History of rock climbing
Encyclopedia
Although the practice of rock climbing
was an important component of Victorian
mountaineering
in the Alps
, it is generally thought that the sport of rock climbing began in the last quarter of the 19th century in at least three areas: Elbe Sandstone Mountains
in Saxony
near Dresden
, the Lake District
of England
, and the Dolomites
in Italy. Rock climbing evolved gradually from an alpine necessity to an athletic sport in its own right, making it imprudent to cite a primogenitor of the latter in each of these three locales. Nevertheless, there is some general agreement on the following:
As rock climbing matured, a variety of grading systems
were created in order to more accurately compare relative difficulties of climbs. Over the years both climbing techniques and the equipment climbers use to advance the sport have evolved in a steady fashion.
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
was an important component of Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
mountaineering
Mountaineering
Mountaineering or mountain climbing is the sport, hobby or profession of hiking, skiing, and climbing mountains. While mountaineering began as attempts to reach the highest point of unclimbed mountains it has branched into specialisations that address different aspects of the mountain and consists...
in the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
, it is generally thought that the sport of rock climbing began in the last quarter of the 19th century in at least three areas: Elbe Sandstone Mountains
Elbe Sandstone Mountains
The Elbe Sandstone Mountains, also called the Elbe sandstone highlands is a mountain range straddling the border between the state of Saxony in southeastern Germany and the North Bohemian region of the Czech Republic, with about three-quarters of the area lying on the German side...
in Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
near Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, the Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and the Dolomites
Dolomites
The Dolomites are a mountain range located in north-eastern Italy. It is a part of Southern Limestone Alps and extends from the River Adige in the west to the Piave Valley in the east. The northern and southern borders are defined by the Puster Valley and the Sugana Valley...
in Italy. Rock climbing evolved gradually from an alpine necessity to an athletic sport in its own right, making it imprudent to cite a primogenitor of the latter in each of these three locales. Nevertheless, there is some general agreement on the following:
- Heralded as a sport in EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in the late 1880s after the (well publicised) solo first ascentFree solo climbingFree solo climbing, also known as free soloing, is a form of free climbing where the climber forgoes ropes, harnesses and other protective gear while ascending and relies only on his or her physical strength, climbing ability, and psychological fortitude to avoid a fatal fall...
of the Napes NeedleGreat GableGreat Gable is a mountain lying at the very heart of the English Lake District, appearing as a pyramid from Wasdale , but as a dome from most other directions. It is one of the most popular of the Lakeland fells, and there are many different routes to the summit...
by Walter Parry Haskett SmithWalter Parry Haskett SmithWalter Parry Haskett Smith is often called the Father of Rock Climbing. Born in Kent, England, the son of a wealthy landowner, he attended Eton where he excelled at athletics, before enrolling in Trinity College, Oxford.-Background:...
, rock climbing attracted increasing numbers of participants. An early benchmark approaching modern levels of difficulty was the ascent, by O. G. Jones, of Kern Knotts CrackGreat GableGreat Gable is a mountain lying at the very heart of the English Lake District, appearing as a pyramid from Wasdale , but as a dome from most other directions. It is one of the most popular of the Lakeland fells, and there are many different routes to the summit...
(VSGrade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
) in 1897. Jones was attracted to the new sport by a photo of the Needle in a shop window in the early 1890s. By the end of the Victorian era as many as 60 enthusiasts at a time would gather at the Wastwater Hotel in the Lake District during vacation periods.
- Inspired by the efforts of late 19th century pioneers such as Oskar Schuster (Falkenstein, Schusterweg 1892), by 1903 there were approximately 500 climbers active in the Elbe Sandstone region, including the well-known team of Rudolf FehrmannRudolf FehrmannRudolf Fehrmann , a German, was a pioneer rock climber at Elbsandsteingebirge near Dresden. He began climbing at the age of 17 and was soon at the leading edge of the fledgling sport...
and the AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Oliver Perry-SmithOliver Perry-SmithOliver Perry-Smith was an American rock climber, mountaineer and skier who moved to Dresden in 1902 to attend a technical university.- Climbs in Saxon Switzerland :...
; their 1906 ascent of Teufelsturm (at VIIbGrade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
) set new standards of difficulty. By the 1930s there were over 200 small climbing clubs represented in the area.
- The solo first ascent of Die Vajolettürme in 1887 by the 17 year-old MunichMunichMunich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
high school student, Georg WinklerGeorg WinklerGeorg Winkler was a climber famed for his solo ascents which included the Winkler Turme in the Vajolet Towers in 1887. He was killed by an avalanche on the face of the Weisshorn in 1888. -Notes:...
, encouraged the acceptance and development of the sport in the DolomitesDolomitesThe Dolomites are a mountain range located in north-eastern Italy. It is a part of Southern Limestone Alps and extends from the River Adige in the west to the Piave Valley in the east. The northern and southern borders are defined by the Puster Valley and the Sugana Valley...
.
As rock climbing matured, a variety of grading systems
Grade (climbing)
In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
were created in order to more accurately compare relative difficulties of climbs. Over the years both climbing techniques and the equipment climbers use to advance the sport have evolved in a steady fashion.
Some historical benchmarks
- 400 BC: Chinese watercolors that depict men climbing rocks.
- 1300s : The Anasazis in the southwest United States drilled holes for posts and carved steps up the steep rock cliffs in Chaco Canyon. There are cliff dwellings scattered throughout the southwest. Given the difficult approaches to some of these cliff dwellings it seems reasonable to assume that the natives had the skills necessary to ascend what would now be considered technical climbing terrain.
- 1492 : Antoine de Ville ascends Mont Inaccessible, Mont AiguilleMont AiguilleMont Aiguille is a mountain in the Vercors Plateau of the French Prealps, located south of Grenoble. It has a flat top, on which a small plane once landed, but is surrounded by steep cliffs on all sides. The mountain is most noted for its first ascent in 1492...
