El Capitan, Granite mountain in Yosemite National Park, United States

El Capitan is a granite wall in Yosemite National Park that rises roughly 914 meters (3,000 feet) above the valley floor. The face extends more than a kilometer in width and presents a nearly vertical surface with cracks, edges, and smooth sections of polished granite.

The Mariposa Battalion named the cliff El Capitán in 1851, taking it as a loose Spanish rendering of the Miwok Tutokanula, which Lafayette Bunnell recorded as 'rock chief'. Warren Harding, Wayne Merry and George Whitmore climbed The Nose in 1958 over 47 days using fixed ropes and pitons; Royal Robbins's team made the first continuous ascent in 1960.

Climbing teams from around the world gather here to test themselves on the vertical walls, and their tents at the base form a temporary community of adventurers. You often see spectators with binoculars tracking the tiny figures on the rock face from the valley floor, commenting on their progress.

The hike to the summit takes a full day and requires an early morning start, as the ascent is long and steep. The best time to visit is between spring and fall when trails are free of snow and temperatures remain comfortable.

The granite face is split by a prow between the Southwest and Southeast faces; The Nose route follows this line. Warren Harding, Wayne Merry and George Whitmore climbed it in 1958 over 47 days using fixed ropes and camps. Lynn Hill free-climbed The Nose in 1993, saying "It goes, boys".