how it must have felt to be hanging up thousands of feet in the air in a tent and still be comfortable enough to sleep. I also thought it was amazing how it took them nineteen days to finish the climb. Their perseverance was amazing. I mean think about it, they spent half of a month climbing this wall.
DeleteI looked at a couple of the different links that were provided, but my two favorite links, were the pages from National Geographic “Summiting Yosemite's Dawn Wall, Climbers Make History” and the video on “The ascent of Alex Honnold from 60 Minutes.”
ReplyDeleteIn the National Geographic article, the parts that stood out most to me were the actual quotes made from the two climbers Jorgeson and Caldwell. Some examples include "’More than anything, I want to top out together,’ Caldwell said… ‘After 11 attempts spread across 7 days, my battle with Pitch 15 of the Dawn Wall is complete,’ Jorgeson wrote.” These quotes demonstrated the perseverance and commitment the two had for both the climb and each other. The pictures National Geographic captures are always so impressive. All the different shots and angles of the photos show just how high up the two are and just how small the cracks and crevices are that the two are using to lift themselves to the top.
The video “The ascent of Alex Honnold from 60 Minutes” was also great to watch. When Hannold reached the point in the ascent where he was climbing a part more the 90º, you can see how much strength he used to overcome the obstacle. I was absolutely amazed when I watched this, as anyone else would be. Even though I knew Hannold made the climb successfully, I couldn’t help but feel nervous for him. When Hannold accounts the achievements he has made, he does it with such modesty. He sees himself as just a guy that does what he loves, climbing.
I read the article by National Geographic news, Summiting Yosemite’s Dawn Wall, Climbers Make History. This article is very inspiring. Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson make the “impossible” possible. They are filled with so much motivation and passion. To free climb the Dawn Wall, what these two men do, was believed by many to be “too steep and lacking enough cracks or seams in the rock for free climbing.” Despite what has been said about the Dawn Wall, Caldwell had a vision to find some way to be able to free climb it. Caldwell said “this is not an effort to conquer, it’s about realizing a dream.” What he said is just so inspiring to go out and pursue and accomplish a dream. What was really cool to learn was that Caldwell was only three years of age when he began climbing, becoming a national champion at the age of sixteen. Jorgeson began climbing at the age of eleven and at age sixteen he was competing in indoor climbing competitions. Something else that was shocking to learn about the sport of free climbing was all that really goes into being able to succeed at it. It was said in the article that it may take weeks, months, and even years of practicing and training. Also playing a big role to your success includes skin conditions, humidity, air temperature, a calm and unattached state of mind, and a well-rested body.
ReplyDeletehttp://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2015/01/150114-climbing-yosemite-caldwell-jorgeson-capitan/
I thought you did an excellent job summarizing the article on these two men. It really shows the power of a dream/goal. These men, even if they did not know it, were training for this achievement their whole lives. Once they had the dream of free climbing the Dawn Wall they went into overdrive. They focused their entire will and motivation towards completing this dream. This is truly inspiring, because much like them I have a big dream to one day break a world record in the sport of power-lifting. It is certainly far off but I spend every day preparing and getting ready to do this, much like these men. This story gives me the drive to keep pushing and trying. You may fall but keep getting up and one day you will reach your goals!
DeleteThat's awesome that you have a dream like that and it is definitely achievable with hard work and dedication! keep going and don't ever give up on it.
DeleteWhen I first started reading about the ascent, I was fascinated by what would motivate these men to do something like this. I think the quote you pulled perfectly encapsulates this. They chose to not see it as a conquest, but something that lead to higher fulfillment. It was interesting they chose to use language not of dominance but of an internal fulfillment. I wonder if this is representative of a unique lesson taught by the climb and the preparation for the climb, all of that time spent inside your own head focused on the wall and doing something impossible.
DeleteThe New York Times metioned that the family and friends brought wine and vintage trophies of a preacher and bowler. This made me laught because for what the boys had conquered you would think there would be more celebration. I think this shows they climbed because they wanted to, not for recognition. Even the friends and family who joined them for celebration had quite a hike to get to the top to greet them.
ReplyDeleteI in no way would want to do what these guys did. It takes a very brave, fit and dertermined individual to set out to complete this goal. Bravo to these gentlemen!
Hello Amy! You bring up an interesting point when talking about the celebration that these guys had at the end of their journey. Just some family and friends and some wine, good enough for them, even though from the outside looking in you are astonished at the feat they just accomplished! We are quick to praise sports teams for winning games or the huge celebrations movie stars have after a movie release but sometimes we tend to miss some of the most important victories in life, conquering our mountains. Now I'm not saying that everyone needs to go out and climb the tallest mountain they can find, no its about taking on the mountains in our own life. And once we ave reached the summit, even if it takes days, months, or even years but when you finally conquer that mountain you can celebrate even if the world is watching, you just celebrate.
DeleteI read the article from the New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/15/sports/el-capitans-dawn-wall-climbers-near-top-yosemite.html which had an overview of what happened at Yosemite, who climbed the wall, and who was there to congratulate the climbers. The two climbers to complete this wall climb of 3,000 feet were Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson. There to congratulate the climbers were mostly family and friends which I found pretty shocking because climbing El Capitan’s Dawn Wall without any help is a very complicated and hard thing to do. “Upon their arrival, the climbers will receive two trophies purchased at a vintage story by one of Caldwell’s friends — a bowling trophy and a preaching trophy. There are also several bottles of sparkling wine nearby,” I found this quote the most interesting because even though the rock climbers were completing a task known as “almost not possible”, they completed the climb and only received trophies that did not associate with the climb and wine. This just shows that the climbers were not climbing for recognition or acknowledgement but merely because they wanted to reach their dreams of climbing the Dawn Wall. I think this article does not only point out that these two men completed the climb, but also tried to tell the readers that if you put time and effort into something you love, even the most complicated things can be accomplished.
ReplyDeleteI read the new york times articlehttp (://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/08/sports/on-el-capitan-dawn-wall-in-yosemite-and-beyond-climber-tommy-caldwells-drive-pushes-him-toward-the-impossible.html?_r=0)
ReplyDeleteThis article basically summarizes Caldwell's endeavors form the beginning, when he started rock climbing to his goal of free climbing the dawn wall. I really liked this article because it tell the readers about caldwell's passion about rock climbing and also the hardships he encountered during his career like his kidnapping when climbing
in Kyrgyzstan, I found this very exciting. “Through climbing I’ve learned to find goals and work toward them. That’s just the way I love to live. This is just an especially big and long one of those goals.- this quote by caldwell describes how motivated he is and how much he loves his work.
I read the NY times article where it talks about Tommy Caldwells. This article went through Tommy's journey towards his climb of the so called, "Dawn Wall". It talked about the work it took for him to endure in order to do this climb. I thought it was interesting that when the man named Alex Honnold, renown free-solo climber, was talking about how climbing the Dawn Wall would be, he said that it was "almost not possible..." I feel like, through the eyes of an expert, this feat is nearing impossibility which shows the true dedication that these two climbers had towards climbing this wall.
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