Tommy Caldwell facts for kids
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Caldwell in 2015
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| Born | August 11, 1978 Estes Park, Colorado, U.S. |
| Occupation | Professional rock climber |
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Tommy Caldwell (born August 11, 1978) is a famous American rock climber. He has set amazing records in different types of climbing. These include sport climbing, traditional climbing, and big-wall climbing. Tommy is especially known for his climbs on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. He was the first to "free climb" many tough routes there.
In 2015, Tommy and Kevin Jorgeson made history. They completed the first "free ascent" of The Dawn Wall on El Capitan. This climb took them 19 days! It was the first time anyone had free-climbed such a difficult big wall route. National Geographic magazine called Tommy "arguably the best all-around rock climber on the planet" in 2015. He is a very important person in the history of the sport.
Contents
Early Life and How He Started Climbing
Tommy Caldwell grew up in Loveland, Colorado. His dad, Mike Caldwell, was a teacher and a mountain guide. He was also a professional bodybuilder and a rock climber. Tommy's dad introduced him to rock climbing when he was very young. His mom, Terry, was also a mountain guide. Every year, Tommy's family would visit Yosemite National Park. This is where Tommy's love for the park and climbing really grew.
A Difficult Experience in Kyrgyzstan
In August 2000, Tommy Caldwell and three other climbers faced a scary situation. They were held captive for six days by rebels in Kyrgyzstan. Tommy managed to help them escape. He pushed one of the captors, which allowed the group to get away safely. They later found out the man survived the fall. A book called Over the Edge was written about their experience. This event is also shown in the 2017 movie The Dawn Wall.
Overcoming Challenges: Losing a Finger
In 2001, Tommy had a serious accident. He accidentally cut off part of his left index finger with a saw. Doctors tried to reattach it, but it wouldn't heal properly. Tommy decided to have the damaged part of his finger removed. Doctors told him he might never climb again. This was a very scary thought for Tommy. But facing this fear made him even stronger and more determined. He proved that he could still climb at the highest level.
Overcoming Challenges: Achilles Tendon Injuries
In February 2022, Tommy had another tough injury. He fell while climbing a route called Magic Line in Yosemite. He tore his Achilles tendon, which is a strong cord at the back of your ankle. This injury needed a full repair. Six weeks later, he started climbing again. He even put climbing shoe rubber on his special boot! But he re-injured his Achilles tendon twice more. Despite these setbacks, Tommy kept working hard to recover.
Amazing Climbs and Achievements
Tommy has completed some of the hardest climbs in the United States. One of his most famous sport climbs is Flex Luthor in Colorado. He first climbed it in 2003. This route was so hard that no one else could climb it for 18 years!
In May 2004, Tommy was the first to free climb the Dihedral Wall on El Capitan. In 2005, he and Beth Rodden free-climbed The Nose on El Capitan. Just two days later, Tommy free-climbed The Nose again in less than 12 hours! A few days after that, he climbed The Nose in 11 hours. Then, he climbed another route called Freerider. This made him the first person to free climb two El Capitan routes in 24 hours. Tommy has free-climbed many other routes on El Capitan, including Lurking Fear, Muir Wall, West Buttress, Salathé, Zodiac, Magic Mushroom, New Dawn, and Heart Route.
The Dawn Wall Climb
In January 2015, Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson finished their historic climb of The Dawn Wall. This was on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. They had spent six years planning and preparing for this huge challenge. Their 19-day climb was the first time anyone had free-climbed a big wall route of that difficulty. This amazing climb got attention from all over the world. Even President Barack Obama praised them. He said, "You remind us that anything is possible." This incredible story was made into a movie in 2017 called The Dawn Wall.
The next year, a climber from the Czech Republic named Adam Ondra also free-climbed the Dawn Wall. He did it in 8 days. Adam praised Tommy and Kevin. He said they put in so much effort and faced many unknowns. He knew it was possible because of their hard work.
Documentaries About Tommy Caldwell
Tommy Caldwell has been featured in several documentaries. These films show his incredible climbing adventures.
Progression
Tommy was one of the climbers in the 2009 film Progression. This movie talked about his dream to climb The Dawn Wall. After seeing this film, Kevin Jorgeson contacted Tommy to join him on the climb.
The Dawn Wall
The documentary The Dawn Wall came out in September 2018. It follows Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson on their free climb of The Dawn Wall. Josh Lowell and Peter Mortimer directed this film.
Free Solo
Tommy Caldwell also appeared in the documentary Free Solo. This film was released in September 2018. It is about Alex Honnold's amazing free solo climb of Freerider on El Capitan. In the movie, Tommy is seen helping Alex prepare for his climb. He also talks about Alex and rock climbing.
A Line Across the Sky
The Red Bull TV Reel Rock episode A Line Across The Sky came out in 2018. It showed Tommy Caldwell and Alex Honnold trying to climb across the Fitz Roy peaks in Patagonia. This climb involved seven peaks and 4,000 feet of vertical climbing.
The Devil's Climb
The Devil's Climb from Plimsoll Productions was released in October 2024. In this documentary, climbers Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell go on an adventure. They try to conquer Alaska's difficult Devil's Thumb. Renan Öztürk and Drew Pulley directed this film.
Personal Life
Tommy Caldwell married Beth Rodden in 2003, but they later divorced in 2010. In 2010, he met Rebecca Pietsch, a photographer. They got married in 2012. Tommy and Rebecca have a son and a daughter. They live in Estes Park, Colorado.
See also
- History of rock climbing
- List of grade milestones in rock climbing
- Alex Honnold
- Beth Rodden
