Mono

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Posts

1 Day

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7 Days

58

4 Weeks

62

All Time

23296

Current Streak

1

Longest Streak

27

Contributions Map

Contributions by Country

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
4 Japan 1478 19th July 2025 – 14th August 2026 14 25 0 107 73
5 Spain 319 31st July 2025 – 14th August 2026 3 9 0 35 13
6 Switzerland 229 31st July 2025 – 9th August 2026 2 5 0 21 15
7 New Zealand 216 19th August 2025 – 14th August 2026 1 1 0 17 13
8 Canada 170 10th September 2025 – 14th August 2026 1 9 0 25 3
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
1101 22nd July 2026 11:27:49 UTC Mono ascent Mat Wright's ascent of Requiem ascent_type_id
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1102 22nd July 2026 11:27:49 UTC Mono ascent Mat Wright's ascent of Requiem notes_pretty
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<h3>References</h3> <p>[1] <a href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DbF8SC9t6lk/" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.instagram.com/reel/DbF8SC9t6lk/</a></p>
1103 22nd July 2026 11:27:49 UTC Mono ascent Mat Wright's ascent of Requiem notes
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### References [1] [https://www.instagram.com/reel/DbF8SC9t6lk/](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DbF8SC9t6lk/)
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+### References
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+[1] [https://www.instagram.com/reel/DbF8SC9t6lk/](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DbF8SC9t6lk/)
1104 22nd July 2026 11:27:49 UTC Mono ascent Mat Wright's ascent of Requiem ascent_style_id
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1105 22nd July 2026 11:27:49 UTC Mono ascent Mat Wright's ascent of Requiem climb_id
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1106 22nd July 2026 11:27:49 UTC Mono ascent Mat Wright's ascent of Requiem climber_id
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1107 20th July 2026 11:18:51 UTC Mono climber Joe Brown notes_pretty
Before
<p>Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as <a href="/climber/730/don-whillans" rel="noopener noreferrer">Don Whillans</a>, he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as <a href="/climb/1296/cemetry-gates" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cemetery Gates</a> (E1), <a href="/climb/1331/great-slab" rel="noopener noreferrer">Great Slab</a> (E3) and <a href="/climb/1332/right-eliminate" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Great Crack</a> (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured into territory that was previously considered off-limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection.</p> <p>Brown was also an accomplished alpinist, establishing some of the more challenging routes of the day. </p> <p>In 1955, Brown, along with <a href="/climber/2049/george-band" rel="noopener noreferrer">George Band</a> made the first ascent of <a href="/summit/6/kangchenjunga" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kangchenjunga</a> (8586m), the third highest mountain in the world. This was the highest summit reached by a Briton at the time; Brown’s route took in an overhanging crack in the final wall and was probably the hardest climbing done at super high altitude until the <a href="/summit/1/mt.-everest" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mt. Everest</a> South West Face expedition in 1975.</p> <p>An epic attempt on The Mustagh Tower followed in 1956, with treacherous snow conditions forcing retreat just short of the main summit.</p> <p>In 1975, Brown led an expedition to <a href="/crag/33921/trango-towers" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trango Tower</a>, which was curtailed by <a href="/climber/1005/martin-boysen" rel="noopener noreferrer">Martin Boysen</a>’s harrowing knee-jamming episode. The team returned the following year to make the first ascent, setting a new bench mark for continuously hard rock climbing at high altitude.</p> <p>Other expeditions included Alaska, Ethiopia, Guyana, Iran, Morocco, the Pamirs, the Peruvian Andes and other Himalayan objectives, including two attempts on Everest. </p> <p>In the 1960s, Brown was the star of several BBC outside broadcasts, most memorably <a href="/crag/281/old-man-of-hoy" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Old Man of Hoy</a>.</p> <p>It is sometimes suggested that Brown invented jamming. Though he refuted this as 'baloney' [4], he certainly employed the technique to great effect on many of his new routes.</p> <p>His technical mastery is recounted by <a href="/climber/1203/jim-perrin" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jim Perrin</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>With all the other greats of my time, I could understand how they climbed: fitness, physique, supple gymnasticism or sheer application. With Brown, there was something else at work. He was quite short, not heavily built, his muscles corded rather than developed, his movement smooth and deliberate. When I climbed with him, sometimes I would watch the way he made a move, copy it when I came to that point, and his way, that he had seen instantly, would be the least obvious and most immediately right. He was climbing's supreme craftsman, unerringly aware of the medium. [3]</p> </blockquote> <h3>References</h3> <p>[1] An extended biography written by Ollie Burrows is available here <a href="https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography</a> including a list of many of Joe's first ascents.</p> <p>[2] <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmEz2GLo_wM" rel="noopener noreferrer">Interview with the BMC</a></p> <p>[3] <a href="https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/joe_brown_obituary-12750" rel="noopener noreferrer">Obituary on UKClimbing written by Jim Perrin</a>.</p> <p>[4] Interview with <a href="/climber/561/johnny-dawes" rel="noopener noreferrer">Johnny Dawes</a>, <a href="https://climbing-history.org/library/22/best-forgotten-art" rel="noopener noreferrer">Best Forgotten Art</a>, 1996.</p>
