There are personal stories of triumphing over fear or forging the kind of friendships and partnerships built out of struggling together to accomplish something hard, that play out on a regular basis on Yosemite’s steep walls. These El Capitan climbing stories were recently made into movies, but the stories of characters, adventure, teamwork, and bravery go back far beyond that.
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Or maybe you watched the drama of Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson’s partnership on pioneering a new free route, Dawn Wall, in the film of the same name, and wondered what your own impossible challenge or “Dawn Wall” might be. Maybe you’ve heard of Alex Honnold’s bleeding-edge ascent of El Capitan without any ropes for protection in the Oscar-winning film, Freesolo. Freesolo, Dawn Wall & More El Cap Climbing StoriesĮl Capitan was thrust into the limelight recently through a few jaw-dropping films. However, there is a spring and fall “big-wall climbing season” in Yosemite when the temperatures aren’t too warm or too cold, and you’ll find most climbers on the wall during those times. If you’re specifically looking for climbers, there will be some in all seasons.
This is true for many of Yosemite’s cliffs and large features. El Capitan is located in Yosemite Valley and is therefore accessible year-round, and majestic in all seasons.įor photography, stormy winter days often produce the most interesting light, with dramatic clouds swirling about the cliff face.
Best Time to See El Capitan?Īnytime, really. Note: El Capitan meadow is currently under restoration, so please look from one of the viewing areas close to the road, or if you want to walk back into the meadow, use the trail on the eastern edge, close to the river and avoid trampling the center of the meadow where it is most sensitive to impact. Can you spot the dark diorite pattern on the eastern wall that climbers call the North American Wall (NA Wall) with good reason? Follow up your visit to El Cap with a trip to the California State Mining and Mineral Museum to learn more about minerals and rocks in Yosemite. This is a great place to watch climbers in action, though they can be hard to spot because many people misjudge the massive scale of El Cap. It’s also a great view of Bridalveil Fall on the right and Half Dome way in the back.Įl Cap Meadow – On your way back out of the valley, the road passes right in front of the base of El Capitan at El Cap Straight, and there is a pull-out on the left side of the road so that you can stop and take a look from up close. El Capitan is unmistakable as the giant rock formation on the left. Tunnel View – Head south on Hwy 41 toward Glacier Point, or Wawona, to climb a short distance off the valley floor to see one of the must-stop vantage points in Yosemite, Tunnel View. This is also a great angle to see Bridalveil Fall from fairly close, hence the name. See if you can spot the heart on El Capitan where the granite features resemble a heart in the middle of the granite cliff.
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Please be considerate of other drivers and pull completely off the road. Here are just a few.īridalveil Straight – As you drive into Yosemite Valley and you see El Capitan on the left, there are long pull-outs on both sides of the road for people to stop and admire the view.
Due to its size, it’s part of many of Yosemite’s iconic views. Honestly, it’s hard to pick one best place to view “El Cap”. It is a beacon for visitors, a muse for photographers, and one of the world’s ultimate challenges for climbers. At more than 3,000 feet (900+ m) above the valley floor, it is 2.5 times as tall as the Empire State Building, or more than 3 times as high as the tip of the Eiffel Tower.Ĭoming around the corner and having El Capitan suddenly fill your field of vision sometimes moves people to tears. El Capitan’s iconic granite walls dominate the west end of Yosemite Valley.
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