Minutes after reaching the top of El Capitan, after the hugs and the sprays of sparkling wine, the rock climbers Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson spoke exclusively with John Branch of The New York Times.

Q. Did you have a sense of how much of the world was watching? You just heard that President Obama wants to call you.

CALDWELL I had a small sense. Luckily a week ago I dropped my phone. I’ve been sheltered by some of it. But you see all the cars in the meadow, and at 4 a.m. every day, there’s some big light down there. We’ve gotten little tidbits of information about what’s been going down.

Q. What do you hope this does for climbing?

CALDWELL I would love for this to open people’s minds to what an amazing sport this is. I think the larger audience’s conception is that we’re thrill seekers, out there for an adrenaline rush. We really aren’t at all. It’s about spending our lives in these beautiful places and forming these incredible bonds with friends and family. It’s really a lifestyle. It’s superhealthy, and the climbing world is some of the most psyched, great people around. And if that love can spread, that’s really a great thing.