Sasha DiGiulian recently made history as the first woman to free climb the longest route on El Capitan in Yosemite. The 34-year-old professional athlete completed the 40-pitch Platinum route after a total of 23 days on the mountain. Her journey was far from simple, as a massive storm forced her to spend nine days trapped in a tent hanging off the side of the cliff.
As reported by PEOPLE, the weather event was severe, with rain, wind, thunder, lightning, hail, snow, and ice hitting the area. It was the most intense weather Yosemite had seen in November since 1973. DiGiulian was 400 feet from the top when the storm arrived. She had to attach her tent to the side of the rock, living in a portal edge, which is a four-foot by six-foot contraption suspended on the side of a wall.
Staying in such a small space for over a week is tough, but DiGiulian kept her focus. She says, “The sacrifice of not being comfortable and being out of my element is a part of that journey of seeing what I’m capable of and being in this arena of climbing and pushing myself.”
She read books to pass the time
She mentions that the body is really adaptable, and the tent quickly became her new reality. Her drive to complete the climb, which she had prepared for over three or four years, kept her from giving up. She explains, “That nine-day sacrifice in comparison was not much of a sacrifice at all.”
Life inside the tent required some creative solutions to stay warm and manage basic needs. DiGiulian wrung out her wet clothing and wrapped it around her body, using her own heat to dry the fabric. She fashioned a pee trough out of an empty water gallon to avoid leaving the tent. To pass the time, she read books on her Kindle and heated water with a Jetboil to prepare freeze-dried food and protein bars from the company she founded.
Mental preparation played a massive role in her ability to wait out the storm. She believes in visualization and breathing work to keep a healthy mindset when facing the unknown. She says, “I’m not someone who likes to sit still. Sitting still is like going into a zen monk status.”
When the storm finally cleared, she was able to finish the climb. Reaching the top brought her a deep, deep personal feeling of satisfaction. She notes that the uncertainty of climbing is what she loves most.
Published: Nov 15, 2026 09:00 am