Climbing History
A selected history of climbing and mountaineering through the climbers, climbs and media.
4760 Climbers
8457 Climbs
22812 Ascents
Featured
El Niño | E8 Trad climb on El Capitan
The third route to be free climbed on El Capitan after Salathé Wall and The Nose.
The first ascent by Alexander and Thomas Huber followed meticulous preparation, with every hold ticked and every gear placement labelled. Just a few days after the first ascent, British teenagers Leo Houlding and Patch Hammond made an extraordinary almost-onsight ascent of the route for their first big wall.
The route 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
The third route to be free climbed on El Capitan after Salathé Wall and The Nose.
The first ascent by Alexander and Thomas Huber followed meticulous preparation, with every hold ticked and every gear placement labelled. Just a few days after the first ascent, British teenagers Leo Houlding and Patch Hammond made an extraordinary almost-onsight ascent of the route for their first big wall.
The route 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
On this day 12th November
2017 Jonny Kydd climbed You Can Go Now 8B at The Cuttings Boulderfield
Props to Huffy for putting up this beast! Second ascent? After doing all the moves on the first session I thought it was going to go down quickly but stacking hard move after hard move again and again resulted in 5 sessions of sitting under this boulder!
- 1886 Günter Dyhrenfurth was born
- 1980 Jonny Woodward made the first ascent of Iguanodon E5 at Running Hill Pits
- 2008 Alex Honnold flashed Gaia E8 at Black Rocks
- 2021 Holly Rees made the first ascent of Converser 8A at Raven Tor
- 2023 Adam Ondra made the first ascent of El Maquinista 9a+ at Montanejos
Pics + Vids
Featuring 11177 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.
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- All sport ascents of 9b or above
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Podcasts
Featuring 4414 podcasts. Try searching for a climber to see podcasts with them, or check out some of these podcasts:
- Molly Mitchell on Lattice Training (2022)
- Anna Hazlett on The Struggle Climbing Show (2024)
- Tom Randall on The Testpiece Podcast (2024)
- Tom O'Halloran on The Hangout Climbing (2026)
Library
Featuring 16264 items in the library. Try a search to see what you can find, or check out these library items:
- Reel Rock 12 (2017) Film
- Alpine Journal 1916 Vol 30 44-47 Travers Jackson Hex River Capr (1916) Journal
- Scawfell (1924) Guidebook
Recent updates
Known as 'The Easy Easy' project before it was done. 127 sessions spanning 10 seasons.
Steve's diary of his attempts on the route is available here http://www.steve-mcclure.com/articles/131-rainman-saga.
16/5/2013 - session 40, on a training link of Bat Route in to the top of Rainman.
Great conditions. I knew I would do it. But I didn’t! Foiled by the snagging krab, Rich Heap had left it open when filming. Gutted! 2nd go fell on heartbreaker slap, 3rd go actually almost held the sloper. All over it today, it just would not give in!
20/4/2014 - Session 53
Waste of time today, and very frustrating. Whats the point of spending all season building back up to a level that is nowhere near. Basically I already know its too hard, the curve doesn’t come close to the target. I’m out of time already. Mentally its over, probably forever, with motivation to reach high points only. Managed floor to undercut clip. And yes, that’s high, but its nowhere, again!
6/11/2014
Evolution at Ravenstor lapped 3 times with short rest. Puts perspective on Malham project!
5/6/2015 - Session 74
Twice to stab from belay! Bah, just can’t nail that move! And I can’t get this link [from Raindogs belay to top]. I think this link is harder than Batman. It must be 9a+ as a link. So font 8a into 8c+ = 9a+? sounds about right. Or maybe this link is even harder? I’ve spent 75 days now and still not done this link. But a bit wet, crag starting to seep – what, its june!
15/6/2015 - Session 76
managed from floor to stab! Definite high point! Some beta changes mean I am flying through! Feels awesome. But battered later and failed to get through bulge twice. Very good though. And a good point to finish the season. Still feels like a long way, but enough to keep me motivated to get back on it.
