Ammon McNeely
Encyclopedia
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock climber
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
, who holds the most Speed Climbing World Records and First One Day Ascents on El Capitan
El Capitan
El Capitan is a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, located on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. The granite monolith extends about from base to summit along its tallest face, and is one of the world's favorite challenges for rock climbers.The formation was...
in Yosemite
Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of California, carved out by the Merced River. The valley is about long and up to a mile deep, surrounded by high granite summits such as Half Dome and El Capitan, and densely forested with pines...
. Other interests are: BASE jumping
BASE jumping
BASE jumping, also sometimes written as B.A.S.E jumping, is an activity that employs an initially packed parachute to jump from fixed objects...
, wingsuiting, skydiving, surfing
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
, skateboarding
Skateboarding
Skateboarding is an action sport which involves riding and performing tricks using a skateboard.Skateboarding can be a recreational activity, an art form, a job, or a method of transportation. Skateboarding has been shaped and influenced by many skateboarders throughout the years. A 2002 report...
, trail running
Trail running
Trail running is a variant on running that differs markedly from road running and track running. Trail running generally takes place on hiking trails, most commonly single track trails, although fire roads are not uncommon. A distinguishing characteristic of the trails is that they are often...
, mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
and snowboarding
Snowboarding
Snowboarding is a sport that involves descending a slope that is covered with snow on a snowboard attached to a rider's feet using a special boot set onto mounted binding. The development of snowboarding was inspired by skateboarding, sledding, surfing and skiing. It was developed in the U.S.A...
.
Ammon has been the conductor of many ascents on El Capitan, most of them in a day (under 24 hrs): Plastic Surgery Disaster, Wall of the Early Morning Light, Atlantic Ocean Wall, and most recent climbing one of the hardest routes on El Capitan
El Capitan
El Capitan is a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, located on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. The granite monolith extends about from base to summit along its tallest face, and is one of the world's favorite challenges for rock climbers.The formation was...
, The Reticent Wall along with Dean Potter
Dean Potter
Dean Potter is an American free climber, alpinist, BASE jumper, BASEliner, and highliner. He is noted for hard first ascents, free solo ascents, speed ascents, and enchainments in Yosemite and Patagonia....
& Ivo Ninov in 34 hours and 57 minutes, shaving the existing time by more than five days.
He is recognized as having climbed El Capitan
El Capitan
El Capitan is a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, located on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. The granite monolith extends about from base to summit along its tallest face, and is one of the world's favorite challenges for rock climbers.The formation was...
by the second highest number of routes - 72 times via 54 routes, behind Steve Gerberding who has climbed it via 57 different routes.
McNeely is the first (Nate Brown is the only other one) to have climbed all three routes on The Streaked Wall in Zion National Park
Zion National Park
Zion National Park is located in the Southwestern United States, near Springdale, Utah. A prominent feature of the park is Zion Canyon, which is 15 miles long and up to half a mile deep, cut through the reddish and tan-colored Navajo Sandstone by the North Fork of the Virgin River...
, ascending all three routes with a First One Day Ascent.
Ammon is also a slackliner and pioneered many highlines
Slacklining
Slacklining is a practice in balance that typically uses 1 inch nylon webbing tensioned between two anchor points. Slacklining is distinct from tightrope walking in that the line is not held rigidly taut ; it is instead dynamic, stretching and bouncing like a long and narrow trampoline...
throughout the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Some of his other El Capitan
El Capitan
El Capitan is a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, located on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. The granite monolith extends about from base to summit along its tallest face, and is one of the world's favorite challenges for rock climbers.The formation was...
speed climbing accomplishments include:
- Lost World: 23:29 - w/Ivo Ninov July 7, 2009 (First One Day Ascent)
- Never Never Land: 16:00:02 - w/Chris McNamara - August 4, 2004 (First One Day Ascent)
- Horse Chute: 20:39 - w/Chris McNamara - Oct 8, 2004 (First One Day Ascent)
- Magic Mushroom: 55:15 - w/Ivo Ninov & Kevin Jaramillo - July 4-6th, 2005
- The Reticent Wall: 34:57 - w/Dean PotterDean PotterDean Potter is an American free climber, alpinist, BASE jumper, BASEliner, and highliner. He is noted for hard first ascents, free solo ascents, speed ascents, and enchainments in Yosemite and Patagonia....
& Ivo Ninov - July 12-13, 2006 - Wall of Early Morning Light: 23:43 - w/Brian McCray - September, 2004 (First One Day Ascent)
- Pacific Ocean Wall: 33:02 - w/Ivo Ninov - May, 2004
- New Jersey Turnpike: 14:00:02 - w/Brian McCray - September, 2002
- Atlantic Ocean Wall: 23:38 - w/Brian McCray - August 04, 2004 (First One Day Ascent)
- Native Son: 23:53 - w/Ivo Ninov - May 15, 2006 (First One Day Ascent)
- Iron Hawk: 30:42 - w/Cedar Wright - May, 2004
- Scorched Earth: 22:28 - w/Skiy Detray & David Allfrey
- Tangerine Trip: 10:24 - w/Cedar Wright - July, 2002
- Virginia: 17:24 - w/Gabriel McNeely & Ivo Ninov - July 16, 2005
- Lost in America: 18:04 - w/Brian McCray - August, 2004
- Zenyatta Mondatta: 22:56 - w/Ivo Nivov & Kevin Jaramillo - June 27, 2005 (First One Day Ascent)
- Plastic Surgery Disaster: 21:37 - w/Brian McCray - June, 2001 (First One Day Ascent)
- Lunar Eclipse: 19:58 - w/Jose Pererya & Chongo - June, 2001
- Born Under a Bad Sign: 22:22 - w/Chris Van Luevan & Erik WaldenErik WaldenErik Lashawn Walden is an American football linebacker for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
- October 2, 2001 (First One Day Ascent) - Eagle's Way: 9:08 - w/Brian McCray - August, 2004
- On the Waterfront: 17:07 - Skiy Detray & Ammon McNeely - July 15, 2009 (First One Day Ascent - 3rd overall Ascent)
- Pressure Cooker: 23:41 - w/Ivo Ninov - September, 2004 (First One Day Ascent)
- Get Whacked: 12:49 - w/Brian McCray - June, 2001 (First One Day Ascent)
External links
- RocknClimb.com - Ammon's Website
- Alpinist Article - Nine Records in 2003
- Zodiac Ascent with Timmy O'Neill and his brother Sean, a paraplegic
- One Day Ascent of Native Son
- Podclimber Interview
- Video: Realm of the Flying Monkeys
- Article: The Zodiac with Ammon McNeely - written by Donald Perry
- Gone Sufferin', Zion's Rodeo Queen - by: Chris McNamara