Last week, American climbers Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson made history by becoming the first to reach the summit of Yosemite's El Capitan by way of the 3,000-foot high Dawn Wall using only their hands and feet. The free climb has been called the hardest ever done, and many thought it was impossible.
While it still falls short of what it was really like to experience their grueling and terrifying 19-day quest, a video of Caldwell attacking one of the hardest segments of the climb gives a bit of a taste.
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The footage, released by the film crew documenting the ascent, captures tense moments during Caldwell's battle with Pitch 15. The segment is rated a 5.14c on the Yosemite Decimal System, which rates the climb at the very high end of the difficulty scale.
"The crux holds of pitch 15 are some of the smallest and sharpest holds I have ever attempted to hold onto," Tommy wrote on his Facebook page. The video from Patagonia uses four camera angles to show how little Caldwell had to hold onto as he made this critical part of the climb.
Caldwell completed his years-long quest to conquer the Dawn Wall with Jorgensen on Jan. 14, when the two were met by family and friends at the top. Their climb was so challenging because they only used ropes and safety harnesses to catch them when they fell. And they did fall. Using only their legs and arms to inch up the wall left them bloodied and bandaged as they dug into tiny cracks in the rock for a hold. The men didn't leave the wall for more than two weeks, sleeping and struggling on the sheer face with little shelter from the elements.
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The Dawn Wall is one of many routes to the top of El Capitan. It was first climbed by Warren Harding and Dean Caldwell in 1970, but they used climbing aids, National Geographic notes. Until Caldwell and Jorgensen went to battle with the wall, no one had made it as a free climb.
A feature film of their climb is to be released in the future. In the meantime, you can watch this video and get a heavy dose of adrenaline.
CLARIFICATION: Language has been amended to reflect more accurately the significance of the Yosemite Decimal system.
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Before You Go
Instagram/Big Up Productions
Kevin Jorgeson and Tommy Caldwell celebrate after completing the climb.
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Tommy Caldwell, top, raises his arms after reaching the summit of El Capitan, Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015, as seen from the valley floor in Yosemite National Park, Calif. Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson became the first to free-climb the rock formation's Dawn Wall. They used ropes and safety harnesses to catch them in case of a fall, but relied entirely on their own strength and dexterity to ascend by grasping cracks as thin as razor blades and as small as dimes. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
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Tommy Caldwell, top, raises his arms after reaching the summit of El Capitan as Kevin Jorgeson, bottom, watches Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015, as seen from the valley floor in Yosemite National Park, Calif. Caldwell and Jorgeson became the first to free-climb the rock formation's Dawn Wall. They used ropes and safety harnesses to catch them in case of a fall, but relied entirely on their own strength and dexterity to ascend by grasping cracks as thin as razor blades and as small as dimes. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
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Tommy Caldwell, lower left, and Kevin Jorgeson, lower right, near the summit of El Capitan Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015, as seen from the valley floor in Yosemite National Park, Calif. The two climbers vying to become the first in the world to use only their hands and feet to scale a sheer granite face in California's Yosemite National Park are almost to the top. Jorgeson and Caldwell have been attempting what many thought impossible. The men have been "free-climbing" to the 3,000-foot summit for 19 days, meaning they don't use climbing aids other than ropes only to prevent deadly falls. Each trained for more than five years, and they have battled bloodied fingers and unseasonably warm weather. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
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Tommy Caldwell, top, raises his arms after reaching the summit of El Capitan as Kevin Jorgeson, bottom, watches Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015, as seen from the valley floor in Yosemite National Park, Calif. Caldwell and Jorgeson became the first to free-climb the rock formation's Dawn Wall. They used ropes and safety harnesses to catch them in case of a fall, but relied entirely on their own strength and dexterity to ascend by grasping cracks as thin as razor blades and as small as dimes. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
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In this Jan. 7, 2015 photo provided by Tom Evans, Kevin Jorgeson ascends the rope to pitch 17 during what has been called the hardest rock climb in the world: a free climb of El Capitan, the largest monolith of granite in the world, a half-mile section of exposed granite in California's Yosemite National Park. El Capitan rises more than 3,000 feet above the Yosemite Valley floor. The first climber reached its summit in 1958, and there are roughly 100 routes up to the top. (AP Photo/Tom Evans, elcapreport)
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In this Jan. 7, 2015 photo provided by Tom Evans, Tommy Caldwell ascends from the base camp to climb what is known as pitch 17 during what has been called the hardest rock climb in the world: a free climb of El Capitan, the largest monolith of granite in the world, a half-mile section of exposed granite in California's Yosemite National Park. El Capitan rises more than 3,000 feet above the Yosemite Valley floor. The first climber reached its summit in 1958, and there are roughly 100 routes up to the top. (AP Photo/Tom Evans, elcapreport)
