Lynn Hill's free solo climb of the Nose is one of the great climbs of Yosemite history. In September 1993, Lynn Hill, started up The Nose with ex-World Cup champ Simon Nadin, a Brit. Hill, trained on the high-standard limestone of France, freed the last great obstacle, the Great Roof. It clocked in at 5.13.
Beyond the rook the duo free climbed several hard pitches including a heinous 5.12d corner, but were ultimiately stymied by fatigue and hot conditions.
Several weeks later, Hill returned with Sandahl and together they worked the route's upper pitches by rappelling in from the top. The pair returned to the ground. They free climbed to the base of the Stovelegs and fixed ropes. Sandahl, then hauled the gear to their high point.
On September 14, Hill and Sandahl headed up one of the world's greatest pieces of rock. The first day they free climbed 21 pitches up to 5.12A with many in the 5.11/11+ category, to the Great Roof, using the chiseled Jardine variation on pitch 14. The next day Hill pre-protected the Great Roof, worked it, then redpointed it. Sandhal said, 'Lynn would stem over her head in the crux. It was totally wicked.'
Sandahl also worked the moves but blew off linking them to save time. By afternoon, the two had free climbed to Camp 5. Next, Hill polished off the bizarre pitch 25 -- the heinous 5.12d corner -- with RP protection, finger ratcheting, and palmy, continuous stemming. 'It's the kind of pitch that makes you want to vomit,' says Sandahl. A few more pitched led to Camp Six. One pitch above Camp 6 lay a section of corner yet to be freed, pitch 29. Hill worked the corner and, using 'weird stemming,' pulled off the 5.13b red-point.
Hill then cranked off the remaining pitches including Harding's cosmic headwall, and The Nose was free.The following year, Hill bettered her previous effort when when she returned and led every pitch on The Nose, all free, in 23 hours. VIDEO 25 minutes.
