Warren Harding
Acting
Biography
Warren Harding, born June 18, 1924, and died February 27, 2002, was a major and influential figure in American climbing between the 1950s and 1970s. Nicknamed "Batso" due to his habit of spending long days hanging from vertical walls and his iconoclastic nature, Harding is best known for leading the first team to climb the famous El Capitan granite formation in Yosemite Valley in 1958. Their route, called "The Nose," rose 880 meters and is one of the most imposing granite monoliths in the world. The 13-day ascent required meticulous preparation and remarkable tenacity, with Harding and his companions braving harsh weather conditions and working through the night to establish holds. Born into a family originally from Iowa, Harding grew up in Downieville, California, in a historic gold rush region near Lake Tahoe. He first began hiking before turning to technical climbing in the early 1950s, finding the sport a discipline suited to him, requiring perseverance more than refined technique. He quickly became an active figure in the burgeoning Yosemite community, where big wall climbing was flourishing. During his career, Harding made approximately 28 first ascents in Yosemite National Park, including the famous "Wall of Early Morning Light" (later renamed "The Dawn Wall"). He also contributed to the development of several specialized pieces of equipment for rock climbing, such as the bat tent and bat hooks, illustrating his inventive and sometimes offbeat approach to the sport, which he himself called B.A.T. (Basically Absurd Technology). His influence extends beyond athletic achievement; Harding also wrote a book, "Downward Bound: A Mad! Guide to Rock Climbing," which combines tales of exploits, technical advice, and humorous anecdotes about climbing life in the 1960s and 1970s. Known for his exuberant lifestyle, fiery personality, love of fast cars, and distinctive clothing style, Harding embodies the rebellious and adventurous spirit of climbing at the time. Despite accidents, a difficult job as a construction contractor, and a permanent disability caused by a truck accident, Harding continued to take on arduous climbing challenges. Among his achievements remains the ascent of the "Wall of the Early Morning Light" in extreme conditions, during which he and his partner spent 27 nights suspended from the face before a storm forced a rescue attempt. Warren Harding symbolizes the golden age of climbing in Yosemite, a pioneer who pushed the physical and technical limits of his time, while imbuing his sport with a creative and passionate spirit that has inspired generations of climbers.
Known For
In the shady campgrounds of Yosemite valley, climbers carved out a counterculture lifestyle of dumpster-diving and wild parties that clashed with the conservative values of the National Park Service. And up on the walls, generation after generation has pushed the limits of climbing, vying amongst each other for supremacy on Yosemite's cliffs. "Valley Uprising" is the riveting, unforgettable tale of this bold rock climbing tradition in Yosemite National Park: half a century of struggle against the laws of gravity -- and the laws of the land.
Valley Uprising
From John Muir in the 1860s to today's super-athletes, Vertical Frontier tells the rich and captivating saga of these free-spirited climbers whose contributions to the techniques, equipment, and ethics of mountaineering enabled them to be the first to conquer Yosemite's legendary big walls. Illustrated with spectacular footage, both old and new, shot on these granite walls, the story is told by the climbers whose artistry and relentless determination helped launch a sport now enjoyed by millions around the world, including David Brower, Warren Harding, Royal Robbins, Yvon Chouinard, Tom Frost, Jim Bridwell, Lynn Hill, Hans Florine, Dean Potter, and many others. Their epic feats range from the first ascent of El Capitan, which took 45 days over a year and a half, to today's speed climbers who complete the same route in under three hours.
Vertical Frontier
BRAVE NEW WILD is an offbeat chronicle of America’s Golden Age of rock climbing before and after the controversial ascent of the Dawn Wall in 1970. Some forty years later, Oakley Anderson-Moore, the daughter of a pioneering climber, stumbles upon her father's old hi8 tapes, and sets out to answer the question: why climb when there's nothing to gain -- and everything to lose? Wry humor and an eclectic original soundtrack punctuate the delinquent antics of the Vulgarians in the ‘Gunks, the larger-than-life rivalry of Yosemite’s rock gods, and the fruit tramping, freight train hopping hobodom of her dad’s climbing life. This film is quintessential viewing for those who long for adventure.
Brave New Wild
On November 12, 1958, nearly a year and a half after planting his first piton, Warren Harding climbed to the summit of El Capitan, the legendary face of Yosemite, which he became the first to climb via the equally legendary Nose route. An extraordinary undertaking closer to a heavy Himalayan expedition than to rock climbing. Climbing mainly on weekends in the fall and spring with companions whose level of skill was of little importance to him, Warren Harding spent a total of 47 days (spread over 17 months) on the face. 675 pitons (including 125 expansion pitons) and several thousand hammer blows were necessary to build his legend, despite the displeasure of the "Christians of the valley," as he somewhat sardonically nicknamed Royal Robbins and his cronies, who swear by style.
Warren Harding - Recollections of the First Ascent of El Capitan in Yosemity Valley
In 1970, Warren Harding and Dean Caldwell set out to climb Early Morning Light, better known as Dawn Wall, in Yosemite National Park. Arguably the most controversial climb in the park's history, due to multiple storms and a rescue attempt by the Yosemite Service. The climb thrust the event into the media spotlight, creating a controversy within the local climbing community. In this short documentary, Warren Harding himself recounts the climb.