Climbing to the sky: Royal Robbins’ Half Dome Ascent

Royal Robbins and Tom Frost-El Capitan, North American Wall

In terms of facing fear, focusing on an obstacle and claiming victory there is hardly a more compelling example than that of Royal Robbins 1957 first ascent (with partners Jerry Gallwas and Mike Sherrick) of Half Dome’s northwest face in Yosemite National Park.

I had the opportunity to talk to Royal about his climbing adventures and asked him what enabled him to believe that he could achieve such a monumental climb when people had been staring up at that cliff for thousands of years and never considered it possible. Royal went on to say that he had achieved progressive successes on other climbs in the valley and that his climb on Sentinel Rock’s Steck-Salathe route gave him the confidence to believe that he could climb Half Dome.

Here’s a great link showing details of the Steck-Salathe route

Cheers to Royal, one of my heroes!!