29/9/2015 - Session 79
Good efforts today from floor, once to stab, once to razor. That’s awesome. BUT spotted a major sequence change, getting LH into pocket instead of R, much easier, then use the tooth as a side pull for RH to move LH to the micro block, then RH into pocket. Absolutely can’t believe I didn’t spot this. All that messing around years ago trying to find a way to get RH into pocket!! And then years of trying the section with the poor undercut. What an idiot! Very exciting!
5/10/2015 - Session 80
Condensed crag, even failed on RD! But went on upper bit excited about new sequence. But straight away ripped the tooth off, totally lost, no chance of repair. Gutted. How about that for a teaser? Not happy.
19/4/2016 - Session 91
Floor to Stab move!! Very exciting. A real high-point. So just maybe it could be possible? If I hold the pocket well I should get a move higher, then it’s the heartbreaker… that’s really close… wow, it could go!!
23/5/2016 - Session 99
Last day, and I knew it. Heart not in it, I figure I am burnt out now, I’ve been going backwards a while. However, that pressure-off thing helped, and from floor I got fingers in pocket, soo close to holding, but not quite. But I was blown really. I need to have a bit left there and I didn’t. But good place to leave it, I’m pretty psyched!
7/11/2016 - Session 108
The end!!! Good conditions, wanted progress, but fell off bulge 3 times! Gutted really. Mentally gave up. Will I even come back?? I’m now so many years in. Its been great, and to be fair there isn’t much else to do at Malham, but that’s not my reason for being on it. I love the process, the journey. But now it really looks like the journey has no end, and I don’t think I can just carry on forever!
28/4/2017 - Session 117
2 x floor to stab. So back on high points. Feel pretty good this year. Not sure if it’s the micro beta? Bulge I’m getting most times, Kneebar I’m really milking though its so intense on the body, then I’m so fast on the next section.
12/5/2017 - Session 121
Progress. Beta worked. So marginal! But twice held the pocket. Once just for a second, then next go managed to move feet. So a breakthrough. Now it actually feels possible. For the first time ever its ON!! Need more progress though. Its still a bunch more after that.
21/5/2017 - Session 124
Good conditions, though warm at first. But ominous, as forecast truly boiling. Everyone talking of sacking off Malham. No one coming after today. I had 2 goes, 1st held stab, but not well, 2nd just slapped stab. That’s it, its over again. But last move. Then I had a last go ‘to get the draws out’ but conditions amazing, just kept going, no pressure. Then I’d held the heartbreaker, and the RH crimp, foot on edge, reached for final undercut… but somehow just short. 5mm further and I was in. But NO. so gutted. Suddenly I was devastated. First time ever on this route I have been truly gutted
4/6/2017 - Session 127
YES!! Was it always on? I don’t think so. Was this my last chance? Maybe, forecast is truly awful!! Pressure was on! First go was great weather, but rock a tad warm from sun. Almost held heartbreaker. Then tired. Felt drained, disappointed, felt that was it! Rested 3 hr, then nailed it. BUT so close, like ridiculous, closest ever, almost dropped very last move to good holds, and then even in BR I absolutely struggled. Panicked at BR rest and stayed for ages. But then the last 8a wall was easy, and just SOO much fun. Every move I knew it was gonna happen, the moves just flowed, and then at last, it was over.
On the grade breakdown [1]
It's 8a into Font 8A into 8c+; or 8c+ into 8c+; or 8c+ into Font 7C+ into Font 7C+, whichever you prefer, all with the top 8a bit of Batroute chucked in. The new bit is 22 hand moves.
References
[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2017/06/steve_mcclure_on_rainman_9b-71135
Life member of the NZAC.
References
[1] https://alpineclub.org.nz/feature/life-and-honorary-members-and-2026-volunteer-year
With this ascent Mayan became the first woman from New Zealand to climb 8c.