Climbers Tommy Caldwell & Kevin Jorgeson are heading to Perth!
The simultaneously breathtaking and often terrifying sport of climbing has undeniably seen a spike in popularity here in Perth this year, as many pursue the challenge of sending a wall indoors and out.
In fact, very few of even the most experienced climbers rise to the challenge of taking on something as gargantuan as the majestic El Capitan rockface in Yosemite National Park, but this is exactly what Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson did.
Not only did they freeclimb El Cap, but they conquered the hardest route, one that was previously thought to be impossible to freeclimb: the Dawn Wall. Tommy’s life-changing experiences leading up to the climb — including a kidnapping escape in Kyrgyzstan as a teenager and freak finger accident driving him to complete the mammoth feat — are viscerally captured in The Dawn Wall documentary in addition to the story behind boulderer Kevin’s onboarding to this project (despite having little-to-no big wall experience).
The film then follows the process of Caldwell and Jorgeson’s training, culminating in the climb itself — and you might well find yourself needing a tissue or two by the time the credits roll.
Spoiler alert: they survive.
It’s a good thing, too, as we in Perth are lucky enough to be hosting Tommy and Kevin, who will be on stage at the Perth Concert Hall speaking about their experiences on The Dawn Wall and climbing on Sunday the 28th of July at 3pm!
There will be Q&A and book signing sessions, a climbing expo surrounding the event and over $25,000 in national and local prizes being given away.
Climbing legends, when not teetering on danger’s doorstep atop multi-meter cliffs, are often hidden away from the public eye — so this is an unmissable opportunity you’ll need to get in quick for!
