Legendary rock climber, base jumper, highliner and world record holder Ammon McNeely has died at the age of 52 after he fell off a cliff in Moab on February 18, 2023. Details of the incident are unknown, but it has been reported that it was not climbing-related.
McNeely, also known as the “El Cap Pirate”, was an unashamedly bold and somewhat reckless presence in the Yosemite camp and, at a stage, he became a fairly regular resident at the John Muir Inn, a.k.a. Yosemite National Park’s jail. Despite his dislike for the rules, McNeely was popular with climbers and, as Cedar Wright explains “Ammon [was also] well-liked and on a first-name basis with the guards. ”
Moreover, he was an excellent climber – courageous, driven and talented. McNeely holds the most speed climbing records and first one-day ascents on El Capitan out of anyone in the world, and his independent spirit will forever be remembered by the international community.
Head to the button below to find out more about McNeely’s exploits and electric personality with Cedar Wright’s fantastic profile on Climbing.com, first published in the September 2012 edition of Rock and Ice:
Ammon’s sister wrote on Mountain Project:
“Ammon’s motorcycle was parked. He walked out onto a precipice with his girlfriend and another friend to enjoy the sunset. As Ammon was trying to sit down, he lost the footing under his prosthetic leg, and fell backwards off the cliff.”