Climbing History
A selected history of climbing and mountaineering through the climbers, climbs and media.
3602 Climbers
7157 Climbs
18623 Ascents
Featured
Steve McClure
Steve McClure is a British sport climber and boulderer who was at the forefront of English and Welsh sport climbing from the late 1990s to until late 2010s and in more recent years has applied his considerable talents to establishing and repeating some of the hardest trad climbs in the UK.
In 1998 he established Mutation at Raven Tor, at the time he suggested 9a but it steadfastly stood the test of time with a repeat taking until 2021 to materialise and along with it an upgrade to 9a+ making it one of the first of the grade in the world. He then went on to further cement himself as Britain's leading sport climber of the time by climbing Ben Moon's Kilnsey project to produce Northern Lights.
Over the following decades Steve continued to almost single-handedly push hard sport climbing in the UK with routes like Rainshadow, Overshadow and Rainman as well as many other notable contributions to Malham Cove, Kilnsey and the peak district.
Steve is also a very capable trad climber and has repeated and established some of the UKs hardest trad climbs. For example his onsight of Nightmayer on Dinas Cromlech is one of the most impressive ascents in this style in the UK as of 2021.
The first time I came to Malham it looked like the easiest crag in the world...
References
[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/steve_mcclure_climbs_1000th_8a_-_the_magic_grade-15509
[2] Interview with Keith Sharples On The Edge Issue 103, page 42
[3] Video with Magnus Midtbø, Jan 2026 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAmM46vFn1Y
Steve McClure is a British sport climber and boulderer who was at the forefront of English and Welsh sport climbing from the late 1990s to until late 2010s and in more recent years has applied his considerable talents to establishing and repeating some of the hardest trad climbs in the UK.
In 1998 he established Mutation at Raven Tor, at the time he suggested 9a but it steadfastly stood the test of time with a repeat taking until 2021 to materialise and along with it an upgrade to 9a+ making it one of the first of the grade in the world. He then went on to further cement himself as Britain's leading sport climber of the time by climbing Ben Moon's Kilnsey project to produce Northern Lights.
Over the following decades Steve continued to almost single-handedly push hard sport climbing in the UK with routes like Rainshadow, Overshadow and Rainman as well as many other notable contributions to Malham Cove, Kilnsey and the peak district.
Steve is also a very capable trad climber and has repeated and established some of the UKs hardest trad climbs. For example his onsight of Nightmayer on Dinas Cromlech is one of the most impressive ascents in this style in the UK as of 2021.
The first time I came to Malham it looked like the easiest crag in the world...
References
[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/steve_mcclure_climbs_1000th_8a_-_the_magic_grade-15509
[2] Interview with Keith Sharples On The Edge Issue 103, page 42
[3] Video with Magnus Midtbø, Jan 2026 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAmM46vFn1Y
Pics + Vids
Featuring 9029 pictures and videos. Try searching for a climber, climb or summit to see pics and videos.
Stefano Ghisolfi on Adularia (8C)
Giuliano Cameroni on Off the Wagon Low (8C+)
Alex Megos on Stuey 5 Bellies (8A+)
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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 4004 podcasts. Try searching for a climber to see podcasts with them, or check out some of these podcasts:
- Andy Pollitt on The Layback Podcast, September 2019
- Ines Papert on CIA - Climbing Intelligence Agency, April 2022
- Luke Mehall on Sends and Suffers, October 2024
- Steph Davis on Jam Crack Podcast, March 2025
Library
Featuring 11023 items in the library. Try a search to see what you can find, or check out these library items:
- First Ascent (1982) Film
- Alpine Journal 1903 Vol 21 335-340 Expeditions (1903) Journal
- Moelwynion Interim Guide (1962) Guidebook
Recent updates
One of the first sport routes in the UK to be climbed in 'red point' style, where the moves were practised before the final ascent. Prior to this routes were more typically climbed onsight or in yoyo style where pre-practicing the moves wasn't allowed.
Originally given E7 7a. Early on the lip of a pocket on the route fell off making the route harder. Jerry Moffatt attempted to repair the hold but the repair quickly failed. Jerry re-climbed it with the pocket in the worse state. Around the same time Mark Pretty also applied some sika to the back of the pocket to try and reduce seepage.
A pioneering route up Trango's Nameless Tower, encompassing hard free and mixed climbing at 6000m.
The route was established in 1989 by Kurt Albert, Wolfgang Güllich, Christof Stiegler and Milan Sykora, graded VI, 7b+, A2.
The whole route was freed by the Huber brothers in 2009, during an unprecedented spell of good weather, at 7c+.
"There's no doubt we were extremely lucky. To be successful, so many different things have to fall into place. The weather was great which meant we could climb perfectly, up the cracks which were free of ice. I take my hat off to the achievement and free climbing instinct of the first ascenders. This route is a true enrichment for mountaineering. With "Eternal Flame" Kurt Albert, Wolfgang Güllich, Christof Stiegler and Milan Sykora have passed on the best and most beautiful free climb on the globe. We are thrilled that we could play a little part in developing this route!"
Only the third ever route to be free climbed on El Capitan, after Salathé Wall and The Nose. Incorporates parts of Continental Drift (a mixed free and aid route) then largely follows the North America Wall climbed free in its upper half. Until discovery of the Pineapple Express Variation all ascents used a short pendulum to overcome a 10m blank section.
References
[1] https://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/12199901800