With California’s Yosemite Valley far beneath him, Alex Honnold free solos— which means climbing without ropes or safety gear—up a crack on the 3,000-foot southwest face of El Capitan.

These sky-high climbing routes are popping up in U.S. cities. TRAVEL. Escape the crowds at the lower 48’s most remote national park. TRAVEL. Bhutan’s beauty beckons tourists.