Emily Harrington First Woman to Free El Cap IAD

Andy Forquer wrote:

But isnt that the point? Even among climbers no one has the slightest clue what the definitive list is? Im a very modest crag climber, and acknowledge wikipeida and rock and ice arent journalistic sources... but who exactly is a journalist supposed to call to try and reach something authoritative here? Is there a source or are we all just looking through our memory holes for an answer? :D

I mostly agree with what you said. But.. still. Regarding sources, the alpine journal is usually pretty good about covering this stuff. Like this article mentioning Steph. I couldn't find mention of Mayan in any issue, but it's a start. AAJ 2005

Bad reporting, but the real message here, and the reason I came here searching for info....Emily is completely badass!

Max Jones wrote:

Only four women have freed El Cap in a day: 

Lynn Hill - Nose (first person to free El Cap in a day)
Steph Davis - Free rider
Mayan Smith-Gobat - Free rider
Emily Harrington - (Golden Gate) 

From what I understand, less than 25 people have freed El Cap in a day. Still kind of a big deal.

I guess "Emily Harrington becomes fourth woman to free climb El Capitan in day" isn't quite as impressive as the ones claiming she is the first.

Not to hijack, but Lynn Hill and Steph Davis are both well-known in the US.  Mayan Smith-Gobat is perhaps less well-known but incredibly badass: a kiwi who's spent a lot of time in the park doing some amazing things including linking El Cap and HD in a day (first all female team to complete this), Nose speed record (4:43), free Salathe (2nd woman after Steph), free Freerider in a day,  She's relatively unknown outside the climbing community.

My hands sweat watching her work the Salathe headwall: so exposed and difficult and yet she seems completely at home.  https://vimeo.com/31878065

NPR just broadcast a report with her comments , Did not catch very quick opening description of her achievement  but  the report clearly implied that she is the first  women climber to free El Cap. But hey ,I assume that she did not get to edit it .

This is so  consistent across the board that it makes you wonder if that is how her pr team  worded the press release?

Well, Jordan just completed Golden Gate free in a day as well (according to Instagram posts).  He'd already done Free Rider in a day, but this rig is a notch harder and it was a long-time goal for him.  About the 25th (ish) person to free any El Cap route in a day, and maybe the 4th or 5th to do Golden Gate free in a day (?).

He probably deserves his own thread, but since this is here and since he won't get any press, figured I'd just say "gratz Jordan" in Emily's thread. :)

John RB wrote:

He probably deserves his own thread, but since this is here and since he won't get any press, figured I'd just say "gratz Jordan" in Emily's thread. :)

Or you could have told him here.

https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/119930953/jordan-cannon-climbed-golden-gate-205-hours-yesterday