Piton with Carabiners used by George Whitmore

Object Details

Description

Piton with carabiners used by George Whitmore in the first successful climb of El Capitan in 1958. Metal piton is attached to metal ring, which is attached to carabiner with metal piece. That carabiner is attached to another carabiner. Piton and both carabiners are stamped G W W.

In 1957-1958, Whitmore, along with friends Warren Harding and Wayne Merry, scaled the 3,000-foot tall nose of the largest granite monolith in the world, Yosemite Valley's El Capitan rock formation. Using siege techniques (scaling upwards, attaching ropes and establishing camps,) the 47-day ascent was accomplished by the young Californians over the span of 18 months. Routes were established by placing pitons or expansion bits into drilled holes. They would work for a day, return home, and resume at the next opportunity.

The trio reached El Capitan's peak on November 12, 1958, an accomplishment that not only shook the climbing community but made international news.

After the climb, Whitmore worked as a pharmacist before quitting to devote his life to environmental issues, especially in working with the Sierra Club, with whom he successfully advocated for the passage of the California Wilderness Act, helped create the Kaiser wilderness, and argued against a planned Disney snow resort. Whitmore said about the role mountain climbers and other outdoor recreationalists have in protecting the environment,, you want people doing these things… Because otherwise, eventually, it (the natural world) will be lost to somebody who wants to use it for something else.

Location

Currently not on view