Steph Climbing

Photo Blog

Free Rider (1 of 2) In 2003 I freed El Cap for the first time on Free Rider over 3 days. I went back a week later to shoot photos with Heinz Zak, and he encouraged me to go for a one day free ascent—and even offered to belay and jumar for me. A week later we started up, and I became the second woman to free El Cap in a day. It was something I never imagined I’d be capable of, and I will never forget the power of Heinz’s support and encouragement. After that, he also encouraged me to think about freeing the Salathe Wall... Never underestimate how much it can mean to someone to show them support at the right moment—it can mean more to them than you can imagine! 📷 Heinz Zak Yosemite, CA

Free Rider (1 of 2) In 2003 I freed El Cap for the first time on Free Rider over 3 days. I went back a week later to shoot photos with Heinz Zak, and he encouraged me to go for a...

Free Rider (2 of 2) A little bit of history—what is now referred to as the “boulder problem pitch” on Free Rider was always called the Huber pitch when I lived in the Valley. The belay anchor at that time was two not very confidence-inspiring cams, and for protection on the pitch there was a 5 foot piece of thin cord hanging off one old bolt, providing two clip points—(all has since been upgraded). 📷 Heinz Zak Yosemite, CA

Free Rider (2 of 2) A little bit of history—what is now referred to as the “boulder problem pitch” on Free Rider was always called the Huber pitch when I lived in the Valley. The belay anchor at that time was...

Cosmic Debris (1 of 2) 1993, I drove straight from Maryland to Camp 4 in an Oldsmobile. Over the next 15 years, Yosemite climbing trips became climbing seasons. I lived in Camp 4, in El Cap meadow, at the base of El Cap, on top of El Cap, in Foresta and Yosemite West. Yosemite, CA 📷 Jimmy Chin

Cosmic Debris (1 of 2) 1993, I drove straight from Maryland to Camp 4 in an Oldsmobile. Over the next 15 years, Yosemite climbing trips became climbing seasons. I lived in Camp 4, in El Cap meadow, at the base of...

Cosmic Debris (2 of 2) 2002: Cosmic Debris ✨ Very handy to have desert crack technique for grinding the slick rattly fingers at the crux. Yosemite, CA 📷 Jimmy Chin

Cosmic Debris (2 of 2) 2002: Cosmic Debris ✨ Very handy to have desert crack technique for grinding the slick rattly fingers at the crux. Yosemite, CA 📷 Jimmy Chin

1998. My first trip up the Zodiac with my most badass friends Elaine Lee and Kim Csizmazia. We were near the top of the wall in our portaledges and were faced with the potentially awkward moment of needing to take care of business with two guys in their portaledges one pitch below us. I still laugh out loud when I remember Kim hollering down “I have bad news for you guys, or maybe it’s good news I don’t know, but we have to pee!” 🙈😂😂 Also, this flake is no longer on the wall, so that’s neat 😳 El Capitan, Yosemite CA

1998. My first trip up the Zodiac with my most badass friends Elaine Lee and Kim Csizmazia. We were near the top of the wall in our portaledges and were faced with the potentially awkward moment of needing to take...

Tales of Power (1 of 3) 2000, Tales of Power. Not sure what’s more beautiful, the route or the name 💫 📷 Heinz Zak

Tales of Power (1 of 3) 2000, Tales of Power. Not sure what’s more beautiful, the route or the name 💫 📷 Heinz Zak

Tales of Power (2 of 3) You rap in. Then you climb Tales, and then Separate Reality to get out. 📷 Heinz Zak

Tales of Power (2 of 3) You rap in. Then you climb Tales, and then Separate Reality to get out. 📷 Heinz Zak

Tales of Power (3 of 3) I’ve always been adamant that the world does not need another photo of someone climbing Separate Reality. And, I’ve always been wrong 😂 📷 Heinz Zak

Tales of Power (3 of 3) I’ve always been adamant that the world does not need another photo of someone climbing Separate Reality. And, I’ve always been wrong 😂 📷 Heinz Zak

Outer Limits, 2005 I don’t forget a good hand jam or a good friend, and this was a really nice outing with Winky 🩶 📷 Dean Fidelman Yosemite, CA

Outer Limits, 2005 I don’t forget a good hand jam or a good friend, and this was a really nice outing with Winky 🩶 📷 Dean Fidelman Yosemite, CA

I was asked to train Chris Hemsworth on the mental aspect of climbing, by coaching him to climb without a rope over choppy seas in Mallorca. Our episode of Limitless 2 is airing August 15 on Disney Plus--this was fun to be a part of!

