First woman free-climbs Yosemite’s wall in a day

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK » Mountain climber Emily Harrington has become the fourth person, and the first woman, to free- climb Yosemite National Park’s 3,000-foot (914-meter) granite wall in a single day.

While most of the country was focused on the results of the U. S. presidential election early Wednesday, the 34-yearold began to scale El Capitan, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Friday. She reached the top 21 hours, 13minutes and 51 seconds later. Only three people — allmen— havemade the free climb in a day.

Free climbers use ropes to catch them if they fall, but not to help them ascend. El Capitan is one of the world’s most famous climbing spots.