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Ammon McNeely, 2003 - Photo by Brian McCray and used with permission

Ammon McNeely (born June 3, 1970) is an American rock climber, who holds the most Speed Climbing World Records and First One Day Ascents on El Capitan in Yosemite. Other interests are: BASE jumping, wingsuiting, skydiving, surfing, skateboarding, trail running, mountain biking and snowboarding.

Ammon has been the conductor of many mind blowing ascents on El Capitan, most of them in a day (under 24hrs): Plastic Surgery Disaster, Wall of the Early Morning Light, Atlantic Ocean Wall, and most recent climbing one of the hardest routes on El Capitan, The Reticent Wall along with Dean Potter & Ivo Ninov in 34 hours and 57 minutes, shaving the existing time by more than five days.

He is recognized as having climbed El Capitan by the second highest number of routes - 58 times via 44 routes, behind Steve Gerberding who has climbed it via 57 different routes.

McNeely is the first (Nate Brown is the only other one) to have climbed all three routes on The Streaked Wall in Zion National Park, ascending all three routes with a First One Day Ascent.

Ammon is also a prolific slackliner and pioneered many highlines throughout the US

Some of his other El Capitan speed climbing accomplishments include:

• Never Never Land: 16:00:02 - w/Chris McNamara - August 4, 2004 (First One Day Ascent)
• Horse Chute: 20:39 - w/Chris McNamara - Oct 8, 2004 (First One Day Ascent)
• Magic Mushroom: 55:15 - w/Ivo Ninov & Kevin Jaramillo - July 4-6th, 2005
• The Reticent Wall: 34:57 - w/Dean Potter & Ivo Ninov - July 12-13, 2006
• Wall of Early Morning Light: 23:43 - w/Brian McCray - September, 2004 (First One Day Ascent)
• Pacific Ocean Wall: 33:02 - w/Ivo Ninov - May, 2004
• New Jersey Turnpike: 14:00:02 - w/Brian McCray - September, 2002
• Atlantic Ocean Wall: 23:38 - w/Brian McCray - August 04, 2004 (First One Day Ascent)
• Native Son: 23:53 - w/Ivo Ninov - May 15, 2006 (First One Day Ascent)
• Iron Hawk: 30:42 - w/Cedar Wright - May, 2004
• Tangerine Trip: 10:24 - w/Cedar Wright - July, 2002
• Virginia: 17:24 - w/Gabriel McNeely & Ivo Ninov - July 16, 2005
• Lost in America: 18:04 - w/Brian McCray - August, 2004
• Zenyatta Mondatta: 22:56 - w/Ivo Nivov & Kevin Jaramillo - June 27, 2005 (First One Day Ascent)
• Plastic Surgery Disaster: 21:37 - w/Brian McCray - June, 2001 (First One Day Ascent)
• Lunar Eclipse: 19:58 - w/Jose Pererya & Chongo - June, 2001
• Born Under a Bad Sign: 22:22 - w/Chris Van Luevan & Erik Walden - October 2, 2001 (First One Day Ascent)
• Eagle's Way: 9:08 - w/Brian McCray - August, 2004
• Pressure Cooker: 23:41 - w/Ivo Ninov - September, 2004 (First One Day Ascent)
• Get Whacked: 12:49 - w/Brian McCray - June, 2001 (First One Day Ascent)

External links

• RocknClimb.com - Ammon's Website
• Alpinist Article - Nine Records in 2003
• Zodiac Ascent with Timmy O'Neill and his brother Sean, a paraplegic
• One Day Ascent of Native Son
• Podclimber Interview
• Video: Realm of the Flying Monkeys
• Article: The Zodiac with Ammon McNeely - written by Donald Perry
• Gone Sufferin', Zion's Rodeo Queen - by: Chris McNamara