How Emily Harrington Became The First Woman To Free Climb El Cap’s Golden Gate In Under 24 Hours

Fear isn’t the enemy. It’s the teacher we spend our whole lives trying to avoid.

At just ten years old, climbing an artificial wall at Boulder Reservoir, today’s guest discovered this truth. The higher she climbed, the more afraid she became—yet something compelled her to push through until fear transformed into power.

My guest today is Emily Harrington, a professional climber whose career redefines what’s possible on the world’s most formidable rock faces. A five-time US National Sport Climbing Champion, she’s completed numerous first female ascents of 5.14 routes, summited Everest, and made history in 2020 as the first woman to free climb El Capitan’s Golden Gate route in under 24 hours—a feat captured in her documentary Girl Climber.

But this isn’t a story of fearless conquest. Emily fell 50 feet, lost consciousness, and kept climbing. She cried while executing moves 2,500 feet off the ground. She innovated solutions male climbers couldn’t imagine. Her vulnerability feels revolutionary in the male-dominated world of big wall climbing, as she speaks candidly about:

Today, we discuss:

• The 50-Foot Fall That Changed Everything
• Double-Shoe Innovation on El Cap
• Crying While Climbing as Strength
• Losing Mentor Hilaree Nelson
• Motherhood’s Impact on Risk Tolerance

For those who prefer a visual experience, the conversation is available on YouTube. As always, the audio version streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

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Peace + Plants,