After
<p>Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as <a href="/climber/730/don-whillans" rel="noopener noreferrer">Don Whillans</a>, he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as <a href="/climb/1296/cemetry-gates" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cemetery Gates</a> (E1), <a href="/climb/1331/great-slab" rel="noopener noreferrer">Great Slab</a> (E3) and <a href="/climb/1332/right-eliminate" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Great Crack</a> (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured into territory that was previously considered off-limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection.</p> <p>Brown was also an accomplished alpinist, establishing some of the more challenging routes of the day. </p> <p>In 1955, Brown, along with <a href="/climber/2049/george-band" rel="noopener noreferrer">George Band</a> made the first ascent of <a href="/summit/6/kangchenjunga" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kangchenjunga</a> (8586m), the third highest mountain in the world. This was the highest summit reached by a Briton at the time; Brown’s route took in an overhanging crack in the final wall and was probably the hardest climbing done at super-high altitude until the <a href="/summit/1/mt.-everest" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mt. Everest</a> South West Face expedition in 1975. [1]</p> <p>An epic attempt on The Mustagh Tower followed in 1956, with treacherous snow conditions forcing retreat just short of the main summit.</p> <p>In 1975, Brown led an expedition to <a href="/crag/33921/trango-towers" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trango Tower</a>, which was curtailed by <a href="/climber/1005/martin-boysen" rel="noopener noreferrer">Martin Boysen</a>’s harrowing knee-jamming episode. The team returned the following year to make the first ascent, setting a new bench mark for continuously hard rock climbing at high altitude.</p> <p>Other expeditions included Alaska, Ethiopia, Guyana, Iran, Morocco, the Pamirs, the Peruvian Andes and other Himalayan objectives, including two attempts on Everest. </p> <p>In the 1960s, Brown was the star of several BBC outside broadcasts, most memorably <a href="/crag/281/old-man-of-hoy" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Old Man of Hoy</a>.</p> <p>It is sometimes suggested that Brown invented jamming. Though he refuted this as 'baloney' [4], he certainly employed the technique to great effect on many of his new routes.</p> <p>His technical mastery is recounted by <a href="/climber/1203/jim-perrin" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jim Perrin</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>With all the other greats of my time, I could understand how they climbed: fitness, physique, supple gymnasticism or sheer application. With Brown, there was something else at work. He was quite short, not heavily built, his muscles corded rather than developed, his movement smooth and deliberate. When I climbed with him, sometimes I would watch the way he made a move, copy it when I came to that point, and his way, that he had seen instantly, would be the least obvious and most immediately right. He was climbing's supreme craftsman, unerringly aware of the medium. [3]</p> </blockquote> <h3>References</h3> <p>[1] An extended biography written by Ollie Burrows is available here <a href="https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography</a> including a list of many of Joe's first ascents.</p> <p>[2] <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmEz2GLo_wM" rel="noopener noreferrer">Interview with the BMC</a></p> <p>[3] <a href="https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/joe_brown_obituary-12750" rel="noopener noreferrer">Obituary on UKClimbing written by Jim Perrin</a>.</p> <p>[4] Interview with <a href="/climber/561/johnny-dawes" rel="noopener noreferrer">Johnny Dawes</a>, <a href="https://climbing-history.org/library/22/best-forgotten-art" rel="noopener noreferrer">Best Forgotten Art</a>, 1996.</p>
1108 20th July 2026 11:18:51 UTC Mono climber Joe Brown notes
Before
Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as [Don Whillans](/climber/730/don-whillans), he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as [Cemetery Gates](/climb/1296/cemetry-gates) (E1), [Great Slab](/climb/1331/great-slab) (E3) and [The Great Crack](/climb/1332/right-eliminate) (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured into territory that was previously considered off-limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection. Brown was also an accomplished alpinist, establishing some of the more challenging routes of the day. In 1955, Brown, along with [George Band](/climber/2049/george-band) made the first ascent of [Kangchenjunga](/summit/6/kangchenjunga) (8586m), the third highest mountain in the world. This was the highest summit reached by a Briton at the time; Brown’s route took in an overhanging crack in the final wall and was probably the hardest climbing done at super high altitude until the [Mt. Everest](/summit/1/mt.