Cedar Wright

Cedar Wright developed a passion for rock climbing while studying English and creative writing in Northern California. Following his graduation, he adopted a nomadic lifestyle, residing in his truck while dividing his time between Yosemite and Joshua Tree. During this period, Wright achieved numerous speed ascents on El Capitan and pioneering first ascents on The Sentinel. He is recognized as one of the few individuals to have freed El Capitan in a single day. For over five years, Wright was a member of the Yosemite Search and Rescue Team, contributing to critical operations in the park. His climbing endeavors extended globally, including pioneering new alpine rock routes in regions such as Pakistan, British Columbia, and Alaska.

As a self-taught photographer and cinematographer, Cedar Wright’s filmmaking career began with an old DSLR camera. A significant turning point in his career involved a human-powered adventure with Alex Honnold, documented in a film that toured with the Banff Mountain Film Fest and Mountainfilm. In this project, they climbed all 15 of California’s 14,000-foot peaks, biked over 700 miles, hiked at least 100 miles, and ascended more than 100,000 vertical feet. These experiences often included free soloing. Wright has also expanded his adventurous pursuits to include paragliding, notably taking flight from Pico de Orizaba, North America’s third-highest mountain, at 18,490 feet. His work frequently features a distinctive sense of humor and a commitment to exploring the boundaries of climbing and filmmaking.

Wright is a National Geographic Explorer and has served as a contributing editor for Climbing magazine. He is the founder of the ‘Sufferfest’ film franchise, in which he co-stars with Alex Honnold. His diverse achievements include 5.13 first ascents in Yosemite and Indian Creek, along with big wall first ascents on all seven continents. Wright continues to produce content that encapsulates his experiences, including a recent expedition with The North Face to Antarctica. He shares his life with two miniature dogs, Gus and Bernie.