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Country Contributions Between Climbers Crags Summits Climbs Ascents
1 United Kingdom 11179 22nd May 2025 – 30th October 2026 117 13 0 586 1084
2 France 3482 22nd May 2025 – 2nd November 2026 32 13 0 175 330
3 USA 1774 30th July 2025 – 20th September 2026 26 56 0 167 88
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9 Italy 166 12th August 2025 – 16th August 2026 2 7 0 19 7
10 Germany 151 8th November 2025 – 6th August 2026 4 6 0 10 5

Recent Contributions

Date Time User Type Name Attribute
2221 19th June 2026 20:12:11 UTC Mono climb The Walk of Life notes
Before
A route with a complicated history. An indirect line called [Dyer Straits](/climb/2925/dyer-straits) (E8) was originally climbed by [Ian Vickers](/climber/221) that used a lot of pegs (although the pegs were not placed by him) [2]. [James Pearson](/climber/153) then removed the pegs and added a direct start, suggesting the unprecedented grade of E12. The route was quickly repeated by [Dave MacLeod](/climber/146) (who was injured at the time) who suggested a downgrade to E9, commenting: >For James to come to this blank canvas of a wall and have the courage to see past all the uncertainties and unknowns to make a route is a brilliant achievement. But although trad climbs truly deserving of E9 and above are still very few and far between in the world, there are some, and they’ve been around for a while. The Walk of Life stands among these routes, not above them. [1] The harsh criticism which was levelled at James from the climbing community for overgrading this route (and supposedly others), led to him moving to Innsbruck to get away from the UK climbing scene. James has since reflected that, having grown up bouldering and climbing short, bold gritstone routes, The Walk of Life lay far outside his comfort zone. Lacking the experience to recognise his own weaknesses on that style of climb, he was led to propose the lofty grade of E12.[2] In 2023 [Tom Randall](/climber/322/tom-randall) commented: >My view, having climbed both WOL and [Once Upon](/climb/562/once-upon-a-time-in-the-southwest) is that James’s effort was most definitely E10 and the E9 downgrade was one of those things that was not quite right [...] >What I do think (and obvs it’s just my opinion) is that Once Upon has to be E8 if WOL E9 or we accept that maybe things got too compressed. I’d gladly lead one of the lines any day of the week, the other, deffo not 😅😅. My view after quite a bit of time on that wall is top end E8 for OUATITSW and bottom end E10 for WOL. >But…… it gets more complicated 😅. The WOL has gained & lost holds since James did it (easy to spot from the old video footage) and I’d say in current state it IS a solid E9. So I guess that’s the ever changing state of chossy sea cliffs? No ascent is quite the same? [4] Dave has stated that he doesn’t agree with this assessment, and was E9 according to his experience. [5] ### References [1] [https://davemacleod.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Walk%20of%20Life](https://davemacleod.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Walk%20of%20Life) [2] [https://open.spotify.com/episode/2HAuDaq2kSHM6L7vdDu6uu?](https://open.spotify.com/episode/2HAuDaq2kSHM6L7vdDu6uu?) [3] [https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/james-pearson-interview-after-the-walk-of-life.html](https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/james-pearson-interview-after-the-walk-of-life.html) [4] [https://www.instagram.com/p/CiAmEhvs68L/](https://www.instagram.com/p/CiAmEhvs68L/) [5] [https://youtu.be/gbbgYR_6B7I](https://youtu.be/gbbgYR_6B7I)
After
A stunning coastal slab adventure whose immense proportions are perhaps only outdone by the size of the grading controversy that accompanied its first ascent. The route has a somewhat complicated history. An indirect line called [Dyer Straits](/climb/2925/dyer-straits) (E8) was originally climbed by [Ian Vickers](/climber/221) that used a lot of pegs (although the pegs were not placed by him) [2]. [James Pearson](/climber/153) then removed the pegs and added a direct start, suggesting the unprecedented grade of E12. The route was quickly repeated by [Dave MacLeod](/climber/146) (who was injured at the time) who suggested a downgrade to E9, commenting: >For James to come to this blank canvas of a wall and have the courage to see past all the uncertainties and unknowns to make a route is a brilliant achievement. But although trad climbs truly deserving of E9 and above are still very few and far between in the world, there are some, and they’ve been around for a while. The Walk of Life stands among these routes, not above them. [1] The harsh criticism which was levelled at James from the climbing community for overgrading this route (and supposedly others), led to him moving to Innsbruck to get away from the UK climbing scene. James has since reflected that, having grown up bouldering and climbing short, bold gritstone routes, The Walk of Life lay far outside his comfort zone. Lacking the experience to recognise his own weaknesses on that style of climb, he was led to propose the lofty grade of E12.[2] In 2023 [Tom Randall](/climber/322/tom-randall) commented: >My view, having climbed both WOL and [Once Upon](/climb/562/once-upon-a-time-in-the-southwest) is that James’s effort was most definitely E10 and the E9 downgrade was one of those things that was not quite right [...] >What I do think (and obvs it’s just my opinion) is that Once Upon has to be E8 if WOL E9 or we accept that maybe things got too compressed. I’d gladly lead one of the lines any day of the week, the other, deffo not 😅😅. My view after quite a bit of time on that wall is top end E8 for OUATITSW and bottom end E10 for WOL. >But…… it gets more complicated 😅. The WOL has gained & lost holds since James did it (easy to spot from the old video footage) and I’d say in current state it IS a solid E9. So I guess that’s the ever changing state of chossy sea cliffs? No ascent is quite the same? [4] Dave has stated that he doesn’t agree with this assessment, and the route was E9 according to his experience. [5] ### References [1] [https://davemacleod.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Walk%20of%20Life](https://davemacleod.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Walk%20of%20Life) [2] [https://open.spotify.com/episode/2HAuDaq2kSHM6L7vdDu6uu?](https://open.spotify.com/episode/2HAuDaq2kSHM6L7vdDu6uu?) [3] [https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/james-pearson-interview-after-the-walk-of-life.html](https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/james-pearson-interview-after-the-walk-of-life.html) [4] [https://www.instagram.com/p/CiAmEhvs68L/](https://www.instagram.com/p/CiAmEhvs68L/) [5] [https://youtu.be/gbbgYR_6B7I](https://youtu.be/gbbgYR_6B7I)
Diff
--- before

