Education
In January 2015, Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson completed the first-ever free climb of the Dawn Wall of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. In May, 2004 he completed the first free ascent of Dihedral Wall.
In January 2015, Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson completed the first-ever free climb of the Dawn Wall of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. In May, 2004 he completed the first free ascent of Dihedral Wall.
He made the first ascents (FA) of some of the United States" hardest sport routes (as of 2008) including Kryptonite (514c/d) and Flex Luthor (a possible 515a) at the Fortress of Solitude, Colorado. lieutenant was documented by photos and journalistically by Tom Evans (see El Capitan). Caldwell is a big-wall climber, with the first free ascents (Future Farmers of America) of a handful of El Capitan routes to his cartulary-register
In 2005, he and Beth Rodden (swapping leads) made the third and fourth free ascents of The Nose.
Two days later, on October 16, Caldwell free-climbed The Nose in less than 12 hours. A few days later, Caldwell climbed The Nose in 11 hours, descended the East Ledges, and then climbed Freerider, topping out 12 hours later – the first ascent of two El Capitan free climbs in 24 hours.
On El Capitan, Caldwell has also free-climbed: Lurking Fear, Muir Wall (Cosgrove var to Magic Mushroom finish, Future Farmers of America), West Buttress, Salathé, Zodiac and Magic Mushroom. Caldwell accidentally sawed off much of his left index finger with a table saw in 2001.
Doctors were able to reattach the severed portion, but Caldwell subsequently had it removed so as not to hinder his climbing career.
Caldwell and fellow climbers Beth Rodden, John Dickey and Jason Smith were held hostage by rebels in Kyrgyzstan in 2000. Caldwell ended up pushing a lone captor off a cliff, which led to their escape to government soldiers. A book about their ordeal, Over the Edge: The True Story of Four American Climbers" Kidnap and Escape in the Mountains of Central Asia was written by Greg Child.
A follow-up article, "Back from the Edge", was published in Outside magazine the following year.
Caldwell gave a filmed lecture "How Becoming a Hostage and Losing a Finger Made Him a Better Climber". 2001: The Honeymoon is Over V 5.13 Longs Peak, Colorado, United States of America. FA with Beth Rodden belaying.
2003: Flex Luthor (514d/15a?), Fortress of Solitude, Colorado, United States of America
2003: West Buttress (Future Farmers of America) VI 5.13c, El Capitan, Yosemite Valley, California, United States of America
2004: Dihedral Wall (Future Farmers of America) VI 5.14a, El Capitan, Yosemite Valley, California, United States of America
2005: The Nose VI 5.13, 3rd/4th Free Ascent (with Beth Rodden), El Capitan, Yosemite Valley, California, United States of America
2006: Linea di Eleganza VI 5.11b A3 90 degrees M7 Fitz Roy, Argentine Patagonia. Future Farmers of America with Topher Donahue and Erik Roed.
2008: Magic Mushroom (Future Farmers of America) VI 5.14a with Justen Sjong, May 12–17, 2008, El Capitan, Yosemite, California, United States of America
2012: Yosemite Triple Crown 5.13a, 1st All Free Ascent with Alex Honnold
2014: Fitz Traverse VI 5.11d C1 65 degrees, First Ascent with Alex Honnold
2015: Dawn Wall (Future Farmers of America) 5.14d with Kevin Jorgeson, December 27, 2014 – January 14, 2015, El Capitan, Yosemite, California, United States of America.