Separate Reality (climb)

Separate Reality
Heinz Zak [de] free soloing Separate Reality in 2005; it was Zak who took the iconic photograph of Güllich on the route in 1986.[1]
Map showing the location of Separate Reality
Map showing the location of Separate Reality
Map showing the approximate location of Separate Reality
LocationCalifornia, United States
Coordinates37°43′21″N 119°34′53″W / 37.72250°N 119.58139°W / 37.72250; -119.58139
Climbing areaYosemite Valley
Route typeTraditional climbing
Vertical gain20 metres (66 ft)
Pitches1
Grade5.12a (7a+)
First free ascentRon Kauk (1978)

Separate Reality is a 66-foot (20 m) traditional climbing route in Yosemite National Park in California. The route is known for its exposed and dramatic crux that consists of a 20-foot (6.1 m) long crack in its horizontal roof. When it was first free-climbed by Ron Kauk in 1978, it was one of the first climbs in the world to have a grade of 7a+ (5.12a) (it was temporarily downgraded one notch when a hold broke in the mid-1980s). In 1986, German climber Wolfgang Güllich free soloed the route, and the photographs by Austrian Heinz Zak [de] became iconic in rock climbing history.[1][2]

  1. ^ a b Oviglia, Maurizio (28 November 2016). "The routes climbing photographers dream of". PlanetMountain. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference CL4 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).