I was asked to train Chris Hemsworth on the mental aspect of climbing, by coaching him to climb without a rope over choppy seas in Mallorca. Our episode of Limitless 2 is airing August 15 on Disney Plus--this was fun...

Chouinard-Herbert (1 of 2) My brother and I started climbing at the same time but he was in med school in Missouri, so we didn’t climb together right away. I visited in Tucson when he was in residency there, and he took me on some pretty hair-raising adventures in Cochise Stronghold 😳 When he finally got time to visit in Yosemite, I wanted to take him to something classic and full value, so we headed up to the Chouinard-Herbert. Too much chatting, not enough route finding, and the scrambling on the approach suddenly turned into 4th classing, 5th classing & 6th classing 🤔. Despite having to aid the approach (!), we eventually made it to the base without dying, though doubts had been raised about my route-finding skills 🙈. 📷 Jimmy Chin Yosemite, CA

Chouinard-Herbert (1 of 2) My brother and I started climbing at the same time but he was in med school in Missouri, so we didn’t climb together right away. I visited in Tucson when he was in residency there, and he...

Chouinard-Herbert (2 of 2) While I didn’t remember the approach so well, I clearly remembered the crux pitch being stout over a roof. When we got there this time, I suddenly noticed I could place a little piece up in the roof and then go crawl behind a giant flake and get a full body rest! 💅 Walking off from the Sentinel is a bit of choose-your-own-adventure too, but on that day we nailed it 😄 Pretty awesome to share adventures with your big brother. Some years later, we started skydiving and BASE jumping, again at the same time yet at first not together. Further hair-raising adventures ensued… (On this particular day, I was climbing with my friend Elaine ⭐️ and taking pictures with Jimmy climbing ahead.) 📷 Jimmy Chin Yosemite, CA

Chouinard-Herbert (2 of 2) While I didn’t remember the approach so well, I clearly remembered the crux pitch being stout over a roof. When we got there this time, I suddenly noticed I could place a little piece up in the...

Crimson Cringe, 200? The knobs, the splitter, the undercling to victory, because you sure as heck don’t want to peel off there! In all, a glorious journey ❤️ 📷 Heinz Zak Yosemite, CA

Crimson Cringe, 200? The knobs, the splitter, the undercling to victory, because you sure as heck don’t want to peel off there! In all, a glorious journey ❤️ 📷 Heinz Zak Yosemite, CA

El Cap free in a day, 2003, 1 of 6. For me it was all about conditions and schedule. I started the Free Blast at 5 pm when the sun was off the wall.

El Cap free in a day, 2003, 1 of 6. For me it was all about conditions and schedule. I started the Free Blast at 5 pm when the sun was off the wall.

El Cap free in a day, 2003, 2 of 6. The Monster offwidth was really nice in the dark, so quiet and cozy 🐰 It’s interesting how when you’re climbing there’s always this instinctive sense of anxiety as evening approaches, and then once it’s actually night, everything becomes peaceful and calm.

El Cap free in a day, 2003, 2 of 6. The Monster offwidth was really nice in the dark, so quiet and cozy 🐰 It’s interesting how when you’re climbing there’s always this instinctive sense of anxiety as evening approaches,...

El Cap free in a day, 2003, 3 of 6. I climbed faster than I’d planned, so I had a few shivering hours of wait on a ledge before first light came, for the Huber pitch.

El Cap free in a day, 2003, 3 of 6. I climbed faster than I’d planned, so I had a few shivering hours of wait on a ledge before first light came, for the Huber pitch.