, a 300 meter rock tower south of Grenoble, France. Under orders from his king, he used the techniques developed for sieging castles to attain an otherwise unreachable summit. The ascent is described by François RabelaisFrançois RabelaisFrançois Rabelais was a major French Renaissance writer, doctor, Renaissance humanist, monk and Greek scholar. He has historically been regarded as a writer of fantasy, satire, the grotesque, bawdy jokes and songs...
in his Quart Livre.
- 1695 : Martin MartinMartin MartinMartin Martin was a Scottish writer best known for his work A Description of the Western Isles of Scotland . This book is particularly noted for its information on the St Kilda archipelago...
describes the traditional practice of fowling by climbing with the use of ropes in the HebridesHebridesThe Hebrides comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. There are two main groups: the Inner and Outer Hebrides. These islands have a long history of occupation dating back to the Mesolithic and the culture of the residents has been affected by the successive...
of ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, especially on St KildaSt Kilda, ScotlandSt Kilda is an isolated archipelago west-northwest of North Uist in the North Atlantic Ocean. It contains the westernmost islands of the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The largest island is Hirta, whose sea cliffs are the highest in the United Kingdom and three other islands , were also used for...
.
- 1786 : The first ascent of Mont BlancMont BlancMont Blanc or Monte Bianco , meaning "White Mountain", is the highest mountain in the Alps, Western Europe and the European Union. It rises above sea level and is ranked 11th in the world in topographic prominence...
is often referred to as the start of mountaineering’s “modern era”. It took another century before history documents the use of devices similar to today’s fixed anchors: pitonPitonIn climbing, a piton is a metal spike that is driven into a crack or seam in the rock with a hammer, and which acts as an anchor to protect the climber against the consequences of a fall, or to assist progress in aid climbing...
s, bolts and rappel slings.
- By the 19th century, climbing was developing as a recreational pastime. Equipment in the early 19th century began with an alpenstockAlpenstockAn alpenstock is a long wooden pole with an iron spike tip, used by shepherds for travel on snowfields and glaciers in the Alps since the Middle Ages. It is the antecedent of the modern ice axe.French-speaking climbers called this item a "baton"...
(a large walking stick with a metal tip), a primitive form of three-point instep crampon, and a woodcutter's axe. These were the tools of the alpine shepherd, who was shortly to move from guiding sheep to guiding men, a much more lucrative enterprise. With time the alpenstock and the axe were combined into one tool: the ice-axe. Add a large, thick (and weak) rope, to help the client climb, and guide and novice were off to the mountains.
- 1869 : John MuirJohn MuirJohn Muir was a Scottish-born American naturalist, author, and early advocate of preservation of wilderness in the United States. His letters, essays, and books telling of his adventures in nature, especially in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, have been read by millions...
, famed naturalist and climber, wearing hiking boots, makes the first ascent of Cathedral PeakCathedral Peak (California)Cathedral Peak is part of the Cathedral Range, a mountain range in the south-central portion of Yosemite National Park in eastern Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties. The range is an offshoot of the Sierra Nevada...
in Tuolumne MeadowsTuolumne MeadowsTuolumne Meadows is a gentle, dome-studded sub-alpine meadowy section of the Tuolumne River, in the eastern section of Yosemite National Park. Its approximate location is . Its approximate elevation is 8619 feet .-Natural History:...
as an on-sight, free soloGlossary of climbing termsThis page describes terms and jargon related to climbing and mountaineering.-A:American death triangle : An anchor which is created by connecting a closed loop of cord or webbing between two points of protection, and then suspending the rope from a carabiner clipped to only one strand of said anchor...
. He is also known for spending a night at the top of a 100+ foot tall pine tree during a lightning storm, now known as the John Muir Tree.
- 1875 : Half DomeHalf DomeHalf Dome is a granite dome in Yosemite National Park, located in northeastern Mariposa County, California, at the eastern end of Yosemite Valley — possibly Yosemite's most familiar rock formation. The granite crest rises more than above the valley floor....
in Yosemite National ParkYosemite National ParkYosemite National Park is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...
is first climbed by George AndersonGeorge G. AndersonGeorge G. Anderson is best known for making the first ascent to the summit of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park in California, United States on October 12, 1875. During the climb, he drilled the holes which, after 1919, came to house the cables of the popular route up Half Dome...
. He uses eye bolts in drilled holes as hand and toe holds. He uses a fixed rope to return to his high point each day.
- 1880s : The Sport of Rock Climbing begins in the Lake DistrictLake DistrictThe Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
and WalesWalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
in Great BritainGreat BritainGreat Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, SaxonySaxonyThe Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
near DresdenDresdenDresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
, and the DolomitesDolomitesThe Dolomites are a mountain range located in north-eastern Italy. It is a part of Southern Limestone Alps and extends from the River Adige in the west to the Piave Valley in the east. The northern and southern borders are defined by the Puster Valley and the Sugana Valley...
. W. P. Haskett SmithWalter Parry Haskett SmithWalter Parry Haskett Smith is often called the Father of Rock Climbing. Born in Kent, England, the son of a wealthy landowner, he attended Eton where he excelled at athletics, before enrolling in Trinity College, Oxford.-Background:...
is frequently called the Father of Rock Climbing in the British Isles, and Oskar Schuster was an early climber in the Elbe Sandstone MountainsElbe Sandstone MountainsThe Elbe Sandstone Mountains, also called the Elbe sandstone highlands is a mountain range straddling the border between the state of Saxony in southeastern Germany and the North Bohemian region of the Czech Republic, with about three-quarters of the area lying on the German side...
.
- 1886 : W. P. Haskett SmithWalter Parry Haskett SmithWalter Parry Haskett Smith is often called the Father of Rock Climbing. Born in Kent, England, the son of a wealthy landowner, he attended Eton where he excelled at athletics, before enrolling in Trinity College, Oxford.-Background:...
makes the first ascent (in free soloGlossary of climbing termsThis page describes terms and jargon related to climbing and mountaineering.-A:American death triangle : An anchor which is created by connecting a closed loop of cord or webbing between two points of protection, and then suspending the rope from a carabiner clipped to only one strand of said anchor...
style) of the 70 foot Napes Needle, in the Lake DistrictLake DistrictThe Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
of EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The resulting publicity introduces the general British public to the new sport of rock climbing.
