El Capitan is one of Yosemite’s most iconic granite monoliths - a towering vertical wall that rises about 3,000 feet (914 meters) straight up from Yosemite Valley. It’s often described as the ultimate test piece for rock climbers from around the world. What makes El Capitan world-famous is its sheer vertical face, smooth granite, and the scale of its challenge. For decades, it’s been the center of big-wall climbing -the kind where climbers spend days (and nights) on the wall, sleeping on portale

Standing on top of El Capitan - one of Yosemite’s most iconic landmarks. It’s wild to think this massive granite wall rises over 3,000 feet straight up from the valley floor, a place that’s inspired generations of climbers and adventurers. Up here, everything feels different - quiet, peaceful, and absolutely surreal. The views stretch endlessly across Yosemite Valley, Half Dome standing proud in the distance, and you realize just how small you are compared to this place. . . . . . #yosemite #yos

merican rock climber Alex Honnold, the 40-year-old free-solo legend best known for his historic ropeless ascent of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, has completed a breathtaking free solo climb of the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan. On January 25, 2026, Honnold scaled the 508-metre (1,667-foot), 101-floor tower without the use of ropes, harnesses, or safety nets, relying solely on small architectural features and ornamental structures on the building’s exterior. The ascent took him

Two climbers have completed a historic 19-day ascent to the summit of Yosemite National Park's El Capitan in California, after scaling the rock formation's 900-metre sheer granite face without climbing tools. | RTÉ News