Tommy Caldwell is an American rock climber, mountaineer, and author. He is a three-time free soloist on the Yosemite Decimal System (5.12) grade. He is a leading advocate for the protection of Yosemite National Park and a cofounder of The Conservation Alliance. Caldwell has climbed a number of world-class routes without a rope, including his project "Coyote Buttress" in El Capitan
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In 2011, he climbed Ritter's Route on El Capitan without a rope. In 2015, he completed the first free ascent of "La Dura Dura Chica" (5.14c) on El Capitan without using a rope. He has also completed three more free climbs in Yosemite National Park: "The Incredible Hulk," "Zodiac," and "Klepto".
Caldwell coauthored "Fifty Classic Climbs of North America," was featured in a documentary about the first ascent of "Zodiac," and has climbed several other world-class routes in Yosemite, including his free solo of "La Sirena" (5.14a).