Tommy Caldwell & Kevin Jorgeson

Kevin Jorgeson and Tommy Caldwell completed a climb up El Capitan in Yosemite National Park, a route widely regarded as one of the world's most challenging ascents. Jorgeson and Caldwell became the first climbers to free-climb the Dawn Wall of El Capitan without the use of tools. The pair spent 19 days scaling the 3,000-foot vertical granite face, a project that required years of preparation. Both Jorgeson and Caldwell began climbing in childhood and focused on the Dawn Wall after years of experience in the sport.

Jorgeson is known for establishing highball boulder problems internationally, with notable climbs in California, Colorado, and South Africa. He has completed several v14 boulder problems, including "Ode to the Modern Man" in Colorado, "The Swarm" in California, "The Mandala Sit Start" in California, and the second rope-less ascent of "The Fly" in New Hampshire. Jorgeson co-founded Pro Climbers International, an agency and advocacy group dedicated to advancing the sport of climbing and supporting athlete development.

Caldwell quickly rose through the competition climbing circuit and began establishing some of the most difficult roped climbs in the United States as a teenager. During an expedition in southwest Kyrgyzstan, Caldwell and three other climbers were taken hostage. They survived for six days with minimal food and water before escaping. Shortly after, Caldwell lost his index finger in a home accident but continued to advance in the sport, becoming a leading figure in big wall free climbing.

Jorgeson and Caldwell have been featured in New York Times, TIME and National Geographic, and on The Today Show, Ellen, ESPN and CNN. Both are recognized as speakers and experts in mountaineering, perseverance, and human performance.