Adam Ondra, a 23-year-old from the Czech Republic considered by some to be the world’s best climber, thought he might cruise up the Dawn Wall of El Capitan.
Following the free-climbing route that Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson blazed over 19 days nearly two years ago, having received advice and support from both men, Ondra hoped to complete the nearly 3,000-foot ascent in five or six days.
For two days this week, he scampered up the sheer granite face that rises from California’s Yosemite Valley. He made it through the first 13 pitches, out of 32, then stopped on Wednesday for a day of rest.