Virtual Calvin January Series: Tommy Caldwell

Tommy Caldwell, Route Finding for Success

Tommy is a talented rock climber, with numerous accomplishments in sport, traditional, and free climbing; big wall first ascents; and speed records. He’s known for his creative vision, skill, and fortitude.

He reflects on his most harrowing expedition in The Push: A Climber’s Journey of Endurance, Risk, and Going Beyond the Limits. In this memoir, he recounts a trip to Kyrgyzstan, where he and three fellow climbers were taken hostage and survived for six days with no food and little water. They eventually escaped when Caldwell pushed their remaining captor off a cliff and ran 10 miles to a military outpost to find help.

A year after his hostage epic, Caldwell cut off his index finger with a table saw doing home renovations. With resolve, he moved forward with the ethos of no excuses and proceeded to establish the Dawn Wall and climb the 3,000-foot Nose route on Yosemite’s El Capitan in less than two hours.

Today, Caldwell climbs as much as possible and works as an advocate and industry representative to preserve natural spaces and lobby for climate initiatives.

The January Series is a FREE 15-day award-winning lecture series that takes place each year at Calvin University.  The series aims to cultivate deep thought and conversations about important issues of the day, to inspire cultural renewal and make us better global citizens in God's world. We are thankful to share this special gift with our local, regional, and global community, thanks to our underwriters.