+++ after

@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@

-A route with a complicated history. An indirect line called [Dyer Straits](/climb/2925/dyer-straits) (E8) was originally climbed by [Ian Vickers](/climber/221) that used a lot of pegs (although the pegs were not placed by him) [2]. [James Pearson](/climber/153) then removed the pegs and added a direct start, suggesting the unprecedented grade of E12. The route was quickly repeated by [Dave MacLeod](/climber/146) (who was injured at the time) who suggested a downgrade to E9, commenting:
+A stunning coastal slab adventure whose immense proportions are perhaps only outdone by the size of the grading controversy that accompanied its first ascent.
+
+The route has a somewhat complicated history. An indirect line called [Dyer Straits](/climb/2925/dyer-straits) (E8) was originally climbed by [Ian Vickers](/climber/221) that used a lot of pegs (although the pegs were not placed by him) [2]. [James Pearson](/climber/153) then removed the pegs and added a direct start, suggesting the unprecedented grade of E12. The route was quickly repeated by [Dave MacLeod](/climber/146) (who was injured at the time) who suggested a downgrade to E9, commenting:

>For James to come to this blank canvas of a wall and have the courage to see past all the uncertainties and unknowns to make a route is a brilliant achievement. But although trad climbs truly deserving of E9 and above are still very few and far between in the world, there are some, and they’ve been around for a while. The Walk of Life stands among these routes, not above them. [1]

@@ -14,7 +16,7 @@


>But…… it gets more complicated 😅. The WOL has gained & lost holds since James did it (easy to spot from the old video footage) and I’d say in current state it IS a solid E9. So I guess that’s the ever changing state of chossy sea cliffs? No ascent is quite the same? [4]

-Dave has stated that he doesn’t agree with this assessment, and was E9 according to his experience. [5]
+Dave has stated that he doesn’t agree with this assessment, and the route was E9 according to his experience. [5]

