Cedar Wright
Rock Climber
Cedar Wright first discovered climbing while pursuing an English degree at Humboldt State University. In between classes, Cedar explored the jagged boulders and sea cliffs of the Northern coast. He was instantly hooked.
After graduating from college, Cedar decided to dedicate himself fully to climbing. He moved to Yosemite where he became inspired and humbled by the vast granite before him. For the next few years, he worked for Yosemite Search and Rescue, where he learned invaluable skills and techniques. In between dangling on a rope outside a helicopter, he climbed relentlessly. He applied his love for speed and adventure by making blistering speed ascents on El Capitan and first ascents on the Sentinel. He remains one of the few people to have freed El Capitan in a day.
Cedar’s love for exploration soon took him outside of the United States. From Africa to Pakistan to Argentina, Cedar continued to put up impressive climbs in impeccable style: fast, free, and with no trace. In the past few years, Cedar has become increasingly interested in filmmaking and has shot video for numerous climbing companies as well as outdoor giants like National Geographic. For many of his video pieces, he writes his own music. In his free time, Cedar enjoys sharing his passion with others.
He passes along his climbing knowledge to sherpas at the Khumbu Climbing Center in Nepal, and his love for the outdoors to children as part of the Get Outdoors initiative. Cedar is characterized by his tenacity, and unique sense of humor, and continues to push himself as a climber and a creative. One part climber, one-part filmmaker, and one-part musician, the future holds great things for Cedar.
Always Above Us
Blog Dispatches
ULTRA RUNNING: IT ALWAYS NEVER GETS BETTER
May 14, 2015
As a member of The North Face athlete team, climber Cedar Wright is a colleague to some of the world’s best ultrarunners. Even so, he never viewed ultrarunning as a major feat. That was, until he decided to run an ultra on his own. Wright shares his story of running the Moab Red Hot 55k. Read More
YOSEMITE BIG WALLS: THE COMPLETE GUIDE
April 17, 2015
Longtime climbers Erik Sloan and Roger Putnam co-authored Yosemite Bigwalls: The Complete Guide with the goal to help more people connect with the climbing wonders Yosemite National Park has to offer. Erik shares how The North Face athletes Cedar Wright and Alex Honnold have helped them publish their newest EBook version of Yosemite Bigwalls: The Complete Guide. Read More
THE "ART" OF MAKING AN AWARD-WINNING ADVENTURE FILM
December 04, 2014
With little professional training in filmmaking and an edit routine that’s fueled by coffee, The North Face climber Cedar Wright has a couple of award-winning films to his name. What’s his recipe for filmmaking success? Cedar reveals the secret sauce ingredients to making an epic adventure film and shares a teaser for his latest work, Sufferfest 2. Read More
Interview
Nickname: Seedy
Favorite Destination: Yosemite California, Indian Creek
Favorite Movie: Baraka
Favorite Book: Tao Te Ching
Favorite Song: “Total Eclipse of the Heart”
Favorite Piece of Your Sport’s History: Golden Age of Yosemite Climbing
Favorite TNF Products: Triumph Anorak, because it’s uber light and water proof; Base Camp Duffle, because it’s the best most durable piece of luggage in the universe; Prophet Pack, my go to do everything back pack
Proudest Moment: My first multi-pitch climb “Fairview Dome” in Tuolumne, because The first one is the best one
Favorite Vice at Basecamp: Gummies! Gummy Worms, Bears, Octopus and really anything gummy. I especially like sour gummies!
What are 3 things people should know about you?
1. Creative expression propels everything I do
2. I love to meet beginning climbers, they are often the most psyched!
3. I value my friends and family before climbing
Inspiration within Your Sport: People who are passionate and climbing as hard as they can with everything they have. People who don’t worry too much about what others think and climb because they love it completely!
Which Cause are you Passionate About: Khumbu Climbing School, Outdoor Nation
Words to Live By: Live everyday as if it were your last! Better to regret what you have done then what you haven’t!
Dream Vacation:Mallorca
3 Things You Always Pack: A good book, art supplies, and a sense of humor
Career Highlights
Himalayas:
- Cat Ear Spires; “Epica Direct” 5.11 c3
Zion:
- Onsight Free Ascent of Moonlight Buttress
- FFA, “Free Lhasa” 5.12, Mt. Kinesava
- FFA, “The Monkeys Always Send” 5.12+, Sinawava
Bugaboos Minaret, B.C:
- FFA: “Southwest Pillar” 5.12a
- FFA: “Italian Pillar” 5.11
Yosemite:
- “Free in a Day” ascent of El Capitan
- FFA: “Cosa Nostra” 5-gnar
- Speed record: “Iron Hawk,” 38 hours
- FFA: Camp 4 Wall, 5.12a
- FFA: “Psychedelic Wall,” 12c, The Sentinel
- FFA: “Medicine Wall,” 13a, The Sentinel
- FFA: “Gravity Ceiling,” 13a, The Sentinel
- Speed record: “Lurking Fear,” 4:27, El Capitan
- Speed record: “The Shield,” 10:58, El Capitan
- Speed record: “Eagles Way,” 10:40, El Capitan
- Speed record: “Tangerine Trip,” El Capitan
- Speed record: “The Prow,” Washington’s Column
- FA: “The High Line,” 5.10 A4, Supernova
- “Lurking Fear” and Mt. Watkins in a day
- “Steck-Salathe,” 5.10b, The Sentinel, free solo
- Northeast buttress of Higher Rock, 5.9, free solo
Baffin Island, Canada:
- Badlands, Torre Egger VI 5.10 A3 12/94 nr
Yosemite:
- Speed record: Scott Route, Mt. Asgard, (4,000 feet in 3 hours)
- Speed record: second ascent of The Porter Route, Mt. Asgard, A4 (first-ever Grade 7 in a continuous push)
Nepal:
- Speed record: Losar, a 2,000-ft. ice climb
Patagonia:
- FA: “The Thaw’s not Houlding Wright,” 5.10, De L’Ess
- FA: “No Bad Weather” 5.11 r/x, El Mochito
Films/Media Highlights:
- Cedar Wright has appeared on the cover of Alpinist Magazine, and inside of National Geographic and Outside Magazine, as well as in all of the major climbing publications.
- He is a regular on Sender Films “Reel Rock Tour” and has starred in several of their award winning films.
- His own original films have shown in festivals such as “Banff Mountain Film Festival” and “The Adventure Film Festival” in Boulder Colorado.
- He has appeared on National Geographic and Outside Television.Gripped magazine: Baffin adventures with Tom Valis, 2004