Climbing History
A selected history of climbing and mountaineering through the climbers, climbs and media.
3670 Climbers
7314 Climbs
19058 Ascents
Featured
James McHaffie
James McHaffie is a prolific North Wales based trad climber who's also a very capable sport climber. He is one of the best trad onsight climbers in the UK (and potentially the world) with over a hundred E7 onsights to his name. He's also completed some impressive challenges, such as the 100 lakes extremes in a day.
On the 26th May 2021 James climbed Revelations at Raven Tor, the last route of 180 on his way to ticking every route in the book Extreme Rock. This incredible effort demonstrates a huge breadth and depth of experience, from relatively pedestrian climbs such as The Strand at Gogarth (North Stack And Main Cliff) to bold and intimidating leads such as Johnny Dawes' Indian Face and Jerry Moffatt's Master's Wall.
References
[1] Interview with DMM, September 2021 https://dmmwales.com/journal/may-2021/mchaffie-completes-extreme-rock
[2] Interview with RockClimbingUK, 2011 https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php?topic=23709.0
[3] Interview with Marc Langley for UKClimbing.com, September 2020 https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/james_mchaffie_-_the_cumbrian-13045
[4] Adam Hocking picture of James McHaffie during his 100 lakes extremes in a day challenge https://www.instagram.com/p/CDb9sm3DI-T/
[5] https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/ticklists/caffs_100_lakeland_extremes-890
James McHaffie is a prolific North Wales based trad climber who's also a very capable sport climber. He is one of the best trad onsight climbers in the UK (and potentially the world) with over a hundred E7 onsights to his name. He's also completed some impressive challenges, such as the 100 lakes extremes in a day.
On the 26th May 2021 James climbed Revelations at Raven Tor, the last route of 180 on his way to ticking every route in the book Extreme Rock. This incredible effort demonstrates a huge breadth and depth of experience, from relatively pedestrian climbs such as The Strand at Gogarth (North Stack And Main Cliff) to bold and intimidating leads such as Johnny Dawes' Indian Face and Jerry Moffatt's Master's Wall.
References
[1] Interview with DMM, September 2021 https://dmmwales.com/journal/may-2021/mchaffie-completes-extreme-rock
[2] Interview with RockClimbingUK, 2011 https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php?topic=23709.0
[3] Interview with Marc Langley for UKClimbing.com, September 2020 https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/james_mchaffie_-_the_cumbrian-13045
[4] Adam Hocking picture of James McHaffie during his 100 lakes extremes in a day challenge https://www.instagram.com/p/CDb9sm3DI-T/
[5] https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/ticklists/caffs_100_lakeland_extremes-890
Pics + Vids
Featuring 9291 pictures and videos. Try searching for a climber, climb or summit to see pics and videos.
Eduard Marin on Mora Mora 8c
Bryce Viola on Ripple Effect 8B
Support
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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 4060 podcasts. Try searching for a climber to see podcasts with them, or check out some of these podcasts:
- Amity Warme on The Struggle Climbing Show, January 2024
- Tara Kerzhner on The Enormocast, November 2020
- Ben Moon on Written in Stone, November 2023
- Ruby Petch on Jam Crack Podcast, July 2023
Library
Featuring 11030 items in the library. Try a search to see what you can find, or check out these library items:
- Biographie - Chris Sharma Film
- Alpine Journal 1925 Vol 37 22-38 Physiology Hingston (1925) Journal
- Moel-y-Gest Quarry (2010) Guidebook
Recent updates
Will Stanhope was a Canadian trad climber, soloist and big wall climber.
He made early repeats of hard testpieces such as Cobra Crack (E9) in 2009. In 2015, after 4 years of work, he established Tom Egan Memorial Route (8c) with Matt Segal the Bugaboos.
Will tragically died in 2026. While climbing Rutabaga in Squamish he took a bad fall and suffered a serious head injury. [2]
References
[1] Soloing in Joshua Tree https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsU5PjguPgw
There are no hands-off stances on the entire four-pitch crux headwall. We used the old aid belays. I’ll be the first in line to hand over an ice-cold sixer of Kokanee mountain-sized beers to whoever links this beast ledge to ledge.
References
[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/6fjH9pDpSI/
[2] https://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13201213997/Let-the-Progression-Continue
References
References
[1] Soloing in Joshua Tree https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsU5PjguPgw
American big wall climber, most known for his speed ascents and linkups in Yosemite.
In 2025, alongside Michael Vaill, he became part of the second team to complete the El Cap Triple in under 24 hours, following Alex Honnold and Sean Leary.