YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. — American rock climber Tommy Caldwell was first to pull himself atop the ledge of the 3,000-foot vertical wall of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park in the glow of the afternoon sun, followed minutes later by Kevin Jorgeson.

The two longtime friends embraced, and then Jorgeson pumped his arm in the air and clapped his hands above his head. Years of practice, failed attempts and the last 19 grueling days scaling by their fingertips culminated at last in success.

“That’s a deep, abiding, lifelong friendship, built over suffering on the wall together over six years,” said Caldwell’s mother, Terry, among some 200 people thousands of miles below in the valley floor who broke into cheers.

She said her son could have reached the top several days ago, but he waited for his friend to make sure they made it together.

The pair on Wednesday completed what had long been considered the world’s most difficult rock climb, captivating the nation and world through social media, livestreamed video coverage while documentary filmmakers dangled from ropes capturing each move.

Caldwell, 36, and Jorgeson, 30, became the first to free-climb the rock formation’s Dawn Wall, a feat that many had considered impossible. They used ropes and safety harnesses to catch themselves in case of a fall, but relied entirely on their own strength and dexterity to ascend by grasping cracks as thin as razor blades and as small as dimes.