Nationality: | CH |
Date of birth: | 21st May 1970 |
Height: | 180 cm |
Hardest Boulder (Worked): | 8C |
Hardest Boulder (Flash): | 8A+ |
Hardest Sport (Worked): | 9a+ |
Notable Partnerships | |
Bernd Zangerl |
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.
[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
[6] Fred Nicole, On The Edge Issue 105 page 42
49 recorded ascents.
Year | Climb | Grade | Style | Date |
---|---|---|---|---|
1987 | Le Toit d'Auguste | 8b | Lead | worked | 1987 |
References[1] On The Edge Issue 105, page 45 |
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1988 | Souvenir | 8A | Boulder | worked | 1988 |
First ascent.
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1989 | ||||
1990 | ||||
1991 | ||||
1992 | La Danse des Balrogs | 8B | Boulder | worked | Apr 1992 |
First ascent.
References |
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1993 | Thriller | 7C+ | Boulder | flash | 1993 |
References[1] On The Edge Issue 105, page 45 |
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Bain de Sang | 9a | Lead | worked | Sep 1993 | |
First ascent.
References[1] On The Edge Issue 105, page 45 |
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1994 | E La Nave Va | 8c+ | Boulder | worked | May 1994 |
First ascent.
|
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1995 | Karma | 8A+ | Boulder | worked | 1995 |
First ascent.
References[1] On The Edge Issue 105, page 45 |
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Dominator | 8A+ | Boulder | worked | 1995 | |
Controversially, Fred dabbed his spotter on his ascent. |
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1996 | Caroline | 7C+ | Boulder | worked | 1996 |
First ascent.
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Radja | 8B+ | Boulder | worked | 1st Mar 1996 | |
First ascent.
With this ascent Fred became the first person in the world to climb 8B+. References |
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1997 | Slashface | 8B | Boulder | worked | 1997 |
First ascent.
References[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/456926684373512 |
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Li | 8B | Boulder | worked | 1997 | |
First ascent.
|
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Elfe | 8c+ | Lead | worked | 1997 | |
First ascent.
|
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Eau Profonde | 8B+ | Boulder | worked | Oct 1997 | |
First ascent.
|
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1998 | Coeur de Lion | 8B+ | Boulder | worked | 1998 |
First ascent.
References |
||||
La Proue | 8B | Boulder | worked | 1998 | |
First ascent.
|
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1999 | Ammagamma | 8B | Boulder | worked | 1999 |
1 session.
References[1] On The Edge Issue 105, page 45 |
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Cave Rave | 8B | Boulder | worked | 1999 | |
Second ascent?
References[1] On The Edge Issue 105, page 45 |
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Reve de Faire | 8A+ | Boulder | worked | 1999 | |
First ascent.
|
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2000 | The Arch | 8B | Boulder | worked | 2000 |
First ascent.
|
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The Mandala | 8A+ | Boulder | worked | 2000 | |
Second ascent. 3 sessions.
|
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Oliphant's Dawn | 8B+ | Boulder | worked | Sep 2000 | |
First ascent.
References[1] https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html |
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Dreamtime (pre break) | 8B+ | Boulder | worked | 28th Oct 2000 | |
First ascent.
References |
||||
2001 | Spectre | 8B | Boulder | worked | 20th Jan 2001 |
Esperanza | 8B+ | Boulder | worked | 15th Feb 2001 | |
First ascent.
|
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2002 | Black Eagle Assis (pre break) | 8B+ | Boulder | worked | 2002 |
First ascent.
|
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La Chimère | 9a+ | Lead | worked | 2002 | |
Monkey Wedding | 8C | Boulder | worked | 20th Aug 2002 | |
First ascent.
|
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2003 | Nagual | 8B | Boulder | worked | 2003 |
First ascent.
|
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Mooiste Meisie | 8B | Boulder | worked | 2003 | |
First ascent.
|
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New Base Line | 8B+ | Boulder | worked | Mar 2003 | |
Second ascent.
References[1] https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html |
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Massive Attack | 8A+ | Boulder | flash | 12th May 2003 | |
Madiba | 8B | Boulder | worked | 18th Jul 2003 | |
First ascent.
|
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2004 | Terre de Sienne | 8B | Boulder | worked | Dec 2004 |
First ascent.
|
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2005 | Terremer | 8C | Boulder | worked | 2005 |
First ascent.
References |
||||
Entlinge | 8B+ | Boulder | worked | 2005 | |
First ascent.
|
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2006 | Witness the Fitness | 8C | Boulder | worked | Dec 2006 |
2007 | ||||
2008 | ||||
2009 | The Swarm | 8B | Boulder | worked | 2009 |
Kryptos | 8C | Boulder | worked | Oct 2009 | |
2010 | ||||
2011 | Le Boa | 8C | Boulder | worked | 2011 |
First ascent.
References |
||||
2012 | ||||
2013 | ||||
2014 | ||||
2015 | ||||
2016 | ||||
2017 | ||||
2018 | ||||
2019 | Legacy | 9a | Lead | worked | 13th Sep 2019 |
Second ascent.
|
Climb | Grade | Style | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
---|---|---|---|---|
La Chimère | 9a+ | Lead | worked | 2002 | |
Bain de Sang | 9a | Lead | worked | Sep 1993 | |
First ascent.