### References
2222 19th June 2026 20:09:44 UTC Mono climb The Walk of Life notes_pretty
Before
<p>A route with a complicated history. An indirect line called <a href="/climb/2925/dyer-straits" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dyer Straits</a> (E8) was originally climbed by <a href="/climber/221" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ian Vickers</a> that used a lot of pegs (although the pegs were not placed by him) [2]. <a href="/climber/153" rel="noopener noreferrer">James Pearson</a> then removed the pegs and added a direct start, suggesting the unprecedented grade of E12. The route was quickly repeated by <a href="/climber/146" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dave MacLeod</a> (who was injured at the time) who suggested a downgrade to E9, commenting:</p> <blockquote> <p>For James to come to this blank canvas of a wall and have the courage to see past all the uncertainties and unknowns to make a route is a brilliant achievement. But although trad climbs truly deserving of E9 and above are still very few and far between in the world, there are some, and they’ve been around for a while. The Walk of Life stands among these routes, not above them. [1]</p> </blockquote> <p>The harsh criticism which was levelled at James from the climbing community for overgrading this route (and supposedly others), led to him moving to Innsbruck to get away from the UK climbing scene.</p> <p>James has since reflected that, having grown up bouldering and climbing short, bold gritstone routes, The Walk of Life lay far outside his comfort zone. Lacking the experience to recognise his own weaknesses on that style of climb, he was led to propose the lofty grade of E12.[2]</p> <p>In 2023 <a href="/climber/322/tom-randall" rel="noopener noreferrer">Tom Randall</a> commented:</p> <blockquote> <p>My view, having climbed both WOL and <a href="/climb/562/once-upon-a-time-in-the-southwest" rel="noopener noreferrer">Once Upon</a> is that James’s effort was most definitely E10 and the E9 downgrade was one of those things that was not quite right [...]</p> <p>What I do think (and obvs it’s just my opinion) is that Once Upon has to be E8 if WOL E9 or we accept that maybe things got too compressed. I’d gladly lead one of the lines any day of the week, the other, deffo not 😅😅. My view after quite a bit of time on that wall is top end E8 for OUATITSW and bottom end E10 for WOL.</p> <p>But…… it gets more complicated 😅. The WOL has gained &amp; lost holds since James did it (easy to spot from the old video footage) and I’d say in current state it IS a solid E9. So I guess that’s the ever changing state of chossy sea cliffs? No ascent is quite the same? [4]</p> </blockquote> <h3>References</h3> <p>[1] <a href="https://davemacleod.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Walk%20of%20Life" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://davemacleod.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Walk%20of%20Life</a></p> <p>[2] <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/2HAuDaq2kSHM6L7vdDu6uu?" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://open.spotify.com/episode/2HAuDaq2kSHM6L7vdDu6uu?</a></p> <p>[3] <a href="https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/james-pearson-interview-after-the-walk-of-life.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/james-pearson-interview-after-the-walk-of-life.html</a></p> <p>[4] <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CiAmEhvs68L/" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.instagram.com/p/CiAmEhvs68L/</a></p>
After
<p>A route with a complicated history. An indirect line called <a href="/climb/2925/dyer-straits" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dyer Straits</a> (E8) was originally climbed by <a href="/climber/221" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ian Vickers</a> that used a lot of pegs (although the pegs were not placed by him) [2]. <a href="/climber/153" rel="noopener noreferrer">James Pearson</a> then removed the pegs and added a direct start, suggesting the unprecedented grade of E12. The route was quickly repeated by <a href="/climber/146" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dave MacLeod</a> (who was injured at the time) who suggested a downgrade to E9, commenting:</p> <blockquote> <p>For James to come to this blank canvas of a wall and have the courage to see past all the uncertainties and unknowns to make a route is a brilliant achievement. But although trad climbs truly deserving of E9 and above are still very few and far between in the world, there are some, and they’ve been around for a while. The Walk of Life stands among these routes, not above them. [1]</p> </blockquote> <p>The harsh criticism which was levelled at James from the climbing community for overgrading this route (and supposedly others), led to him moving to Innsbruck to get away from the UK climbing scene.