When Alex Honnold climbs El Capitan, he’s often setting speed records. Here he sprints with every last ounce of energy to slap the summit tree and check his watch. Far up the Valley sits Yosemite’s other iconic monolith, Half Dome. Alex Honnold made climbing history when free soloed the 2000 foot wall in 2008, meaning he climbed it without gear to protect him from a fall.