Alan Watts


Quick Info

From: USA 🇺🇸
Hardest Sport (Worked): 8b+
Hardest Trad (Worked): E8

Alan Watts is a US climber best known as one of the early proponents of sport climbing style in the US, and one of the key developers of Smith Rock in Oregon.

Together with contemporaries such as Todd Skinner and Lynn Hill, Alan was among the first climbers in the US to embrace bolting on rappel and more extensive working of routes. While these practices were common in Europe at the time, the prevailing ethic in the US had been that any bolting should happen from the ground up and that practicing routes was not allowed.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/B8ZFlVQpnjT/

[2] Interview with planetmountain https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/alan-watts-climbing-interview.html

Contributors
11 contributions since 26th February 2021.

Quick Info

From: USA 🇺🇸
Hardest Sport (Worked): 8b+
Hardest Trad (Worked): E8

Alan Watts is a US climber best known as one of the early proponents of sport climbing style in the US, and one of the key developers of Smith Rock in Oregon.

Together with contemporaries such as Todd Skinner and Lynn Hill, Alan was among the first climbers in the US to embrace bolting on rappel and more extensive working of routes. While these practices were common in Europe at the time, the prevailing ethic in the US had been that any bolting should happen from the ground up and that practicing routes was not allowed.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/B8ZFlVQpnjT/

[2] Interview with planetmountain https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/alan-watts-climbing-interview.html

Contributors
11 contributions since 26th February 2021.

Podcasts


Pics + Vids

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Ascents

10 recorded ascents.

This timeline is missing some ascents where the date of the ascent is unknown. Use the other tabs to view these ascents.
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Scarface 8b+ Lead | worked 1988
To Bolt or Not to Be 8b+ Lead | worked Apr 1989
Vicious Fish 8b Lead | worked
First ascent.
Revelations (Pre-1999) 8a+ Lead | worked 1985
Darkness at Noon 7c+ Lead | worked Mar 1985
First ascent.
Split Image 7c Lead | worked 1984
First ascent.
Chain Reaction 7b+ Lead | worked Mar 1983
First ascent.

A seminal first ascent in US and World Sport climbing

Heinous Cling 7b+ Lead | worked Apr 1984
First ascent.
Watts Tots 7b Lead | worked Feb 1983
First ascent.

The beginning of sport climbing in Smith...and the US

Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade
Grand Illusion E8 Lead | worked 1985
Climb Grade Style Ascent Date Suggested Grade