-everest) South West Face expedition in 1975. An epic attempt on The Mustagh Tower followed in 1956, with treacherous snow conditions forcing retreat just short of the main summit. In 1975, Brown led an expedition to [Trango Tower](/crag/33921/trango-towers), which was curtailed by [Martin Boysen](/climber/1005/martin-boysen)’s harrowing knee-jamming episode. The team returned the following year to make the first ascent, setting a new bench mark for continuously hard rock climbing at high altitude. Other expeditions included Alaska, Ethiopia, Guyana, Iran, Morocco, the Pamirs, the Peruvian Andes and other Himalayan objectives, including two attempts on Everest. In the 1960s, Brown was the star of several BBC outside broadcasts, most memorably [The Old Man of Hoy](/crag/281/old-man-of-hoy). It is sometimes suggested that Brown invented jamming. Though he refuted this as 'baloney' [4], he certainly employed the technique to great effect on many of his new routes. His technical mastery is recounted by [Jim Perrin](/climber/1203/jim-perrin): > With all the other greats of my time, I could understand how they climbed: fitness, physique, supple gymnasticism or sheer application. With Brown, there was something else at work. He was quite short, not heavily built, his muscles corded rather than developed, his movement smooth and deliberate. When I climbed with him, sometimes I would watch the way he made a move, copy it when I came to that point, and his way, that he had seen instantly, would be the least obvious and most immediately right. He was climbing's supreme craftsman, unerringly aware of the medium. [3] ### References [1] An extended biography written by Ollie Burrows is available here [https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography](https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography) including a list of many of Joe's first ascents. [2] [Interview with the BMC](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmEz2GLo_wM) [3] [Obituary on UKClimbing written by Jim Perrin](https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/joe_brown_obituary-12750). [4] Interview with [Johnny Dawes](/climber/561/johnny-dawes), [Best Forgotten Art](https://climbing-history.org/library/22/best-forgotten-art), 1996.
After
Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as [Don Whillans](/climber/730/don-whillans), he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as [Cemetery Gates](/climb/1296/cemetry-gates) (E1), [Great Slab](/climb/1331/great-slab) (E3) and [The Great Crack](/climb/1332/right-eliminate) (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured into territory that was previously considered off-limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection. Brown was also an accomplished alpinist, establishing some of the more challenging routes of the day. In 1955, Brown, along with [George Band](/climber/2049/george-band) made the first ascent of [Kangchenjunga](/summit/6/kangchenjunga) (8586m), the third highest mountain in the world. This was the highest summit reached by a Briton at the time; Brown’s route took in an overhanging crack in the final wall and was probably the hardest climbing done at super-high altitude until the [Mt. Everest](/summit/1/mt.-everest) South West Face expedition in 1975. [1] An epic attempt on The Mustagh Tower followed in 1956, with treacherous snow conditions forcing retreat just short of the main summit. In 1975, Brown led an expedition to [Trango Tower](/crag/33921/trango-towers), which was curtailed by [Martin Boysen](/climber/1005/martin-boysen)’s harrowing knee-jamming episode. The team returned the following year to make the first ascent, setting a new bench mark for continuously hard rock climbing at high altitude. Other expeditions included Alaska, Ethiopia, Guyana, Iran, Morocco, the Pamirs, the Peruvian Andes and other Himalayan objectives, including two attempts on Everest. In the 1960s, Brown was the star of several BBC outside broadcasts, most memorably [The Old Man of Hoy](/crag/281/old-man-of-hoy). It is sometimes suggested that Brown invented jamming. Though he refuted this as 'baloney' [4], he certainly employed the technique to great effect on many of his new routes. His technical mastery is recounted by [Jim Perrin](/climber/1203/jim-perrin): > With all the other greats of my time, I could understand how they climbed: fitness, physique, supple gymnasticism or sheer application. With Brown, there was something else at work. He was quite short, not heavily built, his muscles corded rather than developed, his movement smooth and deliberate. When I climbed with him, sometimes I would watch the way he made a move, copy it when I came to that point, and his way, that he had seen instantly, would be the least obvious and most immediately right. He was climbing's supreme craftsman, unerringly aware of the medium. [3] ### References [1] An extended biography written by Ollie Burrows is available here [https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography](https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography) including a list of many of Joe's first ascents. [2] [Interview with the BMC](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmEz2GLo_wM) [3] [Obituary on UKClimbing written by Jim Perrin](https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/joe_brown_obituary-12750). [4] Interview with [Johnny Dawes](/climber/561/johnny-dawes), [Best Forgotten Art](https://climbing-history.org/library/22/best-forgotten-art), 1996.
Diff
--- before

