Oldest person to climb el cap

You, Jack?

Yes  - Jack

Owe it all to my Mark Hudon training - thank you my friend!

Still gunning for that combined 120+ yrs NIAD attempt...  lots of work to do.

Great discussion!

Jack Wurster wrote:

Still gunning for that combined 120+ yrs NIAD attempt...  lots of work to do.

"Go when you're almost ready" Silvo Karo

Dang man, Congratulations! 

Nice Jack.

Meh - 60’s the new 50.  A lifetime of activity leaves these guys in pretty good condition.  I recall watching the Donini Lowe thing - got after it like a Himalayan peak - no short fixing, hauled a bit, slept a bit - pretty solid push.

James W wrote:

Meh - 60’s the new 50.  

For some, it's the other way around 

I’d also be interested in the oldest person to climb el cap for the first time….I.e not someone who had done it several times before they got old(er).

James W wrote:

Meh - 60’s the new 50.  A lifetime of activity leaves these guys in pretty good condition.  I recall watching the Donini Lowe thing - got after it like a Himalayan peak - no short fixing, hauled a bit, slept a bit - pretty solid push.

I semi agree although there are hundreds of ascents of El Cap every year by people under 60, there are only a handful older and rarely over 70. 

Mark Hudon wrote:

I’m not dead yet though so watch this space!   

Is it poor form to bring a taxidermied corpse up in your haul bag to get the record? 

Princess Puppy Lovr wrote:

Is it poor form to bring a taxidermied corpse up in your haul bag to get the record? 

I don’t see why it would be. 

Talk about hauling 'dead  weight'.

Mark Hudon wrote:

I semi agree although there are hundreds of ascents of El Cap every year by people under 60, there are only a handful older and rarely over 70. 

True - but if you go to a major sport area, there are many these days in the 50-70 spectrum fully capable physically and technically with skills from a former life to climb or even free El Cap - so the sparsity of contenders seems to say more about the spare time and priorities of that age group than the capability - IMO.  So - it’s a statement also of what this person finds important - which is also cool.

Mark Hudon wrote:

Don’t know. Two people who are 60+ and someone younger would get an asterisk on their ascent.

I really wanted to be the oldest person to free climb El Cap but that didn’t happen yet.

FTFY

I'd still give Dierdre big kudos for getting up whatever she got up, on her own power, for her 70th. The average 70 year old to Yosemite isn't even walking very far from the tour bus, methinks.

There's some woman in her 80s still summiting Rainier, and pretty casually. Betcha she gets that summit when she's 90.

Like all of you, though, I'm also looking forward to that 120+ effort!

Best, H.

Mike Corbett guided an 81 year old man up Aquarian Wall. I think his name was Richard Block. 

Corbett and I were just talking about this a couple days ago. Corbett is such a humble person considering his accomplishments. 

RIP Mike Corbett. He died unexpectedly but peacefully at home a couple days ago.  

I guess he won’t be guiding anyone else up El Cap. At least in this world. 

Mark Hudon wrote:

I think Eric Perlman is the oldest, at 65, to have done the NIAD. As far as I know, no team with both members 60 or older have climbed El Cap in a day.

Timmy O'Neil and Jack Wurster just climbed the Nose IAD at a combined age of 115.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CeE1vV0v2fc/