Sasha DiGiulian Makes History as First Woman to Free-Climb El Capitan's Longest Route

American climber Sasha DiGiulian has achieved a historic first, becoming the inaugural woman to free-climb the longest route on El Capitan. She described the expedition as the "most formative and challenging climb" of her career.

"Reaching the summit after 23 days, I just stepped and laughed I hadn't walked in so long," DiGiulian told CBS News in a phone interview.

The 33-year-old scaled the roughly 3,000-foot granite monolith in Yosemite National Park over more than three weeks, including nine days confined to a wall ledge due to adverse weather. DiGiulian, alongside climbing partner Elliot Faber, tackled the notoriously difficult Platinum route, one of the park's most demanding free-climbing paths.

Vehicles were seen along the Yosemite Valley floor near El Capitan on October 26, 2025. / Credit: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images

"For years, I focused on this line. This climb consumed me entirely," DiGiulian said. During the expedition, the climbers were occasionally accompanied by support staff and a videographer.

Made famous by the documentary Free Solo, El Capitan stands over twice the height of the Empire State Building. The rock formation hosts 17 free-climbing routes, according to DiGiulian. In free-climbing, climbers ascend using only their hands and feet, relying on ropes and equipment solely for safety. Long routes like the Platinum route are broken into pitches for manageability.

Based in Boulder, Colorado, DiGiulian is a World Champion rock climber and confirmed that the climbing emoji was modeled after her. She and Faber arrived in Yosemite on October 8 to prepare for the 14-16 day ascent of the 39-pitch Platinum route, also called the Direct Line. They pre-positioned rope points and carried over 30 gallons of water up the wall for later use.

Faber had helped map the route years earlier, identifying small handholds, but had never climbed it. On November 3, DiGiulian and Faber began their ascent. Despite careful planning around weather, a sudden storm halted their progress on the ninth day. They camped on the 32nd pitch, the mountains Golden Edge, waiting out wind, rain, cold, and snow.

Sasha DiGiulian waits out bad weather on El Capitan. / Credit: Sasha DiGiulian

"This is my portaledge," DiGiulian said in an Instagram video. They used a Jetboil to cook, ate freeze-dried meals and her own Send protein bars, rationed Kindle battery for reading, and kept in touch with the world below in airplane mode. The flapping tent made sleep difficult, but the pair enjoyed stunning sunrises and breathtaking views.

"The storm was both a mental and physical challenge, stripping away any sense of normalcy," DiGiulian said.

After several days, the weather cleared, allowing them to continue despite wet and slippery rock. The remaining sections were among the hardest, compounded by ice falling from above. DiGiulian wore a helmet for protection.

Sasha DiGiulian at the National Outdoor Recreation Executive Forum, May 7, 2024, Washington, D.C. / Credit: Paul Morigi

"I dont know what drove me to complete this climb beyond sheer determination," she said. Near the summit, Faber had to leave due to a family emergency. DiGiulian waited two days for his return, but eventually received his blessing to finish alone.

With friends and a camera crew, DiGiulian reached the top on November 26, completing the 23-day journey and becoming the first woman to free-climb the Platinum route. Most climbers require multiple days to summit, depending on route difficulty. Yosemite reports that 60% of climbers typically succeed, with easier routes taking 5-7 days.

In 2021, Emily Harrington became the first woman to climb El Capitan in under 24 hours via the Golden Gate route.

DiGiulian has been climbing since childhood. "Climbing allows me to focus completely on my physical and mental capabilities. I love solving these puzzles," she said.

Author: Sophia Brooks