El Niño | 8a+ Multi-pitch

First ascent. With Thomas Huber.

References

[1] On The Edge Issue 84, page 46

First ascent. With Alex Huber.

References

[1] On The Edge Issue 84, page 46

Second ascent. With Patch Hammond.

An incredible ascent as Leo was extremely close to onsighting the entire route at a time when any free ascent on El Cap was notable.

However, on the first pitch he grabbed a quickdraw at the end of a runout section on his first attempt before lowering back to the start of the pitch and reclimbing it. He also pulled on the first bolt of the second pitch to clean and inspect the holds on the hard section off the belay before then climbing it clean on his first attempt. [1]

Undoubtedly the best climb and greatest adventure I'd ever been on by several orders of magnitude.

References

[1] Alpine Journal 2002 50-53 Houlding El Nino

[2] On The Edge Issue 84, page 46

Yuji attempted to onsight the route falling twice.

References

[1] https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/yuji-hirayama-repeats-el-nino.html