All climbers

Rock climber and fell-runner from Baildon, West Yorkshire. Although from a working-class family, who included several notable Yorkshire cricketers, he studied at Leeds University and had established himself as a metallurgist before his death:

Bill Birkett:

Arthur was one of the most important and influential figures in the history of British rock climbing, spanning the social gap between the old guard and the emergence of a hungry new breed of working class climbers. [1][3]

Dolphin was perhaps best-known for his new routes on Almscliff.

Joe Brown:

When you went to try one of his climbs you knew it was going to be hard. [1][3]

He died in a fall descending the Dent du Géant aged 28.

References

[1] Yorkshire Gritstone Volume 1, Almscliff to Slipstones

[2] https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/arts-and-culture/looking-back-at-the-life-of-a-gentleman-climber-1975188

[3] Greenwood, Tom ed. (2010). Memories of Dolphin: The Life of a Climber Remembered. UK: Green Woods.

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2015/07/dan_dark_horse_mcmanus-69822

Dean Potter was a rock climber, alpinist, BASE jumper, and highliner. He was most notable for free solos, speed ascents, and link-ups in Yosemite and Patagonia. He died in a wingsuit BASE jumping accident in Yosemite.

References

[1] Portrait by Dean Fidelman https://www.instagram.com/p/CpN7MQAJom7/

[2] Free Soloing with a Parachute, from Reel Rock https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DWu4HygkBU

[3] Portrait by Jim Hurst https://www.instagram.com/p/DXcaJD9EYr0/

[4] Ivo Ninov discusses Dean's life (2017) https://stara.emontana.cz/dean-potter-ivo-ninov-interview/

Didier Berthod is a Swiss climber who is known for his crack climbing. Famously, he came very close to making the first ascent of Cobra Crack in Squamish in 2006 before injury stopped him and Sonnie Trotter made the first ascent..

Around the same time he stopped trying Cobra Crack his partner became pregnant. Didier was unable to to imagine a life as a father and he fell back on his Catholic faith, first becoming a Monk with the Eucharistein Fraternity and later being ordained as a priest.

In 2020 he then left the church to pursue 'a more balanced life', including starting climbing again.

He has since reconciled with his child and her mother (Previously his partner), and has started making hard fist ascents again such as The Crack of Destiny in Squamish and then, in 2024, coming full circle and climbing Cobra Crack in 2024.

References

[1] Interview with Tom Randall https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aSZ19z41Hg

[2] https://english.elpais.com/sports/2022-11-15/didier-berthod-from-rock-climbing-star-to-monk-and-back-again.html

[3] Interview with Niall Grimes, 2023 https://open.spotify.com/episode/32F0fKdpvYNkGup6pRtKMk?

[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjXzfkm6mgk

[5] https://www.grimpactu.com/post/de-la-corde-%C3%A0-la-foi-le-retour-victorieux-de-didier-berthod

Greg Chapman is a boulderer based in the English Lake District. He is a prolific developer who has opened a huge number of new areas and problems in the lake district. He also maintains the lakesbloc.com website and has written the guidebook Lake District Bouldering.

Globetrotting US climber, one of the best in the world in the mid-70s, bold free-soloist. Responsible for solving many last great problems away from his New England base, notably in Yosemite and Australia. Climbing on the Czech and Dresden area sandstone influenced his purist style: avoiding both hammered gear and cams, frequently climbing shoeless, often free-soloing.

References

[1] https://open.spotify.com/episode/3mRDxd0iy2989qL5xCNMuh?

[2] Interview with Mark Synnott, 2008 https://www.climbing.com/culture/henry-barber-interview

[3] Interview with Ken Wilson, Mountain 35 (1974), page 34 /library/11054/mountain-35

[4] https://www.henrybarber.com/categories/media/media_1-1.php