Fred Nicole

Also known as: Frédéric Nicole

Quick Info

Nationality: CH
Height: 180 cm
Date of birth: 21st May 1970
Hardest Boulder (Worked): 8C
Hardest Boulder (Flash): 8A+
Hardest Sport (Worked): 9a+
Notable Partnerships
Bernd Zangerl
Social Media

Fred Nicole is a legend of modern bouldering having established the first 8B with La Danse des Balrogs, the first 8B+ with Radja and many of the earliest 8Cs. He is also notable for some hard sport routes, in particular he established Bain de Sang in 1993 which gets 9a.

He is also notable for developing many now-famous bouldering areas around the world, including Hueco Tanks, Rocklands and many more.

References

[1] Interview with Nicholas Hobley for planetmountain.com, 13th August 2012 https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html

[2] Profile with Black Diamond https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X_oq3ZdnmU

[3] Tour de Bloc by Udo Neumann, 2006 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exAhhD0n8QU

[4] Rocklands Origins, 1996 https://vimeo.com/80004515

[5] Interview with PlanetMountain.com, May 2018 https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-bouldering-at-cresciano-and-melloblocco-in-tour-2018.html

Quick Info

Nationality: CH
Height: 180 cm
Date of birth: 21st May 1970
Hardest Boulder (Worked): 8C
Hardest Boulder (Flash): 8A+
Hardest Sport (Worked): 9a+
Notable Partnerships
Bernd Zangerl
Social Media

Fred Nicole is a legend of modern bouldering having established the first 8B with La Danse des Balrogs, the first 8B+ with Radja and many of the earliest 8Cs. He is also notable for some hard sport routes, in particular he established Bain de Sang in 1993 which gets 9a.

He is also notable for developing many now-famous bouldering areas around the world, including Hueco Tanks, Rocklands and many more.

References

[1] Interview with Nicholas Hobley for planetmountain.com, 13th August 2012 https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html

[2] Profile with Black Diamond https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X_oq3ZdnmU

[3] Tour de Bloc by Udo Neumann, 2006 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exAhhD0n8QU

[4] Rocklands Origins, 1996 https://vimeo.com/80004515

[5] Interview with PlanetMountain.com, May 2018 https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-bouldering-at-cresciano-and-melloblocco-in-tour-2018.html


Pics + Vids

Added at 17:02 on 04 February 2022
Added at 17:02 on 04 February 2022
Added at 17:02 on 04 February 2022
Added at 20:02 on 05 February 2022
Slashface (8B, FA)
Added at 19:02 on 28 February 2021
Alma Blanca (8B, FA)
Added at 20:02 on 28 February 2021
Dreamtime (pre break) (8B+, FA)
Added at 12:01 on 06 January 2023
Slashface (8B, FA)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 07:03 on 28 March 2021
Terremer (8C, FA)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 07:03 on 28 March 2021
Coeur de Lion (8B+, FA)
View this post on Instagram

Added at 07:03 on 28 March 2021
Le Boa (8C, FA)
Added at 17:02 on 04 February 2022
La Danse des Balrogs (8B, FA)
Added at 17:02 on 04 February 2022
Radja (8B+, FA)
Added at 17:02 on 04 February 2022

Ascents

33 recorded ascents.

This timeline is missing some ascents where the date of the ascent is unknown. Use the other tabs to view these ascents.
Year Climb Grade FA Ascent Date
1988 Souvenir 8A (Boulder worked) 1988
1989
1990
1991
1992 La Danse des Balrogs 8B (Boulder worked) Apr 1992

https://youtu.be/exAhhD0n8QU?t=728

1993 Bain de Sang 9a (Lead worked) Sep 1993
1994 E La Nave Va 8c+ (Boulder worked) May 1994
1995 Karma 8A+ (Boulder worked) 1995
Dominator 8A+ (Boulder worked) 1995

Controversially, Fred dabbed his spotter on his ascent.

1996 Caroline 7C+ (Boulder worked) 1996
Radja 8B+ (Boulder worked) 1st Mar 1996

With this ascent Fred became the first person in the world to climb 8B+.

https://youtu.be/exAhhD0n8QU?t=807

1997 Slashface 8B (Boulder worked) 1997

https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/456926684373512

https://www.instagram.com/p/CM7d5fqniuu/

1998 Coeur de Lion 8B+ (Boulder worked) 1998

https://www.instagram.com/p/CM7d5fqniuu/

La Proue 8B (Boulder worked) 1998
1999
2000 Oliphant's Dawn 8B+ (Boulder worked) Sep 2000

Three hard moves, the first one being the hardest of them with a real special gaston crimp. For the grade, I'm not sure since the effort is so short. But it is certainly one of the hardest single moves I've ever done. Conditions are really important for this climb: the place is hot and sunny and I did it really early one morning during what was one of my best years of bouldering. [1]