</p> <p>James has since reflected that, having grown up bouldering and climbing short, bold gritstone routes, The Walk of Life lay far outside his comfort zone. Lacking the experience to recognise his own weaknesses on that style of climb, he was led to propose the lofty grade of E12.[2]</p> <p>In 2023 <a href="/climber/322/tom-randall" rel="noopener noreferrer">Tom Randall</a> commented:</p> <blockquote> <p>My view, having climbed both WOL and <a href="/climb/562/once-upon-a-time-in-the-southwest" rel="noopener noreferrer">Once Upon</a> is that James’s effort was most definitely E10 and the E9 downgrade was one of those things that was not quite right [...]</p> <p>What I do think (and obvs it’s just my opinion) is that Once Upon has to be E8 if WOL E9 or we accept that maybe things got too compressed. I’d gladly lead one of the lines any day of the week, the other, deffo not 😅😅. My view after quite a bit of time on that wall is top end E8 for OUATITSW and bottom end E10 for WOL.</p> <p>But…… it gets more complicated 😅. The WOL has gained &amp; lost holds since James did it (easy to spot from the old video footage) and I’d say in current state it IS a solid E9. So I guess that’s the ever changing state of chossy sea cliffs? No ascent is quite the same? [4]</p> </blockquote> <p>Dave has stated that he doesn’t agree with this assessment, and was E9 according to his experience. [5]</p> <h3>References</h3> <p>[1] <a href="https://davemacleod.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Walk%20of%20Life" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://davemacleod.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Walk%20of%20Life</a></p> <p>[2] <a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/2HAuDaq2kSHM6L7vdDu6uu?" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://open.spotify.com/episode/2HAuDaq2kSHM6L7vdDu6uu?</a></p> <p>[3] <a href="https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/james-pearson-interview-after-the-walk-of-life.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/james-pearson-interview-after-the-walk-of-life.html</a></p> <p>[4] <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CiAmEhvs68L/" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.instagram.com/p/CiAmEhvs68L/</a></p> <p>[5] <a href="https://youtu.be/gbbgYR_6B7I" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://youtu.be/gbbgYR_6B7I</a></p>
2223 19th June 2026 20:09:44 UTC Mono climb The Walk of Life notes
Before
A route with a complicated history. An indirect line called [Dyer Straits](/climb/2925/dyer-straits) (E8) was originally climbed by [Ian Vickers](/climber/221) that used a lot of pegs (although the pegs were not placed by him) [2]. [James Pearson](/climber/153) then removed the pegs and added a direct start, suggesting the unprecedented grade of E12. The route was quickly repeated by [Dave MacLeod](/climber/146) (who was injured at the time) who suggested a downgrade to E9, commenting: >For James to come to this blank canvas of a wall and have the courage to see past all the uncertainties and unknowns to make a route is a brilliant achievement. But although trad climbs truly deserving of E9 and above are still very few and far between in the world, there are some, and they’ve been around for a while. The Walk of Life stands among these routes, not above them. [1] The harsh criticism which was levelled at James from the climbing community for overgrading this route (and supposedly others), led to him moving to Innsbruck to get away from the UK climbing scene. James has since reflected that, having grown up bouldering and climbing short, bold gritstone routes, The Walk of Life lay far outside his comfort zone. Lacking the experience to recognise his own weaknesses on that style of climb, he was led to propose the lofty grade of E12.