The first 11 pitches were established ground up by Leo Houlding, but when he reached El Cap Tower he couldn't find a way to continue. Almost 20 years later Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold worked out a line and took the route to the top of the crag, keeping Leo's original name.
In an unusual quirk, on pitch 4 Leo was unable to find a way past a short blank section of wall. To make the route possible he bolted an Alfa Romeo badge (which used to belong to a car owned by Tim Emmett when he worked as a sales rep. for DMM) to the wall which could be used as a hold to pass the section. Caldwell and Honnold were able to climb this free by a slightly different line.
Many pitches free the aid route New Dawn.
[1] https://www.climbing.com/people/first-ascent-passage-freedom-el-cap/
2 successful ascents and 1 unsuccessful attempt recorded.
| Climber | Style | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leo Houlding | Lead | did not finish | 1999 | |
|
Leo climbed the first 11 pitches, attempting to establish a new free line ground up, but couldn't find a way forward from El Cap Tower. |
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| Tommy Caldwell First ascent. | Lead | worked | Between 28th Oct 2019 and 31st Oct 2019 | |
| Alex Honnold First ascent. | Lead | worked | Between 28th Oct 2019 and 31st Oct 2019 | |