+++ after

@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@


Brown was also an accomplished alpinist, establishing some of the more challenging routes of the day.

-In 1955, Brown, along with [George Band](/climber/2049/george-band) made the first ascent of [Kangchenjunga](/summit/6/kangchenjunga) (8586m), the third highest mountain in the world. This was the highest summit reached by a Briton at the time; Brown’s route took in an overhanging crack in the final wall and was probably the hardest climbing done at super high altitude until the [Mt. Everest](/summit/1/mt.-everest) South West Face expedition in 1975.
+In 1955, Brown, along with [George Band](/climber/2049/george-band) made the first ascent of [Kangchenjunga](/summit/6/kangchenjunga) (8586m), the third highest mountain in the world. This was the highest summit reached by a Briton at the time; Brown’s route took in an overhanging crack in the final wall and was probably the hardest climbing done at super-high altitude until the [Mt. Everest](/summit/1/mt.-everest) South West Face expedition in 1975. [1]

An epic attempt on The Mustagh Tower followed in 1956, with treacherous snow conditions forcing retreat just short of the main summit.
1109 20th July 2026 11:17:41 UTC Mono climber Joe Brown notes_pretty
Before
<p>Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as <a href="/climber/730/don-whillans" rel="noopener noreferrer">Don Whillans</a>, he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as <a href="/climb/1296/cemetry-gates" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cemetery Gates</a> (E1), <a href="/climb/1331/great-slab" rel="noopener noreferrer">Great Slab</a> (E3) and <a href="/climb/1332/right-eliminate" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Great Crack</a> (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured in to territory that was previously considered off limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection.</p> <p>Brown was also an accomplished alpinist, establishing some of the more challenging routes of the day. </p> <p>In 1955, Brown, along with <a href="/climber/2049/george-band" rel="noopener noreferrer">George Band</a> made the first ascent of <a href="/summit/6/kangchenjunga" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kangchenjunga</a> (8586m), the third highest mountain in the world. This was the highest summit reached by a Briton at the time; Brown’s route took in an overhanging crack in the final wall and was probably the hardest climbing done at super high altitude until the <a href="/summit/1/mt.-everest" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mt. Everest</a> South West Face expedition in 1975.</p> <p>An epic attempt on The Mustagh Tower followed in 1956, with treacherous snow conditions forcing retreat just short of the main summit.</p> <p>In 1975, Brown led an expedition to <a href="/crag/33921/trango-towers" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trango Tower</a>, which was curtailed by <a href="/climber/1005/martin-boysen" rel="noopener noreferrer">Martin Boysen</a>’s harrowing knee-jamming episode. The team returned the following year to make the first ascent, setting a new bench mark for continuously hard rock climbing at high altitude.</p> <p>Other expeditions included Alaska, Ethiopia, Guyana, Iran, Morocco, the Pamirs, the Peruvian Andes and other Himalayan objectives, including two attempts on Everest. </p> <p>In the 1960s, Brown was the star of several BBC outside broadcasts, most memorably <a href="/crag/281/old-man-of-hoy" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Old Man of Hoy</a>.</p> <p>It is sometimes suggested that Brown invented jamming. Though he refuted this as 'baloney' [4], he certainly employed the technique to great effect on many of his new routes.</p> <p>His technical mastery is recounted by <a href="/climber/1203/jim-perrin" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jim Perrin</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>With all the other greats of my time, I could understand how they climbed: fitness, physique, supple gymnasticism or sheer application. With Brown, there was something else at work. He was quite short, not heavily built, his muscles corded rather than developed, his movement smooth and deliberate. When I climbed with him, sometimes I would watch the way he made a move, copy it when I came to that point, and his way, that he had seen instantly, would be the least obvious and most immediately right. He was climbing's supreme craftsman, unerringly aware of the medium. [3]</p> </blockquote> <h3>References</h3> <p>[1] An extended biography written by Ollie Burrows is available here <a href="https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography</a> including a list of many of Joe's first ascents.</p> <p>[2] <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmEz2GLo_wM" rel="noopener noreferrer">Interview with the BMC</a></p> <p>[3] <a href="https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/joe_brown_obituary-12750" rel="noopener noreferrer">Obituary on UKClimbing written by Jim Perrin</a>.</p> <p>[4] Interview with <a href="/climber/561/johnny-dawes" rel="noopener noreferrer">Johnny Dawes</a>, <a href="https://climbing-history.org/library/22/best-forgotten-art" rel="noopener noreferrer">Best Forgotten Art</a>, 1996.</p>
