EP 140: Tommy Caldwell — Undone Lines on El Cap, Father-Son Relationships, and Exploring the Limits of Human Endurance

Tommy Caldwell is the most accomplished big wall free climber alive. He is best known for having free climbed The Dawn Wall, the most difficult big wall free route in the world. We talked about his achilles injury, doing the FA of Flex Luthor, training for V12 boulder problems on The Dawn Wall, undone lines on El Cap, exploring the limits of human endurance, being vulnerable through writing a book, parenting, and much more.

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We are supported by these amazing BIG GIVERS:

• Leo Franchi, Michael Roy, David Lahaie, Robert Freehill, Jeremiah Johnson, Scott Donahue, Eli Conlee, Skyler Maxwell, Craig Lee, and Mark and Julie Calhoun

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Show Notes:

thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/tommy-caldwell

Nuggets:

(00:00:00) – Intro

(00:07:08) – What is your Dawn Wall?

(00:07:59) – Tommy’s injury and his canceled trip to Germany

(00:09:53) – Tommy’s Instagram post about his injury, why he shared it, and creating accountability

(00:15:21) – Trying Magic Line and what Tommy’s climbing looks like these days (pre-injury)

(00:17:35) – Why El Cap is so significant to Tommy, and his time spent at the Fortress of Solitude in CO

(00:20:17) – Bringing his adventure mindset to bolting and climbing Kryptonite and Flex Luthor

(00:23:05) – Matty Hong’s repeat of Flex Luthor, and Tommy’s thoughts on the grade

(00:25:20) – The differences between Chris Sharma and Tommy, and trying Biographie (first 5.15a/9a+) with Chris

(00:28:48) – Similarities between El Cap and competition bouldering

(00:30:04) – Why Tommy is drawn to “blue collar” climbing, and finding the niche that barely anyone wants to do

(00:31:56) – Patron Question from Christoph: Why is/was Tommy so far ahead of everyone else when it comes to big wall free climbing?

(00:34:00) – Patron Question from Atlin: What’s the next big objective that hasn’t been done in Yosemite?

(00:35:16) – Leo Houlding’s vision for El Cap, and freeing the Passage to Freedom with Alex Honnold

(00:38:46) – More free routes on El Cap, family time in Yosemite, and their yearly trip to Fontainebleau

(00:41:13) – What made the difference the season he sent the Dawn Wall, and training for the V12 boulder problems on the crux pitches

(00:46:42) – Will the Dawn Wall be climbed in a day?

(00:47:55) – What did it feel like to see Adam Ondra send the Dawn Wall so quickly?

(00:52:18) – Tommy’s TC Pro quiver, and wearing the same size shoe for everything

(00:55:17) – Toenail fungus, and Tommy’s experience with Lamasil

(00:58:59) – Making a living as a pro climber, and which parts have felt like work

(01:01:15) – Writing the book, and how the book affected his relationship with his dad

(01:08:38) – Tommy’s parenting philosophy, and Becca as “tiger mom”

(01:12:13) – Patron Question from Eli: Tips for climber dads?

(01:13:53) – Patron Question from John: Who taught Tommy vulnerability?

(01:19:16) – Patron Question from TJ: How does Tommy keep the psych through injury?

(01:20:40) – The story behind Tommy’s repeated achilles injury

(01:25:25) – Does Tommy have things in climbing that feel undone?

(01:27:22) – Bouldering projects around Estes, and climbing in Upper Chaos

(01:29:26) – Is Tommy still improving at climbing?

(01:30:27) – The king line on El Cap

(01:34:45) – Future linkups in Yosemite

(01:36:57) – Tommy’s favorite Disney movie

(01:37:36) – Favorite snack for big walls/linkups, and the CUDL experience

(01:40:19) – Exploring the limits of human endurance, and learning the logistics from ultra runners

(01:42:35) – How hard does Tommy climb on the Moonboard?

(01:42:58) – Big wall pooping stories

(01:45:22) – Another book?

(01:46:34) – What Tommy is trying to do with environmentalism, and the Oak Flat mine

(01:49:31) – Wrap up