[1] https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html

Dreamtime (pre break) 8B+ (Boulder worked) 28th Oct 2000

https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/fred-nicole-sends-dreamtime-8c-at-cresciano-switzerland.html

2001 Spectre 8B (Boulder worked) 20th Jan 2001

[https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html

Esperanza 8B+ (Boulder worked) 15th Feb 2001
2002 Black Eagle Assis (pre break) 8B+ (Boulder worked) 2002
La Chimère 9a+ (Lead worked) 2002
Monkey Wedding 8C (Boulder worked) 20th Aug 2002
2003 Mooiste Meisie 8B (Boulder worked) 2003
New Base Line 8B+ (Boulder worked) Mar 2003

Second ascent.

https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html

Massive Attack 8A+ (Boulder flash) 12th May 2003
2004 Terre de Sienne 8B (Boulder worked) Dec 2004
2005 Terremer 8C (Boulder worked) 2005

https://www.instagram.com/p/CM7d5fqniuu/

Entlinge 8B+ (Boulder worked) 2005
2006 Witness the Fitness 8C (Boulder worked) Dec 2006

https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2007/01/fred_nicole_repeats_sharmas_witness_the_fitness-32728

2007
2008
2009 The Swarm 8B (Boulder worked) 2009

https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html

Kryptos 8C (Boulder worked) Oct 2009
2010
2011 Le Boa 8C (Boulder worked) 2011

https://youtu.be/dQW3v7-pYXk?t=302

2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019 Legacy 9a (Lead worked) 13th Sep 2019

Second ascent.

Climb Grade FA Ascent Date Suggested Grade
La Chimère 9a+ (Lead worked) 2002
Bain de Sang 9a (Lead worked) Sep 1993
Legacy 9a (Lead worked) 13th Sep 2019

Second ascent.

Climb Grade FA Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Monkey Wedding 8C (Boulder worked) 20th Aug 2002 8B+
Terremer 8C (Boulder worked) 2005

https://www.instagram.com/p/CM7d5fqniuu/

Le Boa 8C (Boulder worked) 2011

https://youtu.be/dQW3v7-pYXk?t=302

Witness the Fitness 8C (Boulder worked) Dec 2006

https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html

https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2007/01/fred_nicole_repeats_sharmas_witness_the_fitness-32728

Kryptos 8C (Boulder worked) Oct 2009
Radja 8B+ (Boulder worked) 1st Mar 1996

With this ascent Fred became the first person in the world to climb 8B+.

https://youtu.be/exAhhD0n8QU?t=807

Coeur de Lion 8B+ (Boulder worked) 1998

https://www.instagram.com/p/CM7d5fqniuu/

Oliphant's Dawn 8B+ (Boulder worked) Sep 2000

Three hard moves, the first one being the hardest of them with a real special gaston crimp. For the grade, I'm not sure since the effort is so short. But it is certainly one of the hardest single moves I've ever done. Conditions are really important for this climb: the place is hot and sunny and I did it really early one morning during what was one of my best years of bouldering. [1]

[1] https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html

Dreamtime (pre break) 8B+ (Boulder worked) 28th Oct 2000 8C

https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/fred-nicole-sends-dreamtime-8c-at-cresciano-switzerland.html

Esperanza 8B+ (Boulder worked) 15th Feb 2001
Black Eagle Assis (pre break) 8B+ (Boulder worked) 2002
Entlinge 8B+ (Boulder worked) 2005
Amandla 8B+ (Boulder worked)
New Base Line 8B+ (Boulder worked) Mar 2003

Second ascent.

https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html

La Danse des Balrogs 8B (Boulder worked) Apr 1992

https://youtu.be/exAhhD0n8QU?t=728

Slashface 8B (Boulder worked) 1997

https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/456926684373512

https://www.instagram.com/p/CM7d5fqniuu/

La Proue 8B (Boulder worked) 1998
Mooiste Meisie 8B (Boulder worked) 2003
Terre de Sienne 8B (Boulder worked) Dec 2004 8C
Alma Blanca 8B (Boulder worked)

https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/451840591548788

Spectre 8B (Boulder worked) 20th Jan 2001

[https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html

The Swarm 8B (Boulder worked) 2009

https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html

Ammagamma 8B (Boulder worked)

In a session.

Karma 8A+ (Boulder worked) 1995
Dominator 8A+ (Boulder worked) 1995

Controversially, Fred dabbed his spotter on his ascent.

Massive Attack 8A+ (Boulder flash) 12th May 2003
Souvenir 8A (Boulder worked) 1988
Team Work 8A (Boulder worked)
Caroline 7C+ (Boulder worked) 1996
Climb Grade FA Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Climb Grade FA Ascent Date Suggested Grade
E La Nave Va 8c+ (Boulder worked) May 1994