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 an American rock climber. He is famous for setting many records in different types of climbing. These include sport climbing, traditional climbing, and big-wall climbing. Caldwell was the first to free climb several big routes on El Capitan. This huge rock formation is in Yosemite National Park.
He made the first ascents of some of the hardest sport climbing routes in the U.S. This includes Kryptonite in 1999 and Flex Luthor in 2003. Both climbs were at the Fortress of Solitude in Colorado. In January 2015, Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson spent 19 days climbing. They made the first free ascent of The Dawn Wall on El Capitan. This was the first time anyone had free climbed such a difficult big wall route.
In 2015, National Geographic magazine called Caldwell "arguably the best all-around rock climber on the planet." He is a very important person in the history of rock climbing.
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Tommy Caldwell's Early Life
Caldwell grew up in Loveland, Colorado. His father, Mike Caldwell, was a former teacher and mountain guide. He was also a professional bodybuilder and rock climber. Mike introduced Tommy to rock climbing when he was very young. Tommy's mother, Terry, was also a mountain guide.
The family, including Tommy's sister, took yearly trips to Yosemite National Park. Tommy's love for the park and rock climbing grew strong during these visits.
A Challenging Experience in Kyrgyzstan
In August 2000, Caldwell and three other climbers faced a tough situation. They were held by rebels for six days in Kyrgyzstan. Caldwell bravely helped his group escape from their captors. They managed to reach government soldiers. A few weeks later, they learned that the person Caldwell pushed had survived.
A book called Over the Edge was written about their experience. It tells the true story of their kidnap and escape. Caldwell also gave a talk called "How Becoming a Hostage and Losing a Finger Made Him a Better Climber." This event is also shown in the 2017 film The Dawn Wall.
Overcoming a Finger Injury
In 2001, Caldwell had an accident and lost part of his left index finger. Doctors tried to help, but the finger would not heal well enough for climbing. Caldwell decided to have the damaged part of his finger removed.
After several medical procedures, doctors told him he might not be able to climb again. Facing the fear of losing his passion became a huge source of strength for Caldwell. He worked hard to climb again, proving that he could overcome this challenge.
Recovering from an Achilles Tendon Injury
In February 2022, Caldwell fell while climbing a route called Magic Line. He tore his Achilles tendon when he hit the wall. This injury needed a full reconstruction. Six weeks later, he started climbing again. He even put climbing shoe rubber on his orthopedic boot.
However, he tore his Achilles again while climbing outdoors. He chose not to have surgery this time. He restarted his recovery, following his doctor's advice very carefully. But he tore his Achilles one more time during physical therapy. This required another reconstruction surgery.
Tommy Caldwell's Amazing Climbs
Caldwell has made many first ascents of very hard sport routes in the United States. One famous climb is Flex Luthor in 2003. This route remained unrepeated for 18 years.
In May 2004, he completed the first free ascent (FFA) of Dihedral Wall. In 2005, he and Beth Rodden took turns leading climbs. They made the third and fourth free ascents of The Nose. Just two days later, Caldwell free-climbed The Nose in less than 12 hours.
A few days after that, Caldwell climbed The Nose in 11 hours. He then went down and climbed Freerider. He finished both climbs within 24 hours. This was the first time anyone had free-climbed two El Capitan routes in a single day. Caldwell has also free-climbed many other routes on El Capitan. These include Lurking Fear, Muir Wall, West Buttress, Salathé, Zodiac, Magic Mushroom, New Dawn, and Heart Route.
The Dawn Wall: A Historic Climb
In January 2015, Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson finished the first free climb of The Dawn Wall. This climb is on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. They had spent six years planning and getting ready for it.
Their 19-day climb of The Dawn Wall was a huge moment in climbing history. It was the first-ever free climb of a big wall route at such a high difficulty level. 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 climb was also made into the 2017 film, The Dawn Wall.
The next year, Czech climber Adam Ondra free-climbed the Dawn Wall in 8 days. Ondra praised Caldwell and Jorgeson. He said they put in so much effort and faced many challenges. He felt his own climb was easier because they had already shown it was possible.
Documentaries Featuring Tommy Caldwell
Progression
Caldwell was one of the climbers in the 2009 film Progression. The film talked about his goal to climb The Dawn Wall. After seeing this film, Kevin Jorgeson contacted Caldwell to join him on the climb.
The Dawn Wall
The Dawn Wall is a documentary that follows Caldwell and Jorgeson. It shows their free climb of The Dawn Wall. The film was released on September 19, 2018. Josh Lowell and Peter Mortimer directed it.
Free Solo
Caldwell also appeared in the documentary Free Solo. This film was released on September 28, 2018. It is about Alex Honnold's free solo climb of Freerider on El Capitan. In the film, Caldwell is seen helping Honnold get ready for the climb. He is also interviewed about Honnold 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 followed Caldwell and Honnold's attempt 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 was released on October 17, 2024. In this Plimsoll Productions 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.
Notable Ascents by Tommy Caldwell
- 2001: The Honeymoon is Over V 5.13 Longs Peak, Colorado. First Ascent with Beth Rodden.
- 2003: Flex Luthor (9a+ 5.15a), Fortress of Solitude, Colorado
- 2003: West Buttress (FFA) VI 5.13c, El Capitan, Yosemite Valley, California
- 2004: Dihedral Wall (FFA) VI 5.14a, El Capitan, Yosemite Valley, California
- 2005: The Nose VI 5.14a/b, 3rd/4th Free Ascent (with Beth Rodden), El Capitan, Yosemite Valley, California
- 2006: Linea di Eleganza VI 5.11b A3 90 degrees M7 Fitz Roy, Argentine Patagonia. First Free Ascent.
- 2008: Magic Mushroom (FFA) VI 5.14a with Justen Sjong, May 12–17, 2008, El Capitan, Yosemite, California
- 2012: Yosemite Triple Crown 5.13a, 1st All Free Ascent with Alex Honnold
- 2013: Dunn-Westbay 5.14a, 1st Free Ascent with Joe Mills, Longs Peak, Colorado
- 2014: Fitz Traverse VI 5.11d C1 65 degrees, First Ascent with Alex Honnold
- 2015: The Dawn Wall (FFA) 5.14d with Kevin Jorgeson, December 27, 2014 – January 14, 2015, El Capitan, Yosemite, California
- 2018: The Nose 5.9 C2, Sub- 2-hour record with Alex Honnold, El Capitan, Yosemite Valley, California
Tommy Caldwell's Personal Life
Caldwell married Beth Rodden in 2003, but they later divorced in 2010. In 2010, he met photographer Rebecca Pietsch. 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
- Alexander Huber
