"Climbing has been this passport to some really remote destinations that I never would have seen were it not for climbing. Yosemite Valley, as seen from some 2000 feet in the air while hanging from the face of El Capitan by a harness, exemplifies this experience. Platinum Wall is one of those climbs that is right in our backyard, reminding us that travel doesn't need to be in some far off remote location to be incredible."
"In December 2025, 33-year-old DiGiulian became the first woman to ascend the mountain's Platinum Wall, an undertaking that required 23 days—nine of which were spent waiting out a torrential rainstorm—to complete. It's not the first time she has gone quite literally where no woman has gone before. From French Polynesia to Madagascar, she ranks among the climbers with the highest number of First Female Ascents."
Sasha DiGiulian, a 33-year-old climber, achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first woman to ascend El Capitan's Platinum Wall in Yosemite Valley in December 2025. The climb required 23 days to complete, including nine days spent waiting out a torrential rainstorm. DiGiulian has established herself among climbers with the highest number of First Female Ascents, pursuing challenging routes in remote locations worldwide across more than 50 countries, including French Polynesia and Madagascar. She views climbing as a passport to extraordinary destinations and experiences. The Platinum Wall ascent represents a significant achievement in her climbing career, one she had been working toward for three years.
Read at Conde Nast Traveler
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