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In this Jan. 7, 2015photo provided by Tom Evans, Tommy Caldwell, top, climbs what is known as Pitch 17 with Kevin Jorgeson handling the line during what has been called the hardest rock climb in the world: a free climb of El Capitan, the largest monolith of granite in the world, a half-mile section of exposed granite in California's Yosemite National Park. El Capitan rises more than 3,000 feet above the Yosemite Valley floor. The first climber reached its summit in 1958, and there are roughly 100 routes up to the top. (AP Photo/Tom Evans, elcapreport0
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In this Jan. 12, 2015 photo provided by Tom Evans, Tommy Caldwell, center, stands with a photographer at a base camp before continuing to climb what has been called the hardest rock climb in the world: a free climb of El Capitan, the largest monolith of granite in the world, a half-mile section of exposed granite in California's Yosemite National Park. El Capitan rises more than 3,000 feet above the Yosemite Valley floor. The first climber reached its summit in 1958, and there are roughly 100 routes up to the top. (AP Photo/Tom Evans, elcapreport)
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Kevin Jorgeson of California, wearing green, and 36-year-old Tommy Caldwell, wearing blue, near the summit of El Capitan Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015, as seen from the valley floor in Yosemite National Park, Calif. The two climbers vying to become the first in the world to use only their hands and feet to scale a sheer granite face in California's Yosemite National Park are almost to the top. Jorgeson and Caldwell have been attempting what many thought impossible. The men have been "free-climbing" to the 3,000-foot summit for 19 days, meaning they don't use climbing aids other than ropes only to prevent deadly falls. Each trained for more than five years, and they have battled bloodied fingers and unseasonably warm weather. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
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Media members watch as two climbers vying to become the first in the world to use only their hands and feet to scale a sheer slab of granite make their way to the summit of El Capitan Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015, in Yosemite National Park, Calif. The pair are closing in on the top of the 3,000-foot (900-meter) peak and if all goes as planned, 30-year-old Kevin Jorgeson of California and 36-year-old Tommy Caldwell of Colorado, should complete their climb early Wednesday afternoon. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
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In this Jan. 12, 2015 photo provided by Tom Evans, Tommy Caldwell, bottom, watches as Kevin Jorgeson climbs what has been called the hardest rock climb in the world: a free climb of El Capitan, the largest monolith of granite in the world, a half-mile section of exposed granite in California's Yosemite National Park. El Capitan rises more than 3,000 feet above the Yosemite Valley floor. The first climber reached its summit in 1958, and there are roughly 100 routes up to the top. (AP Photo/Tom Evans, elcapreport)
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Kevin Jorgeson of California, wearing green, and 36-year-old Tommy Caldwell, wearing blue lower right, climb near the summit of El Capitan Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015, as seen from the valley floor in Yosemite National Park, Calif. The two climbers vying to become the first in the world to use only their hands and feet to scale a sheer granite face in California's Yosemite National Park are almost to the top. Jorgeson and Caldwell have been attempting what many thought impossible. The men have been "free-climbing" to the 3,000-foot summit for 19 days, meaning they don't use climbing aids other than ropes only to prevent deadly falls. Each trained for more than five years, and they have battled bloodied fingers and unseasonably warm weather. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
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In this Jan. 12, 2015 photo provided by Tom Evans, Tommy Caldwell, bottom, watches as Kevin Jorgeson climbs what has been called the hardest rock climb in the world: a free climb of El Capitan, the largest monolith of granite in the world, a half-mile section of exposed granite in California's Yosemite National Park. El Capitan rises more than 3,000 feet above the Yosemite Valley floor. The first climber reached its summit in 1958, and there are roughly 100 routes up to the top. (AP Photo/Tom Evans, elcapreport)
ASSOCIATED PRESS
In this Jan. 12, 2015 photo provided by Tom Evans, Kevin Jorgeson climbs what has been called the hardest rock climb in the world: a free climb of El Capitan, the largest monolith of granite in the world, a half-mile section of exposed granite in California's Yosemite National Park. El Capitan rises more than 3,000 feet above the Yosemite Valley floor. The first climber reached its summit in 1958, and there are roughly 100 routes up to the top. (AP Photo/Tom Evans, elcapreport)
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People watch as two climbers vying to become the first in the world to use only their hands and feet to scale a sheer slab of granite and make their way to the summit of El Capitan Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015, in Yosemite National Park, Calif. The pair are closing in on the top of the 3,000-foot (900-meter) peak and if all goes as planned, 30-year-old Kevin Jorgeson of California and 36-year-old Tommy Caldwell of Colorado, should complete their climb early Wednesday afternoon, a spokeswoman said. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
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Spectators gaze at El Capitan for a glimpse of climbers Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2015, as seen from the valley floor in Yosemite National Park, Calif. Caldwell and Jorgeson became the first to free-climb the rock formation's Dawn Wall. They used ropes and safety harnesses to catch them in case of a fall, but relied entirely on their own strength and dexterity to ascend by grasping cracks as thin as razor blades and as small as dimes. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)
Tommy Caldwell eats dinner on El Capitan
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Kevin Jorgeson near the top
Kevin Jorgeson
Rough rest day on the wall....watchin Netflix 1,200 feet up El Cap....
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Image shows climb to the summit.; 3c x 3 inches; 146 mm x 76 mm;
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