- 1887 : Georg WinklerGeorg WinklerGeorg Winkler was a climber famed for his solo ascents which included the Winkler Turme in the Vajolet Towers in 1887. He was killed by an avalanche on the face of the Weisshorn in 1888. -Notes:...
, at the age of 17, makes the first ascent - solo - of Die Vajolettürme in the Dolomites, initiating the sport of rock climbing in that area.
- 1892 : Oscar EckensteinOscar EckensteinOscar Johannes Ludwig Eckenstein was an English rock climber and mountaineer, and a pioneer in the sport of bouldering...
, a BritishUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
climber and early boulderingBoulderingBouldering is a style of rock climbing undertaken without a rope and normally limited to very short climbs over a crash pad so that a fall will not result in serious injury. It is typically practiced on large natural boulders or artificial boulders in gyms and outdoor urban areas...
advocate, conducts a bouldering competition, with cash prizes, among the natives while on an expedition to the Karakoram Mountains. (http://www.johngill.net).
- 1893 : Devils TowerDevils Tower National MonumentDevils Tower is an igneous intrusion or laccolith located in the Black Hills near Hulett and Sundance in Crook County, northeastern Wyoming, above the Belle Fourche River...
is first summited by ranchers William Rogers and Willard Ripley through the use of wooden spike pounded into a crack and then connected with a rope. After 6 weeks they summited on the Fourth of July.
- 1897 : O. G. JonesOwen Glynne Jones150px|thumb|Portrait and signature of Owen Glynne Jones from his book Rock-climbing in the English Lake DistrictOwen Glynne Jones was a Welsh rock-climber and mountaineer...
leads Kern Knotts Crack (ca 5.8Grade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
) on the Great GableGreat GableGreat Gable is a mountain lying at the very heart of the English Lake District, appearing as a pyramid from Wasdale , but as a dome from most other directions. It is one of the most popular of the Lakeland fells, and there are many different routes to the summit...
in EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
1900s
- 1900 (approximately) : Oscar EckensteinOscar EckensteinOscar Johannes Ludwig Eckenstein was an English rock climber and mountaineer, and a pioneer in the sport of bouldering...
demonstrates to BritishUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
climbers the concept of modern balance climbing on his eponymous boulder in Wales. (http://www.johngill.net)
- 1906 : Oliver Perry-SmithOliver Perry-SmithOliver Perry-Smith was an American rock climber, mountaineer and skier who moved to Dresden in 1902 to attend a technical university.- Climbs in Saxon Switzerland :...
, W. Huenig, Rudolf FehrmannRudolf FehrmannRudolf Fehrmann , a German, was a pioneer rock climber at Elbsandsteingebirge near Dresden. He began climbing at the age of 17 and was soon at the leading edge of the fledgling sport...
climb TeufelsturmTeufelsturm (Saxon Switzerland)The Teufelsturm is a prominent rock tower and climbing rock formed of Elbe Sandstone, about forty metres high in Saxon Switzerland in East Germany. It is located east of the River Elbe on the upper edge of the valley between Schmilka and Bad Schandau in the Schrammsteinen...
in the Elbe Sandstone MountainsElbe Sandstone MountainsThe Elbe Sandstone Mountains, also called the Elbe sandstone highlands is a mountain range straddling the border between the state of Saxony in southeastern Germany and the North Bohemian region of the Czech Republic, with about three-quarters of the area lying on the German side...
. 5.10Grade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
(with original shoulder stand around 5.8+).
1910s
- 1910 : Hans Fiechtl replaces the attached ring on pitonsPitonsThe Pitons are two volcanic plugs in a World Heritage Site in Saint Lucia. The Gros Piton is 771 m, and the Petit Piton is 743 m high; they are linked by the Piton Mitan ridge.- Geography :...
with an eye in the body of the piton - a design used to this day.
- 1910 : Otto Herzog designs the first steel carabinerCarabinerA carabiner or karabiner is a metal loop with a sprung or screwed gate that is used to quickly and reversibly connect components in safety-critical systems. The word comes from "Karabinerhaken", meaning "hook for a carbine" in German.-Use:...
, specifically made for climbing.
- 1910 : AustriaAustriaAustria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n development of rappelling.
- 1910 : Oliver Perry-SmithOliver Perry-SmithOliver Perry-Smith was an American rock climber, mountaineer and skier who moved to Dresden in 1902 to attend a technical university.- Climbs in Saxon Switzerland :...
, M. Matthaeus, H. Wagner ascend The Grosser Falknerturm, Matthäusriß in the Elbsandstein, 5.9Grade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
.
- 1910 to 1914 : Hans DülferHans DülferHans Dülfer was a German mountain climber .Dülfer started studying medicine from 1911 in Munich, and then changed to law and later to philosophy...
suggests using equipment to ascend otherwise unclimbable rock, devises dulferitz rappelling technique.
- 1914 : Paul PreussPaul Preuss (climber)Paul Preuss was an Austrian alpinist who achieved recognition for his bold solo ascents and for his advocacy of an ethically "pure" alpinism.-Early years:...
, an advocate of Free climbingFree climbingFree climbing is a type of rock climbing in which the climber uses only hands, feet and other parts of the body to ascend, employing ropes and forms of climbing protection to prevent falls only....
, coins the term "artificial aid" to describe the use of mechanical aids to progress up a rock. His rule number four (of six) stated: "The piton is an emergency aid and not the basis of a system of mountaineering."
