The Nose | E9/8b+ Multi-pitch on El Capitan

United States / California / Mariposa County
UKClimbing.com
31 pitches. Free version of The Nose (A2).

The first ascent of The Nose (A2) was mainly aided. Sections were freed by many different people, not always formally recorded, before Lynn Hill's landmark completely free ascent.

The Stoveleg Cracks were first freed by Jim Bridwell in June 1967 after attempts in 1965 partnering Frank Sacherer who originally conceived they might be climbable without aid.

In 1975 John Bachar, Dale Bard and Ron Kauk had climbed ~85% free, all bar 120m, at ~5.11+.

In Spring 1980 Ray Jardine spent 4 months working the route, fixing ropes, managing to climb as far as the Great Roof free but only after chipping four holds on the Jardine Traverse to avoid the King Swing pendulum. So far (2025) all subsequent free ascents have taken this traverse.

In Fall 1990, Brooke Sandahl and Scott Franklin climbed all but four pitches free, the remaining aided sections were the Great Roof, Pitch above Camp 5, Changing Corners and the final Harding bolt ladder. Working top-down, Sandhal freed the Harding bolt ladder in 1991 (5.12c/7b+) and, with Dave Schultz, freed the pitch above Camp 5 in 1992 (5.12d/7c). They prepared the route for a free ascent including bolting a variation just the left of the aid line on the Changing Corners pitch but were unable to climb this.

Lynn Hill partnered by Simon Nadin first free climbed the Great Roof on a ground-up attempt in 1993 (5.13b/8a) but they were unable to completely free the Changing Corners by either the original line or the Sandhal/Schultz variation. All bar 10 feet of the route had now been free-climbed.

Hill and Sandahl joined forces later in the summer of 1993 and began working the Changing Corners pitch top-down, Sandhal focusing on his left hand variation, Hill on the original aid line. Hill was able to climb all the moves on the latter with two falls. The completely free ascent was made from the ground with Hill leading all the hard pitches.

References

[1] https://alpinist.com/features/birds-eye-view/

[2] http://www.edhartouni.net/nose-in-a-day.html

[3] https://www.rayjardine.com/Papers/Magazine-Articles/index.php?StoryPage=7

[4] https://www.rayjardine.com/Avocations/Rock-Climbing/index.php

[5] https://climbingzine.com/brooke-sandahl-beginnings-freeing-nose/

[6] https://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199404100/El-Capitans-Nose-Climbed-Free

Contributors
89 contributions since 4th November 2025.
61 contributions since 15th November 2023.
22 contributions since 26th January 2026.

Pics + Vids

No pics or vids yet.

Ascents

17 successful ascent s and 1 unsuccessful attempt recorded.

Climber Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
First ascent. With Brooke Sandahl.

A breakthrough free ascent of this iconic aid route. Lynn later went on to make the first in a day free ascent.

The magnificent beauty and historic significance of the line, as well as my own efforts to free it, then later freeing it in a day, made this ascent the most meaningful achievement of my entire climbing career.

Initially Lynn suggested a grade of 13b or 8a!

References

[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/884132364986273

[2] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/882411198491723

[3] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/871458132920363

[4] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/455131411219706

[5] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/336804179719097

[6] https://www.instagram.com/p/CW4rlZGr7RN/

[7] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS63AdRSnl8
With Steve Sutton.

Lynn started climbing at 10pm on the 19th September and finished climbing around 9pm on the 20th September, making it the first sub-24hr free ascent.
261 sessions.

Burke was able to free all pitches over a 12 days ascent including the Changing Corners on lead but only managed to top-rope The Great Roof which was wet at the time. The culmination of 261 days working the route over more than two years.

References

[1] https://web.archive.org/web/20190528011932/http://web.stanford.edu/~clint/yos/longhf.htm

[2] https://web.archive.org/web/20180209124852/http://web.stanford.edu/~clint/yos/noseburk.txt
With Tommy Caldwell.

After several weeks of practice. A team-free ascent, every pitch was freed by at least one member of the party. Rodden lead the Great Roof and top-roped the Changing Corners.

