Rock Star Tommy Caldwell and Rising Star Connor Herson Free-Climb The Heart

Tommy Caldwell returned to The Heart on Yosemite's El Capitan with young Connor Herson to successfully free-climb the massive route.

Connor Herson and Tommy Caldwell on The Heart - El Capitan / Tommy Caldwell

Free Climb on El Capitan's The Heart

Tommy Caldwell rocks on big rock walls. The influential and accomplished world-renowned rock climber owns many extraordinary ascents and pioneering routes. His fame rock-world fame skyrocketed due to his achievements on big granite walls, particularly in Yosemite National Park.

In 2015, Caldwell, with climbing partner Kevin Jorgeson, completed the first free ascent of the Dawn Wall on El Capitan, one of the most challenging and longest climbs ever attempted. The feat took 19 days on the wall and captivated audiences throughout the world. The Dawn Wall climb documentary became a breath-taking feature film, titled The Dawn Wall.

Caldwell just free-climbed the mythical route The Heart on Yosemite’s granite shrine El Capitan. The Heart, positioned on the southwest face of El Capitan, appears as a heart-shaped formation visible from the valley floor.

The technically demanding and exposed route, first climbed in 1970 by legendary climbers Chuck Pratt, Yvon Chouinard, and Chris Jones, helped to establish El Capitan’s extreme reputation. Calwell performed the extremely difficult free climb with up and coming star climber Connor Herson.

In her Article for ExplorersWeb, Angela Benevides noted that Tommy had a score to settle with The Heart. Caldwell came up short when attempting the same line with Alex Honnold last year, as he was still recovering from a torn ACL. This year he was healed and ready, and by partnering with the young 21-year old Herson was able “to absorb some of that youthful energy,” Caldwell said. They completed the 31 pitches of the 5.13b (8a) route in three days.

The California-based Herson provided the juice, and said of the climb, “Turns out to be a wild route, with some of the steepest climbing I’ve done on El Cap: a very thin slab, and even a 10’ down dyno. ” Herson, a rising star in the rock climbing community, earned praise from the legendary Caldwell. “I’ve never seen someone look so solid on El Cap. Keep an eye,” Caldwell wrote about his young partner. “I can’t wait to see where he takes Yosemite climbing in the years to come.”

El Capitan - Yosemite National Park / haveseen

Caldwell thinks he owns the title as the oldest climber to free-climb a route on El Capitan. Connor Herson free-climbed the Nose at only 15 – the youngest ever to free-climb a line on El Capitan. He took the ‘youngest’ record from Caldwell who free-climbed El Cap’s West Buttress at the age of 23. “It’s crazy to think that one piece of granite can stretch my imagination for 26 years —and I don’t plan on that ending any time soon,” Caldwell said.

Caldwell recently brought his son Fitz for a night on El Cap’s wall, which likely means Tommy will be making more trips to El Capitan to usher in the next generation of Yosemite’s famous group of climbing icons.

After The Heart was first climbed in 1970 by legendary climbers Chuck Pratt, Yvon Chouinard, and Chris Jones, it took 45 years before for Mason Earle and Brad Gobright became the first climbers to free-climb the entire route in 2015.

The famous route includes some spectacular moves, including the V10 (7c+) dyno - an athletic and dynamic move required to grab a distant footing or hold.

El Capitan, one of the most iconic rock formations in the world and renowned for its towering granite face and challenging routes, attracts climbers from around the world every year. Standing over 3,000 feet, the vast granite walls offer a variety of climbing experiences ranging from traditional aid-climbing to free-climbing. Among its numerous routes, several stand out for their difficulty, history, and the climbers and characters who conquered them. (Related Article)