Climbing History
A selected history of climbing and mountaineering through the climbers, climbs and media.
4716 Climbers
8397 Climbs
22501 Ascents
Featured
The Great Escape | E8 Trad climb at Cioch na h-Oighe
The route takes the sole weakness in one of the UK's largest sweeps of granite.
I was stunned at the scale and quality of the wall and it is a fantastic piece of rock, technical and bold with the huge flake feature on the main pitch. The route is awesome and world class.
John's first ascent was not without controversy, as Dave MacLeod made a competing claim at around the same time, having found the top pitch dirty and unchalked.
References
[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2016/05/mchaffie_and_dunne_on_the_great_escape-70475
The route takes the sole weakness in one of the UK's largest sweeps of granite.
I was stunned at the scale and quality of the wall and it is a fantastic piece of rock, technical and bold with the huge flake feature on the main pitch. The route is awesome and world class.
John's first ascent was not without controversy, as Dave MacLeod made a competing claim at around the same time, having found the top pitch dirty and unchalked.
References
[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2016/05/mchaffie_and_dunne_on_the_great_escape-70475
On this day 31st October
2022 Will Bosi climbed Alphane 9A at Chironico
Before the first ascent Will had been playing on the boulder with Dave Graham and trying some of the moves. At the time the line seemed too futuristic so he didn't dedicate to it.
After Shawn Raboutou made the first ascent Will got psyched on the line again and headed out with Aidan Roberts, initially just to try the line and then, when he made quick progress, to send it.
In terms of a grade, I personally felt that Honey Badger was more of a challenge for me and proposing a grade for that at the time was daunting as it was my first 8C+. At the cutting edge of climbing, grading feels so much more difficult as the margins are that much finer and personal strengths and preferences really come into play.
Is it 9A? Honestly, I do not know and as I gain more experience of climbing around this grade range I may have a better view, but it is a fantastic line established by Shawn [Raboutou] and I look forward to seeing more experienced climbers comment on where the grade sits.
- 1986 Piotr Korczak made the first ascent of Chiński Maharadża 7c+ at Dolina Bolechowicka
- 1987 Philip Jewel died
- 2010 Dave MacLeod made the first ascent of Die by the Drop E10 at Glen Shian
- 2021 Will Bosi climbed Mutation 9a+ at Raven Tor
- 2022 Jonathan Siegrist climbed Flex Luthor 9a+ at the Fortress of Solitude
Pics + Vids
Featuring 10997 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 4387 podcasts. Try searching for a climber to see podcasts with them, or check out some of these podcasts:
- Bernd Zangerl on The Careless Talk Climbing Podcast (2024)
- Brad Gobright on The Enormocast (2019)
- Steven Dimmitt on The Nugget (2022)
- Hazel Findlay on American Alpine Club Podcast (2024)
Library
Featuring 16232 items in the library. Try a search to see what you can find, or check out these library items:
- Tomorrow I Will Be Gone (2012) Film
- Alpine Journal 2012 329-337 MEF Reports (2012) Journal
- Brecon Beacon National Park Part 5 (2017) Guidebook
Recent updates
Participated in the final push, belaying and hauling.
References
[1] https://alpinist.com/features/remembering-george-whitmore-1931-2021/
American mountaineer and big-wall climber. First ascentionist of The Nose (A2).
References
[1] https://www.climbing.com/culture-climbing/a-climber-we-lost-george-whitmore/
[2] https://alpinist.com/features/remembering-george-whitmore-1931-2021/
American mountaineer and big-wall climber. First ascentionist of The Nose (A2).
References
[1] https://www.climbing.com/culture-climbing/a-climber-we-lost-george-whitmore/
American mountaineer and big-wall climber. First ascentionist of The Nose (A2).
Californian big-wall climber, national park administrator, mountain guide and search and rescue coordinator, educator, and conservationist. First ascentionist of The Nose (A2).
First as park ranger and latterly Curry Company employee Merry was responsible for setting up much of Yosemite climbing-related infrastructure including YOSAR (search and rescue), the Mountain Shop, and the Yosemite Guide Service.
He moved to British Columbia for the second half of his life.
References
[2] https://gripped.com/news/words-with-now-canadian-wayne-merry-who-was-on-the-nose-first-ascent/
Californian big-wall climber, national park administrator, mountain guide and search and rescue coordinator, educator, and conservationist. First ascentionist of The Nose (A2).
First as park ranger and latterly Curry Company employee Merry was responsible for setting up much of Yosemite climbing-related infrastructure including YOSAR (search and rescue), the Mountain Shop, and the Yosemite Guide Service.
He moved to British Columbia for the latter half of his life.
References
[2] https://gripped.com/news/words-with-now-canadian-wayne-merry-who-was-on-the-nose-first-ascent/
Californian big-wall climber, national park administrator, mountain guide and search and rescue coordinator, educator, and conservationist. First ascentionist of The Nose (A2).
First as park ranger and latterly Curry Company employee Merry was responsible for setting up much of Yosemite climbing-related infrastructure including YOSAR (search and rescue), the Mountain Shop, and the Yosemite Guide Service.
References
[2] https://gripped.com/news/words-with-now-canadian-wayne-merry-who-was-on-the-nose-first-ascent/
Merry joined Harding alternating leads for the last season of work on the route.
References
Californian big-wall climber, national park administrator, mountain guide and search and rescue coordinator, educator, and conservationist. First ascentionist of The Nose (A2).
First as park ranger and latterly Curry Company employee Merry was responsible for setting up much of Yosemite climbing-related infrastructure including YOSAR (search and rescue), the Mountain Shop, and the Yosemite Guide Service.
References
Merry joined Harding for the last season of work on the route.