Earth and Space Science Studies: Earth's Systems and Interactions
Day after day, two men bloodied their fingertips, endured bruising falls, and balanced their bodies on handholds as small as coins in an attempt to do what had never been done before. They wanted to complete what is considered the world's most difficult rock climb. In the end, they succeeded.
Tommy Caldwell, age 36, and Kevin Jorgeson, age 30, have become the first to free-climb the Dawn Wall on the famous El Capitan rock formation in California's Yosemite National Park. Unlike climbers who need more elaborate equipment, such as ropes and rivets, to scale "El Cap," Caldwell and Jorgeson free-climbed. In other words, they relied entirely on their hands and feet—and their physical strength—using ropes and harnesses only for safety, in case of a fall.
The trek, up a half-mile (0.8 kilometer) sheer wall of granite, began on December 27, 2014. In the 19 days that followed, the two climbers lived on the wall itself, eating and sleeping in tents that were fastened to the rock thousands of feet above the ground. As the climbers ascended the wall, they took punishment whenever their grip slipped. They were pitched into swinging falls that bounced them off the rock face. The tumbles, which they called "taking a whipper," ended with startling jolts from their safety ropes.
But throughout the climb, Caldwell and Jorgeson enjoyed a few comforts from the Yosemite Valley below. Support climbers brought them fresh fruits and vegetables every five days. They also received Indian food, burritos, coffee, and chocolate.
Caldwell and Jorgeson weren't the first to reach the top of El Capitan. Ken Yager, president of the Yosemite Climbing Association, noted past milestones on El Cap. The formation was first ascended in 1958. Decades later, climbers achieved a one-day ascent, and then a record 2-hour, 23-minute climb. Not all of these people climbed the punishing Dawn Wall. In fact, most of them did not. There are about 100 routes to the top of El Cap. In 1970, climbers Warren Harding and Dean Caldwell (no relation to Tommy) made it up the Dawn Wall in 27 days, but they used ropes and rivets. No one had ever made it to the summit in one continuous free-climb—until Caldwell and Jorgeson.
The pioneering ascent comes after failed attempts by both men, who had trained for years to prepare. In 2010, they only got about a third of the way up, when a storm turned them back. In a 2011 attempt, Jorgeson fell and broke an ankle.
This time, as the world watched and followed on Facebook and Twitter, Jorgeson got stalled in a lower section of the climb that took 11 attempts over seven days to complete.
"I didn't want to accept any other outcome but getting up that route," Jorgeson said. "I tried to push all the negative thoughts of not being able to do it out and picture getting across that traverse, and that's eventually what happened."
Caldwell and Jorgeson hope that their feat inspires others to follow their own passions. Jorgeson said that the climb should show the value of teamwork and teach people not to give up on their dreams. The Dawn Wall is so daunting that climbing it can represent overcoming life's biggest challenges.
"[The Dawn Wall stands for] dreaming big and making it happen," Jorgeson explained. "It's just a super-concrete example and an iconic, beautiful place with…a great story of perseverance and teamwork and making it."
"[An experience like this adjusts] your perception of what you can do and what's possible," Jorgeson continued. "Now that we've done this, who knows what comes [next]. I have a whole new bar for what's possible and what I'm capable of personally."
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Question 4
4 / 8
The reader can infer from the article that __________
Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson both decided as young children to someday climb the Dawn Wall.
Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson have enjoyed working together as a climbing team over the years.
Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson have already made plans to free-climb the Dawn Wall without safety ropes.
Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson both relocated from other states to permanently live in California.
1 answer
The reader can infer from the article that Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson have enjoyed working together as a climbing team over the years.
The text highlights their teamwork and the years of training they put in together, as well as Jorgeson's comment about the value of teamwork during their ascent of the Dawn Wall. There is no evidence in the article to support the other options.
