Charlie Porter


Quick Info

From: USA 🇺🇸
Date of birth: 12th June 1950
Age: 63 years old
Date of death: 23rd February 2014
Gender: Male

Big wall climber responsible for many now-classic 1970s El Cap. routes who subsequently established hard alpine big wall routes and alpine climbs in Baffin Island and Alaska. He stepped back from harder climbing in the 1980s to explore, kayak, and perform scientific research in Patagonia.

one of the twentieth century’s greatest climbers.

References

[1] https://alpinist.com/features/76-visions-of-charlie-porter/

[2] https://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13201213116

Contributors
35 contributions since 9th December 2025.
24 contributions since 10th June 2025.

Quick Info

From: USA 🇺🇸
Date of birth: 12th June 1950
Date of death: 23rd February 2014
Age: 63 years old
Gender: Male

Big wall climber responsible for many now-classic 1970s El Cap. routes who subsequently established hard alpine big wall routes and alpine climbs in Baffin Island and Alaska. He stepped back from harder climbing in the 1980s to explore, kayak, and perform scientific research in Patagonia.

one of the twentieth century’s greatest climbers.

References

[1] https://alpinist.com/features/76-visions-of-charlie-porter/

[2] https://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13201213116

Contributors
35 contributions since 9th December 2025.
24 contributions since 10th June 2025.

Library


Pics + Vids

No pics or vids yet.


Ascents

5 recorded ascents.

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Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
The Shield A3 Aid | ground up Oct 1972
First ascent.

Porter placed 35 RURPs (and two bolts) on the triple cracks pitch.

References

[1] https://archive.org/details/americanalpinejo0000unse_u0j0/page/416/mode/1up

Zodiac A3 Aid | worked Nov 1972
Mescalito A3 Aid | ground up Oct 1973
First ascent.
New Dawn A2+ Aid | ground up Jun 1972
First ascent.

Rope-soloed by Porter over 11 days after dropping a haul bag with his bivi gear and some food not far up the route. Most of the lower half of route, before it traverses into The Wall of Early Morning Light, had previously been climbed by Chouinard, Pratt, Jones and Hennek.

Tangerine Trip A2 Aid | ground up Apr 1973
First ascent. Belayed by J.P. de St. Croix.