Field Journal

Sasha DiGiulian becomes the first woman to free climb the Platinum Wall on El Capitan.
Written by Jenny Tough
Photography by Christian Pondella & Pablo Durana // Red Bull Content Pool

For nine days and nights, Sasha DiGiulian and Elliot Faber were stranded inside the cramped tent of their portaledge while storms of rain and snow hammered the Platinum Wall. The pair set off on November 2nd. Their goal: to become the fourth team to unlock the longest climb on El Capitan, Yosemite’s famously sheer granite face. But bad weather continually hampered their progress. Eventually they could climb no further until the storms subsided.

During the worst of the weather, condensation pooled inside her portaledge and water dripped steadily as she waited out the storms. She sent brief updates to friends and fellow climbers, describing the cold, the constant rain, and cautious optimism when the sun briefly returned.

Her partner, Elliot Faber, was unable to complete the hardest sections and abandoned his own free attempt, remaining on the wall to support DiGiulian. Together they endured falling ice from above, and in nearly two weeks only managed to advance around 60m, while atmospheric rivers battered the Sierra Nevada. Even after the storms passed, water continued to run down the wall, leaving crucial pitches soaked.

Despite this, DiGiulian led 27 of the route’s 40 pitches, including every crux. After 23 days, Sasha DiGiulian topped out at 914m and became the first woman to ever free climb the Platinum Wall. ‘It’s the proudest climb of my career. I can’t believe it,’ she texted from the summit.

DiGiulian’s ascent was the result of three seasons of preparation. She rehearsed the lower sections, reaching about two thirds of the way up the route until each of the lower pitches was unlocked, then rappelled into the upper third to work the hardest pitches. By late autumn, she felt ready to make her free climbing attempt.

The Platinum Wall has gained infamy as a route unlike other El Capitan free climbs, which tend to follow crack systems. Instead, the Platinum Wall weaves across long sections of blank face, protected by more bolts than any other route on the formation.

For DiGiulian, the final metres demanded as much effort as everything below. The wall steepens near the top, and finishing requires one last, sustained push, asking climbers to pay a final hefty toll to get off the wall. This time, DiGiulian had enough left to give.