From El Capitan in Yosemite to remote challenges in Greenland and Antarctica, we profile the world’s most stunning big wall climbs
It was five years ago that I first came across a big wall climber. A tiny speck on the side of a gigantic granite wall, the climber was bivvying in Yosemite National Park, the Holy Land of big wall climbing.
I couldn’t comprehend how someone could sleep tacked onto the side of a wall, suspended thousands of feet above the ground, sometimes in treacherous weather conditions.
I was reminded of this special breed of climber by the film Meru which follows three world-class climbers in their efforts to scale the mountain’s imposing Shark’s Fin. The high-altitude climbing on display is impressive but it’s the big wall climbing on the near-featureless Shark’s Fin that is really mind-blowing.
What is big wall climbing?
A big wall climb is an extended rock climbing route that usually requires multiple pitches to ascend and takes experienced rock climbers more than a single day to ascend. Big wall routes often require the climber to bivvy on the route overnight often using a portaledge and a hauling system.
It’s tricky to nail down an actual height, as the difficulty and technicality of the route can affect how long the climb takes. However, a route is usually classified as a big wall climb when it takes around six to 10 pitches to complete. This roughly translates as between 300m (984ft) to 500m (1,640ft) as a minimum height.
What all big wall climbs have in common is that they are technically challenging and require a significant amount of logistical planning and preparation. No one just rocks up (pun intended) to a big wall and climbs it. The route will need to be carefully researched, technical and personal gear methodically prepped and a substantial amount of training time put in. You’ll also need to be comfortable using a poop tube.
World’s most stunning big wall climbs
Below, we take a closer look at the Shark’s Fin and other stunning big wall climbs across the world.
Note: Wall height versus total mountain height is ambiguous in some cases. We have used the most accurate reading available.
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