-
- Note: The two principal uses of pitonPitonIn climbing, a piton is a metal spike that is driven into a crack or seam in the rock with a hammer, and which acts as an anchor to protect the climber against the consequences of a fall, or to assist progress in aid climbing...
s on an ascent are as protective safeguards (not used for actual hand or footholds - climbers refrained from putting weight on them except in the event of a fall) and as direct aid (used to physically assist in ascending a steep or overhanging slope rather than merely as protection). Climbers like Paul PreussPaul Preuss (climber)Paul Preuss was an Austrian alpinist who achieved recognition for his bold solo ascents and for his advocacy of an ethically "pure" alpinism.-Early years:...
and Geoffrey Winthrop YoungGeoffrey Winthrop YoungGeoffrey Winthrop Young D.Litt. was a British climber, poet and educator, and author of several notable books on mountaineering.-Mountaineering:...
argued strongly against direct aid, but others of that era, including Hans DülferHans DülferHans Dülfer was a German mountain climber .Dülfer started studying medicine from 1911 in Munich, and then changed to law and later to philosophy...
and Tita Piaz, advocated using such devices as artificial aids in order to climb otherwise unscalable walls. After World War IWorld War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
most European climbers chose to employ artificial aid when necessary. However, from the beginning days of rock climbing as a sport, through the 1940s, another form of artificial assistance was at times employed by teams of two or more climbers: the shoulder stand. From our current perspective it seems odd that many of those climbers who strenuously objected to hanging on a piton found the shoulder stand to be quite acceptable. Occasionally, historical climbing photos, (e.g., http://www128.pair.com/r3d4k7/HistoricalClimbingImages1.html) illustrate this strategy, which arose from the perception that ascending a route was a team effort, with two climbers constituting one natural climbing unit. Something to keep in mind when reading of very early climbs in the 5.8 to 5.10Grade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
range.
- Note: The two principal uses of piton
- 1914 : Siegfried HerfordSiegfried HerfordSiegfried Herford was a British climber who was active in the years immediately prior to World War I. He and John Laycock and Stanley Jeffcoat initiated what is referred to as "gritstone climbing" in England, bouldering on large blocks at the base of the cliffs, and roping up to climb the edges...
and companions climb the Flake Pitch on Central Buttress of Scafell (5.9Grade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
), England's hardest climb at the time
- 1918 :Emanuel Strubich ascend The Wilder Kopf, Westkante in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, 5.10cGrade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
, the world's hardest climb at the time
- 1919 : Sees the publication of Guido Rey’s book, "Alpinisme Acrobatique", on the "artificial" techniques utilizing the latest, easily available pitons and carabiners
1920s
- 1920s - 1930s : Robert L. M. UnderhillRobert L. M. UnderhillRobert Lindley Murray Underhill was an American mountaineer best known for introducing modern Alpine style rope and belaying techniques to the U.S. climbing community in the late 1920s and early 1930s....
and Miriam Underhill (Miriam E. O'Brien) - One of the early rock star climbing couples. Robert is remembered for introducing European climbing techniques to the west coast of the US through an article in the 1931 Bulletin of the Sierra ClubSierra ClubThe Sierra Club is the oldest, largest, and most influential grassroots environmental organization in the United States. It was founded on May 28, 1892, in San Francisco, California, by the conservationist and preservationist John Muir, who became its first president...
.
- 1922 : Paul Illmer and party ascend the Illmerweg on Falkenstein (5.9/5.10Grade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
), Elbe Sandstone Mountains
- 1923 : Willo Welzenbach creates the standard numerical rating system for the difficulty of a route (Grades I to VI)
- 1925 : Solleder and Gustl Lettenbauer climb the Northwest Face of the Civetta in a day, a 3800 foot 5.9Grade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
route in the Dolomites, using only 15 pitons for protection and belays.
- 1925 : Albert Ellingwood and a party of three climb the 2000 foot Northeast ButtressEllingwood Ledges (Crestone Needle)The Ellingwood Ledges is a popular technical climbing route on Crestone Needle in Colorado's Sangre de Cristo Range. The Ellingwood Ledges Route is recognized in the historic climbing text Fifty Classic Climbs of North America...
of Crestone NeedleCrestone NeedleCrestone Needle is one of the fourteeners of Colorado, in the heart of the Sangre de Cristo Range. It is part of a group of four fourteeners known as "the Crestones", headed by Crestone Peak and also including Kit Carson Mountain and Humboldt Peak.While not as high as Crestone Peak, and connected...
(5.7Grade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
, 14,197 feet).
- 1927 : Laurent Grivel designs and sells the first rock drill and expansion bolt.
- 1927 : Joe Stettner and brother, Paul, apply European techniques in the USA on their ascent of the Stettner Ledges on the East Face of Long's PeakLongs PeakLongs Peak is one of the 53 mountains with summits over 14,000 feet in Colorado. It can be prominently seen from Longmont, Colorado, as well as from the rest of the Colorado Front Range. It is named after Major Stephen Long, who explored the area in the 1820s...
.
- 1927 : Fred Pigott's experiments with slinging natural chockstones and later machine nuts, for protection at Clogwyn Du'r ArdduClogwyn Du'r ArdduClogwyn Du'r Arddu, on the north flank of Snowdon, is considered by many to be one of the best climbing cliffs in Britain. It is north-facing and comparatively remote . The name is Welsh and probably means "black cliff of the plough"...
on SnowdonSnowdonSnowdon is the highest mountain in Wales, at an altitude of above sea level, and the highest point in the British Isles outside Scotland. It is located in Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd, and has been described as "probably the busiest mountain in Britain"...
, directly led to the development of the modern StopperStopperstopper may refer to:*Stopper , a type of a knot at the end of the rope*Stopper , also known as a cork, a plug or a bung used to temporarily seal a bottle opening...
.
1930s
- 1930 : Jack LonglandJack LonglandSir John Laurence "Jack" Longland was an educator, mountain climber, and broadcaster.He was educated at the King's School, Worcester, and Jesus College, Cambridge. He lectured in English at Durham University from 1930 to 1936. He then served as Director of Education for Derbyshire for 23 years,...
climbs Javelin Blade E1 5b (5.10Grade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
), Hollytree Wall, Idwal
- 1931 : Emilio Comici and the DolomitesDolomitesThe Dolomites are a mountain range located in north-eastern Italy. It is a part of Southern Limestone Alps and extends from the River Adige in the west to the Piave Valley in the east. The northern and southern borders are defined by the Puster Valley and the Sugana Valley...
