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We team up with professional climber Alex Waterhouse and The Climbing Hangar Route-setter George Lonsdale to explore how climbing skills learned at the climbing gym transfer to iconic rock climbs like The Nose on El Capitan, Yosemite.
When retired British competition climbers Alex Waterhouse and Billy Ridal set out to free climb The Nose on El Capitan last year, they caught the climbing world by surprise.
This iconic 3,000-foot big wall route in Yosemite has only been freed by eight climbers since Lynn Hill claimed its first ascent in 1993. Yet, what shocked people most wasn’t just the difficulty of the endeavour but the duo's unconventional background: both were retired competition climbers with no big wall experience and limited time on rock.
For many, it seemed improbable - even absurd - that they could apply indoor climbing techniques to one of the most revered rock climbs in the world. After all, how could gym-trained athletes tackle a route renowned for its exposure, crack systems, and logistical challenges?
According to Alex, there are no fewer than four coordination moves on the route—proof that dynamic indoor-style movement can appear even on Yosemite granite.
00:00 Indoor Bouldering Isn't Representative of Outdoor Climbing
00:47 Alex Waterhouse | Retired Competition Climber and Big Wall Climber
03:20 The Climbing Hangar Big Wall Workshops
04:07 Slab Climbing on Yosemite Granite
12:29 Crack Climbing & Comp Climbing on The Nose
17:03 The Great Roof | Performing Under Pressure
23:07 Changing Corners | The Most Iconic Rock Climbing Pitch in the World
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