After
<p>Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as <a href="/climber/730/don-whillans" rel="noopener noreferrer">Don Whillans</a>, he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as <a href="/climb/1296/cemetry-gates" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cemetery Gates</a> (E1), <a href="/climb/1331/great-slab" rel="noopener noreferrer">Great Slab</a> (E3) and <a href="/climb/1332/right-eliminate" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Great Crack</a> (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured into territory that was previously considered off-limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection.</p> <p>Brown was also an accomplished alpinist, establishing some of the more challenging routes of the day. </p> <p>In 1955, Brown, along with <a href="/climber/2049/george-band" rel="noopener noreferrer">George Band</a> made the first ascent of <a href="/summit/6/kangchenjunga" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kangchenjunga</a> (8586m), the third highest mountain in the world. This was the highest summit reached by a Briton at the time; Brown’s route took in an overhanging crack in the final wall and was probably the hardest climbing done at super high altitude until the <a href="/summit/1/mt.-everest" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mt. Everest</a> South West Face expedition in 1975.</p> <p>An epic attempt on The Mustagh Tower followed in 1956, with treacherous snow conditions forcing retreat just short of the main summit.</p> <p>In 1975, Brown led an expedition to <a href="/crag/33921/trango-towers" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trango Tower</a>, which was curtailed by <a href="/climber/1005/martin-boysen" rel="noopener noreferrer">Martin Boysen</a>’s harrowing knee-jamming episode. The team returned the following year to make the first ascent, setting a new bench mark for continuously hard rock climbing at high altitude.</p> <p>Other expeditions included Alaska, Ethiopia, Guyana, Iran, Morocco, the Pamirs, the Peruvian Andes and other Himalayan objectives, including two attempts on Everest. </p> <p>In the 1960s, Brown was the star of several BBC outside broadcasts, most memorably <a href="/crag/281/old-man-of-hoy" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Old Man of Hoy</a>.</p> <p>It is sometimes suggested that Brown invented jamming. Though he refuted this as 'baloney' [4], he certainly employed the technique to great effect on many of his new routes.</p> <p>His technical mastery is recounted by <a href="/climber/1203/jim-perrin" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jim Perrin</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>With all the other greats of my time, I could understand how they climbed: fitness, physique, supple gymnasticism or sheer application. With Brown, there was something else at work. He was quite short, not heavily built, his muscles corded rather than developed, his movement smooth and deliberate. When I climbed with him, sometimes I would watch the way he made a move, copy it when I came to that point, and his way, that he had seen instantly, would be the least obvious and most immediately right. He was climbing's supreme craftsman, unerringly aware of the medium. [3]</p> </blockquote> <h3>References</h3> <p>[1] An extended biography written by Ollie Burrows is available here <a href="https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography</a> including a list of many of Joe's first ascents.</p> <p>[2] <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmEz2GLo_wM" rel="noopener noreferrer">Interview with the BMC</a></p> <p>[3] <a href="https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/joe_brown_obituary-12750" rel="noopener noreferrer">Obituary on UKClimbing written by Jim Perrin</a>.</p> <p>[4] Interview with <a href="/climber/561/johnny-dawes" rel="noopener noreferrer">Johnny Dawes</a>, <a href="https://climbing-history.org/library/22/best-forgotten-art" rel="noopener noreferrer">Best Forgotten Art</a>, 1996.</p>
1110 20th July 2026 11:17:41 UTC Mono climber Joe Brown notes
Before
Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as [Don Whillans](/climber/730/don-whillans), he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as [Cemetery Gates](/climb/1296/cemetry-gates) (E1), [Great Slab](/climb/1331/great-slab) (E3) and [The Great Crack](/climb/1332/right-eliminate) (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured in to territory that was previously considered off limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection. Brown was also an accomplished alpinist, establishing some of the more challenging routes of the day. In 1955, Brown, along with [George Band](/climber/2049/george-band) made the first ascent of [Kangchenjunga](/summit/6/kangchenjunga) (8586m), the third highest mountain in the world. This was the highest summit reached by a Briton at the time; Brown’s route took in an overhanging crack in the final wall and was probably the hardest climbing done at super high altitude until the [Mt. Everest](/summit/1/mt.