[2] In 2023 [Tom Randall](/climber/322/tom-randall) commented: >My view, having climbed both WOL and [Once Upon](/climb/562/once-upon-a-time-in-the-southwest) is that James’s effort was most definitely E10 and the E9 downgrade was one of those things that was not quite right [...] >What I do think (and obvs it’s just my opinion) is that Once Upon has to be E8 if WOL E9 or we accept that maybe things got too compressed. I’d gladly lead one of the lines any day of the week, the other, deffo not 😅😅. My view after quite a bit of time on that wall is top end E8 for OUATITSW and bottom end E10 for WOL. >But…… it gets more complicated 😅. The WOL has gained & lost holds since James did it (easy to spot from the old video footage) and I’d say in current state it IS a solid E9. So I guess that’s the ever changing state of chossy sea cliffs? No ascent is quite the same? [4] ### References [1] [https://davemacleod.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Walk%20of%20Life](https://davemacleod.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Walk%20of%20Life) [2] [https://open.spotify.com/episode/2HAuDaq2kSHM6L7vdDu6uu?](https://open.spotify.com/episode/2HAuDaq2kSHM6L7vdDu6uu?) [3] [https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/james-pearson-interview-after-the-walk-of-life.html](https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/james-pearson-interview-after-the-walk-of-life.html) [4] [https://www.instagram.com/p/CiAmEhvs68L/](https://www.instagram.com/p/CiAmEhvs68L/)
After
A route with a complicated history. An indirect line called [Dyer Straits](/climb/2925/dyer-straits) (E8) was originally climbed by [Ian Vickers](/climber/221) that used a lot of pegs (although the pegs were not placed by him) [2]. [James Pearson](/climber/153) then removed the pegs and added a direct start, suggesting the unprecedented grade of E12. The route was quickly repeated by [Dave MacLeod](/climber/146) (who was injured at the time) who suggested a downgrade to E9, commenting: >For James to come to this blank canvas of a wall and have the courage to see past all the uncertainties and unknowns to make a route is a brilliant achievement. But although trad climbs truly deserving of E9 and above are still very few and far between in the world, there are some, and they’ve been around for a while. The Walk of Life stands among these routes, not above them. [1] The harsh criticism which was levelled at James from the climbing community for overgrading this route (and supposedly others), led to him moving to Innsbruck to get away from the UK climbing scene. James has since reflected that, having grown up bouldering and climbing short, bold gritstone routes, The Walk of Life lay far outside his comfort zone. Lacking the experience to recognise his own weaknesses on that style of climb, he was led to propose the lofty grade of E12.[2] In 2023 [Tom Randall](/climber/322/tom-randall) commented: >My view, having climbed both WOL and [Once Upon](/climb/562/once-upon-a-time-in-the-southwest) is that James’s effort was most definitely E10 and the E9 downgrade was one of those things that was not quite right [...] >What I do think (and obvs it’s just my opinion) is that Once Upon has to be E8 if WOL E9 or we accept that maybe things got too compressed. I’d gladly lead one of the lines any day of the week, the other, deffo not 😅😅. My view after quite a bit of time on that wall is top end E8 for OUATITSW and bottom end E10 for WOL. >But…… it gets more complicated 😅. The WOL has gained & lost holds since James did it (easy to spot from the old video footage) and I’d say in current state it IS a solid E9. So I guess that’s the ever changing state of chossy sea cliffs? No ascent is quite the same? [4] Dave has stated that he doesn’t agree with this assessment, and was E9 according to his experience. [5] ### References [1] [https://davemacleod.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Walk%20of%20Life](https://davemacleod.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Walk%20of%20Life) [2] [https://open.spotify.com/episode/2HAuDaq2kSHM6L7vdDu6uu?](https://open.spotify.com/episode/2HAuDaq2kSHM6L7vdDu6uu?) [3] [https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/james-pearson-interview-after-the-walk-of-life.html](https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/james-pearson-interview-after-the-walk-of-life.html) [4] [https://www.instagram.com/p/CiAmEhvs68L/](https://www.instagram.com/p/CiAmEhvs68L/) [5] [https://youtu.be/gbbgYR_6B7I](https://youtu.be/gbbgYR_6B7I)
Diff
--- before

