Climbers

John Menlove Edwards was a pioneering British rock climber of the 1930s and 1940s, responsible for many influential first ascents in Snowdonia and widely regarded as one of the great writers in climbing literature.

With Colin Kirkus he was regarded as the finest rock climber active in North Wales in the 1930s. His first ascents on the cliffs of the north side of the Llanberis Pass, which had hitherto been regarded as too steep and loose for climbing, paved the way for the exploits of Joe Brown, Don Whillans and others in the 1950s. Consequently, the epicentre of Welsh climbing moved from Ogwen to Llanberis where it has remained ever since.

Menlove Edwards trained and worked in Liverpool as a psychiatrist. He was gay, at a time when homosexual sex was illegal in the UK, and a conscientious objector for most of World War Two. His mental health deteriorated in the latter part of his life and he took his own life in 1958.

References

[1] Perrin, J. (1993). Menlove: The Life of John Menlove Edwards. United Kingdom: Ernest Press.

[2] https://open.spotify.com/episode/36tUZibMMhAB4fmjz3X1pq?

[3] https://footlesscrow.blogspot.com/2015/11/a-black-rainbow-life-and-times-of.html

American big wall climber, most known for his speed ascents and linkups in Yosemite.

In 2025, alongside Michael Vaill, he became part of the second team to complete the El Cap Triple in under 24 hours, following Alex Honnold and Sean Leary. [1]

References

[1] El Cap Triple post: https://www.instagram.com/p/DLG3qSwxRoF/

[2] Climbing.com 'Profile of Climber' article: https://www.climbing.com/culture-climbing/profile-climber-jordan-cannon/

References

[1] Vimeo channel https://vimeo.com/user9534812

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/kevin_thaw-4327

Martin started climbing in Yorkshire, England around 1974. He was part of the generation who took over from Pete Livesey and Ron Fawcett.

For the first part of my climbing...I just wanted to do everything that Ron did... The Vision, Eye of the Tiger, whatever it was as soon as he did it I just wanted to do it! [3]

References

[1] Statement of Youth https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zeqI9axxrco.

[2] Interview with Jon Barton of Vertebrate Publishing https://www.v-publishing.co.uk/blog/v-publishing-blog/the-climbers-of-84-hunter-house-road/

[3] Interview on his route Mecca - The Mid-life Crisis https://vimeo.com/68128640

References

[1] What Ever happened to Mason Earle? by Meaghen Brown, February 2023 https://www.climbing.com/people/whatever-happened-to-mason-earle/

References

[1] Interview with fanatic-climbing.com, Jan 2025 https://fanatic-climbing.com/interview-mathieu-bouyoud-discret-et-talentueux-passionne-interview-mathieu-bouyoud-a-silent-and-passionate-crusher/

References

[1] https://threerockbooks.com/pierres-questions-for-michael-duffy-updated/

References

[1] https://gripped.com/profiles/mike-doyle-one-of-canadas-first-to-climb-5-14-is-still-pushing-it/

References

[1] Interview with Björn Pohl at UKC https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2017/08/nicolas_januel_french_national_bouldering_team_coach-71233.

Guidebook writer, Mountain magazine contributing editor, president of BMC, climbing double for Sean Connery.