. Comici is the inventor and proponent of using multi-step aid ladders, solid belays, the use of a trail/tag line, and hanging bivouacs. Pretty much the origin of big wall climbingBig wall climbingBig wall climbing is a type of rock climbing in which a long multi-pitch route, so sustained that an ascent normally requires more than a single day, is climbed. Big wall routes require the climbing team to live on the route often using portaledges and hauling equipment...
and techniques. He uses them to good purpose with an ascent of the 26 pitch, 4000 foot Northwest Face of the Civetta.
- 1934 : Pierre AllainPierre AllainPierre Allain was a French alpinist who began climbing in the 1920s. In the 1930s he was joined by several others at Fontainebleau, where his group of "'Bleausards" developed a love of bouldering that went beyond simple training for the Alps. The famous , done in 1934, is a testament to their...
champions boulderingBoulderingBouldering is a style of rock climbing undertaken without a rope and normally limited to very short climbs over a crash pad so that a fall will not result in serious injury. It is typically practiced on large natural boulders or artificial boulders in gyms and outdoor urban areas...
at FontainebleauFontainebleauFontainebleau is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the arrondissement of Fontainebleau...
; climbs L'Angle Allain (V2Grade (bouldering)In the sport of bouldering, problems are assigned technical grades according to several established systems, which are often distinct from those used in roped climbing. Bouldering grade systems in wide use include the Hueco "V" grades , Fontainebleau technical grades, route colors, Peak District...
)
- 1934 : Dick Leonard, teams up with Jules EichornJules EichornJules Eichorn was a California mountaineer, environmentalist and music teacher.- Early years :Jules Marquard Eichorn was born in San Francisco on February 7, 1912 to Hilmar and Frieda Eichorn, who were immigrants from Germany...
and Bestor RobinsonBestor RobinsonBestor Robinson was a California mountaineer, environmentalist, attorney and inventor. He was a law partner of Earl Warren, later governor of California and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. Robinson was a long time leader of the Sierra Club...
for the first ascent of the Eichorn Pinnacle of Cathedral PeakCathedral Peak (California)Cathedral Peak is part of the Cathedral Range, a mountain range in the south-central portion of Yosemite National Park in eastern Mariposa and Tuolumne Counties. The range is an offshoot of the Sierra Nevada...
in the Sierra Nevada. He also creates the concept and practice of the dynamic belay at Indian RockIndian Rock ParkIndian Rock Park is a public park in the city of Berkeley, California, on the slope of the Berkeley Hills. It is located in the northeast part of the city, about one block north of the Arlington/Marin Circle, and straddles Indian Rock Avenue. The central feature of the park is a large rock...
.
- 1935 : Pierre AllainPierre AllainPierre Allain was a French alpinist who began climbing in the 1920s. In the 1930s he was joined by several others at Fontainebleau, where his group of "'Bleausards" developed a love of bouldering that went beyond simple training for the Alps. The famous , done in 1934, is a testament to their...
produces first soft-soled climbing shoe. Revised for extreme rock 1948
- 1938 : Ricardo Cassin ascends the Walker SpurWalker SpurWalker Spur is a notable rock spur forming the east side of Compton Valley in the north part of the Ford Massif, Thiel Mountains. The name was proposed by Peter Bermel and Arthur Ford, co-leaders of the United States Geological Survey Thiel Mountains party which surveyed these mountains in...
of the Grandes JorassesGrandes JorassesThe Grandes Jorasses is a mountain in the Mont Blanc massif.The first ascent of the highest peak of the mountain was by Horace Walker with guides Melchior Anderegg, Johann Jaun and Julien Grange on 30 June 1868...
"...perhaps the finest in existence" - Gaston Rebuffat from "The Mont Blanc Massif - The 100 Finest Routes".
- 1938 : North Face of the EigerEigerThe Eiger is a mountain in the Bernese Alps in Switzerland. It is the easternmost peak of a ridge crest that extends across the Mönch to the Jungfrau at 4,158 m...
ascended by Heinrich HarrerHeinrich HarrerHeinrich Harrer was an Austrian mountaineer, sportsman, geographer, and author.He is best known for his books Seven Years in Tibet and The White Spider .-Athletics:...
, Fritz KasparekFritz KasparekFritz Kasparek was an Austrian mountain climber.Kasparek gained his first alpine experiences at the Peilstein in the Wienerwald mountains and in the Ennstaler Alps...
, Andreas HeckmairAndreas HeckmairAndreas Heckmair was one of the four men who first climbed the north face of the Eiger in 1938....
and Wiggerl Vörg.
- 1939 : David Brower and the rest of his Berkeley crew use four boltsBolt (climbing)In rock climbing, a bolt is a permanent anchor fixed into a hole drilled in the rock as a form of protection. Most bolts are either self-anchoring expansion bolts or fixed in place with liquid resin....
in the process of ascending Ship Rock in New Mexico.
1940s
- 1940s : World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
leads to the development of inexpensive army surplus pitons, carabiners and the newly-invented nylon rope.
- 1946 : Rene Ferlet climbs Marie-Rose (V3Grade (bouldering)In the sport of bouldering, problems are assigned technical grades according to several established systems, which are often distinct from those used in roped climbing. Bouldering grade systems in wide use include the Hueco "V" grades , Fontainebleau technical grades, route colors, Peak District...
) Fontainebleau
- 1946 : John SalatheJohn SalatheJohn Salathé was a pioneering rock climber, blacksmith and the inventor of the modern piton....
, at the age of 46, attempts to rope-solo aid the first ascent of the Lost Arrow SpireLost Arrow Spire TipThe Lost Arrow Spire Tip is a popular technical climbing route up Lost Arrow Spire. This route begins at an area called The Notch. The Notch can be reached by making two rappels from valleys main wall or by climbing to it via another route from the base of the Lost Arrow Spire...
, one of the most exposed features in Yosemite ValleyYosemite ValleyYosemite Valley is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of California, carved out by the Merced River. The valley is about long and up to a mile deep, surrounded by high granite summits such as Half Dome and El Capitan, and densely forested with pines...