References

[1] https://www.climbing.com/news/caldwell-rodden-free-the-inosei/
With Beth Rodden.

After several weeks of practice. A team-free ascent, every pitch was freed by one or other. Caldwell led the Changing Corners.

References

[1] https://www.climbing.com/news/caldwell-rodden-free-the-inosei/

Caldwell led the entire route free in under 12 hours with one fall only, on The Changing Corners.

References

[1] https://www.speedclimb.com/yosemite/BnTNose.html
Belayed by Beth Rodden.

11 hours, led all pitches free, the Changing Corners went fourth try on this ascent. Immediately before doing Freerider (E7). First time two free El Capitan routes had been climbed in 24 hours.

References

[1] http://www.supertopo.com/climbing/thread.php?topic_id=114312&f=0&b=0

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VapbvTq8GOE
Connor Herson Lead | worked 2018

Calum Coldwell-Story:

Me and Jake arrived at the belay below the Great Roof in Nov 2018 to see a 8mm single rope and small battered haul bag with approach shoes and a water bottle hanging off it....I looked up to see Keita bridging at the rest before traversing right into the crux. Initially i assumed he was a solo aid climber who had just climbed the 5.11 intro to the Great Roof but then he started questing right.. the power screams were out, the battle commenced. Me and Jake yelled encouragement and as he hit the finishing jug sidepull and rocked onto the belay we all OOOOOOOOO'ed the Yosemite monkey call in celebration!! Later that evening on Camp 5 Keita rolled out a tiny bit of foam mat, crossed his arms and fell asleep. He freed the Nose a couple of days later. We called him the Sensei! [2]

References

[1] https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/keita-kurakami-climbs-the-nose-el-capitan-free-rope-solo.html

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/ukc/a_tribute_to_late_japanese_climber_keita_kurakami-776548?v=1#x9981431

Notably Seb climbed the route ground up, whereas most ascentionists would abseil in from the top to work the hardest pitches (The Great Roof and Changing Corners) before going from the ground for an attempt.
Jacopo Larcher Lead | worked 2019
With Barbara Zangerl.
Barbara Zangerl Lead | worked 2019
With Jacopo Larcher.
With Billy Ridal.

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4oqfnxQ714

[2] https://open.spotify.com/episode/4dKWKNXjgHSbHQuVtjhvCb?si=_dV28VKSQ7GB_D-Y5v3ANQ
With Alex Waterhouse.

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4oqfnxQ714

[2] https://open.spotify.com/episode/4dKWKNXjgHSbHQuVtjhvCb?si=_dV28VKSQ7GB_D-Y5v3ANQ
With Jamie Lowther.

Importantly, Hannes climbed the route by a new variation pitch The Schnaz 5.13 / V9 which avoids what was the crux Changing Corners 14a pitch.

Ivo Ninov gave me a history lesson of the climbing in Yosemite and told gave me some insights of the Schnaz. Actually the name is misinterpretation, it comes from Dave Shultz who together with Brooke Sandahl prepared the Nose for free climbing in the early 90s. Lynn tried both variations but went for changing corners because the other has quite reachy moves. Around 98 when Scott Burke was training to free the nose he climbed the pitch but he also broke a crucial hold and couldn’t find a solution after. When Ivo came 2005 he put up another bolt and tried it with Thomas Huber and Matt Wilder, they found a method that was possible and all three freed the pitch. Big respect to everyone who was involved and made The Nose the phenomenal climb it is today! [2]

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/DDe-5suR5ii/

[2] https://www.instagram.com/p/DDpRcUGNsQ7/
With Jim Herson. 09hrs 30mins.

No falls. Three days after the FFA of Triple Direct.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/DQZjLV-jwKj/?img_index=1

[2] https://www.climbing.com/news/connor-herson-nose-in-a-day-and-triple-direct/

In a day.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQnW5gfDBt5/

[2] https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/climbing/will-moss-el-capitan/

[3] https://www.climbing.com/news/will-moss-free-climbs-the-nose-el-capitan-in-a-day/