Climbing History
A selected history of climbing and mountaineering through the climbers, climbs and media.
3493 Climbers
6887 Climbs
17869 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 8606 pictures and videos. Try searching for a climber, climb or summit to see pics and videos.
Jorge Díaz-Rullo on Tiger Cat (8c)
Oriane Bertone on La Cicatrice de l'Ohm (8A+)
Will Smith on Weeding the Lip (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 3892 podcasts. Try searching for a climber to see podcasts with them, or check out some of these podcasts:
- Chris Snyder on First Ascent, March 2025
- Katie Lamb on The Careless Talk Climbing Podcast, March 2025
- Jérémy Bonder on BlokCast, July 2023
- Alex Honnold on The Enormocast, July 2017
Library
Featuring 11020 items in the library. Try a search to see what you can find, or check out these library items:
- The Dawn Wall (2017) Film
- The Mountaineers (1967) Journal
- Brassington Rocks (1950) Guidebook
Recent updates
Hasn’t sprayed
2nd session. Hasn’t sprayed
Starts with a 9a (35 minutes of climbing), then into an 8C+ crux boulder.
Unclimbed route in Russan, France.
Starts with a 9a (35 minutes of climbing), then into an 8C+ crux boulder.
References
Daniel originally graded this boulder 8C+, however, he later changed his opinion to hard 8C
References
First re-ascent after a hold crumbled.
Getting up at 5.50 am. Jumping on a train and while on the train doing some client-feedback for my climbing- coaching (answering questions about the weekly training, tactical approaches for trips ). Then teaching 3 lectures (Business and economics) at technical university during the day. Back on a train in the late afternoon and some more client feedback. Arriving home i went for a 45min powernap. Cold shower. Food. Coffee. Left home around 8pm. Arrived at the boulder in Ticino around 11pm. Usual warmup ritual (mindset work included). Snacking (Choco-Croissant). 1am first try - heel slipped in the crux at the end. Long rest. Going for a walk. More snacking (Carrot-cake ;). Finally had the one perfect go with no mistake, still nearly slipped on the mantel - topped it out around 2am (2nd try of the night). No big screaming. Just very [content]. Long rest on top of the boulder. More Snacking. Back home around 7am I guess. Good thing work started at 1pm that day - not at 8am ;) [2]
References
[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/Cx5v2DzNvWH/
[2] https://www.8a.nu/news/martin-keller-45-does-gateway-8c+-tvay4
[3] Interview with Climber.com, October 2023 https://www.climbing.com/people/martin-keller-interview-2023/