Cedar is a prolific "first ascensionist" whose passion and positive energy are inspiring and contagious

Cedar Wright learned climbing at the age of 21 on Northern California’s majestic sea cliffs. While he worked toward his B.A. in English from Humboldt State, he quickly progressed as a climber and was soon establishing numerous first-ascent free climbs throughout the area. After earning his degree he started wintering in Joshua Tree and spending the rest of the year in Yosemite, where he became an accomplished free soloist, speed climber, aid climber and free climber. For five years, Cedar worked for Yosemite Search and Rescue while pursuing a career in writing. Cedar holds numerous speed records throughout Yosemite and is one of the few people to take these techniques to the alpine realm. Cedar is a prolific “first ascensionist” whose passion and positive energy are inspiring and contagious. His zeal for climbing, however, is balanced by his Zen approach to his downtime, with meditation, yoga, guitar, painting, and writing poetry among the ways in which he relaxes. In the future, Cedar hopes to take his speed-climbing techniques around the world, climbing the biggest faces in the fastest times. He’d also like to explore the potential of big-wall free climbing and try his hand at high-altitude mountaineering. When he is not exploring the far-off reaches of the globe he can be found in Yosemite, California, “living the dream.”

Birthdate: 3/16/1975

Nickname: Seedy

Favorite Destination: Yosemite Valley

Favorite The North Face® Product: The Delano hoodie is the most versatile light weight fliece on the planet. I pretty much live in my Delano.

Proudest Moment: The moment my parents stopped thinking I was crazy for wanting to climb full time and started being really proud of everything I had accomplished.

Cause(s): Infrastructure improvement in developing countries, especially clean water initiatives. Empowering artists in underprivledged countries, helping them promote and sell their art.

Words To Live By: Live the dream, make the most out of every moment, its better to regret the things you have done then the things you haven't.

Most Recent Epic: Major intestinal difficulties in India that required three doses of Cipro to kill.

Most Humbling Moment: Losing several close friends in climbing accidents and being forced to confront the real dangers of the sport and the harsh realities of being mortal.

Ambition: Base Jump

Weakness: Gummy Bears

Three Things People Should Know About Me: I believe in finding your passion and pursuing it 100%. I always do my best. I try to treat all people with compassion and respect.

Funniest Story: Got off route on the first pitch of a Zion big wall and accidentally put up a new route!

Bugaboos Minaret, B.C.:
. FFA: “Southwest Pillar” 5.12a
. FFA: “Italian Pillar” 5.11d

Yosemite:
. FFA: "Cosa Nostra"
. Speed record: “Iron Hawk,” 38 hours
. FFA: Camp 4 Wall, 5.12a
. FA: Half Dome, 5.12b
. FFA: “Psychedelic Wall,” 12c, The Sentinel
. FFA: “Medicine Wall,” 13a, The Sentinel
. FFA: “Gravity Ceiling,” 13a, The Sentinel
. Speed record: “Lurking Fear,” 4:27, El Capitan
. Speed record: “The Shield,” 10:58, El Capitan
. Speed record: “Eagles Way,” 10:40, El Capitan
. Speed record: “Tangerine Trip,” El Capitan
. Speed record: “The Prow,” Washington's Column
. FA: “The High Line,” 5.10 A4, Supernova
. “Lurking Fear” and Mt. Watkins in a day
. “Steck-Salathe,” 5.10b, The Sentinel, free solo
. Northeast buttress of Higher Rock, 5.9, free solo

Baffin Island, Canada:
. Speed record: Scott Route, Mt. Asgard, (4,000 feet in 3 hours)
. Speed record: second ascent of The Porter Route, Mt. Asgard, A4 (first-ever Grade 7 in a continuous 38-hour push -- perhaps one of the hardest big-wall pushes ever in length and difficulty)

Nepal:
. Speed record: Losar, a 2,000-ft. ice climb

Patagonia:
. FA: “The Thaw’s not Houlding Wright,” 5.10, De L’Ess

. Climbing magazine, 2005, feature article on Mali, West Africa's "Hand of Fatima"
. Climbing magazine, 2004, article on Zion National Park
. Rock and Ice, "Exposed," 2003, full-page photo, "High Heels," Tuolumne
. Rock and Ice, "Exposed," 2002, full-page photo, "On the Lamb," Tuolumne
. Climbing magazine, "Hot Flashes," 2001 and 2002
. Rock and Ice. "Quick Hits," 1999
. Climber Movie by Jeff Cunningham featured at Banff Film Festival.
. Yosemite Historyfilm featured at the Banff Film Festival
. Fatima video for Voom, (John Long)
. Action Adept film (Tom Morrow)
. Alpinist magazine, 3,000-word article, "The Uncertainty Principle," with cover photo and several article photos (Issue 2)
. Several photos in Heinz Zach and Alex Huber's coffee-table book on Yosemite
. The American Alpine Journal, feature article: "Holy Baffman"

2009:
. Vertical Carnival

2008:
. Barefoot Among Czechs
. China First Ascent Expedition

2007:
. Alaska Alpine Style
. Trango Passion