In 2005, Tommy Caldwell and Beth Rodden free-climbed the Nose—each leading or following every pitch free. This was big news at the time. According to most, Tommy and Beth had become the second and third people after Lynn Hill to successfully free-climb the Nose. Tommy, however, was reluctant to credit their ascent in this way because in 1998, Scott Burk free-climbed every pitch of the Nose, although he had used a top-rope on the Great Roof, one of the route’s cruxes.
Here’s how Tommy responded at the time to the question of Burk’s inclusion within the Nose’s free-climbing history:
In my real simplistic view and living in Ireland and the UK and never big walled I was actually surprised that this wasn’t what it meant. I had always largely just swapped in the trad climbing, sport climbing standards. I think all your points stand. That’s to not take away from people’s achievement it’s all just part of the progression.