El Capitan  Photos:  Recent | Best | Popular Lat, Long:  37.732, -119.6376 Map Page Views:  493,307. Good page?    Administrators:  M.Morley, Sam Vanderhyden, Tom Erickson Submitted By:  Josh Janes on Jun 15, 2006 Make this area a Favorite What's New   Print a Mini-Guide with routes Add Route  Add Photo  Add Comment  Add Event  Thu Fri Sat Sun Mon 82° | 37° 88° | 46° 91° | 39° 84° | 45° 86° | 45°

Fifi Buttress To Close! MORE INFO >>> The following areas are closed to all visitor use to protect peregrine falcon aeries from March 1 until August 1 of each year or until the young falcons of the current year have fledged: Fifi Buttress Immediately west of Leaning Tower. Closure includes all routes on Fifi Buttress. This information is a public crowdsourcing effort between the Access Fund, and Mountain Project. You should confirm closures, restrictions, and/or related dates. Keeping climbing areas open and conserving the climbing environment

ElCap.
Photo by Blitzo.

Description 

The Captain. How can you properly describe 3000 feet of beautiful granite loaded with awesome routes? El Cap is probably the most recognized chunk of rock in the world to rock climbers. Climbers come from across the globe to challenge themselves on the 3000 foot walls of El Capitan. It's an awe-inspiring thing that first time you go to the Valley and stand at the base of El Cap, looking up. So much rock, so little time...

Note: When climbing El Cap, parties should come prepared for harsh weather with little notice. Rescues and even deaths have occurred over the years due to unprepared climbers that were hit by unexpected storms.

Getting There 

El Capitan is found on the north side of the Valley, just east of where highway 120 meets highway 140 coming in from El Portal. Can't miss it...

The Classics

Featured Route For El Capitan

Native Son 5.9 A3+  CA : Yosemite National Park : ... : El Capitan

Excellent route. Sustained A3, it adds up towards the end. In terms of danger, the crux is p4, the Coral Sea. It's best to link this with p3 for a 190' pitch. Other cruxes are the Wing, which steep, and Golden Nipple, a slabby pitch at the end.Mega classic nailing on several pitches. Feels fresh. I don't think there is more holes on the hard pitches than there were on the FA(?) At least for the Coral Sea this is obvious from the original topo.Every pitch stands out in some way.The only ledge is ...[more]   Browse More Classics in CA

Photos of El Capitan Slideshow

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EL Cap, Winter. Photo by Blitzo.	Early Morning Light. Photo by Blitzo.	Beware of lizards. Photo by Blitzo.
El Cap. Photo by Blitzo.	El Capitan Beer. 1960s. Photo by Blitzo.	El Cap sun. Photo by Blitzo.
El Cap basking in the sunshine!	Pacific Ocean? Photo by Blitzo.	Mescalito. Photo by Errett Allen.
Mike Corbett on Muir Wall. Photo by Errett Allen.	"Tangerine Trip". Photo by Errett Allen.	Muir Wall. Photo by Errett Allen.
El Cap reflection. Photo by Blitzo.	El Cap, Merced River. April 2004.	The Mighty Captain
North American Wall, El Cap	The captain from the meadow	West face of El Cap, Half Dome creeping in the bac...
EL Cap Beer cap.	Juli on Thanksgiving Ledge one hour after accident...	Nice summit shot from the top of El Cap, showing J...
This shot was taken right after doing the Porch sw...	No description needed...	Climbers and hiker at El Cap. I'm not sure what th...
Two climbers and a portaledge high up on ElCap... ...	El Cap in a storm, May 2008.	The Shield head wall
Hanging in space after doing the Alcove swing	El Cap 10/07	The porch swing on El cap
A climber and the Salathe Headwall	Dale Bard 5 rurp belay.	Look very close... 2002?
The first foot of 3000	Morning light on El Cap, on a cold February mornin...	tunnel view...
El Cap from Taft Point across the valley. Septemb...	El Cap from the valley, Sept 09.	Climbers on El Cap, Sept 30, 2009. If this is you...
Climbers on El Cap, Sept 30, 2009. If this is you,...	El Capitan as seen from the East Buttress of Middl...	Cleaning the shield roof
El Cap on a cold May morning	The Captain 2008	TRing the stellar crux pitch of The Prophet Photo ...
weighing the task ahead	Playing around on the base of El Cap.	El Cap at night. Photo by Yaman Ozakin
Early October morning moon and El Cap.	water pours down the east side of El Cap	Well hello there.
water pouring down near the East Buttress and Tang...