7 February 2025
Seb Berthe completes The Dawn Wall (9a) MP
Sebastien Berthe has repeated the 32 pitches The Dawnwall (9a) on El Cap in Yosemite. Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson put it up in 2015 after projecting it for six years. Then the next year Adam Ondra did the first and only repeat.
"On January 31st, 2025, at 8 AM, after 14 days on the wall, I topped out El Capitan, completing a project that took me quite some time and investment: tears and blood, 2 trips to Yosemite, 3 Atlantic crossings by sailboat, countless sessions on the wall, and thousands of meters of rope juggingโฆ" (c) Soline Kentzel
โDay 6: Pitch 14 (5.14d - 9a)
The conditions are warm for January, and I know temperature is a key factor for success on this triple-crux pitch. So, I decide to start climbing at 5 a.m., before sunrise and before the sun hits the wall. At 5:30, I take a first working burn to dial in the moves and refresh the chalk marks (without them, the holds might as well not existโฆ). I feel great. First redpoint attempt: I fly through the pitch, everything feels easy, and within minutes, Iโm at the final cruxโitโs happening! I go for the big move left, but just as I reach for the last holdsโฆ I slip. A scream of frustration tears through me. I take 20 minutes to refocus and try again before the sun arrives.
Second attemptโsame thing: I feel amazing, I get to the final crux, then slip again. The sun is here, and itโs over for todayโฆ I feel so close, yet I have the sinking feeling that I might keep slipping over and over. Back at the portaledge, another issue arisesโmy back is in excruciating pain.
Days 7 and 8: Rest. I had planned to climb the next day, but as soon as I wake up, I know itโs not happening. My back hurts too much. I start doubting whether I can finish this push. Slowly, with gentle stretching, the pain easesโthough not completely.
Day 9: Pitch 14
When I wake up, my back feels betterโnot healed, but manageable with ibuprofen. Itโs a cold, cloudy dayโperfect conditions. I warm up by reworking the final crux to figure out why I kept slipping. I think Iโve found a solutionโitโs all about foot positioning.
First try: I slip at crux 2. Attempts 2, 3, and 4: I slip at crux 1. My back hurts. My toes are freezing in my tight shoes, and I struggle to keep them warm. Thankfully, Soline, the ultimate belayer, warms them up against her body between tries. Attempt 5: I pass crux 1 but fall at crux 2. Attempts 6, 7, 8, and 9: I slip again at crux 1. I start to despair.
Itโs 4:30 p.m., and a snowstorm is coming at 5. One last try. I convince myself I can do it. Attempt 10. Itโs not my smoothest go, but I stick crux 1, then crux 2. As I reach the final rest before crux 3โฆ it starts snowing.My shoes and fingers are getting wet. It feels hopeless. But I have nothing to lose. I go for it. Somehow, I stick the big move. My foot stays in place. I reach for the final jugโIโm still on the wallโฆ YES! I sent pitch 14, in the snow! Pure euphoria. Back at the portaledge, the snowstorm rages, but Iโm ecstatic.
Day 10: Pitch 15
Despite yesterdayโs long day, Iโm getting ready to climbโIโm obviously super motivated. Because of the excitement, I didnโt sleep at all last night. My back still hurts, but yesterdayโs session didnโt make it worse. The day is cloudy, conditions are perfect. Pitch 15 is the second major challenge of the Dawn Wall after Pitch 14. This is where Kevin Jorgeson got stuck during the first ascent in 2015. The pitch is rated 5.14c/d - 8c+/9a. I would personally say more like 8c+ , but a very technical and finger-intensive one. A long approach around 5.13d - 8b, followed by a precise boulder move requiring extreme foot and finger control. First, I do a beta-checking go to mark holds with chalk. Then itโs go time. I feel very strong on my first attempt and quickly reach the final crux. I feel like I can do it, and thenโ โShit!โ โ I slip, out of nowhere. Back to the previous belay, 20 minutes of rest. Second attempt: I make a mistake and slip at the start. Damn. In my head, I start doubting, thinking Iโll keep slipping again and again like on Pitch 14. But I manage to pull myself together and focus on what I have to do, not on the result. On my next attemptโI send it! I squeeze my fingers harder than necessary in the crux, stay focused on the final moves, and it works! Yes!!! Itโs starting to feel real nowโIโm stoked! Thereโs still daylight left, and I think I have some energy left, so I go straight for Pitch 16, the Loop Pitch (an alternative to the famous dyno, rated 5.14a - 8b+). Probably the most unique pitch on the Dawn Wall: it involves downclimbing for about 20 meters to a small ledge, an easy traverse left, and then a demanding endurance climb back up (slippery and technical layback) I havenโt rehearsed these pitches as much as the previous ones. From the start, I knew I wasnโt fully prepared for them. I spend 45 minutes refining the beta. Then I give it a go but I fall on the downclimbing boulder problem, which Iโm struggling to master. It feels super weird to have to fight so hard while climbing down. Lack of strategy: I keep trying over and over without success, until two of my fingers start bleeding. My skin is completely wrecked.
