Media writers / Photo Christian Pondella
Sasha DiGiulian becomes the first woman to free-climb El Capitan’s longest free route
DiGiulian waited out record November rainfall, snowfall, high winds, and persistent wet rock to complete the 40-pitch Platinum Wall. Here is her story:
“It’s the proudest climb of my career. I can’t believe it!” she texted from the summit with swollen, taped fingertips. DiGiulian topped out the 914-metre wall after a three-season effort on the route, earning the first female ascent of the line established between 2009 and 2017 by American Rob ‘Platinum’ Miller and various partners, including Elliot Faber and Jay ‘Shaggy’ Selvidge.
Miller, who completed the route, but did not free every pitch in a single continuous push, made the first free ascent over 14 days on the wall in 2017 with Swiss climber Roby Rudolph (who did free the route).
“I’ve always been rooting for her and wanting her to succeed,” Miller said. “I’m excited for her success, not just for herself, but because I’m excited to see people climbing a route that took a long time to go from concept to reality.”DiGiulian prepared for the climb over three seasons, rehearsing the glacier-polished first two-thirds until she unlocked its cryptic movement and rappelling into the upper third to work the final series of crux pitches. She began her continuous ground-up attempt on 2 November, 2025, endured prolonged storms that kept her from making significant progress over weeks at a time, and topped out on 26 November under clear skies and melting summit snow.
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