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‘The fingertips wear out. They have to wait until their skin grows back’

One of the greatest feats of human endeavour is underway in Yosemite. Two of the world's best climbers are navigating the marble-smooth Dawn Wall, the last unconquered side of El Capitan, the 900m rock.

John Long, climbing author and the team's media manager, told Today: "They're about halfway up. These guys have been working on this project for eight years. They've memorised every hold from the bottom to the top."

Climbers, Kevin Jorgeson and Tommy Caldwell hope to reach the top within a week.

First broadcast on Today, Radio 4, 7 January 2015.

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Duration:

2 minutes

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