Climbers from USA

American climber and climbing historian. Grossman grew up and started climbing in Arizona where he was responsible for hard and poorly protected new routes. He went on to establish a series of hard new routes on El Capitan in the early 1980s. Grossman was a strong advocate of clean climbing and minimising drilling, enhancing placements, and hammered gear on aid routes. He was a trenchant critic of those he saw as too quick to reach for the hammer, drill or chisel, most notably the first ascentionists of Wings of Steel (A4+). Grossman’s interest in climbing history has resulted in him organising the Oakdale Climbing History festivals and the North American Climbing History Archives.

I don't enhance hook placements, chisel copperheads or resort to any trickery and never have.

References

[1] https://www.climbaz.com/interviews/sg_part1.html

[2] https://www.climbaz.com/interviews/sg_part2.html

[3] https://www.mntnfilm.com/en/film/assault-on-el-capitan-2013

[4] https://climbaz.com/interviews/sg_part3.html

[5] https://www.climbinghistoryarchivesna.com/about

[6] http://www.supertopo.com/climbers-forum/3044785/Oakdale-Festival-Oct-2018-Yosemite-Big-Wall-Climbing-50s-60s

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQlKdK5t21A

Californian free climber and writer active in the 1960s and 70s. A passionate advocate of a purist ground-up style resulting in bold first ascents. His essay "Tricksters and Traditionalists" is probably the root of the term Trad.(itional) climbing.

References

[1] https://www.tomhiggins.net/index.php

References

[1] https://gripped.com/profiles/legendary-yosemite-climber-ammon-mcneely-dies/

[2] https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/topic/123781105/ammon-mcneely-rip

[3] Climbing Fast, Loose and Dangerous with Yosemite Legend Ammon McNeely by Cedar Wright, September 2012 https://www.climbing.com/people/profile-yosemite-big-wall-legend-ammon-mcneely/

[4] Portrait by Dean Fidelman https://www.instagram.com/p/Co2rRcVvDN2/