. (The protection bolt he places on that attempt was the first, or one of the first, in the valley.) He is also known for his forged pitons made from the axle of a Model A Ford.
1950s
- 1952 : Lionel TerrayLionel TerrayLionel Terray was a French climber who made many first ascents, including Makalu in the Himalaya and Cerro Fitzroy in the Patagonian Andes ....
ascends the PatagoniaPatagoniaPatagonia is a region located in Argentina and Chile, integrating the southernmost section of the Andes mountains to the southwest towards the Pacific ocean and from the east of the cordillera to the valleys it follows south through Colorado River towards Carmen de Patagones in the Atlantic Ocean...
n peak, Monte Fitz Roy, with Guido Magnone.
- 1952 : Joe BrownJoe Brown (climber)Joseph Brown, CBE is an English climber, born the seventh and last child of a family in the Manchester suburb of Ardwick. He became famous for climbing during the 1950s, and was a member of the Valkyrie climbing club and founding member of the Rock and Ice climbing club. An early climbing partner...
makes the FA of Cenotaph Corner E1 5c(5.10Grade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
) Dinas CromlechDinas CromlechDinas Cromlech is a striking rock outcrop in the Llanberis Pass, Snowdonia, in Gwynedd, northwest Wales, which a characteristic "open book" shape. It is clearly visible from the road , and the obvious rock-climbing route up the corner resisted attempts for many years...
, WalesWalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
- 1952 : John Streetly makes the FA of Bloody Slab E3 5b (5.10dGrade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
) Llanberis PassLlanberis PassThe Llanberis Pass in Snowdonia carries the main road from the SE to Llanberis, over Pen-y-Pass, between the mountain ranges of the Glyderau and the Snowdon massif. At the bottom of the pass is the small village of Nant Peris, clustered round the ancient church of Saint Peris...
, WalesWalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
- 1953 : Robert Paragot climbs Le Joker (V5Grade (bouldering)In the sport of bouldering, problems are assigned technical grades according to several established systems, which are often distinct from those used in roped climbing. Bouldering grade systems in wide use include the Hueco "V" grades , Fontainebleau technical grades, route colors, Peak District...
) Fontainebleau
- 1954 : Joe BrownJoe Brown (climber)Joseph Brown, CBE is an English climber, born the seventh and last child of a family in the Manchester suburb of Ardwick. He became famous for climbing during the 1950s, and was a member of the Valkyrie climbing club and founding member of the Rock and Ice climbing club. An early climbing partner...
and Don WhillansDon WhillansDon Whillans was an English rock climber and mountaineer. Born and raised in a two-up two-down house in Salford, Lancashire, he climbed with both Joe Brown and Chris Bonington on many new routes, and was considered the technical equal of both. He was an apprentice plumber when he first started his...
climb the West Face of Aiguille de BlaitiereAiguille de BlaitièreThe Aiguille de Blaitière is a mountain in the Mont Blanc Massif in Haute-Savoie, France....
, including the famous Fissure Brown (5.11Grade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
), in the AlpsAlpsThe Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
.
- 1955 : Walter BonattiWalter BonattiWalter Bonatti was an Italian mountain climber. He is noted for a solo climb of a new route on the south-west pillar of the Aiguille du Dru in August 1955 and the first solo winter ascent of the Matterhorn north face in 1965.-Life and career:Bonatti was born in Bergamo...
Considered one of the greatest climbs of all time, his solo first ascent of a new route on the Southwest Pillar of the DruAiguille du DruThe Aiguille du Dru is a mountain in the Mont Blanc massif in the French Alps, lying to the east of the village of Les Praz in the Chamonix valley.The mountain has two summits:...
takes six days.
- 1955 : John GillJohn Gill (climber)John Gill is an American mathematician who has achieved recognition for his rock-climbing. He is considered the Father of Modern Bouldering by many climbers.-Early life and professional career:...
introduces chalk & modern dynamicsGlossary of climbing termsThis page describes terms and jargon related to climbing and mountaineering.-A:American death triangle : An anchor which is created by connecting a closed loop of cord or webbing between two points of protection, and then suspending the rope from a carabiner clipped to only one strand of said anchor...
; first V8Grade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
(1957), V9Grade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
(1959) ; freesoloGlossary of climbing termsThis page describes terms and jargon related to climbing and mountaineering.-A:American death triangle : An anchor which is created by connecting a closed loop of cord or webbing between two points of protection, and then suspending the rope from a carabiner clipped to only one strand of said anchor...
s FA Thimble overhang (5.12aGrade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
, though with the shoes of the time and before chalk bags, it was undoubtedly harder) (1961)
- 1957 : Layton KorLayton KorLayton Kor is an American rock climber active in the 1960s, whose first ascents and drive for climbing are well known in the climbing world. His routes include many climbs in Eldorado Canyon, near Boulder, Colorado, The Diamond on Longs Peak, towers in the desert southwest, and Yosemite National...
appears in the climbing community of Colorado and gains recognition as a notable climber. Makes landmark ascents, including Redguard, The Bulge, T2, Naked Edge, X-M, and the Yellow Wall. Kor is noted as one of the key forces behind the progression of climbing in the west.
- 1958 : Warren HardingWarren J. HardingWarren Harding was one of the most accomplished and influential American rock climbers of the 1950s to 1970s. He was the leader of the first team to climb El Capitan, Yosemite Valley, in 1958. The route they climbed, known as The Nose, ascends 2,900 feet up the central buttress of what is one of...
and team climb the 3,000 foot NoseThe Nose (El Capitan)The Nose is one of the original technical climbing routes up El Capitan. Once considered impossible to climb, El Capitan is now the standard for big-wall climbing...
of El CapitanEl CapitanEl Capitan is a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, located on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. The granite monolith extends about from base to summit along its tallest face, and is one of the world's favorite challenges for rock climbers.The formation was...
using siege tactics, taking a total of 45 days over an extended period. Almost entirely aid climbing, with many bolts (125), the climb is given worldwide recognition.
1960s
- 1961 : Royal RobbinsRoyal RobbinsRoyal Robbins is one of the pioneers of American rock climbing. After learning to climb at Tahquitz he went on to make first ascents of many big wall routes in Yosemite...