+++ after

@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@


>But…… it gets more complicated 😅. The WOL has gained & lost holds since James did it (easy to spot from the old video footage) and I’d say in current state it IS a solid E9. So I guess that’s the ever changing state of chossy sea cliffs? No ascent is quite the same? [4]

+Dave has stated that he doesn’t agree with this assessment, and was E9 according to his experience. [5]
+
### References

[1] [https://davemacleod.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Walk%20of%20Life](https://davemacleod.blogspot.com/search/label/The%20Walk%20of%20Life)
@@ -22,4 +24,6 @@


[3] [https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/james-pearson-interview-after-the-walk-of-life.html](https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/james-pearson-interview-after-the-walk-of-life.html)

-[4] [https://www.instagram.com/p/CiAmEhvs68L/](https://www.instagram.com/p/CiAmEhvs68L/)
+[4] [https://www.instagram.com/p/CiAmEhvs68L/](https://www.instagram.com/p/CiAmEhvs68L/)
+
+[5] [https://youtu.be/gbbgYR_6B7I](https://youtu.be/gbbgYR_6B7I)
2224 19th June 2026 19:59:06 UTC Mono climber Alain Ghersen notes_pretty
Before
<p>Prolific Bleausard boulderer and alpinist, breaking new ground in both disciplines.</p> <p>In bouldering he established the first 7C+ in the forest with <a href="/climb/3392/le-surplomb-de-la-mée-(pre-break)" rel="noopener noreferrer">Le Surplomb de la Mée (Pre-Break)</a> in 1983, and had a claim to the first 8A+ with <a href="/climb/5559/l'aplat-du-gain" rel="noopener noreferrer">L'Aplat Du Gain</a> (now 8A) in 1988. In 1987, he succeeded in climbing all problems in Fontainebleau graded 7A or above. [2]</p> <p>However, his alpine achievements are even more mind-boggling:</p> <blockquote> <p>Another champion of Bleau and beyond in the 1980s: Alain Ghersen. His personal obsession was to statically climb every move that others tackled dynamically. No more dynos — a technique commonly used in Bleau on boulders where bad falls are unlikely. Unlike Jérôme Jean-Charles, Alain Ghersen — now a mountain guide and instructor at ENSA — is a world-class alpinist. His solo ascents in the Mont Blanc massif, especially his link-ups in the late 1980s, left a lasting mark on the history of alpinism.</p> <p>In an unpublished profile of Pierre Allain ('Pierre Allain, or the Prevalence of Pleasure, April 2015'), Alain Ghersen recounts a baroque link-up from the summer of 1987: a Paris–Bleau–Saussois–Chamonix journey starting from one of the most renowned routes in the forest, Le Carnage at Bas-Cuvier. Alain Ghersen: “In just over 40 hours, I linked together ascents of Carnage (7B) in Bleau, Bidule (8a+) in Saussois, and the full Peuterey Ridge on Mont Blanc — all solo.”</p> <p>In the summer of 1990, Alain Ghersen once again demonstrated the extraordinary technique and endurance he had developed in Bleau on its most extreme circuits. Solo, without any self-belaying, and in a single continuous push, Ghersen climbed the Directe Américaine on the Drus, the Walker Spur on the Grandes Jorasses, and the full Peuterey Ridge. Three historic, major alpine routes — it’s hard to top that. [1]</p> </blockquote> <h3>References</h3> <p>[1] Modica, Godoffe, 'Fontainebleau: 100 ans d'escalade', p.232, Les Editions Mont Blanc, 2017</p> <p>[2] OTE Guide, 1997</p> <p>[3] <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DLzw88ZNrZ2/" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.instagram.com/p/DLzw88ZNrZ2/</a></p>
After
<p>Prolific Bleausard boulderer and alpinist, breaking new ground in both disciplines.</p> <p>In bouldering he established the first 7C+ in the forest with <a href="/climb/3392/le-surplomb-de-la-mée-(pre-break)" rel="noopener noreferrer">Le Surplomb de la Mée (Pre-Break)</a> in 1983, and had a claim to the first 8A+ with <a href="/climb/5559/l'aplat-du-gain" rel="noopener noreferrer">L'Aplat Du Gain</a> (now 8A) in 1988. In 1987, he succeeded in climbing all problems in Fontainebleau graded 7A or above. [2]</p> <p>However, his alpine achievements are even more astounding:</p> <blockquote> <p>Another champion of Bleau and beyond in the 1980s: Alain Ghersen. His personal obsession was to statically climb every move that others tackled dynamically. No more dynos — a technique commonly used in Bleau on boulders where bad falls are unlikely. Unlike Jérôme Jean-Charles, Alain Ghersen — now a mountain guide and instructor at ENSA — is a world-class alpinist. His solo ascents in the Mont Blanc massif, especially his link-ups in the late 1980s, left a lasting mark on the history of alpinism.</p> <p>In an unpublished profile of Pierre Allain ('Pierre Allain, or the Prevalence of Pleasure, April 2015'), Alain Ghersen recounts a baroque link-up from the summer of 1987: a Paris–Bleau–Saussois–Chamonix journey starting from one of the most renowned routes in the forest, Le Carnage at Bas-Cuvier. Alain Ghersen: “In just over 40 hours, I linked together ascents of Carnage (7B) in Bleau, Bidule (8a+) in Saussois, and the full Peuterey Ridge on Mont Blanc — all solo.”