El Cap free in a day, 2003. 4 of 6. I climbed faster than I’d planned, so I had a few shivering hours of wait on a ledge before first light came, for the Huber pitch. I knew if I fell on that pitch, I probably wouldn’t have the power to try it again. I also just really didn’t want to have any falls in the day. I remember staring up at the smooth face as dawn rose, tired from climbing and lack of sleep, just shaking from cold, stress, and desire 🙏🏻

El Cap free in a day, 2003. 4 of 6. I climbed faster than I’d planned, so I had a few shivering hours of wait on a ledge before first light came, for the Huber pitch. I knew if I...

El Cap free in a day 2003, 5 of 6. Starting up the Monster offwidths on a training run/photo outing.

El Cap free in a day 2003, 5 of 6. Starting up the Monster offwidths on a training run/photo outing.

El Cap free in a day, 2003, 6 of 6. The Monster offwidths on a sunny day, after freeing the route Free Rider once, and training to do it in a single day. All 📷 Heinz Zak

El Cap free in a day, 2003, 6 of 6. The Monster offwidths on a sunny day, after freeing the route Free Rider once, and training to do it in a single day. All 📷 Heinz Zak

Alien Roof, 2001. What’s better: the Rostrum classic, the Alien, Blind Faith, or the Kauk-Kulator? What, you can’t decide? The real question is how can one chunk of rock have so many 5 star routes ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️? 📷 Heinz Zak The Rostrum, Yosemite

Alien Roof, 2001. What’s better: the Rostrum classic, the Alien, Blind Faith, or the Kauk-Kulator? What, you can’t decide? The real question is how can one chunk of rock have so many 5 star routes ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️? 📷 Heinz Zak The Rostrum, Yosemite

El Cap free in a day, 2003: the enduro dihedral pitch 📷 Heinz Zak

El Cap free in a day, 2003: the enduro dihedral pitch 📷 Heinz Zak

El Cap free in a day, 2003: the enduro dihedral pitch 📷 Heinz Zak

El Cap free in a day, 2003: the enduro dihedral pitch 📷 Heinz Zak

El Cap free in a day, 2003. Free Rider, final offwidth pitch. 📷 Heinz Zak

El Cap free in a day, 2003. Free Rider, final offwidth pitch. 📷 Heinz Zak

El Cap free in a day, 2003. Free Rider, final offwidth pitch. 📷 Heinz Zak

El Cap free in a day, 2003. Free Rider, final offwidth pitch. 📷 Heinz Zak

El Cap meadow, 1999. The life of a Yosemite dirtbag..

El Cap meadow, 1999. The life of a Yosemite dirtbag..

Salathe Wall free, 2005. The second headwall pitch starts with vicious power and accuracy moves, quite a way to start the day at 6 am after waking up on Long Ledge. photo: Jimmy Chin

Salathe Wall free, 2005. The second headwall pitch starts with vicious power and accuracy moves, quite a way to start the day at 6 am after waking up on Long Ledge. photo: Jimmy Chin

Salathe Wall free, 2005. We all have our dream route, for me it will always be the Salathe 🙌🏻 El Capitan, Yosemite 📷 Jimmy Chin

Salathe Wall free, 2005. We all have our dream route, for me it will always be the Salathe 🙌🏻 El Capitan, Yosemite 📷 Jimmy Chin

Salathe Wall Free 2005. If Free Rider in a day went perfectly and surprisingly to plan, freeing the Salathe was the complete opposite. It basically turned into a knockdown dragout fight to the death. I had a good plan—2 climbing days with 2 rest days on the wall to get to the headwall, which is the real business of the Salathe. Hauling a minimal bag, I would get there fairly fresh and ready to give ‘er on the headwall. As soon as we got launched on the wall, an early season storm hit. We waited it out, wondering if bailing made more sense, and then kept going. It was several days in by the time I reached the Salathe Roof which is kind of the price of admission to the Headwall, and I was worn down after cold days with not quite enough clothing or food. I fell on the last moves, pawing over a sloping bulge and then flying into the air. Which meant another unplanned day, going back down to climb it again in the morning…. The best laid plans o’ mice and men gang aft agley 🐭🥺 📷 Jimmy Chin

Salathe Wall Free 2005. If Free Rider in a day went perfectly and surprisingly to plan, freeing the Salathe was the complete opposite. It basically turned into a knockdown dragout fight to the death. I had a good plan—2 climbing days with...

