# Lauren Berry Frees Golden Gate on El Capitan

> Lauren Berry completes 36-pitch Golden Gate climb on El Capitan at 24.
- Title: Lauren Berry Frees Golden Gate on El Capitan | Shortify
- Summary: Lauren Berry completes 36-pitch Golden Gate climb on El Capitan at 24. Lauren Berry freed Golden Gate on El Capitan in 10 days after starting on Oct 14…
- Keywords: lauren berry, el capitan, golden gate, big wall climbing, yosemite, traditional climbing, squamish, tom waldin, 5.13a, 36 pitches, Lauren, Berry
- Source: Gripped Magazine — https://gripped.com/news/lauren-berry-frees-golden-gate-on-el-capitan-a-36-pitch-5-13a
- Author: Dave Barnes
- Published: 2026-11-02T13:42:42+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: lauren berry, el capitan, golden gate, big wall climbing, yosemite, traditional climbing, squamish, tom waldin, 5.13a, 36 pitches
## First ascent of Golden Gate
Lauren Berry freed Golden Gate on El Capitan on her first visit to the wall.
## Start of climb
Berry and Tom Waldin began climbing Golden Gate at 6:35 a.m. on Oct 14.
## Completion timeline
They topped out through cloud on Oct 24 after 10 days of climbing.
## Final push
Berry focused on one thought: 'Give everything you’ve got'.

> Give everything you’ve got
## Hardest pitch
She clipped chains on A5, one of the route’s hardest pitches.

> I was just so excited
## Preparation
Berry trained in Squamish for six weeks before Yosemite.
## Partner
Tom Waldin became her partner after meeting in Squamish.
## Self-assessment
Berry believes she can handle climbing problems even if things go badly.

> I am competent enough to the point that even if I don’t free climb things
## First day
They climbed 19 pitches to the Alcove in the dark.
## Weather challenges
A storm delayed them for 1.5 days with rain hammering their shelter.
## Hand injuries
Her hands were damaged with an infected finger and bleeding cuts.
## The Move pitch
She found a solution after watching Emily Harrington's video.

> Emily is short. She did this move. I can too
## Tom's perspective
Tom called Berry's performance on The Move pitch a pivotal moment.

> Watching Lauren send The Move pitch was the highlight of the wall for me
## Final clip
She clipped chains on A5 after 10 days of climbing.
## Next steps
Berry plans single pitch climbing, big walls in Madagascar and New Zealand.

> There’s way too many volumes, so I can’t tell you exactly what’s next
## Key takeaway

Lauren Berry freed Golden Gate on El Capitan in 10 days after starting on Oct 14, 2024, with damaged hands and an infected finger.