| From: | USA 🇺🇸 |
| Date of birth: | 3rd January 1961 |
| Age: | 64 years old |
| Gender: | Female |
| Height: | 157 cm |
| Weight: | 50 kg |
| Hardest Boulder (Worked): | 7B |
| Hardest Sport (Worked): | 8b+ |
| Hardest Sport (Onsight): | 8a |
| Hardest Trad (Worked): | E9 |
| Hardest Trad (Onsight): | E6 |
I have been all over the world and have had the fortune of doing things with many special people, some famous, some anonymous. But the biggest little hero I’ve ever known is Lynn Hill. The rest of us are just holding her rope. [2]
Hill has experienced only one major accident in her climbing career. On May 9, 1989, she fell during a climb in Buoux, after forgetting to tie in, she fell 85 ft (25 m) into a tree, and was knocked unconscious, dislocated her left elbow and broke a bone in her foot. She had been training hard for the World Cup and had to stop competing for a few months to recover; she was devastated to miss the first World Cup in the sport. However, only six weeks after her fall, she was back climbing.
[1] Half Dome, 1977
[2] https://www.climbandmore.com/climbers/lynn-hill/
[3] Portrait by Dean Fidelman, 1997 https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr3uphIJ2Gy/
[4] Interview with Natalie Berry for UKClimbing.com March 2017 https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/lynn_hill_-_climbing_free-9151
[5] Interview with Hannah Morris, 2024 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE9_oAPRTsE
[6] https://open.spotify.com/episode/3pPhmAHHd46EAjdQkfb09Z?
[7] https://open.spotify.com/episode/2xtdsDPQpUgz0nVde4a7Fs?
16 recorded ascents.
| Climb | Grade | Style | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masse Critique | 8b+ | Lead | worked | 1990 | |
|
Jean-Baptiste Tribout infamously said "no woman would ever climb a 8b+", in response Lynn flew to France and repeated Tribout's route, and in fewer tries than it took him! [1]
With this ascent Lynn became the first woman to climb 8b+. References[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CXLYhYUoz7d/ [2] https://www.instagram.com/p/Cbq2wlUrq9c/ [3] 1https://open.spotify.com/episode/0bDCW9JesYEdEdlzwEi8AM?TheS9A |
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| To Bolt or Not to Be First female ascent. | 8b+ | Lead | worked | 1998 | |
| Scarface First female ascent. | 8b+ | Lead | worked | 1999 | |
| Chouca | 8a+ | Lead | worked | ||
| Simon | 8a | Lead | onsight | 1992 | |
|
With this ascent Lynn became the first woman to onsight 8a. [1] References |
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| Mingus First ascent. | 8a | Lead | onsight | 1994 | |
|
First free ascent. |
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| Serpentine | 8a | Lead | worked | ||
| Climb | Grade | Style | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midnight Lightning First female ascent. | 7B | Boulder | worked | 1998 | |
|
Lynn worked the mantel on a rope first. |
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| Climb | Grade | Style | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Nose First ascent. With Brooke Sandahl. | E9 | Lead | worked | Between 13th Sep 1993 and 16th Sep 1993 | 8a |
|
A breakthrough free ascent of this iconic aid route. Lynn later went on to make the first in a day free ascent.
Initially Lynn suggested a grade of 13b or 8a! References[1] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/884132364986273 [2] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/882411198491723 [3] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/871458132920363 [4] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/455131411219706 [5] https://www.facebook.com/climbing.in.the.80s/photos/a.270388289694020/336804179719097 |
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| The Nose With Steve Sutton. | E9 | Lead | worked | Between 19th Sep 1994 and 20th Sep 1994 | |
|
Lynn started climbing at 10pm on the 19th September and finished climbing around 9pm on the 20th September, making it the first sub-24hr free ascent. |
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| The Great Arch First ascent. 1 point of aid. | E8 | Alternate Leads | worked | 1997 | E7 |
References[1] Climber August 1997, page 6 |
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| Skytop Vandals First ascent. With Russ Clune. | E6 (approx) | Lead | worked | 1983 | |
|
A breakthrough in east coast US standards and a change in tactics from the then prevailing style: the route was worked rather than yo-yoed (lowering immediately to the ground after a fall but leaving the rope clipped through protection). References[1] https://written-in-stone.podbean.com/e/russ-clune-on-lynn-hill-the-gunks-and-vandals/ |
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| Yellow Crack Direct | E6 (approx) | Lead | onsight | 1984 | |
| Perestroika Crack With Greg Child. First free ascent. | E6 | Alternate Leads | 1995 | |
| Ophir Broke First ascent. With John Long. | E5 | Lead | worked | 1980 | |
References[1] https://www.mountainproject.com/route/115344815/ophir-broke |
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| Insomnia | E4 | Lead | 1979 | |
|
The somewhat dated report in Mountain reads
References[1] Mountain 70 (1979), page 20 |
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| Climb | Grade | Style | Ascent Date | Suggested Grade |
|---|