El Capitan is one of Yosemite’s most iconic granite monoliths - a towering vertical wall that rises about 3,000 feet (914 meters) straight up from Yosemite Valley. It’s often described as the ultimate test piece for rock climbers from around the world. What makes El Capitan world-famous is its sheer vertical face, smooth granite, and the scale of its challenge. For decades, it’s been the center of big-wall climbing -the kind where climbers spend days (and nights) on the wall, sleeping on portale