The dizzying view of the equally dizzying hike up El Capitan now comes in 360-degree virtuality with Google Map's panoramic views of Yosemite's famous ascent. For the project, Google enlisted the help of three climbers—Lynn Hill, Alex Honnold, and Tommy Caldwell—to capture what Hill calls a “sea of rock.”The challenge? The group of climbers had to figure out how to scale the granite monster with their tripods and panoramic camera rigs strapped to their backs. “It’s just cool to flirt with the impossible,” says Caldwell in an accompanying video, “You’re way off the ground, and the tips of your toes and the tips of your fingers are the only things that are touching the wall. It’s a matter of belief.”
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Climb El Capitan for yourself here and watch the climbers live to tell the tale of their mission in the behind-the-scenes video below:
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