2 Yosemite National Park climbers closing in on historic feat (w/video)

A spokesperson for Santa Rosa's Kevin Jorgeson and his climbing partner Tommy Caldwell said Tuesday they will likely finish the historic climb up Dawn Wall tomorrow.|
KRISTIN J. BENDER
ASSOCIATED PRESS

SAN FRANCISCO — The two climbers vying to become the first in the world to use only their hands and feet to scale a sheer granite face in California's Yosemite National Park are almost to the top.

A spokeswoman said Tuesday that 30-year-old Kevin Jorgeson of Santa Rosa and 36-year-old Tommy Caldwell of Colorado will likely finish the half-mile climb up El Capitan's Dawn Wall on Wednesday evening.

For 17 days, the two have been attempting what many thought impossible. The men are "free-climbing" to the 3,000-foot summit, meaning they don't use climbing aids other than ropes only to prevent deadly falls.

Each trained for more than five years, and they have battled bloodied fingers and unseasonably warm weather. Plus, Jorgeson fell 11 times over seven days trying to get past one tough section.

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