El Capitan, the largest exposed granite monolith in the world, rises 3,593 feet from the valley floor. During the climbing season, you find
teams of climbers ascending the mountain. I look up (and up and up) the sheer cliff of this imposing mountain, and struggle to imagine making
this climb, but even more, of spending the night suspended in a hammock or on a narrow ledge. Normally a 3-5 day climb, as you pass by at night,
you see the lights of climbers across the face. A few don't need to spend the night, who manage the climb in a day or less. The current record
for speed climbing El Cap was broken this past July, 2008, by a team who completed the climb in an unbelievable 2 HOURS 43 MINTUES!!!