Salathé Wall | 8a+ Multi-pitch at El Capitan


35 pitches.

References

[1] https://www.climbing.com/culture/climbing-style-el-capitan/

Details of the incremental freeing of the route:

[2] https://web.archive.org/web/20170213064201/http://www.stanford.edu/~clint/yos/longhf.htm#salathe

Contributors
remus
26 contributions since 7th February 2021.
duncancritchley
11 contributions since 12th July 2025.
highrepute
1 contribution since 30th November 2024.

Pics + Vids

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Ascents

16 recorded ascents, including 1 unsuccessful ascent.

Climber Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Royal Robbins Aid | worked 1961
First ascent. With Chuck Pratt and Tom Frost.
Chuck Pratt Aid | worked 1961
First ascent. With Royal Robbins and Tom Frost.

13 bolts placed, mainly on the lower slabs.

Tom Frost Aid | worked 1961
First ascent. With Royal Robbins and Chuck Pratt.

References

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

Peter Habeler Aid May 1970
With Doug Scott.

References

[1] Mountain Issue 15, page 12

Doug Scott Aid May 1970
With Peter Habeler.

References

[1] Mountain Issue 15, page 12

Mark Hudon Alternate Leads | worked 1979

With Max Jones. All free bar 250' of climbing of which 100' had already gone free (the Jungle Pitch, which was wet). 5.12d climbing was cutting-edge at the time and unprecedented on a big wall.

References

[1] Mountain #79

[2] https://web.archive.org/web/20170213064201/http://www.stanford.edu/~clint/yos/longhf.htm#salathe

Todd Skinner Alternate Leads | worked 1988
First ascent. With Paul Piana.

First free ascent and a psychological breakthrough: the first time a route on the main face of El Capitan had been freed.

Climbed alternating hard leads with second jumaring and with the headwall split into three pitches.

Paul Piana Alternate Leads | worked 1988
First ascent. With Todd Skinner.

First free ascent.

Alex Huber Lead | worked 1995

Huber claimed this as the first free ascent as he led all the hard pitches. However he avoided the pitch above The Ear (8a) instead taking the Monster Offwidth. He climbed the headwall in two pitches taking a belay at a hands-off rest.

References

[1] https://gripped.com/news/connor-herson-frees-5-13c-on-el-cap-its-not-the-salathe-if-you-do-the-monster-offwidth/

[2] https://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199606700/Freeing-the-Salath-The-Greatest-Rock-Climb-in-the-World

Pietro Dal Prà Lead 1997
Yuji Hirayama Lead | worked 1997

Yuji attempted to onsight Salathé Wall falling only three times, once on The Teflon Corner and then twice on The Headwall.

I put so much energy into this project. Every single minute was great. If I had to pick my best climbing moment, then I'd choose the Salathe on-sight attempt in 1997. This is my fondest memory so far in my entire climbing career. [1]

Hans Florine:

We ascended the route in two days as [Yuji] fought to onsight the route. If I recall correctly we made it to the teflon corner and a little beyond the first day. The second day Yuji threw himself at the head wall. An effort like this has not been done even in recent times despite all the traffic and beta on the route. For 1997 it was way off the charts, only the past 27 years confirms that. [2]

References

[1] https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/yuji-hirayama-the-nose-big-walls-and-bouldering.html

[2] https://www.instagram.com/p/DCTyllktwK7/?hl=en

[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZueiGMv4x6w&ab_channel=narutokintoki

[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7_3cISi-kA

Steph Davis Lead | worked Oct 2005
James McHaffie Alternate Leads | worked 2014
Dan McManus Alternate Leads | did not finish 2014

Dan was unable to climb the headwall pitch free.

References

[1] https://danmcmanus.blogspot.com/2014/05/salathe-wall.html

Hazel Findlay Lead | worked Dec 2017
Emilie Pellerin Lead | worked