-everest) South West Face expedition in 1975. An epic attempt on The Mustagh Tower followed in 1956, with treacherous snow conditions forcing retreat just short of the main summit. In 1975, Brown led an expedition to [Trango Tower](/crag/33921/trango-towers), which was curtailed by [Martin Boysen](/climber/1005/martin-boysen)’s harrowing knee-jamming episode. The team returned the following year to make the first ascent, setting a new bench mark for continuously hard rock climbing at high altitude. Other expeditions included Alaska, Ethiopia, Guyana, Iran, Morocco, the Pamirs, the Peruvian Andes and other Himalayan objectives, including two attempts on Everest. In the 1960s, Brown was the star of several BBC outside broadcasts, most memorably [The Old Man of Hoy](/crag/281/old-man-of-hoy). It is sometimes suggested that Brown invented jamming. Though he refuted this as 'baloney' [4], he certainly employed the technique to great effect on many of his new routes. His technical mastery is recounted by [Jim Perrin](/climber/1203/jim-perrin): > With all the other greats of my time, I could understand how they climbed: fitness, physique, supple gymnasticism or sheer application. With Brown, there was something else at work. He was quite short, not heavily built, his muscles corded rather than developed, his movement smooth and deliberate. When I climbed with him, sometimes I would watch the way he made a move, copy it when I came to that point, and his way, that he had seen instantly, would be the least obvious and most immediately right. He was climbing's supreme craftsman, unerringly aware of the medium. [3] ### References [1] An extended biography written by Ollie Burrows is available here [https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography](https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography) including a list of many of Joe's first ascents. [2] [Interview with the BMC](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmEz2GLo_wM) [3] [Obituary on UKClimbing written by Jim Perrin](https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/joe_brown_obituary-12750). [4] Interview with [Johnny Dawes](/climber/561/johnny-dawes), [Best Forgotten Art](https://climbing-history.org/library/22/best-forgotten-art), 1996.
After
Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as [Don Whillans](/climber/730/don-whillans), he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as [Cemetery Gates](/climb/1296/cemetry-gates) (E1), [Great Slab](/climb/1331/great-slab) (E3) and [The Great Crack](/climb/1332/right-eliminate) (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured into territory that was previously considered off-limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection. Brown was also an accomplished alpinist, establishing some of the more challenging routes of the day. In 1955, Brown, along with [George Band](/climber/2049/george-band) made the first ascent of [Kangchenjunga](/summit/6/kangchenjunga) (8586m), the third highest mountain in the world. This was the highest summit reached by a Briton at the time; Brown’s route took in an overhanging crack in the final wall and was probably the hardest climbing done at super high altitude until the [Mt. Everest](/summit/1/mt.-everest) South West Face expedition in 1975. An epic attempt on The Mustagh Tower followed in 1956, with treacherous snow conditions forcing retreat just short of the main summit. In 1975, Brown led an expedition to [Trango Tower](/crag/33921/trango-towers), which was curtailed by [Martin Boysen](/climber/1005/martin-boysen)’s harrowing knee-jamming episode. The team returned the following year to make the first ascent, setting a new bench mark for continuously hard rock climbing at high altitude. Other expeditions included Alaska, Ethiopia, Guyana, Iran, Morocco, the Pamirs, the Peruvian Andes and other Himalayan objectives, including two attempts on Everest. In the 1960s, Brown was the star of several BBC outside broadcasts, most memorably [The Old Man of Hoy](/crag/281/old-man-of-hoy). It is sometimes suggested that Brown invented jamming. Though he refuted this as 'baloney' [4], he certainly employed the technique to great effect on many of his new routes. His technical mastery is recounted by [Jim Perrin](/climber/1203/jim-perrin): > With all the other greats of my time, I could understand how they climbed: fitness, physique, supple gymnasticism or sheer application. With Brown, there was something else at work. He was quite short, not heavily built, his muscles corded rather than developed, his movement smooth and deliberate. When I climbed with him, sometimes I would watch the way he made a move, copy it when I came to that point, and his way, that he had seen instantly, would be the least obvious and most immediately right. He was climbing's supreme craftsman, unerringly aware of the medium. [3] ### References [1] An extended biography written by Ollie Burrows is available here [https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography](https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography) including a list of many of Joe's first ascents. [2] [Interview with the BMC](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmEz2GLo_wM) [3] [Obituary on UKClimbing written by Jim Perrin](https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/joe_brown_obituary-12750). [4] Interview with [Johnny Dawes](/climber/561/johnny-dawes), [Best Forgotten Art](https://climbing-history.org/library/22/best-forgotten-art), 1996.
Diff
--- before

