He Had Just Achieved a Record-Breaking Feat That Left the Climbing World in Awe… Then the 30-Year-Old Athlete Tragically Lost His Life Doing What He Loved Most
RECORD-breaking climber Jake Whisenant, who shot to fame after racing up one of Yosemite’s toughest routes in under three hours, has died aged 30.
The celebrated speed climber died on August 3 following an accident in California’s Sierra Nevada, according to reports.
Record-breaking climber Jake Whisenant, 30, has tragically passed awayCredit: Instagram/jake.doubleyew
Whisenant was known for his incredible speed ascent of Yosemite’s El CapitanCredit: Instagram/jake.doubleyew
Whisenant, from Mammoth Lakes, had become a recognizable name in the climbing world after smashing a speed record on Yosemite National Park’s legendary El Capitan.
The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office Coroner confirmed his death, the California Post reported.
Officials have not released further details about the circumstances surrounding the accident.
Whisenant’s longtime friend Bailee Moore announced his death in a heartbreaking tribute shared on Instagram.
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She wrote: “It is with an impossibly heavy heart that I share the passing of my lifelong friend and confidant — Jacob Daniel Whisenant.
“Our family is absolutely devastated by this news but find solace in the fact that Jake died doing what he loves in the beautiful Sierra Nevada.”
Moore finished her emotional tribute with a final message to her friend.
She wrote: “I will look for you in every life, my brother. Now go rest high up on that mountain.”
Whisenant made headlines in October 2024 when he and fellow climber Brant Hysell took on the gruelling Lurking Fear route on El Capitan.
The pair completed the climb in an astonishing two hours, 55 minutes and 32 seconds.
Their time broke the previous speed record held by climbers Yuji Hirayama and Nick Fowler, according to climbing magazine Gripped.
The record was even more remarkable as Whisenant and Hysell had scaled the same route just two days earlier.
On that attempt, they finished the climb in just over four hours before returning to slash more than an hour from their time.
El Capitan is a towering granite rock formation that rises thousands of feet above Yosemite Valley and has become one of the world’s most famous challenges for big-wall climbers.
Its sheer face has attracted generations of elite climbers, while its notoriously demanding routes can take some adventurers several days to complete.
Whisenant continued pushing himself on the iconic rock after setting the Lurking Fear record.
In May, he teamed up with climber Noah Fox for another extraordinary endurance feat.
The pair reportedly climbed The Nose – one of El Capitan’s most famous routes – twice in a single day.
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According to the Yosemite Climbing Association, they completed the mammoth challenge in 14 hours and 38 minutes.
The Nose is considered a classic of big-wall climbing and completing the lengthy route twice within 24 hours requires extraordinary stamina and speed.
SOURCE: THE SUN
https://www.the-sun.com/news/16816991/climber-jake-whisenant-yosemite-el-capitan-dead/