References[1] On The Edge Issue 105, page 45 |
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Legacy | 9a | Lead | worked | 13th Sep 2019 | |
Second ascent.
|
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Elfe | 8c+ | Lead | worked | 1997 | |
First ascent.
|
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Le Toit d'Auguste | 8b | Lead | worked | 1987 | |
References[1] On The Edge Issue 105, page 45 |
Climb | Grade | Style | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
---|---|---|---|---|
Monkey Wedding | 8C | Boulder | worked | 20th Aug 2002 | 8B+ |
First ascent.
|
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Terremer | 8C | Boulder | worked | 2005 | |
First ascent.
References |
||||
Le Boa | 8C | Boulder | worked | 2011 | |
First ascent.
References |
||||
Arzak | 8C | Boulder | worked | ||
First ascent.
|
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Le Poinçonneur des Lilas | 8C | Boulder | worked | ||
First ascent.
|
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Witness the Fitness | 8C | Boulder | worked | Dec 2006 | |
Kryptos | 8C | Boulder | worked | Oct 2009 | |
Radja | 8B+ | Boulder | worked | 1st Mar 1996 | |
First ascent.
With this ascent Fred became the first person in the world to climb 8B+. References |
||||
Eau Profonde | 8B+ | Boulder | worked | Oct 1997 | |
First ascent.
|
||||
Coeur de Lion | 8B+ | Boulder | worked | 1998 | |
First ascent.
References |
||||
Oliphant's Dawn | 8B+ | Boulder | worked | Sep 2000 | |
First ascent.
References[1] https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html |
||||
Dreamtime (pre break) | 8B+ | Boulder | worked | 28th Oct 2000 | 8C |
First ascent.
References |
||||
Esperanza | 8B+ | Boulder | worked | 15th Feb 2001 | |
First ascent.
|
||||
Black Eagle Assis (pre break) | 8B+ | Boulder | worked | 2002 | |
First ascent.
|
||||
Entlinge | 8B+ | Boulder | worked | 2005 | |
First ascent.
|
||||
Amandla | 8B+ | Boulder | worked | ||
First ascent.
|
||||
New Base Line | 8B+ | Boulder | worked | Mar 2003 | |
Second ascent.
References[1] https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/fred-nicole-the-bouldering-interview.html |
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La Danse des Balrogs | 8B | Boulder | worked | Apr 1992 | |
First ascent.
References |
||||
Slashface | 8B | Boulder | worked | 1997 | |
First ascent.
References[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/456926684373512 |
||||
Li | 8B | Boulder | worked | 1997 | |
First ascent.
|
||||
La Proue | 8B | Boulder | worked | 1998 | |
First ascent.
|
||||
The Arch | 8B | Boulder | worked | 2000 | |
First ascent.
|
||||
Nagual | 8B | Boulder | worked | 2003 | |
First ascent.
|
||||
Mooiste Meisie | 8B | Boulder | worked | 2003 | |
First ascent.
|
||||
Madiba | 8B | Boulder | worked | 18th Jul 2003 | |
First ascent.
|
||||
Terre de Sienne | 8B | Boulder | worked | Dec 2004 | 8C |
First ascent.
|
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Netsuke | 8B | Boulder | worked | ||
First ascent.
|
||||
Alma Blanca | 8B | Boulder | worked | ||
First ascent.
References[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/451840591548788 |
||||
Ammagamma | 8B | Boulder | worked | 1999 | |
1 session.
References[1] On The Edge Issue 105, page 45 |
||||
Cave Rave | 8B | Boulder | worked | 1999 | |
Second ascent?
References[1] On The Edge Issue 105, page 45 |
||||
Spectre | 8B | Boulder | worked | 20th Jan 2001 | |
The Swarm | 8B | Boulder | worked | 2009 | |
The Vice | 8B | Boulder | worked | ||
Second ascent.
|
||||
Karma | 8A+ | Boulder | worked | 1995 | |
First ascent.
References[1] On The Edge Issue 105, page 45 |
||||
Reve de Faire | 8A+ | Boulder | worked | 1999 | |
First ascent.
|
||||
Frank's Wild Years | 8A+ | Boulder | worked | ||
First ascent.
|
||||
Dominator | 8A+ | Boulder | worked | 1995 | |
Controversially, Fred dabbed his spotter on his ascent. |
||||
The Mandala | 8A+ | Boulder | worked | 2000 | 8A+ |
Second ascent. 3 sessions.
|
||||
Massive Attack | 8A+ | Boulder | flash | 12th May 2003 | |
Souvenir | 8A | Boulder | worked | 1988 | |
First ascent.
|
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Team Work | 8A | Boulder | worked | ||
First ascent.
|
||||
Caroline | 7C+ | Boulder | worked | 1996 | |
First ascent.
|
||||
Thriller | 7C+ | Boulder | flash | 1993 | |
References[1] On The Edge Issue 105, page 45 |
Climb | Grade | Style | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
---|
Climb | Grade | Style | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
---|---|---|---|---|
E La Nave Va | 8c+ | Boulder | worked | May 1994 | |
First ascent.
|