Day and Night 14: Pitch 21 โ 32
For the past few nights, I havenโt been sleeping well due to stress and excitement, and this night is no exception. Today is the big dayโit's January 30th: I'm going for the final push to the summit. The next morning, rain is expected to arrive. I take down the camp and prepare a bag with a portaledge and a fly, just in case we get stuck by the rain for a few days. In the early afternoon, I do a warm-up on Pitch 21. As soon as the shade arrives, I go for an attempt. I'm incredibly stressed, but Iโm determined. I climb well and precisely, taking my time. In the crux up high, I grip the crimps harder than necessaryโI can feel my fingertips tearing under my fingers. I throw myself toward the final finger lock and mantle onto the ledge with a scream of joy! Thatโs it, Iโve completed all the hard pitches of the Dawn Wall. I feel incredibly happy and proud. Unfortunately, thereโs no time to celebrate: it's 5 PM, and I still have 11 adventurous and not-so-easy pitches to climb before morning. Pitch 22 is a long, steep finger crack that I have to do twice due to a fall near the top. That pitch completely drains me. I move slowly through the next pitches, trying to recover. Navigating the route in the dark night isn't easy (we had only climbed these pitches once before, two years ago, with Siebe Vanhee), and some sections are quite committing and intimidating. There are unprotected sections, offwidths, long traverses on hollow-sounding flakes, breaking holds, unstable pitons, and the haulbag getting stuckโฆ We're getting our fair share of adventure. I start feeling terrible: I struggle to eat, I feel like vomiting, and my body is deeply tired. With each pitch, I have to fight and leave a little piece of myself behind. Soline is incredibly supportive and solid. She follows brilliantly through these terrifying traverses. At every belay, she encourages me and pushes me to keep going. Sheโs an exceptional support. At 2 AM, we reach Ship Bow, Pitch 29. Four pitches remain, but Iโm utterly exhausted. We decide to take a 1.5-hour break so I can recover a little. We try to eat and sleep, but I canโt do either. At 4 AM, we set off again. I fall near the end of the 5.11d - 7a offwidth in the next pitch due to my poor offwidth technique. I retry and easily climb it in layback style. Three pitches to go. In each one, I have to fight, and at every belay, I feel like I might faint or throw up. Dawn breaks during the second-to-last pitch; it's cloudy, but it hasnโt started raining yet. Chris Nathalie is waiting at the summit to document the final meters. Pitch 31, a 5.13a-7c+ followed by a 5.12a-7a dihedral full of grass, gives me another challenge. I climb the final pitch (Pitch 32, 5.12b - 7b) quickly, in a daze. I mantle onto the summit at 8 AM. Victory! Weโve just lived through an intense and unforgettable night. Itโs a strange feelingโฆ Due to exhaustion, I donโt fully grasp that itโs over, that the Dawn Wall is behind me. It will take me a few hours, or maybe more, to truly understand and appreciate it."