</p> <p>In the summer of 1990, Alain Ghersen once again demonstrated the extraordinary technique and endurance he had developed in Bleau on its most extreme circuits. Solo, without any self-belaying, and in a single continuous push, Ghersen climbed the Directe Américaine on the Drus, the Walker Spur on the Grandes Jorasses, and the full Peuterey Ridge. Three historic, major alpine routes — it’s hard to top that. [1]</p> </blockquote> <h3>References</h3> <p>[1] Modica, Godoffe, 'Fontainebleau: 100 ans d'escalade', p.232, Les Editions Mont Blanc, 2017</p> <p>[2] OTE Guide, 1997</p> <p>[3] <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DLzw88ZNrZ2/" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.instagram.com/p/DLzw88ZNrZ2/</a></p>
2225 19th June 2026 19:59:06 UTC Mono climber Alain Ghersen notes
Before
Prolific Bleausard boulderer and alpinist, breaking new ground in both disciplines. In bouldering he established the first 7C+ in the forest with [Le Surplomb de la Mée (Pre-Break)](/climb/3392/le-surplomb-de-la-mée-(pre-break)) in 1983, and had a claim to the first 8A+ with [L'Aplat Du Gain](/climb/5559/l'aplat-du-gain) (now 8A) in 1988. In 1987, he succeeded in climbing all problems in Fontainebleau graded 7A or above. [2] However, his alpine achievements are even more mind-boggling: >Another champion of Bleau and beyond in the 1980s: Alain Ghersen. His personal obsession was to statically climb every move that others tackled dynamically. No more dynos — a technique commonly used in Bleau on boulders where bad falls are unlikely. Unlike Jérôme Jean-Charles, Alain Ghersen — now a mountain guide and instructor at ENSA — is a world-class alpinist. His solo ascents in the Mont Blanc massif, especially his link-ups in the late 1980s, left a lasting mark on the history of alpinism. >In an unpublished profile of Pierre Allain ('Pierre Allain, or the Prevalence of Pleasure, April 2015'), Alain Ghersen recounts a baroque link-up from the summer of 1987: a Paris–Bleau–Saussois–Chamonix journey starting from one of the most renowned routes in the forest, Le Carnage at Bas-Cuvier. Alain Ghersen: >“In just over 40 hours, I linked together ascents of Carnage (7B) in Bleau, Bidule (8a+) in Saussois, and the full Peuterey Ridge on Mont Blanc — all solo.” >In the summer of 1990, Alain Ghersen once again demonstrated the extraordinary technique and endurance he had developed in Bleau on its most extreme circuits. Solo, without any self-belaying, and in a single continuous push, Ghersen climbed the Directe Américaine on the Drus, the Walker Spur on the Grandes Jorasses, and the full Peuterey Ridge. Three historic, major alpine routes — it’s hard to top that. [1] ### References [1] Modica, Godoffe, 'Fontainebleau: 100 ans d'escalade', p.232, Les Editions Mont Blanc, 2017 [2] OTE Guide, 1997 [3] [https://www.instagram.com/p/DLzw88ZNrZ2/](https://www.instagram.com/p/DLzw88ZNrZ2/)
After
Prolific Bleausard boulderer and alpinist, breaking new ground in both disciplines. In bouldering he established the first 7C+ in the forest with [Le Surplomb de la Mée (Pre-Break)](/climb/3392/le-surplomb-de-la-mée-(pre-break)) in 1983, and had a claim to the first 8A+ with [L'Aplat Du Gain](/climb/5559/l'aplat-du-gain) (now 8A) in 1988. In 1987, he succeeded in climbing all problems in Fontainebleau graded 7A or above. [2] However, his alpine achievements are even more astounding: >Another champion of Bleau and beyond in the 1980s: Alain Ghersen. His personal obsession was to statically climb every move that others tackled dynamically. No more dynos — a technique commonly used in Bleau on boulders where bad falls are unlikely. Unlike Jérôme Jean-Charles, Alain Ghersen — now a mountain guide and instructor at ENSA — is a world-class alpinist. His solo ascents in the Mont Blanc massif, especially his link-ups in the late 1980s, left a lasting mark on the history of alpinism. >In an unpublished profile of Pierre Allain ('Pierre Allain, or the Prevalence of Pleasure, April 2015'), Alain Ghersen recounts a baroque link-up from the summer of 1987: a Paris–Bleau–Saussois–Chamonix journey starting from one of the most renowned routes in the forest, Le Carnage at Bas-Cuvier. Alain Ghersen: >“In just over 40 hours, I linked together ascents of Carnage (7B) in Bleau, Bidule (8a+) in Saussois, and the full Peuterey Ridge on Mont Blanc — all solo.” >In the summer of 1990, Alain Ghersen once again demonstrated the extraordinary technique and endurance he had developed in Bleau on its most extreme circuits. Solo, without any self-belaying, and in a single continuous push, Ghersen climbed the Directe Américaine on the Drus, the Walker Spur on the Grandes Jorasses, and the full Peuterey Ridge. Three historic, major alpine routes — it’s hard to top that. [1] ### References [1] Modica, Godoffe, 'Fontainebleau: 100 ans d'escalade', p.232, Les Editions Mont Blanc, 2017 [2] OTE Guide, 1997 [3] [https://www.instagram.com/p/DLzw88ZNrZ2/](https://www.instagram.com/p/DLzw88ZNrZ2/)
Diff
--- before

