Emily Harrington
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Emily Harrington (born August 17, 1986) is an American professional
rock climber Rock climbing is a climbing sports discipline that involves ascending routes consisting of natural rock in an outdoor environment, or on artificial resin climbing walls in a mostly indoor environment. Routes are documented in guidebooks, and ...
and
mountaineer Mountaineering, mountain climbing, or alpinism is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending mountains. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas that have become sports ...
. She is a five-time US National Champion in sport lead climbing, runner-up in the 2005
IFSC Climbing World Championships The IFSC Climbing World Championships are the biennial (i.e. held once every two years) world championship event for competition climbing that is organized by the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC). This event determines the mal ...
, and has made the
first female free ascent In mountaineering and climbing, a first ascent (abbreviated to FA in guide books), is the first successful documented climb to the top of a mountain or the top of a particular climbing route. Early 20th-century mountaineers and climbers focused ...
s of several routes.


Early life

Emily Harrington was born on August 17, 1986, in
Boulder, Colorado Boulder is a List of municipalities in Colorado#Home rule municipality, home rule city in Boulder County, Colorado, United States, and its county seat. With a population of 108,250 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the most ...
. Her competitiveness pushed her to develop her climbing skills from an early age. She began climbing artificial walls and competed with her local gym's climbing team. From there, she became a professional sport climber and expanded into the worlds of rock and mountain climbing. Harrington studied international affairs with an emphasis on politics in Sub-Saharan Africa at the
University of Colorado at Boulder The University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder, CU, or Colorado) is a Public university, public research university in Boulder, Colorado, United States. Founded in 1876, five months before Colorado became a Federated state, state, it is the fla ...
. She graduated in 2007 and joined The North Face climbing team in 2008.


Climbing career

Harrington has been the US National Champion in
sport climbing Sport climbing (or bolted climbing) is a type of free climbing in the sport of rock climbing where the Lead climbing, lead climber clips their climbing rope, rope — via a quickdraw — into pre-drilled in-situ bolt (climbing), bolts for their ...
five times (2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009). She was also named the North American Sport Climbing Champion twice and placed second in the 2005
IFSC Climbing World Championships The IFSC Climbing World Championships are the biennial (i.e. held once every two years) world championship event for competition climbing that is organized by the International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC). This event determines the mal ...
. In 2006, Harrington placed first at the Serre Chevalier Invitational. She won first place in 2012 at the Ouray Ice Festival. In 2012, Harrington was asked to join a joint expedition with The North Face and National Geographic to climb
Mount Everest Mount Everest (), known locally as Sagarmatha in Nepal and Qomolangma in Tibet, is Earth's highest mountain above sea level. It lies in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas and marks part of the China–Nepal border at it ...
. The expedition marked the beginning of her mountain career. Harrington summited Mount Everest in 2012, and Cho Oyu in 2016. In 2014, Harrington attempted to climb
Hkakabo Razi Hkakabo Razi (, ; ) is believed to be Myanmar's highest mountain. The -tall mountain is the highest mountain in Southeast Asia as well. It is located in the northern Myanmar state of Kachin State, Kachin in an outlying subrange of the Greater Him ...
, the tallest peak in Southeast Asia. This peak had only been climbed once before and Harrington's team intended to create their own route rather than follow that of the previous expedition. Harrington made it to the final route that would reach the summit, a climb that she described as "extremely difficult" and "extremely scary." Ultimately Harrington chose to turn back. In November 2020, Harrington became the fourth woman (after
Lynn Hill Carolynn Marie Hill (born January 3, 1961) is an American rock climber. Widely regarded as one of the leading competition climbers, traditional climbers (and particularly big wall climbers), sport climbers, and boulderers in the world during ...
, Steph Davis, and Mayan Smith-Gobat) to free-climb the granite wall of El Capitan (which she did via ''Golden Gate''), in a single day. She completed the mammoth task in 21 hours, 13 minutes and 51 seconds. She was assisted on the ascent by
Alex Honnold Alex Honnold (born August 17, 1985) is an American rock climber best known for his Free solo climbing, free solo ascents of Big wall climbing, big walls. Honnold rose to worldwide fame in June 2017 when he became the first person to free solo a f ...
. The year before, while practicing the El Capitan climb, an accidental 50 ft fall required her to be rescued. During the 2020 climb, Harrington slipped and fell, leaving her with a gash on her forehead. She was also the first woman to free climb ''Golden Gate'' on El Capitan in under 24 hours. The media mistakenly reported her achievement as the "first woman" to free climb the mountain in under 24 hours, ignoring the achievements of Lynn Hill, Steph Davis, and Mayan Smith-Gobat on other routes before her; it was later corrected. In 2021, Harrington achieved the first individual free climb of ''The American Way'' route on Pik Slesova in
Kyrgyzstan Kyrgyzstan, officially the Kyrgyz Republic, is a landlocked country in Central Asia lying in the Tian Shan and Pamir Mountains, Pamir mountain ranges. Bishkek is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Kyrgyzstan, largest city. Kyrgyz ...
. In 2022 Harrington and Adrian Ballinger were featured as part of HBO's show ''Edge of the Earth'', in which HBO initially claimed they were "Attempting the First Free Climb Ascent of a Route on Pik Slesova in Kyrgyzstan." However, they repeated a free route previously established by the team of Nik Berry, Eric Bissel, Brent Barghan and Dave Allfrey in August 2019. The route was subsequently repeated two weeks after the first ascent. Unfortunately, this isn't the first time media outlets have misrepresented accomplishments in climbing. Harrington has been featured in ''
National Geographic ''National Geographic'' (formerly ''The National Geographic Magazine'', sometimes branded as ''Nat Geo'') is an American monthly magazine published by National Geographic Partners. The magazine was founded in 1888 as a scholarly journal, nine ...
s Adventure blog, ''Women's Adventure'' Magazine, ''
Rock & Ice ''Rock & Ice'' is a magazine published by Outside focusing on rock and ice climbing. The first issue came out in March 1984. The first publisher was Neal Kaptain. George Bracksieck worked for him, beginning in January 1984, and the two became e ...
'' Magazine, ''Urban Climber, The North Face'', ''
The Joe Rogan Experience ''The Joe Rogan Experience'' is a podcast hosted by American comedian, presenter, and UFC color commentator Joe Rogan. It was initiated on December 24, 2009, on YouTube by Rogan and comedian Brian Redban, who was its sole co-host and produce ...
''
podcast A podcast is a Radio program, program made available in digital format for download over the Internet. Typically, a podcast is an Episode, episodic series of digital audio Computer file, files that users can download to a personal device or str ...
and ''
Outside Magazine ''Outside'' is a magazine focused on the outdoors. The first issue of the ''Outside'' magazine was published in September 1977. It is published by Outside Inc., a company that also owns various other ventures. History ''Outside'' founders were J ...
.'' Harrington has sponsorships with
The North Face The North Face is an American outdoor recreation products company. The North Face produces outdoor clothing, footwear, and related equipment. Founded in 1968 to supply climbers, the company's logo draws inspiration from Half Dome, a distinct ...
,
La Sportiva La Sportiva is an Italian footwear brand and company founded in 1928 by Narciso Delladio in Italy. History Narciso Delladio started his business by manufacturing boots and clogs for farmers and lumberjacks. In World War II, he helped to p ...
, and
Petzl Petzl is a French manufacturer of climbing gear, caving gear, work-at-height equipment, and headlamps based in Crolles (near Grenoble), France. The company was created by the cave explorer Fernand Petzl in the mid-1970s. Their three speci ...
.


