By Jeff Jardine, Modesto Bee

To suggest Corey Rich of South Lake Tahoe has a bird’s-eye view of the historic climb going on in Yosemite National Park might be an understatement.

Our fine feathered friends haven’t ventured nearly as close to the climbers as Rich, who began his career at the Modesto Bee as an intern in 1996.

Two days after Christmas, 36-year-old Tommy Caldwell of Colorado and 30-year-old Kevin Jorgeson of Santa Rosa began their ascent of El Capitan’s Dawn Wall in a 3,000-foot free climb, using only their hands, feet and safety ropes.

Experts will tell you these gents are making perhaps the world’s most difficult free climb because of the smoothness of the mountain’s face on the route they’ve chosen.

And there is Rich, 39, right with them capturing their efforts – their daily successes, struggles, failures and victory – but most of all, their will to conquer the Dawn Wall. This is his love as well, a life’s dream being fulfilled. He joined the climb Jan. 3, just 48 hours removed from a trip to South America, using the ropes that dangled to the valley floor to catch up with them already well into their climb.

Just about everyone involved, from the climbers themselves to Rich to others shooting from the ground, has been posting on their Facebook pages (search for his at Corey Rich or Corey Rich Productions).

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