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In bouldering he established the first 7C+ in the forest with [Le Surplomb de la Mée (Pre-Break)](/climb/3392/le-surplomb-de-la-mée-(pre-break)) in 1983, and had a claim to the first 8A+ with [L'Aplat Du Gain](/climb/5559/l'aplat-du-gain) (now 8A) in 1988. In 1987, he succeeded in climbing all problems in Fontainebleau graded 7A or above. [2]

-However, his alpine achievements are even more mind-boggling:
+However, his alpine achievements are even more astounding:

>Another champion of Bleau and beyond in the 1980s: Alain Ghersen. His personal obsession was to statically climb every move that others tackled dynamically. No more dynos — a technique commonly used in Bleau on boulders where bad falls are unlikely. Unlike Jérôme Jean-Charles, Alain Ghersen — now a mountain guide and instructor at ENSA — is a world-class alpinist. His solo ascents in the Mont Blanc massif, especially his link-ups in the late 1980s, left a lasting mark on the history of alpinism.
2226 19th June 2026 19:50:39 UTC Mono media /file/1654417f-9835-fabf-c007-145b7c8eff45/IMG_6875.jpeg attribution_climber_id
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2227 19th June 2026 19:50:39 UTC Mono media /file/1654417f-9835-fabf-c007-145b7c8eff45/IMG_6875.jpeg missing_right_to_reproduce
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2228 19th June 2026 19:50:39 UTC Mono media /file/1654417f-9835-fabf-c007-145b7c8eff45/IMG_6875.jpeg src
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2229 19th June 2026 19:50:39 UTC Mono media /file/1654417f-9835-fabf-c007-145b7c8eff45/IMG_6875.jpeg url_optimised
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2230 19th June 2026 19:50:39 UTC Mono media /file/1654417f-9835-fabf-c007-145b7c8eff45/IMG_6875.jpeg url
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2231 19th June 2026 19:49:19 UTC Mono ascent Alain Ghersen's ascent of Envie d’Ailes Ascent #
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2232 19th June 2026 19:49:19 UTC Mono ascent Alain Ghersen's ascent of Envie d’Ailes ascent_dt_end
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1990-01-01
2233 19th June 2026 19:49:19 UTC Mono ascent Alain Ghersen's ascent of Envie d’Ailes ascent_dt_start
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1980-01-01
2234 19th June 2026 19:49:19 UTC Mono ascent Alain Ghersen's ascent of Envie d’Ailes ascent_type_id
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2235 19th June 2026 19:49:19 UTC Mono ascent Alain Ghersen's ascent of Envie d’Ailes ascent_style_id
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2236 19th June 2026 19:49:19 UTC Mono ascent Alain Ghersen's ascent of Envie d’Ailes climb_id
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2237 19th June 2026 19:49:19 UTC Mono ascent Alain Ghersen's ascent of Envie d’Ailes climber_id
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2238 19th June 2026 19:48:46 UTC Mono climb Envie d’Ailes Website
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https://bleau.info/elephant/421.html
2239 19th June 2026 19:48:26 UTC Mono climb Envie d’Ailes crag_id
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2240 19th June 2026 19:48:26 UTC Mono climb Envie d’Ailes climb_type
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