25 incredible photos of climbing El Capitan's 3,000 foot wall, seen through Google's new vertical Street View
This is "The Nose," one of the most famous walls of El Capitan. Google partnered with three world-renowned rock climbers, Lynn Hill, Alex Honnold, and Tommy Caldwell, for this project.
Its new vertical Street View allows users to literally click their way up El Capitan, all the way to the top, which is more than 3,000 ft high.
The camera crew had to climb together, right behind the three climbers, for this project.
"Doing anything thousands of feet high on a sheer granite face is complicated, but everyone up there had spent years of their lives on a rope and knew exactly what they were doing," Caldwell wrote in a blog post.
This is Lynn Hill at the base of "The Nose."
It’s a beautiful day.
That’s Alex Honnard. He climbs mostly “free solo,” meaning he only uses his hands and feet. In fact, he’s best known for climbing rock walls with no ropes to protect him if he falls.
We’re at the 400 ft point of the wall, barely scratching the surface.
This is Honnold at a section called the "Stovelegs," 930 ft above ground.
Honnold uses a technique called “jamming,” where he sticks his hands and feet right into the crack.
This is El Capitan at night. It’s 1,150 ft. above ground.
Lynn Hill preparing a dinner of pasta.
Here’s Caldwell the next morning.
There’s no bathroom so climbers have to carry a poop can like that white bucket in the red circle.
Lynn Hill holding on to an edge not much larger than a side of a coin.
This is Honnold pulling a trick called a “chimney technique,” where he uses his entire body to climb up the wall, 1,400 ft above the ground.
Honnold taking a break, 1,500 ft high.
This place is called the “Great Roof,” which is one of the most difficult parts of the entire route. You have to dip your fingers into the tiny crack to get through.
Climbers carry this chalk bag to keep their fingers dry and get a good grip on the rock.
That’s Honnold 2,000 feet above ground. He’s holding onto what’s called the “Pancake Flake,” a granite flake as thin as a pancake.
Lynn Hill staying glued to the wall, 2,500 ft above ground.
When it gets too difficult to “free solo,” Honnold grabs onto pieces of nylon left behind by other climbers. This is near the top, about 3,000 ft above ground.
Honnold sprinting to the finish line. The tree in the middle marks the top of the route.
This is the view from the top of El Capitan, more than 3,000 ft above ground.
The views are absolutely gorgeous.
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