TOMMY CALDWELL

ROUTE FINDING FOR SUCCESS

Tommy Caldwell is a talented rock climber, with numerous accomplishments in sport, traditional, and free climbing, big wall first ascents, and speed records. He’s known for his creative vision, skill, and fortitude.

He reflects on his most harrowing expedition in the memoir The Push: A Climber’s Journey of Endurance, Risk, and Going Beyond the Limits. During the trip to Kyrgyzstan, Caldwell and three fellow climbers were taken hostage. They survived for six days with no food and little water. They eventually escaped when Caldwell pushed their remaining captor off a cliff and ran 10 miles to a military outpost to find help.

A year after his hostage epic, Caldwell cut off his index finger with a table saw doing home renovations. With resolve, he moved forward with the ethos of no excuses and proceeded to establish the Dawn Wall and climb the 3,000-foot Nose route on Yosemite’s El Capitan in less than two hours.

Today, Caldwell climbs as much as possible and works as an advocate and industry representative to preserve natural spaces and lobby for climate initiatives.

This lecture will be broadcast live at the Dogwood Center from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Admission is free.

For more information on the Calvin University January Series click here.

The Dogwood Center, a remote site for the Calvin University January Series, is supported in part by the Fremont Area Community Foundation.