Kevin Jorgeson

Last updated
Kevin Jorgeson
TSM350 - Kevin Jorgeson - 2015 - Stierch.jpg
Jorgeson at the 2015 Toyota/Save Mart 350
Personal information
Nickname(s)
The Jörg,[ citation needed ] K. J.
NationalityAmerican
Born (1984-10-07) October 7, 1984 (age 41)
Santa Rosa, California
Education Maria Carrillo High School, University of California Berkeley
OccupationRock climber
Website www.kevinjorgeson.com
Climbing career
Type of climber
Known forFree climbing The Dawn Wall

Kevin Jorgeson (born October 7, 1984) is an American rock climber. In 2015, with Tommy Caldwell, he successfully completed the first-ever free climb of The Dawn Wall on the southeast face of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park.

Contents

Biography

Jorgeson was born to Eric and Gaelena Jorgeson. His father was an employee of the Santa Rosa Parks and Recreation Department, and helped to instill Kevin and his younger brother Matt with a love of the outdoors, and encouraged an 11-year-old Kevin to pursue climbing when an indoor climbing facility opened in the city. [1] He began competing in international climbing contests at 16. [1] Jorgeson is known for being able to free climb, using no equipment other than gear to protect from falling, and is well known for being able to high ball large boulders. [2] He graduated from Maria Carrillo High School in 2003, and has returned to speak there various times. [2] After high school, he went to the University of California Berkeley to study civil engineering, but he continued his passion of rock climbing. [3]

Jorgeson and his climbing partner Tommy Caldwell were the first two climbers to successfully complete a free climb of The Dawn Wall on the southeast face of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, completing the 3,000 ft climb between December 28, 2014, and January 14, 2015. The Dawn Wall is one of the most difficult big-wall climbs in the world, with multiple pitches rated 5.14 in the Yosemite Decimal System. [4] The climb had been planned since shortly after the release of the documentary film Progression in 2009, in which Caldwell, who had previously free climbed other, easier routes on El Capitan, surveyed the Dawn Wall to consider if it was possible to free climb. Jorgeson wrote to Caldwell after seeing the film, and the two men began to plan out and practice for the ascent. [5] [6]

The Dawn Wall , a documentary following Jorgeson and Caldwell on their free climb of The Dawn Wall, was released on September 19, 2018. The documentary was directed by Josh Lowell and Peter Mortimer. [7]

As of July 2019, Jorgeson was working toward opening a new climbing facility called Session, in Sonoma County, California. The project broke ground in 2018. [8]

He is also a cofounder of 1Climb, an organization focused on introducing children to climbing. [9] [10]

In addition to climbing, Jorgeson performs as a keynote speaker for various corporate events, such as for The Gap, Samsung, and Alcon Laboratories. [11]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Climber Yearns for the Summit, and a Shower (Published 2015)". 2015-01-12. Archived from the original on 2023-04-07. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
  2. 1 2 "Alumni Hall of Fame - Maria Carrillo High School". mchs.srcschools.org. Archived from the original on 2025-08-05. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
  3. ↑ "Kevin Jorgeson". Nomadx Foundation. Archived from the original on 2024-05-14. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
  4. ↑ "El Capitan: How did the climbers do it?". the Guardian. 2015-01-15. Archived from the original on 2023-10-09. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
  5. ↑ Bisharat, Andrew (January 14, 2015). "Duo Completes First Free Climb of Yosemite's Dawn Wall, Making History". National Geographic . Archived from the original on January 15, 2015. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Santa Rosa man, partner readying for incredible Yosemite National Park climb (w/video)". The Press Democrat. 2014-12-21. Archived from the original on 2025-12-18. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
  7. ↑ "The Dawn Wall (2017) - IMDb". IMDb . Retrieved 13 May 2024.
  8. ↑ "Entrepreneur". KJ. Archived from the original on 2018-08-25. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
  9. ↑ "Advocate — KJ". KJ. Archived from the original on 2019-09-13. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
  10. ↑ "Home – - 1CLIMB". 1CLIMB. Archived from the original on 2018-10-20. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
  11. ↑ "Speaker". KJ. Archived from the original on 2018-08-25. Retrieved 2025-12-18.
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