The Best Rock Climbing Sites in the World (Part 2)
Aside from Meteora, Dead Horse Point, Spider Rock, and Shiprock, there are many other natural spots that any enthusiastic climber would give anything to climb.
El Capitan in Yosemite National Park is one of the most amazing rock formations in the entire world. Consisting of one single piece of granite, this 100 year old cliff offers a challenge to all climbers, as this 3,000 foot formation’s height is not the biggest
problem. The real challenge is scaling the face of this cliff, which is smooth and almost vertical. Even a physically and mentally fit climber takes at least four to five days of full climbing to reach the peak. The first group of climbers to scale El Capitan
took 47 days in 1958. The second team did so in only seven days in 1960. Once considered unattainable to scale, El Capitan is nowadays the standard for immense wall climbing, with an accomplishment rate of about 60%.
Deep in the Canaima National Park in Venezuela, one climbers’ gem is hidden. Mount Roraima is one of the oldest and most beautiful geological formations in the world, dating to over two billion years ago, to the Precambrian era. Plant species are present
on Mount Roraima that are unique to the plateau and are not found anywhere else in the world. As it rains just about every day of the year, nearly all nutrients are washed out of the soil by fast-moving water that flows over the rim, creating some of the highest
waterfalls in the globe. Mount Roraima was the inspiration for the 2009 Disney/ Pixar movie ‘Up’ and some of the production team from the movie climbed the mountain for ideas in making the film. The path to reach the plateau is popular and well marked,
although climbers find interest, not in the path, but in the cliffs that few have dared to climb. Vertical cliffs, with the occasional overhang, make this climb impossible. No climbers have ever attempted to make a climb on the face of the cliffs, and prefer
to use the hiking path, which was first climbed by Sir Everard im Thurn in 1884.
The Purcell Mountains in British Columbia, Canada also boast one of the most sought after climbing spots in the world. At 1,437 feet, Bugaboo Spire is not the tallest formation, but it presents a great challenge. Its icy cliffs, below freezing temperatures,
and gusting winds make this a difficult climb, but this granite formation can be climbed. First climbed by Conrad Kain in 1916, it remains one of the world’s most dangerous climbs. The name Bugaboo is fitting, as it means an object of obsessive, usually exaggerated
fear or anxiety. Although climbers fear this climb because of the weather conditions, it can be done, as Kain proved in 1916.
Torres del Paine National Park has the honour of hosting one of the most beautiful and challenging climbing spots in the world. Aside from climbers, all tourists appreciate the stunning beauty of the mountains, rivers, lakes, and glaciers while the centrepiece
Torres del Paine rock formation is appealing to climbers. The iconic Torres del Paine is a collection of four rising formations that have smooth faces, making them a very difficult climb indeed. The granite formations present a challenge to all climbers, with
no grip-holds, and the tallest of which is known as Cerra Cota 2000, named for its elevation of 2,000 meters, roughly 6,562 feet.
Last but not least on the list of climbing hot spots is located in a remote region of Baltistan, Pakistan. The Trango Towers reside on the Baltoro Glacier. Its vast ridgeline has fascinated locals and tourists alike for hundreds of years. The Great Trango
Tower, the highest of the towers, stands at an astounding 20,608 feet. The east face of the tower is the world’s greatest nearly vertical drop. Near the Great Trango Tower is the Trango Tower, at 20,469 feet. This formation, although slightly smaller than
its larger counterpart, is known as the world’s most difficult climb. This pointed, symmetrical spire presents a challenge to all climbers, although it has been scaled in the past. The climbs of the Great Trango Tower have been classified as the “hardest big-wall
climbs in the world.” The west side of Great Trango was first scaled successfully in 1977, while the hardest of the climbs, the East Summit, was completed in 1992. The Trango, also known as the “Nameless” tower was first climbed in 1976, by legendary British
climber Joe Brown.
Although many climbers wish to attempt climbing these rock-climbing sites, only the most experienced and skilled climbers have any chance of doing so. Many people have died in their attempts to become the first climbers to do so, but nothing is impossible.
Tags: