Climbing History
A selected history of climbing and mountaineering through the climbers, climbs and media.
4172 Climbers
8096 Climbs
21549 Ascents
Featured
Oriane Bertone
Oriane Bertone is one of the most successful comp climbers of the 2020s and represented France at the Paris Olympics in 2024. She was also a Bleausard child prodigy, ticking many of the forest’s hard classics, and was the youngest person to climb 8B+ with her ascent of Golden Shadow in Rocklands, aged 12.
Bertone was born in Nice and grew up on the French island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean in a family that loved the outdoors:
When you are a child, you just want to climb everywhere in trees and walls. That is what was fun about it. It was just natural. I started climbing outside and being outside just felt amazing. I've always liked nature, and we used to go hiking all the time with my parents.
Having dominated the youth comps in 2019, in 2020, aged 15, she focused again on rock where highlights included the first ascents of Satan i Helvete (Bas) (8B+) and Panonoramix et les Cyclopes (8c). The following year, the focus returned to comps, placing second in two boulder world cups, but she still found time to make a rapid repeat of Super Tanker (8B+).
Over the next five years Bertone racked up over a dozen IFSC podium finishes, with her first win in Prague in 2023. In 2024 she made the finals of the Paris Olympics, placing 8th. In 2026 she won the inaugural Pro Climbing League bouldering event in London and made the first female ascent of Gecko (assis) (8B+).
Her younger brother Max Bertone is also a notable comp and outdoor climber.
References
[1] Interview with Arthur Delicque for Grimper, August 2024 https://www.grimper.com/news-une-tisane-oriane
[2] The Ascent, a 2025 documentary about Oriane https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL8HmtR--Fk
[3] https://www.olympics.com/en/news/french-sport-climber-oriane-bertone-2023-interview
Oriane Bertone is one of the most successful comp climbers of the 2020s and represented France at the Paris Olympics in 2024. She was also a Bleausard child prodigy, ticking many of the forest’s hard classics, and was the youngest person to climb 8B+ with her ascent of Golden Shadow in Rocklands, aged 12.
Bertone was born in Nice and grew up on the French island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean in a family that loved the outdoors:
When you are a child, you just want to climb everywhere in trees and walls. That is what was fun about it. It was just natural. I started climbing outside and being outside just felt amazing. I've always liked nature, and we used to go hiking all the time with my parents.
Having dominated the youth comps in 2019, in 2020, aged 15, she focused again on rock where highlights included the first ascents of Satan i Helvete (Bas) (8B+) and Panonoramix et les Cyclopes (8c). The following year, the focus returned to comps, placing second in two boulder world cups, but she still found time to make a rapid repeat of Super Tanker (8B+).
Over the next five years Bertone racked up over a dozen IFSC podium finishes, with her first win in Prague in 2023. In 2024 she made the finals of the Paris Olympics, placing 8th. In 2026 she won the inaugural Pro Climbing League bouldering event in London and made the first female ascent of Gecko (assis) (8B+).
Her younger brother Max Bertone is also a notable comp and outdoor climber.
References
[1] Interview with Arthur Delicque for Grimper, August 2024 https://www.grimper.com/news-une-tisane-oriane
[2] The Ascent, a 2025 documentary about Oriane https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL8HmtR--Fk
[3] https://www.olympics.com/en/news/french-sport-climber-oriane-bertone-2023-interview
Pics + Vids
Featuring 10476 pictures and videos. Try searching for a climber, climb or summit to see pics and videos.
Akiyo Noguchi on The Globalist 8B+
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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 4253 podcasts. Try searching for a climber to see podcasts with them, or check out some of these podcasts:
- Karin Magog on Jam Crack Podcast (2021)
- Ron Kauk on The Nugget (2021)
- Fred Nicole on Written in Stone (2023)
- Sam Watson on CIA - Climbing Intelligence Agency (2024)
Library
Featuring 16092 items in the library. Try a search to see what you can find, or check out these library items:
- Meru (2015) Film
- Alpine Journal 1905 Vol 22 621-625 Reviews Notices (1905) Journal
- Brecon Beacon National Park Part 6 (2017) Guidebook
Recent updates
Percy Weightman died in an accident on Tryfan on Easter 1901. While descending he slipped and fell over a cliff. A memorial cross was carved into the rock where his body was found.
C. F. Cameron:
The great climb in this group, however, is the hand-traverse across the rock-face above the cavern’s mouth. I am told that it is bad form to name climbs after individuals; but I am unwilling to relinquish the title of “Puttrell’s Progress” that has been bestowed on this particular piece of work. Mr. J. W. Puttrell, as every reader of this journal knows, is a capable and daring cragsman. It is more to the point here to mention that he is the discoverer of Wharncliffe Crags as climbing-ground, and that he has not only wrought mighty deeds there himself, but has been the preceptor of various pupils, good, bad and indifferent. This hand-traverse is at present his monopoly, and is one of the most sensational climbs to be found at the Crags. The difficulties do not end with the traverse, for the ascent to the top of the rock involves some awkward balancing on small ledges that slope downwards. [1]
References
[1] Climbers' Club Journal vol. 4 no. 15 (1902), page 128 /library/7338/climbers-club-1902-vol.4-no.15-journal
Around 1900.
C. F. Cameron:
The rocks to be described in this article are within a few miles of Sheffield, and the climber may reach them from the town, if the railway be punctually inclined, in about half-an-hour. The mountaineer is most favourably placed in Sheffield. He may maintain his staying power by means of walks among the hills and dales of the Peak District, a mountain country in miniature. If he has a liking for the fancy or gymnastic aspects of the sport, he may gratify that liking abundantly by going northward to Wharncliffe Crags. There he may find climbs in plenty to suit his taste—whether he be a tyro like the present writer, or whether he has achieved that combination of the qualities of cat and chamois which entitle him to consider himself an expert climber. [1]
References
[1] Climbers' Club Journal vol. 4 no. 15 (1902), page 124 /library/7338/climbers-club-1902-vol.4-no.15-journal
C. F. Cameron:
The rocks to be described in this article are within a few miles of Sheffield, and the climber may reach them from the town, if the railway be punctually inclined, in about half-an-hour. The mountaineer is most favourably placed in Sheffield. He may maintain his staying power by means of walks among the hills and dales of the Peak District, a mountain country in miniature. If he has a liking for the fancy or gymnastic aspects of the sport, he may gratify that liking abundantly by going northward to Wharncliffe Crags. There he may find climbs in plenty to suit his taste—whether he be a tyro like the present writer, or whether he has achieved that combination of the qualities of cat and chamois which entitle him to consider himself an expert climber.
References
[1] Climbers' Club Journal vol. 4 no. 15 (1902), page 124 /library/7338/climbers-club-1902-vol.4-no.15-journal