Climbing the "world's hardest rock climb"
Kevin Jorgeson, left, and Tommy Caldwell hug at the summit of the Dawn Wall climb on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park as a cameraman photographs on the right, Jan. 14, 2015.
El Capitan is one of the largest monoliths of granite in the world and the Dawn Wall is a largely smooth section so named for its east-facing location on El Capitan.
Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson have been climbing the route for years trying to work out the physical movements needed to ascend the cliff.
Climbing the Dawn Wall
Kevin Jorgeson, left, his girlfriend Jacqui Becker after completing the Dawn Wall climb on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, Jan. 14, 2015.
Climbing the Dawn Wall
Tommy Caldwell searches for a hold on the next to last pitch of the Dawn Wall route, Jan. 14, 2015.
Climbing the Dawn Wall
El Capitan in Yosemite National Park in a time-lapse photo made in October, 2014.
The smooth Dawn Wall is in the center of the area lit by the moonlight.
Climbing the Dawn Wall
Crowds watch the progress from El Capitan meadow, Jan. 14, 2015. Cathedral Rocks
Climbing the Dawn Wall
Tommy Caldwell, left, and Kevin Jorgeson near the summit of El Capitan Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015, as seen from the valley floor in Yosemite National Park, Calif.
The two climbers vying to become the first in the world to "free-climb" the smooth Dawn Wall route on El Capitan in California's Yosemite National Park are almost to the top.
Jorgeson and Caldwell have been attempting what many thought impossible. The men have spent 17 days "free-climbing," using ropes and equipment only as a safety measure rather than pulling on equipment attached to the rock along the 3,000-foot-tall cliff.
Each trained for more than five years, and they have battled bloodied fingers and unseasonably warm weather.
Climbing the Dawn Wall
Kevin Jorgeson grips the surface of the Razor Edge , Jan. 5, 2015.
Since it's first ascent in 1970 the Dawn Wall has been climbed by pulling on equipment attached to the granite. What makes Caldwell and Jorgeson's climb different is that they are ascending the rock features using ropes only as a safety measure.
Climbing the Dawn Wall
Kevin Jorgeson climbs what has been called the hardest rock climb in the world, a free climb of El Capitan, the largest monolith of granite in the world, a half-mile section of exposed granite in California's Yosemite National Park, Jan. 12, 2015.
Climbing the Dawn Wall
Kevin Jorgeson climbs pitch 15 of the Dawn Wall of Yosemite National Park's El Capitan, Jan. 9, 2015.
Jorgeson and partner Tommy Caldwell have been climbing the route for years trying to work out the physical movements needed to ascend the cliff.
Photographer Tom Evans has been recording much of their progress from the valley nearly 3,000 feet below.
Climbing the Dawn Wall
Kevin Jorgeson of California, wearing green, and 36-year-old Tommy Caldwell, wearing blue, lower right, climb near the summit of El Capitan Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015, as seen from the valley floor in Yosemite National Park, Calif. The two climbers vying to become the first in the world to use only the features of the rock to scale a sheer granite face in California's Yosemite National Park are almost to the top.
Jorgeson and Caldwell have been attempting what many thought impossible. The men have been "free-climbing" to the 3,000-foot summit for 17 days, meaning they use ropes only to prevent deadly falls. Each trained for more than five years, and they have battled bloodied fingers and unseasonably warm weather.
Climbing the Dawn Wall
Tommy Caldwell, 36, of Estes Park, Colo., with Kevin Jorgeson, 30, of Santa Rosa, Calif., not seen, set up camp on Dec. 28, 2014.
The pair eat and sleep in tents attached to the wall so that they do not have to descend the thousands of feet to the valley floor every day.
Climbing the Dawn Wall
Tommy Caldwell eats dinner during what has been called the hardest rock climb in the world: a free climb of a El Capitan, Dec. 29, 2014. He, Jorgeson as well as a camera crew recording their progress, sleep in tents hung from the smooth sides of the cliff.
Climbing the Dawn Wall
Kevin Jorgeson, left, and Tommy Caldwell hug at the summit of the Dawn Wall climb on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park as a cameraman photographs on the right, Jan. 14, 2015.
Climbing the Dawn Wall
Kevin Jorgeson climbs Pitch 15 of the Dawn Wall, Jan. 7, 2015.
The climbers chose to ascend in mid-winter and often in the early evening because the cool, dry air allows more friction between their fingertips and the small edges of the granite features.
Climbing the Dawn Wall
The route, or "topo," of the Dawn Wall route on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.
Climbing the Dawn Wall
Kevin Jorgeson of California, wearing green, and 36-year-old Tommy Caldwell, wearing blue, near the summit of El Capitan Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015, as seen from the valley floor in Yosemite National Park, Calif.
Climbing the Dawn Wall
Tommy Caldwell, in red, climbs pitch 19 as Kevin Jorgeson, below, belays rope on a rest day as cameraman Brett Lowell records at top right, Jan. 8, 2015.
Climbers have blazed roughly 100 routes up the El Capitan monolith since its first ascent in 1958.
In 1970, Warren Harding and Dean Caldwell (no relation to Tommy Caldwell) climbed the Dawn Wall by placing countless bolts over 28 days in one push. The duo turned down a rescue attempt by park rangers during a storm and were met at the summit by an army of reporters,
Climbing the Dawn Wall
Tommy Caldwell ascends a rope from the base camp to climb what is known as pitch 17. A pitch is one rope-length, as far as a climber is able to ascend before having to anchor him or herself. Caldwell and Jorgeson climb fixed ropes to get to the last section climbed and then ascend clinging to the thin features of the rock face. Such a large section of the cliff has small, thin features to hold onto, the route is considered to be the hardest rock climb in the world.
Climbing the Dawn Wall
Kevin Jorgeson, 30, of Santa Rosa, Calif., left, and Tommy Caldwell, 36, of Estes Park, Colo., prepare their climbing gear before beginning the Dawn Wall climb, Dec. 27, 2014.