For Alex Honnold, the first person to free solo a full route up El
Capitan
You need to be strong,
confident, brave,
and maybe a little crazy
to attempt this feat,
a free solo climb of El Capitan,
3000 feet of granite
that rises like a cornerstone
of Yosemite Valley.
No ropes, no safety gear,
just chalked fingers,
soft, flexible climbing shoes,
decades of preparation and practice
to memorize the moves,
map out the route,
visualize and rehearse
every hand and foot sequence
until they are etched in your mind
like the cracks in the rocks
you grasp with your hands,
feel with your feet,
in a choreographed dance
you know by heart,
one step at a time,
no room for error,
for slightly less than four hours
focused constantly on the goal,
never a doubt
about reaching the summit.