Ascents and expeditions

* 2012 – Summited
Mount Everest Mount Everest (), known locally as Sagarmatha in Nepal and Qomolangma in Tibet, is Earth's highest mountain above sea level. It lies in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas and marks part of the China–Nepal border at it ...
with The North Face expedition led by
Conrad Anker Conrad Anker (born November 27, 1962) is an American rock climber, mountaineer, and author. He was the team leader of The North Face climbing team for 26 years until 2018. In 1999, he located George Mallory's body on Everest as a member of a sea ...
* 2013 – Summited Mount Ama Dablam * 2015 – Free climbed 'Golden Gate' on El Capitan, Yosemite (5.13b, 40 pitches) with support from Adrian Ballinger * 2016 – Speed-climbed
Cho Oyu Cho Oyu ( Nepali: चोयु; ; ) is the sixth-highest mountain in the world at above sea level. Cho Oyu means " Turquoise Goddess" in Tibetan. The mountain is the westernmost major peak of the '' Khumbu'' sub-section of the Mahalangur Him ...
with Adrian Ballinger * 2017 – Free climbed ''Solar Flare'' (5.12d) with
Alex Honnold Alex Honnold (born August 17, 1985) is an American rock climber best known for his Free solo climbing, free solo ascents of Big wall climbing, big walls. Honnold rose to worldwide fame in June 2017 when he became the first person to free solo a f ...
* 2020 – Free climbed
El Capitan El Capitan (; ) is a vertical Rock formations in the United States, rock formation in Yosemite National Park, on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. The El Capitan Granite, granite monolith is about from base to summit alo ...
via ''Golden Gate'' in a day with Adrian Ballinger and
Alex Honnold Alex Honnold (born August 17, 1985) is an American rock climber best known for his Free solo climbing, free solo ascents of Big wall climbing, big walls. Honnold rose to worldwide fame in June 2017 when he became the first person to free solo a f ...
* 2021 – First individual to free climb ''The American Way'' route on Pik Slesova


Awards

* US National Sport Climbing Champion x5 * North American Sport Climbing Champion x2 * 2005 World Champion-Runner Up * 2006 Serre Chavalier Invitational Champion * 2012 Ouray Ice Festival Champion * 2013 Ouray Ice Festival, 3rd place finisher


Personal life

Emily has been in a relationship with Adrian Ballinger since 2012; they were married on December 11, 2021, in Ecuador. Emily and Adrian met on a climb of Mount Everest. They live in Olympic Valley, California. They have a child, Aaro Storm, born November 25, 2022.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harrington, Emily 1986 births American rock climbers American summiters of Mount Everest Living people People from Boulder, Colorado People from Olympic Valley, California IFSC Climbing World Championships medalists American competition climbers American female climbers