El Capitán (Spanish for The Captain, The Chief) is a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park. The granite monolith extends about 3,000 feet (900 m) from base to summit along its tallest face and is one of the world's favorite challenges for rock climbers and BASE jumpers. The formation was named "El Capitán" by the Mariposa Battalion when it explored the valley in 1851.