"On January 31st, 2025, at 8 AM, after 14 days on the wall, I topped out El Capitan, completing a project that took me quite some time and investment: tears and blood, 2 trips to Yosemite, 3 Atlantic crossings by sailboat, countless sessions on the wall, and thousands of meters of rope juggingโฆ" (c) Soline Kentzel
โDay 6: Pitch 14 (5.14d - 9a)
The conditions are warm for January, and I know temperature is a key factor for success on this triple-crux pitch. So, I decide to start climbing at 5 a.m., before sunrise and before the sun hits the wall. At 5:30, I take a first working burn to dial in the moves and refresh the chalk marks (without them, the holds might as well not existโฆ). I feel great. First redpoint attempt: I fly through the pitch, everything feels easy, and within minutes, Iโm at the final cruxโitโs happening! I go for the big move left, but just as I reach for the last holdsโฆ I slip. A scream of frustration tears through me. I take 20 minutes to refocus and try again before the sun arrives.
Second attemptโsame thing: I feel amazing, I get to the final crux, then slip again. The sun is here, and itโs over for todayโฆ I feel so close, yet I have the sinking feeling that I might keep slipping over and over. Back at the portaledge, another issue arisesโmy back is in excruciating pain.
Days 7 and 8: Rest. I had planned to climb the next day, but as soon as I wake up, I know itโs not happening. My back hurts too much. I start doubting whether I can finish this push. Slowly, with gentle stretching, the pain easesโthough not completely.
Day 9: Pitch 14
When I wake up, my back feels betterโnot healed, but manageable with ibuprofen. Itโs a cold, cloudy dayโperfect conditions. I warm up by reworking the final crux to figure out why I kept slipping. I think Iโve found a solutionโitโs all about foot positioning.
First try: I slip at crux 2. Attempts 2, 3, and 4: I slip at crux 1. My back hurts. My toes are freezing in my tight shoes, and I struggle to keep them warm. Thankfully, Soline, the ultimate belayer, warms them up against her body between tries. Attempt 5: I pass crux 1 but fall at crux 2. Attempts 6, 7, 8, and 9: I slip again at crux 1. I start to despair.
Itโs 4:30 p.m., and a snowstorm is coming at 5. One last try. I convince myself I can do it. Attempt 10. Itโs not my smoothest go, but I stick crux 1, then crux 2. As I reach the final rest before crux 3โฆ it starts snowing.My shoes and fingers are getting wet. It feels hopeless. But I have nothing to lose. I go for it. Somehow, I stick the big move. My foot stays in place. I reach for the final jugโIโm still on the wallโฆ YES! I sent pitch 14, in the snow! Pure euphoria. Back at the portaledge, the snowstorm rages, but Iโm ecstatic.
Day 10: Pitch 15
Despite yesterdayโs long day, Iโm getting ready to climbโIโm obviously super motivated. Because of the excitement, I didnโt sleep at all last night. My back still hurts, but yesterdayโs session didnโt make it worse. The day is cloudy, conditions are perfect. Pitch 15 is the second major challenge of the Dawn Wall after Pitch 14. This is where Kevin Jorgeson got stuck during the first ascent in 2015. The pitch is rated 5.14c/d - 8c+/9a. I would personally say more like 8c+ , but a very technical and finger-intensive one. A long approach around 5.13d - 8b, followed by a precise boulder move requiring extreme foot and finger control. First, I do a beta-checking go to mark holds with chalk. Then itโs go time. I feel very strong on my first attempt and quickly reach the final crux. I feel like I can do it, and thenโ โShit!โ โ I slip, out of nowhere. Back to the previous belay, 20 minutes of rest. Second attempt: I make a mistake and slip at the start. Damn. In my head, I start doubting, thinking Iโll keep slipping again and again like on Pitch 14. But I manage to pull myself together and focus on what I have to do, not on the result. On my next attemptโI send it! I squeeze my fingers harder than necessary in the crux, stay focused on the final moves, and it works! Yes!!! Itโs starting to feel real nowโIโm stoked! Thereโs still daylight left, and I think I have some energy left, so I go straight for Pitch 16, the Loop Pitch (an alternative to the famous dyno, rated 5.14a - 8b+). Probably the most unique pitch on the Dawn Wall: it involves downclimbing for about 20 meters to a small ledge, an easy traverse left, and then a demanding endurance climb back up (slippery and technical layback) I havenโt rehearsed these pitches as much as the previous ones. From the start, I knew I wasnโt fully prepared for them. I spend 45 minutes refining the beta. Then I give it a go but I fall on the downclimbing boulder problem, which Iโm struggling to master. It feels super weird to have to fight so hard while climbing down. Lack of strategy: I keep trying over and over without success, until two of my fingers start bleeding. My skin is completely wrecked.
