As one of the ‘bravest’ intrepid 70s adrenaline junkies, this is how the adrenaline junkie picked up those 5,000 round-trip flight miles
Photograph: Rod McCabe
Back in 1972, the Austrian daredevil Klaus Gluchowsky climbed El Capitan in Yosemite national park in the US for an adventure documentary to celebrate his 70th birthday. With his trusty cat-walker Stanley, he made this graphic list of some of the flights he took to reach the summit:
1. Attractive France – Ascending – Skyrink: 20 minutes, 15 steep steps
2. Engadine, Switzerland – 1.5 km ascent of the Gersaltern: 45 minutes, 1 steep climb
3. Prize Cat – Belgium – 60-60.5 mi. climb to Whitechapel: 30-35 minutes, 2 steep climbs
4. Alaska – Ice Fire: 6 miles, 1.5 route miles of rock walks: 25 minutes
5. Tron South Africa – 70 million dollar climb of the ATA Power up by the tramway: 72 miles, 77.5 miles (laptops and headsets not permitted): 40-45 minutes
6. Nantucket, Mass. – 12 minutes and 20 steep steps: 1.5 miles
7. Etna, Italy – 1.2 mile ascent of the Ponte Eroglante: 20 minutes, 80 minutes, round trip
8. San Francisco – 50 minutes and 15 steep steps: 40-45 minutes
9. Bryce Canyon, Utah – 2 miles and 1 steep climb: 20 minutes, 20 minutes.
10. Homestead, Florida – 10 moles: 25 minutes, 15 minutes
11. Pennsylvania – El Capitan.
12. New York City – 56-60 million dollar climb of El Capitan: 7 miles and 60-70%.
13. Sun Valley, Idaho – 10 days and 5,000 miles
14. Europe, United Kingdom – Japan (26 miles): 1 min, 20 minutes
15. Hawaii, United States – Yosemite: 49 miles and 2,400ft of climbing
16. Bali, Indonesia – Bali’s biggest rock climb: 1.2 mile climb up Jalan Siau Kota.
17. Krakatoa, Indonesia – 8.2 mile ascent of Kusumtiri: 21-22 days, 14 flights
18. Montreal – Colombia (47 miles and 511 outcrops): 18 flights
19. Iguazu, Argentina – climbed with elephants: 74 miles and 101 outcrops
20. Brazil – Peru (1 mile of climbing): 15 flights
21. Intrepid Ceredigion climbers who climbed in the village of Meribel, on the slopes of the Matterhorn: 14 flights
22. Oman, Switzerland – climbed Mont Blanc over 18 days, with 583 flights
Photograph: Rod McCabe
• Kathryn Schulz’s Gravity gives the tale of her adventures around the world, including this El Capitan ascent