10-Year-Old Girl Becomes Youngest To Climb El Capitan | TODAY

This morning on in-depth today, the remarkable 10 year-old girl who just became the youngest person to on record to climb Yosemite National Park's El Capitan. It's an incredible feat and to give you a sense of just how big this is consider this the route sailor Schneider climbed El Capitan snow is higher than the world's tallest building which is in Dubai roughly could fit 3 and a half 30 rocks are buildings or you could fit 9 statues of Liberty. That is a big mountain and we'll talk to sailor parents about this in a moment, but first her historic journey. At Yosemite National Park, this is how most will take in El Capitan awesome beauty, but this was 10 year-old sailor Schneider's breathtaking view. Last week this little powerhouse became the youngest person on record to reach the summit towering 3,000 feet high conquering El Cap is no easy feat even for climbers twice sailors age. Just being there was incredible and just thinking about that whole experience was really. For decades, many thought the peak was unclimbable El Capitan's complexity has even proven deadly. But pitch by pitch sailor was all smiles on her 5 day ascent into the record books. Her dad Mike by her side recording every step. I'm super proud of her just to see how big her heart was and how how strong she was. You could say sailor was born to reach these heights with parents devoted to the sport sailor was climbing before she could even walk. Our motto is how do you eat an elephant. Small bites so we're just trying to do you know one day at a time one move at a time of the to the time. And she's been moving up ever since I left full today. Her path to the top a year in the making all for this moment. That's it that's your first happy cry. Yeah, yeah. I just can't believe I just did that proving for this young girl, the sky is the limit. I say let we can't believe you did it either and she's with us now on the parents Mike enjoy everybody good morning, good morning, sailor when you watch that back what goes through your mind how do you feel. I don't know. Yeah, yeah, what was it like in that moment when you got to the top. It's really overwhelming really emotional. What was what was the hardest part of all of it. I mean minus just the 3,000 feet probably getting down because you're carrying everything and because you're really tired. How did this idea come up say love it to climb El cap, I know you're your parents are both climbers but when did you think maybe I'd like to try this. Well last year my dad wanted me to do it, but then but I didn't want to do it and so I thought I would do this. That would let me turn you here for a moment, Mike because you know I would imagine there was probably some concern she's just 10 years old. How did how did you how did you get to the point where you're like this is a good idea. Yeah, I mean she talked about it really for a number of years and we started kind of hatching a plan like if we're going to do this you need to do a series of steps like goals to get there. And I said well if we can kind of get to that point where I feel like we're ready. We can give it a go, you know and she did she just a great preparing for training for it. And I really felt like okay, I think maybe we have a chance I was not a 100% chance, but just a chance to summit just to yeah, just go give it a shot we can always come down wasn't working in. You know, I felt comfortable enough that we'd be safe enough because we had plenty of backups in place and had a great friend with us Mark McGeer who who helped us along the way so it was really really great. Okay, this brings me to mom joy, I mean what did you think of this idea, I know you're a climber yourself but were you nervous was it easy for you to say OK guys you can do this. I would say I was concerned for her endurance and she's so little just I know how much work it is to get up a big wall. It's not just going up 3,000 feet, it's calling and jogging and sleeping and exposure to the elements being baked in the sun, it's it's just a lot of of energy sapping experience so I was worried about her getting really just tired and and wanting to turn back, but I knew that they would turn back if they needed to and I knew that Mike would you know anyone Mike is the person that would keep her safe up there. Yeah, see you get to the top and you want one thing apparently what what was the one thing that you crave when you got to the top of that case that I guess there are no pizza places at the top of El Capo right. And we were planning to go to the pizza that going got down and we still did that. I was just really looking forward to it so that was the best pizza you ever. Yeah, what was it like up there. What were the views like what was it like to to to climb this huge mountain. I think the best feels sunset. It was not that many people have seen it. So I ever heard of this climber Alex Honnold yeah, yeah, and he climbed El Capo he did this climb with without ropes they got in and there was a documentary called free solos is one of the most famous climbers right. Yeah, he had a message for you if you look right over there will play it for you. You might not know that she got to watch you a little bit from the meadow I got to see you through a telescope is you're reading a book that yeah, it's pretty incredible to see out there so well done. Haha how cool is that haha so I was watching you do you think you want to do more times in the future. You do and I you have 3 other children sales, the oldest they have climbing in their their blood to yeah, yeah, big time they love it. They're constantly climbing we will call you on our garage and they're just constantly on there. Yeah, I should mention we're almost out of time, but you to tell a lot on El Capo town we did or hear what what tell us about that about 15 years ago, I was living in my Volkswagen van traveling around the country climbing and I met these guys and a marker gear was on that trip and Mike and another guy and they invited me to go climb El Capo them so over a few days we fell in love and might give you a peck on the cheek on the top. Now it's full circle. Yeah, yeah, yeah, Mark with officiated our wedding less than a year later. That's your mountain. Yeah, it's really special to us. Yeah, say like congratulations, you're amazing come back after that next time okay.