While most of us are struggling to even run around the block, Emily Harrington has been leading by example and inspiring us with her most recent achievement. Wondering what she did? Read on to know. By Amitha Ameen
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Professional climber Emily Harrington has just made history by becoming the first woman in the world to free-climb Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan through the Golden Gate route under 24 hours from her ascent. The 34-year-old climber, who scaled the 3,000-feet mountain in 21 hours, 31 minutes, and 51 seconds, is the fourth woman to free-climb the megalith.
“I think the reason it was successful was kind of a mixture of finally being prepared enough, finally having the experience required, having the fitness and the training, as well as a little bit of luck,” Harrington told NPR.
It was however in her fourth attempt that she managed to create the record of climbing the mountain under 24 hours.
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The historic El Capitan is considered to be one of the most difficult rock-climbing places in the world. Lynn Hill was the first woman to climb the hill under 24 hours in 1994 followed by Steph Davis and Mayan Smith-Gobat.
Climbers who adopt the free climbing method use only their hands and feet to push them. They do use ropes and other protective gear, but only during a slip or fall. Free-climbing is one of the most dangerous ways of scaling a mountain.
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“I never believed I could actually free climb El Cap in a day when I first set the goal for myself. It didn’t seem like a realistic objective for me. I didn’t have the skills, fitness, or risk profile to move so quickly over such a large piece of stone. But I chose it exactly for that reason. Impossible dreams challenge us to rise above who we are now to see if we can become better versions of ourselves,” Harrington further wrote on her Instagram page.
Related: Yosemite National Park: A World Within A World Awaiting Your Arrival
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