+++ after

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

-Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as [Don Whillans](/climber/730/don-whillans), he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as [Cemetery Gates](/climb/1296/cemetry-gates) (E1), [Great Slab](/climb/1331/great-slab) (E3) and [The Great Crack](/climb/1332/right-eliminate) (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured in to territory that was previously considered off limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection.
+Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as [Don Whillans](/climber/730/don-whillans), he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as [Cemetery Gates](/climb/1296/cemetry-gates) (E1), [Great Slab](/climb/1331/great-slab) (E3) and [The Great Crack](/climb/1332/right-eliminate) (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured into territory that was previously considered off-limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection.

Brown was also an accomplished alpinist, establishing some of the more challenging routes of the day.
1111 20th July 2026 11:16:48 UTC Mono climber Joe Brown notes_pretty
Before
<p>Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as <a href="/climber/730/don-whillans" rel="noopener noreferrer">Don Whillans</a>, he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as <a href="/climb/1296/cemetry-gates" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cemetry Gates</a> (E1), <a href="/climb/1331/great-slab" rel="noopener noreferrer">Great Slab</a> (E3) and <a href="/climb/1332/right-eliminate" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Great Crack</a> (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured in to territory that was previously considered off limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection.</p> <p>Brown was also an accomplished alpinist, establishing some of the more challenging routes of the day. </p> <p>In 1955, Brown, along with <a href="/climber/2049/george-band" rel="noopener noreferrer">George Band</a> made the first ascent of <a href="/summit/6/kangchenjunga" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kangchenjunga</a> (8586m), the third highest mountain in the world. This was the highest summit reached by a Briton at the time; Brown’s route took in an overhanging crack in the final wall and was probably the hardest climbing done at super high altitude until the <a href="/summit/1/mt.-everest" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mt. Everest</a> South West Face expedition in 1975.</p> <p>An epic attempt on The Mustagh Tower followed in 1956, with treacherous snow conditions forcing retreat just short of the main summit.</p> <p>In 1975, Brown led an expedition to <a href="/crag/33921/trango-towers" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trango Tower</a>, which was curtailed by <a href="/climber/1005/martin-boysen" rel="noopener noreferrer">Martin Boysen</a>’s harrowing knee-jamming episode. The team returned the following year to make the first ascent, setting a new bench mark for continuously hard rock climbing at high altitude.</p> <p>Other expeditions included Alaska, Ethiopia, Guyana, Iran, Morocco, the Pamirs, the Peruvian Andes and other Himalayan objectives, including two attempts on Everest. </p> <p>In the 1960s, Brown was the star of several BBC outside broadcasts, most memorably <a href="/crag/281/old-man-of-hoy" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Old Man of Hoy</a>.</p> <p>It is sometimes suggested that Brown invented jamming. Though he refuted this as 'baloney' [4], he certainly employed the technique to great effect on many of his new routes.</p> <p>His technical mastery is recounted by <a href="/climber/1203/jim-perrin" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jim Perrin</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>With all the other greats of my time, I could understand how they climbed: fitness, physique, supple gymnasticism or sheer application. With Brown, there was something else at work. He was quite short, not heavily built, his muscles corded rather than developed, his movement smooth and deliberate. When I climbed with him, sometimes I would watch the way he made a move, copy it when I came to that point, and his way, that he had seen instantly, would be the least obvious and most immediately right. He was climbing's supreme craftsman, unerringly aware of the medium. [3]</p> </blockquote> <h3>References</h3> <p>[1] An extended biography written by Ollie Burrows is available here <a href="https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography</a> including a list of many of Joe's first ascents.</p> <p>[2] <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmEz2GLo_wM" rel="noopener noreferrer">Interview with the BMC</a></p> <p>[3] <a href="https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/joe_brown_obituary-12750" rel="noopener noreferrer">Obituary on UKClimbing written by Jim Perrin</a>.</p> <p>[4] Interview with <a href="/climber/561/johnny-dawes" rel="noopener noreferrer">Johnny Dawes</a>, <a href="https://climbing-history.org/library/22/best-forgotten-art" rel="noopener noreferrer">Best Forgotten Art</a>, 1996.</p>
After
<p>Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as <a href="/climber/730/don-whillans" rel="noopener noreferrer">Don Whillans</a>, he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as <a href="/climb/1296/cemetry-gates" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cemetery Gates</a> (E1), <a href="/climb/1331/great-slab" rel="noopener noreferrer">Great Slab</a> (E3) and <a href="/climb/1332/right-eliminate" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Great Crack</a> (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured in to territory that was previously considered off limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection.</p> <p>Brown was also an accomplished alpinist, establishing some of the more challenging routes of the day. </p> <p>In 1955, Brown, along with <a href="/climber/2049/george-band" rel="noopener noreferrer">George Band</a> made the first ascent of <a href="/summit/6/kangchenjunga" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kangchenjunga</a> (8586m), the third highest mountain in the world. This was the highest summit reached by a Briton at the time; Brown’s route took in an overhanging crack in the final wall and was probably the hardest climbing done at super high altitude until the <a href="/summit/1/mt.-everest" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mt. Everest</a> South West Face expedition in 1975.</p> <p>An epic attempt on The Mustagh Tower followed in 1956, with treacherous snow conditions forcing retreat just short of the main summit.