On the north side of Yosemite Valley stands a 3,000-foot vertical granite monolith known as El Capitan. Named for its undisputed dominion over the valley, the southwest face of the mountain has long been considered by the rock-climbing community to contain some of the most difficult routes on the planet. To put into perspective just how difficult some of the climbs are, the face wasn’t summited until years after Mt. Everest, and despite being four times shorter, took climbers longer to complete.
However, as time passed and technology improved, it became clear that any climb could be achieved with enough perseverance, ropes, and hole drilling. Many climbers have gone on to not only climb the southwestern face of El Cap but have sought out the most difficult way to do so, now with even the most inconceivable routes being conquered.
Nevertheless, there is one achievement on El Capitan that was, until recently, widely regarded as beyond human capability: free soloing. Free soloing is a niche style of climbing in which the climber uses no ropes, no gear, nothing at all to catch them if they fall. Obviously, this is the most dangerous form of climbing in existence, and combined with the length, pitch, and surface of El Capitan, make it a feat that many considered to be beyond the bounds of possibility.
At least they did until famous climber Alex Honnold free-soloed all 3,000 feet in June of 2017. The climb made big headlines everywhere when it happened because of how strenuous and impressive the climb is.
Alex’s climb inspired some members of the climbing community to try this same climb! Let’s take a look.
Play the following video for your students [3:23; stop at 3:02]: My Experience Climbing the Same Route From Free Solo!
This climb was once thought to be impossible. When Alex Honnold first completed the route, one climber on Reddit wrote, “Pictures cannot do justice to the immensity of El Cap. Standing there, it looks impossible. Not difficult. Impossible. I mean, it doesn’t look merely vertical and smooth, its overhanging! This modest unassuming kid, he has done the impossible—and made it look easy. Unbelievable.”
And while there is no doubt that this achievement ranks high among the most impressive physical and mental accomplishments in human history, the climbers who undertake this route must believe that it’s possible. They believe that with enough physical and mental preparation, they can achieve it.
- How often do you let doubt stand in the way of achieving something? Why? (Allow this conversation to take its natural course, unpacking reasons your students identify and inserting some they may miss. Fear of failure, low self-esteem, inability to trust, not wanting to be in a position where you are not in control, etc. are a few things that may surface.)
Often, doubt is the greatest hindrance to achieving our “impossibles.” God has said that He can do anything with faith like a mustard seed, but it’s up to us to come to Him free of doubt and full of faith. Today, we’ll learn how to eliminate our doubt in God’s ability to achieve the impossible in our lives.