, Chuck PrattChuck PrattCharles Marshall Pratt was an American rock climber from California, best known for big wall climbing first ascents in Yosemite Valley...
, and Tom FrostTom FrostTom Frost is a rock climber from California, best known for big wall climbing first ascents in Yosemite Valley. He is also a photographer and climbing equipment manufacturer.-Rock climbing and mountaineering:...
ascend the 3,000 foot Salathe WallSalathé Wall (El Capitan)The Salathé Wall is one of the original technical climbing routes up El Capitan, a high granite monolith in Yosemite National Park. The Salathé Wall was named by Yvon Chouinard in honor of John Salathé, a pioneer of rock climbing in Yosemite...
on El CapitanEl CapitanEl Capitan is a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, located on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. The granite monolith extends about from base to summit along its tallest face, and is one of the world's favorite challenges for rock climbers.The formation was...
. Continuous ascent by Robbins & Frost in 1962,.
- 1964 : Robbins, Pratt, Frost, and Yvon ChouinardYvon ChouinardYvon Chouinard is a rock climber, environmentalist and outdoor industry businessman, noted for his contributions to climbing, climbing equipment and the outdoor gear business. His second company, Patagonia is known for its environmental focus...
climb the North American Wall on El CapitanEl CapitanEl Capitan is a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, located on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. The granite monolith extends about from base to summit along its tallest face, and is one of the world's favorite challenges for rock climbers.The formation was...
,
- 1964 :Fritz Eske climb the Konigshangel on Frienstein in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, 5.11bGrade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
- 1967 : Pete Cleveland climbs Superpin in the Black HillsBlack HillsThe Black Hills are a small, isolated mountain range rising from the Great Plains of North America in western South Dakota and extending into Wyoming, USA. Set off from the main body of the Rocky Mountains, the region is something of a geological anomaly—accurately described as an "island of...
(5.11XGrade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
)
- 1968 : Royal RobbinsRoyal RobbinsRoyal Robbins is one of the pioneers of American rock climbing. After learning to climb at Tahquitz he went on to make first ascents of many big wall routes in Yosemite...
solos the Muir Wall on El CapitanEl CapitanEl Capitan is a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, located on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. The granite monolith extends about from base to summit along its tallest face, and is one of the world's favorite challenges for rock climbers.The formation was...
,
1970s
- 1970 :Bernd Arnold climb the North face on the Schwager in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, 5.11dGrade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
- 1971 : Al Rouse climbs Positron E5 6a (5.11Grade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
) Gogarth, Anglesey
- 1971 : Tom FrostTom FrostTom Frost is a rock climber from California, best known for big wall climbing first ascents in Yosemite Valley. He is also a photographer and climbing equipment manufacturer.-Rock climbing and mountaineering:...
and Yvon ChouinardYvon ChouinardYvon Chouinard is a rock climber, environmentalist and outdoor industry businessman, noted for his contributions to climbing, climbing equipment and the outdoor gear business. His second company, Patagonia is known for its environmental focus...
design HexcentricHexcentricHexes are items of rock climbing equipment used to protect climbers from injury during a fall. They are intended to be wedged by into a crack or other opening in the rock, and do not require a hammer to place. They were developed as an alternative to pitons, which are hammered into cracks and are...
s.
- 1974 - 1977 : Jim HollowayJim Holloway----Jim Holloway , an American, was one of the first of a new generation of boulderers for whom the sport was a lifestyle rather than a recreation. He began bouldering in the early 1970s in Boulder, Colorado, and in 1973 established his first notable route, Just Right...
establishes - in ColoradoColoradoColorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
- the hardest boulderingBoulderingBouldering is a style of rock climbing undertaken without a rope and normally limited to very short climbs over a crash pad so that a fall will not result in serious injury. It is typically practiced on large natural boulders or artificial boulders in gyms and outdoor urban areas...
problems in the world, at the time. These include Slapshot (V13Grade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
) and Meathook (V11Grade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
),
- 1976 : John BacharJohn BacharJohn Bachar was an American rock climber noted for his skill at free soloing. A fitness fanatic, he is the father of the climbing training device known as the Bachar ladder.- Biography :...
initiates an era of free soloing with his ascent of New Dimensions 5.11aGrade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
- 1977 : Ray JardineRay JardineRay Jardine is an American rock climber who, with Bill Price, in May 1979, was the first to free climb the West Face of El Capitan in Yosemite Valley...
climbs "Phoenix" in Yosemite ValleyYosemite ValleyYosemite Valley is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of California, carved out by the Merced River. The valley is about long and up to a mile deep, surrounded by high granite summits such as Half Dome and El Capitan, and densely forested with pines...
. 5.13aGrade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
; Pete Cleveland climbs Phlogiston, at Devil's LakeDevil's Lake-Cities, towns, townships etc.:*Devil's Lake, Michigan, a community in Michigan*Devils Lake, North Dakota, a city in North Dakota*Devil's Lake, Saskatchewan, now know as Lucky Lake, Saskatchewan; in Canada-Lakes:...
, 5.13a/bGrade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
or V9Grade (bouldering)In the sport of bouldering, problems are assigned technical grades according to several established systems, which are often distinct from those used in roped climbing. Bouldering grade systems in wide use include the Hueco "V" grades , Fontainebleau technical grades, route colors, Peak District...
- 1978 : Ray JardineRay JardineRay Jardine is an American rock climber who, with Bill Price, in May 1979, was the first to free climb the West Face of El Capitan in Yosemite Valley...
begins selling the first modern spring-loaded camming device (SLCD or cam), which he invented several years earlier.