Day and Night 14: Pitch 21 โ 32
For the past few nights, I havenโt been sleeping well due to stress and excitement, and this night is no exception. Today is the big dayโit's January 30th: I'm going for the final push to the summit. The next morning, rain is expected to arrive. I take down the camp and prepare a bag with a portaledge and a fly, just in case we get stuck by the rain for a few days. In the early afternoon, I do a warm-up on Pitch 21. As soon as the shade arrives, I go for an attempt. I'm incredibly stressed, but Iโm determined. I climb well and precisely, taking my time. In the crux up high, I grip the crimps harder than necessaryโI can feel my fingertips tearing under my fingers. I throw myself toward the final finger lock and mantle onto the ledge with a scream of joy! Thatโs it, Iโve completed all the hard pitches of the Dawn Wall. I feel incredibly happy and proud. Unfortunately, thereโs no time to celebrate: it's 5 PM, and I still have 11 adventurous and not-so-easy pitches to climb before morning. Pitch 22 is a long, steep finger crack that I have to do twice due to a fall near the top. That pitch completely drains me. I move slowly through the next pitches, trying to recover. Navigating the route in the dark night isn't easy (we had only climbed these pitches once before, two years ago, with Siebe Vanhee), and some sections are quite committing and intimidating. There are unprotected sections, offwidths, long traverses on hollow-sounding flakes, breaking holds, unstable pitons, and the haulbag getting stuckโฆ We're getting our fair share of adventure. I start feeling terrible: I struggle to eat, I feel like vomiting, and my body is deeply tired. With each pitch, I have to fight and leave a little piece of myself behind. Soline is incredibly supportive and solid. She follows brilliantly through these terrifying traverses. At every belay, she encourages me and pushes me to keep going. Sheโs an exceptional support. At 2 AM, we reach Ship Bow, Pitch 29. Four pitches remain, but Iโm utterly exhausted. We decide to take a 1.5-hour break so I can recover a little. We try to eat and sleep, but I canโt do either. At 4 AM, we set off again. I fall near the end of the 5.11d - 7a offwidth in the next pitch due to my poor offwidth technique. I retry and easily climb it in layback style. Three pitches to go. In each one, I have to fight, and at every belay, I feel like I might faint or throw up. Dawn breaks during the second-to-last pitch; it's cloudy, but it hasnโt started raining yet. Chris Nathalie is waiting at the summit to document the final meters. Pitch 31, a 5.13a-7c+ followed by a 5.12a-7a dihedral full of grass, gives me another challenge. I climb the final pitch (Pitch 32, 5.12b - 7b) quickly, in a daze. I mantle onto the summit at 8 AM. Victory! Weโve just lived through an intense and unforgettable night. Itโs a strange feelingโฆ Due to exhaustion, I donโt fully grasp that itโs over, that the Dawn Wall is behind me. It will take me a few hours, or maybe more, to truly understand and appreciate it."
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โI stopped focusing on competition bouldering after last yearโs World Cup in Prague, partly because I can already feel it on my body, especially in my shoulders. The modern competition style, with a lot of jumping from one hold to another, is very demanding for the shoulders.
Outdoor bouldering isโฆ
Favorites
8 June 2026
Janja Garnbret does Bibliographie (9b+)
Janja Garnbret has added another milestone to her remarkable climbing career by becoming the first woman to climb Bibliographie (9b+) in Cรฉรผse, one of the hardeโฆ
Jorge Diaz-Rullo reports on Instagram that he has made the first ascent of Cafe Colombia in Margalef. At 27, heโs already stacked four 9b+ sends and now heโs adโฆ
16 March 2026
Ondra flashes 3*8C in two weeks
โI stopped focusing on competition bouldering after last yearโs World Cup in Prague, partly because I can already feel it on my body, especially in my shoulders. The modern competition style, with a lot of jumping from one hold to another, is very demanding for the shoulders.
Outdoor bouldering isโฆ