FREE - Big Wall Climbing in Yosemite with Jorg Verhoeven and Katha Saurwein
La Sportiva’s FREE follows elite climber Jorg Verhoeven on his annual pilgrimage to Yosemite, where he sets his sights on a bold goal: the second free ascent of The Dihedral Wall (VI 5.14a) on El Capitan. Alongside the pressure of a world-class objective, the film adds a personal thread as Jorg brings his wife, Katha Saurwein, into the vertical arena—guiding her through the craft, commitment, and complexity of her own big-wall free climb on The Final Frontier (5.13-) on the Fifi Buttress. What makes this short film so watchable is the contrast it captures: cutting-edge difficulty on one of the planet’s most iconic walls, paired with the quieter intensity of learning how to live on a face of granite—managing fear, fatigue, and the small decisions that keep a day from unraveling. With Yosemite’s clean lines and huge exposure as the backdrop, FREE delivers a tight hit of inspiration: not just about sending hard grades, but about partnership, progression, and the addictive pull of big walls.
La Sportiva · 16:29
La Sportiva athlete Jorg Verhoeven makes the annual pilgrimage to Yosemite, California to attempt the 2nd free ascent of "The Dihedral Wall" (VI 5.14a) on El Capitan. This time, Jorg brings his wife, Katha Saurwein along, teaching her the ropes on her very own big wall free climb, "The Final Frontier" (5.13-) on the Fifi Buttress. Produced by Louder Than Eleven (www.lt11.com) Directed by Jon Glassberg Original Score Michael Wideburg (Fizzix Productions) www.fizzixproductions.com