- 1979 : Tony Yaniro climbs Grand Illusion, Sugarloaf (CA), 5.13b/cGrade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
- 1970s : Sport Climbing is developed, in FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
1980s
- 1980 : BorealBorealBoreal may refer to*Boreal ecosystem**Boreal climate, the climate found in a region of boreal forests, and designated Dfc, Dwc or Dsc in the Köppen climate classification scheme.*boreal forest*Boreal forest of Canada*Boreal Bluet...
introduces the first "sticky rubber" shoe, the Fire
- 1980 : Bill Price climbs Cosmic Debris, Yosemite, 5.13bGrade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
- 1983 : Alan Watts introduces sport climbing to the US, with Tots, 5.12bGrade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
at Smith Rock, OregonOregonOregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
- 1985 : Wolfgang GullichWolfgang GüllichWolfgang Güllich , was born in Ludwigshafen, Germany, and is widely considered to be one of the best sport climbers in history.He first started climbing on the Sandstone-rocks of the 'Südpfalz'...
climbs Punks in the Gym, Mt. Arapiles, (some say the first 5.14a/bGrade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
some say 5.13d)
- 1986 : Antoine Le Menestrel climbs La Rage de Vivre, Buoux, (many credit this as the first 5.14aGrade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
)
- 1987 : Wolfgang GullichWolfgang GüllichWolfgang Güllich , was born in Ludwigshafen, Germany, and is widely considered to be one of the best sport climbers in history.He first started climbing on the Sandstone-rocks of the 'Südpfalz'...
climbs Wallstreet, Frankenjura, 5.14bGrade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
1990s
- 1990 : Ben MoonBen MoonBen Moon is a rock climber from England. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, Ben Moon, along with his climbing partner Jerry Moffatt drove forward the level of sport climbing in the UK especially, but also throughout the world. He was the first person to climb a route at the grade of 8c+,...
climbs Hubble, Raven Tor, 5.14cGrade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
- 1991 : Wolfgang GullichWolfgang GüllichWolfgang Güllich , was born in Ludwigshafen, Germany, and is widely considered to be one of the best sport climbers in history.He first started climbing on the Sandstone-rocks of the 'Südpfalz'...
climbs Action DirecteAction Directe (climb)Action Directe is a famously difficult sport climb in the Frankenjura, Germany.Milan Sykora bolted this line in the 80's. The first ascent was by Wolfgang Güllich in 1991, who climbed the route using a 16 move sequence...
, Frankenjura, the first 5.14d / 9a / 11Grade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
- 1992 : John MiddendorfJohn MiddendorfJohn Middendorf is a big wall climber and inventor of climbing equipment.In the 1980s, he climbed the hardest walls of Yosemite , and in 1992 he climbed the largest rock wall in the world, Great Trango Tower- Great Trango new route :He achieved worldwide recognition in the climbing world in 1992...
and Xaver Bongard climb The Grande Voyage, in 18 days on the world's tallest sheer rock face, Great Trango Tower, Karakoram, considered the hardest big wall climb in the world. 5.10+,A4+,WI4Grade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
- 1993 : Lynn HillLynn HillLynn Hill is a United States rock climber, known as a top sport climber of the 1980s and famous for making the first free ascent of the Nose Route on El Capitan in Yosemite Valley....
makes the first free climbingFree climbingFree climbing is a type of rock climbing in which the climber uses only hands, feet and other parts of the body to ascend, employing ropes and forms of climbing protection to prevent falls only....
ascent of the 3,000 foot Nose RouteThe Nose (El Capitan)The Nose is one of the original technical climbing routes up El Capitan. Once considered impossible to climb, El Capitan is now the standard for big-wall climbing...
of El CapitanEl CapitanEl Capitan is a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, located on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. The granite monolith extends about from base to summit along its tallest face, and is one of the world's favorite challenges for rock climbers.The formation was...
(~5.13Grade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
). Although there had been many ascents of The NoseThe Nose (El Capitan)The Nose is one of the original technical climbing routes up El Capitan. Once considered impossible to climb, El Capitan is now the standard for big-wall climbing...
, none had been done entirely without artificial aid. For years this had been the most coveted goal in the world of rock climbing.
- 1995 : Fred RouhlingFred RouhlingFred Rouhling is a French rock climber, famed for his 1995 proposal of the grade 9b/5.15b for his unrepeated climb Akira...
climbs Akira, Charente, ~5.15Grade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
- 1998 : Bernabe Fernandes climbs Orujo, Malaga, ~5.15Grade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
2000s
- 2001 : Chris SharmaChris SharmaChris Omprakash Sharma is an American rock climber.-History:Chris Omprakash Sharma was raised in Santa Cruz, California, son of Gita Jahn and Bob Sharma. He started rock climbing when he was 12 at the Pacific Edge climbing gym...
climbs RealizationRealization (climb)Realization, or Biographie, is a sport climbing route on a crag on the southern face of the 2016-metre Montagne de Céüse near Gap and Céüse, France....
, Ceuse, 5.15aGrade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
- 2003 : Ramón Julián climbs La Rambla (climb), 5.15aGrade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
- 2006 : Chris SharmaChris SharmaChris Omprakash Sharma is an American rock climber.-History:Chris Omprakash Sharma was raised in Santa Cruz, California, son of Gita Jahn and Bob Sharma. He started rock climbing when he was 12 at the Pacific Edge climbing gym...
climbs "Es Pontas" in Mallorca, Spain, a free-solo over deep water, assigning a grade of ~5.15Grade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
, Dave MacLeodDave MacLeodDave MacLeod is a Scottish rock climber and one of the foremost climbers in the UK, and one of the most accomplished all-round climbers in the world today...
climbs Rhapsody in Dumbarton, assigning a grade of E11 7aGrade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
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- 2007 : Dani Andrada climbs "Ali Hulk Direct" in Rodellar, Spain, claiming a grade of 5.15bGrade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...
- 2008 : Chris SharmaChris SharmaChris Omprakash Sharma is an American rock climber.-History:Chris Omprakash Sharma was raised in Santa Cruz, California, son of Gita Jahn and Bob Sharma. He started rock climbing when he was 12 at the Pacific Edge climbing gym...
climbs "Jumbo Love" on Clark Mountain, California, claiming a grade of 5.15bGrade (climbing)In rock climbing, mountaineering and other climbing disciplines, climbers give a climbing grade to a route that concisely describes the difficulty and danger of climbing the route...