Mountain Climbs

Mountain Climbs

Notable Accomplishments

Straight Through the Heart

El Capitan - September 2005

Photo: By Chris McNamara - El Capitan at sunset, modified by Craig Perkins to black and white, except for the color in the natural heart formation.

In Kelly and Craig’s relentless pursuits to globally share positive examples of organ donation, they have chosen to travel to Yosemite Valley in California and climb El Capitan. El Capitan is one of the most famous rock climbing walls in the valley, and world, and was specifically chosen due to a natural “heart shaped” formation on the Southwest face. In September of 2005, with their trademark, “Team Approach”, Kelly will be joined by her husband and climbing partner Craig, Filmmaker Michael Brown, world renowned climber and rigger Kevin Thaw, and Yosemite Mountain Guides Scott Stowe and Ken Yager, in her effort to lay the groundwork for one of the most visually symbolic organ donor messages by climbing up and through the “heart” of El Capitan.

Click Here to view dispatches taken live from the mountain.

History

El Capitan is perhaps the most awe-inspiring feature in all of Yosemite Valley, and second only to Half Dome among Yosemite's most recognized features. The climbing history on El Capitan is relatively short. In 1958 Warren Harding lead an epic battle that lasted weeks, and became the first to aid-climb the 3,000 feet of vertical rock. Harding's monumental route up the prow became known as The Nose and started a new revolution in climbing. Three years later in 1961 Royal Robbins, Chuck Pratt and Tom Frost set their eyes on another part of the wall called the Salathe Wall. The Salathe Wall was named by Yvon Chouinard in honor of John Salathe, one of Yosemite's early pioneers. Robbins, Pratt, and Frost's climb up The Salathe Wall firmly established the Golden Age of Yosemite climbing and set the fundamental framework for a generation of climbers that persists today.

Over 70 big wall routes have been established on El Cap's Southwest and Southeast faces, though most of these are variations connecting two or more of the earlier established routes. At any given time from spring to fall, there are dozens of climbers making their way up one of the established routes. Ascents have been made in as little as 2 hours and as long as 200 days, but the average party takes 4-6 days to make their way up, hauling 100 lbs of gear, food, and water for each member. Down below, tourists, friends, and loved ones park along Northside Drive and picnic in El Capitan Meadow while watching the climbers' progress through binoculars.

Overview of Route

The Muir Wall runs along the northeast side of the “heart”. It is one of El Cap’s greatest natural lines, second only to the Salathe. It boasts large clean corners from the ground to the summit with moderate yet sustained climbing. This route is substantially more involved than the Nose or the Salathe but technically easier than the Shield or the Zodiac.

Statistics: (information taken from supertopo.com)

Muir Wall, El Capitan: Rating – VI 5.9 C4 or A2
Climb Time: 5 days up, 4 hours down (Rappel Southwest Ridge)
Pitches: 33
Height of route: 2900’

Blood Drive

The Central California Blood Center has joined forces with the Perkins team to get the word out to the community that everyone can do their part to give the “gift of life” in multiple ways. Along with blood donation, according to Kelly, “We hope our efforts will contribute towards an increase in the (organ) donor pool, which can further stimulate the development of safer drugs and treatments for transplant.”

During the five days it will take the Perkins, and their team to reach the top, there will be multiple opportunities in the Central Valley and in the Yosemite Valley to sign up and give blood, as well as, register to be an organ donor using California’s newly launched Organ and Tissue Donor Registry. This registry allows individuals to express their commitment to become an organ donor and guarantees their plans will be carried out when they die. All blood donors will receive a commemorative T-shirt marking Kelly’s accomplishment.

Blood donation takes less than one hour to complete. Donors must be in good general health, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds and be at least 17 years old. Senior citizens are encouraged to donate, as there is no upper age limit. Donors should eat a good meal and drink plenty of water within 4 hours prior to their donation. Donors can give blood every eight weeks, the time it takes the body to replace a pint of blood. A Social Security Number is required for registration, and first-time donors must present photo identification upon registration.

As a special form of recognition, the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports has generated a document highlighting this distinctive event, memorialized with its recognizable Presidential Seal. Click here to view the communiqué.