Salathe Wall Free 2005. My game plan for the Salathe was to arrive at the headwall as fresh and strong as possible, after freeing and hauling the 2500 feet leading up to it. In actuality, I arrived beat up physically and mentally, already 2 days over schedule and low on food, water and clothing. I had to dig deep and give it all I had on the first rope-stretching endurance headwall pitch—forget the deep-sore muscles, aching feet and empty tank, and believe in hope 🙏🏻 150 very long feet up, I fell at the final crux before the anchor. And that meant…either give up and bail, or another day on the wall and another try tomorrow. 📷 Jimmy Chin

Salathe Wall Free 2005. My game plan for the Salathe was to arrive at the headwall as fresh and strong as possible, after freeing and hauling the 2500 feet leading up to it. In actuality, I arrived beat up physically and...

Salathe Wall Free 2005, 1 of 3. My game plan for the Salathe was to arrive at the headwall as fresh and strong as possible, after freeing and hauling the 2500 feet leading up to it. 📷 Jimmy Chin

Salathe Wall Free 2005, 1 of 3. My game plan for the Salathe was to arrive at the headwall as fresh and strong as possible, after freeing and hauling the 2500 feet leading up to it. 📷 Jimmy Chin

Salathe Wall Free 2005, 2 of 3. In actuality, I arrived beat up physically and mentally, already 2 days over schedule and low on food, water and clothing. I had to dig deep and give it all I had on the first rope-stretching endurance headwall pitch—forget the deep-sore muscles, aching feet and empty tank, and believe in hope 🙏🏻 📷 Jimmy Chin

Salathe Wall Free 2005, 2 of 3. In actuality, I arrived beat up physically and mentally, already 2 days over schedule and low on food, water and clothing. I had to dig deep and give it all I had on the...

Salathe Wall Free 2005, 3 of 3. 150 very long feet up, I fell at the final crux before the anchor. And that meant…either give up and bail, or another day on the wall and another try tomorrow. 📷 Jimmy Chin

Salathe Wall Free 2005, 3 of 3. 150 very long feet up, I fell at the final crux before the anchor. And that meant…either give up and bail, or another day on the wall and another try tomorrow. 📷 Jimmy Chin

Salathe Wall free, 2005. 1 of 3. Day 11, sore feet, ragged fingers, pinched stomach and cold fatigue. The second headwall pitch seemed like an impossible delusion, here and now. I fell again and again on the opening moves, pulling the rope and gear and returning to the belay. Failure was the only option I could see. I’d try until my fingers gave out, because at this point what else could I do? And then somehow, I stuck the first deadpoints and kept going, dynoed to the flared handjam and crawled into the tiny hole. 📷 Jimmy Chin

Salathe Wall free, 2005. 1 of 3. Day 11, sore feet, ragged fingers, pinched stomach and cold fatigue. The second headwall pitch seemed like an impossible delusion, here and now. I fell again and again on the opening moves, pulling the...

Salathe Wall free, 2005. 2 of 3. The most tenuous climbing was still ahead. I emerged almost dreamlike, laybacked the thin rounded crimps, and reached the final ledge, free at last. ✨ 📷 Jimmy Chin

Salathe Wall free, 2005. 2 of 3. The most tenuous climbing was still ahead. I emerged almost dreamlike, laybacked the thin rounded crimps, and reached the final ledge, free at last. ✨ 📷 Jimmy Chin

Salathe Wall free, 2005. 3 of 3. I wasn’t sure then and I’m not sure now whether the right way is to yield when things don’t flow, or to fight like a honey badger. El Cap seems to make you want to give it all you have and more. I don’t know how you know when to hold em and know when to fold em, but I’m sure that’s the secret to life. 📷 Jimmy Chin

Salathe Wall free, 2005. 3 of 3. I wasn’t sure then and I’m not sure now whether the right way is to yield when things don’t flow, or to fight like a honey badger. El Cap seems to make you want...