Climbing History
A selected history of climbing and mountaineering through the climbers, climbs and media.
3952 Climbers
7711 Climbs
20211 Ascents
Featured
Johnny Dawes
Johnny Dawes is a very influential climber in the British climbing scene, with many of his routes from the 1980s helping to define the era. Alongside contemporaries such as Jerry Moffatt and Ben Moon he helped take over the mantle from the likes of Ron Fawcett and pushed the standards in trad climbing to new levels, culminating in his ascent of Indian Face on Clogwyn Du'r Arddu (Cloggy).
Whilst Johnny's trad climbing was cutting edge he did not embrace sport climbing in the way that many did in the early 90s, though he did still climb up to 8b+, a very respectable level for the time.
Jon Barton: Do you think you ever shocked anybody Johnny?
Well I'd been at this mad party over in Wales. I left in the early hours to drive over to Sheffield, I like driving at night when the roads are quiet. I could tell you about the Snake Pass first thing at dawn, but that's boring hippy stuff. I got to Sheffield, and broke into the back of Al Rouse's house. I was in the kitchen making coffee, admiring Al's new decorating efforts, I went up stairs and jumped into his room and onto the bed, to be faced by two worried looking strangers hiding under the duvet. Al had moved out some weeks earlier.
JB: No Johnny, did you ever shock anybody with your climbing?
References
[1] Interview with Niall Grimes and Nick Dixon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gfAxYENlmU
[2] Features in 80's Birth of Extreme
[3] Interview for the film Stone Monkey, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdeaV_vfp5Q
[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D88mEgfHJ-I
[5] Interview with Jon Barton, On The Edge 63 (1996) /library/11066/on-the-edge-63
[6] What Climbing Has Taught Me (2025) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L_uSJH7-30
Johnny Dawes is a very influential climber in the British climbing scene, with many of his routes from the 1980s helping to define the era. Alongside contemporaries such as Jerry Moffatt and Ben Moon he helped take over the mantle from the likes of Ron Fawcett and pushed the standards in trad climbing to new levels, culminating in his ascent of Indian Face on Clogwyn Du'r Arddu (Cloggy).
Whilst Johnny's trad climbing was cutting edge he did not embrace sport climbing in the way that many did in the early 90s, though he did still climb up to 8b+, a very respectable level for the time.
Jon Barton: Do you think you ever shocked anybody Johnny?
Well I'd been at this mad party over in Wales. I left in the early hours to drive over to Sheffield, I like driving at night when the roads are quiet. I could tell you about the Snake Pass first thing at dawn, but that's boring hippy stuff. I got to Sheffield, and broke into the back of Al Rouse's house. I was in the kitchen making coffee, admiring Al's new decorating efforts, I went up stairs and jumped into his room and onto the bed, to be faced by two worried looking strangers hiding under the duvet. Al had moved out some weeks earlier.
JB: No Johnny, did you ever shock anybody with your climbing?
References
[1] Interview with Niall Grimes and Nick Dixon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gfAxYENlmU
[2] Features in 80's Birth of Extreme
[3] Interview for the film Stone Monkey, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdeaV_vfp5Q
[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D88mEgfHJ-I
[5] Interview with Jon Barton, On The Edge 63 (1996) /library/11066/on-the-edge-63
[6] What Climbing Has Taught Me (2025) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L_uSJH7-30
Pics + Vids
Featuring 9771 pictures and videos. Try searching for a climber, climb or summit to see pics and videos.
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You may also be interested in the Mountain Heritage Trust, a charity dedicated to preserving the rich history of climbing and mountaineering. Their collection includes many unique and valuable items, from rare guidebooks through to the boots worn by Doug Scott on the 1977 Ogre expedition.
Explore
Fancy a look around? You can browse by climber or by climbs, or you can check out some lists. For example
- All sport ascents of 9b or above
- British women who have climbed 7C or above
- British men who have climbed 8c or above
Podcasts
Featuring 4166 podcasts. Try searching for a climber to see podcasts with them, or check out some of these podcasts:
- Sierra Blaire-Coyle on The Testpiece Podcast, October 2025
- Tommy Caldwell on The Struggle Climbing Show, September 2022
- John Long on The Nugget, June 2021
- Jorg Verhoeven on The Careless Talk Climbing Podcast, September 2024
Library
Featuring 14883 items in the library. Try a search to see what you can find, or check out these library items:
- Last Line of Defense (2025) Film
- Alpine Journal 2007 142-146 Gray History (2007) Journal
- Guernsey: Not-so-New Climbs Guidebook
Recent updates
References
I first tried the route back in 2024 to see if I would enjoy a harder project and to be honest while I was having fun I was no where near the level and realised I’d have to get a lot stronger and fitter for the route. I spent 2025 addressing this in the UK, focusing my efforts on the steepest climbs at Kilnsey and went back Oct 2025 and felt much more worthy of being on a route of that grade. Another short trip in March and I’d managed the route in 2 halves despite some tricky conditions. So back in May for a week to try and dispatch but I kinda buckled under the pressure I’d put on myself, I was a nervous wreck. I left having got very close but also just mentally drained. We snuck away for a 4 day trip at the end of May and I think this just took the pressure off just enough to get it done. [3]
References
[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/DZFrMLsDAj8/?img_index=1
[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2026/06/jen_wood_becomes_third_british_woman_to_climb_9a-74163
[3] https://www.8a.nu/news/jennifer-wood-ticks-climb-for-life-9a
References
[1] https://www.8a.nu/news/jennifer-wood-ticks-climb-for-life-9a
Vancouver/Squamish bred Yosemite big wall pioneer. Climbed The Nose with Hugh Burton in 1970 aged 17 and went on to make first ascents of Mescalito and Magic Mushroom.
References
[1] https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/203125022/steve-sutton
Vancouver/Squamish bred Yosemite big wall pioneer. Climbed The Nose with Hugh Burton in 1970 aged 17 and went on to make first ascents of Mescalito and Magic Mushroom.