Two Americans Create History By Free-Climbing Yosemite's El Capitan, World's Toughest Climb

Two Americans, Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson, on Wednesday made history by reaching the summit of El Capitan, a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, considered to be the world's most difficult rock climb. The pair reportedly completed the climb using only their hands and feet.

Caldwell and Jorgeson became the first to climb the 3,000-foot Dawn Wall in a single expedition, the Associated Press reported. The two reportedly used ropes and safety harnesses for their help in case of a fall, but only relied on their strength as they headed to the top grasping cracks. It took them weeks to complete their journey as they received injuries and fell several times.

"It's an amazing feeling to accomplish something you have devoted your life to for years," Jorgeson said, through a news release, according to CNN. "Tommy dreamed it could be done, and I could not be more honored to have been his partner on this journey. I hope it might inspire others who may not have been familiar with rock climbing to experience it for themselves."

Caldwell, 36, and Jorgeson, 30, began the trek on Dec. 27 and documented their journey on Facebook.

President Barack Obama congratulated the duo for conquering the El Capitan.

The two faced several hurdles but finally completed their quest. They reportedly lived on the wall, eating and sleeping in tents fastened to the rock that were thousands of feet above the ground.

“Some of the smallest and sharpest holds I have ever attempted to hold on to,” Caldwell wrote on his Facebook page. “Is crazy to think that the skin on our fingertips could be the limiting fact towards success or failure.”

Caldwell of Estes Park, Colorado, has free-climbed 11 different routes and was also the first to climb the Dihedral Wall and West Buttress. Jorgeson of Santa Rosa, California, also has a huge list of impressive climbs in the U.S., Europe and South Africa, to his credit.