First paraplegic ascent of El Capitan (female)

Karen Darke (UK) became the first paraplegic woman to climb El Capitan in Yosemite National Park in California, USA, on 2–5 October 2007. Over four days, with then partner Andy Kirkpatrick leading, Karen ascended the 914-m (3,000-ft) granite monolith by performing the equivalent of around 4,000 pull-ups.

The successful ascent followed in the wake of a failed attempt by Darke and Fitzpatrick to climb El Capitan (along with two other climbers) just a few days earlier after their supplies were accidentally dropped.

Darke was paralysed from the chest down after a rock-climbing accident when she was 21. Since then, she has won golds as a handcyclist at the Paralympics for Team GB, but has also undertaken a number of boundary-pushing adventures including sea-kayaking from Canada to Alaska (in 2003) and traversing the Greenland Ice Cap by sit-ski (in 2006).

The first paraplegic person to ascend El Capitan was Mark Wellman (USA) on 26 July 1989, via "The Shield” route over eight days, with friend Mike Corbett leading.