The Dawn Wall | E12/9a Multi-pitch on El Capitan

United States / California / Mariposa County
UKClimbing.com
32 pitches. See also Mescalito, Wall of Early Morning Light and New Dawn. Topos: PlanetMountain.

Probably the hardest big wall in the world. Free climbs parts of Mescalito, New Dawn, and Adrift linked by independent climbing. Following coverage by John Branch in the New York Times the first ascent became an international news story.

References

[1] dawnwall-film.com archive link: https://web.archive.org/web/20231209023640/https://www.dawnwall-film.com/

[2] https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/01/09/sports/the-dawn-wall-el-capitan.html

[3] https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/05/sports/on-el-capitans-dawn-wall-two-climbers-make-slow-progress-toward-a-dream.html

Contributors
60 contributions since 19th December 2021.
16 contributions since 14th November 2025.
2 contributions since 12th April 2026.

Pics + Vids

No pics or vids yet.

Ascents

4 successful ascents recorded.

Climber Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
First ascent.

References

[1] https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/tommy-caldwell-and-kevin-jorgeson-free-climb-the-dawn-wall-on-el-capitan.html

[2] The Dawn Wall (2017)
First ascent.

References

[1] https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/tommy-caldwell-and-kevin-jorgeson-free-climb-the-dawn-wall-on-el-capitan.html

[2] The Dawn Wall (2017)
Second ascent. With Pavel Blažek.

After three weeks working on the route Adam made a send push over 8 days. A very impressive effort given Adam's relative lack of big wall experience at the time.

Hubble is a way better route than the crux pitches of the Dawn Wall. [4]

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CpDX4qKsxfU/

[2] https://stara.emontana.cz/adam-ondra-dawn-wall-interview/

[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt_Q2coXfKg

[4] https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2qO5Ng8MrGM
Third ascent. With Soline Kentzel.

Several times over these 14 days, for different reasons, the adventure almost came to an end, and the final hours were so painful that I sincerely believe I came face-to-face with my physical and mental limits for the first time in my life. It was so close 😅

I climbed my very best in those last days, and I fought hard. At the end of this journey on the Dawn Wall: a dream, an incredible achievement, and a major milestone in my climbing life, of which I am more than happy and proud! [1]

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/DFw0YWvx2lt/?img_index=1

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2025/02/seb_berthe_makes_fourth_ascent_of_the_dawn_wall-73895

[3] https://www.instagram.com/p/DGdwxBmNOK_/

[4] https://www.instagram.com/p/DG3rF_Yyr5U/?img_index=1

[5] https://www.grimper.com/news-blog-assaut-el-capitan-seb-berthe-soline-kentzel

[6] https://www.grimper.com/news-assaut-el-cap-chapitre-ii-depart-trombe-vers-yosemite-video

[7] https://www.grimper.com/news-assaut-el-cap-chapitre-iii-perdus-atlantique-video

[8] https://www.grimper.com/news-assaut-el-cap-chapitre-iv-les-ameriques-enfin-ou-plutot-abya-yala

[9] https://www.grimper.com/news-assaut-el-cap-chapitre-qu-est-ce-fous-la-video

[10] https://www.grimper.com/news-sur-dawn-wall-seb-berthe-il-trouve-qu-il-cherchait

[11] https://www.grimper.com/news-le-dawn-wall-1-000-9a-max-immersion