</p> <p>In 1975, Brown led an expedition to <a href="/crag/33921/trango-towers" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trango Tower</a>, which was curtailed by <a href="/climber/1005/martin-boysen" rel="noopener noreferrer">Martin Boysen</a>’s harrowing knee-jamming episode. The team returned the following year to make the first ascent, setting a new bench mark for continuously hard rock climbing at high altitude.</p> <p>Other expeditions included Alaska, Ethiopia, Guyana, Iran, Morocco, the Pamirs, the Peruvian Andes and other Himalayan objectives, including two attempts on Everest. </p> <p>In the 1960s, Brown was the star of several BBC outside broadcasts, most memorably <a href="/crag/281/old-man-of-hoy" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Old Man of Hoy</a>.</p> <p>It is sometimes suggested that Brown invented jamming. Though he refuted this as 'baloney' [4], he certainly employed the technique to great effect on many of his new routes.</p> <p>His technical mastery is recounted by <a href="/climber/1203/jim-perrin" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jim Perrin</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>With all the other greats of my time, I could understand how they climbed: fitness, physique, supple gymnasticism or sheer application. With Brown, there was something else at work. He was quite short, not heavily built, his muscles corded rather than developed, his movement smooth and deliberate. When I climbed with him, sometimes I would watch the way he made a move, copy it when I came to that point, and his way, that he had seen instantly, would be the least obvious and most immediately right. He was climbing's supreme craftsman, unerringly aware of the medium. [3]</p> </blockquote> <h3>References</h3> <p>[1] An extended biography written by Ollie Burrows is available here <a href="https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography</a> including a list of many of Joe's first ascents.</p> <p>[2] <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmEz2GLo_wM" rel="noopener noreferrer">Interview with the BMC</a></p> <p>[3] <a href="https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/joe_brown_obituary-12750" rel="noopener noreferrer">Obituary on UKClimbing written by Jim Perrin</a>.</p> <p>[4] Interview with <a href="/climber/561/johnny-dawes" rel="noopener noreferrer">Johnny Dawes</a>, <a href="https://climbing-history.org/library/22/best-forgotten-art" rel="noopener noreferrer">Best Forgotten Art</a>, 1996.</p>
1112 20th July 2026 11:16:48 UTC Mono climber Joe Brown notes
Before
Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as [Don Whillans](/climber/730/don-whillans), he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as [Cemetry Gates](/climb/1296/cemetry-gates) (E1), [Great Slab](/climb/1331/great-slab) (E3) and [The Great Crack](/climb/1332/right-eliminate) (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured in to territory that was previously considered off limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection. Brown was also an accomplished alpinist, establishing some of the more challenging routes of the day. In 1955, Brown, along with [George Band](/climber/2049/george-band) made the first ascent of [Kangchenjunga](/summit/6/kangchenjunga) (8586m), the third highest mountain in the world. This was the highest summit reached by a Briton at the time; Brown’s route took in an overhanging crack in the final wall and was probably the hardest climbing done at super high altitude until the [Mt. Everest](/summit/1/mt.-everest) South West Face expedition in 1975. An epic attempt on The Mustagh Tower followed in 1956, with treacherous snow conditions forcing retreat just short of the main summit. In 1975, Brown led an expedition to [Trango Tower](/crag/33921/trango-towers), which was curtailed by [Martin Boysen](/climber/1005/martin-boysen)’s harrowing knee-jamming episode. The team returned the following year to make the first ascent, setting a new bench mark for continuously hard rock climbing at high altitude. Other expeditions included Alaska, Ethiopia, Guyana, Iran, Morocco, the Pamirs, the Peruvian Andes and other Himalayan objectives, including two attempts on Everest. In the 1960s, Brown was the star of several BBC outside broadcasts, most memorably [The Old Man of Hoy](/crag/281/old-man-of-hoy). It is sometimes suggested that Brown invented jamming. Though he refuted this as 'baloney' [4], he certainly employed the technique to great effect on many of his new routes. His technical mastery is recounted by [Jim Perrin](/climber/1203/jim-perrin): > With all the other greats of my time, I could understand how they climbed: fitness, physique, supple gymnasticism or sheer application. With Brown, there was something else at work. He was quite short, not heavily built, his muscles corded rather than developed, his movement smooth and deliberate. When I climbed with him, sometimes I would watch the way he made a move, copy it when I came to that point, and his way, that he had seen instantly, would be the least obvious and most immediately right. He was climbing's supreme craftsman, unerringly aware of the medium. [3] ### References [1] An extended biography written by Ollie Burrows is available here [https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography](https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography) including a list of many of Joe's first ascents. [2] [Interview with the BMC](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmEz2GLo_wM) [3] [Obituary on UKClimbing written by Jim Perrin](https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/joe_brown_obituary-12750). [4] Interview with [Johnny Dawes](/climber/561/johnny-dawes), [Best Forgotten Art](https://climbing-history.org/library/22/best-forgotten-art), 1996.
After
Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as [Don Whillans](/climber/730/don-whillans), he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as [Cemetery Gates](/climb/1296/cemetry-gates) (E1), [Great Slab](/climb/1331/great-slab) (E3) and [The Great Crack](/climb/1332/right-eliminate) (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured in to territory that was previously considered off limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection. Brown was also an accomplished alpinist, establishing some of the more challenging routes of the day. In 1955, Brown, along with [George Band](/climber/2049/george-band) made the first ascent of [Kangchenjunga](/summit/6/kangchenjunga) (8586m), the third highest mountain in the world. This was the highest summit reached by a Briton at the time; Brown’s route took in an overhanging crack in the final wall and was probably the hardest climbing done at super high altitude until the [Mt. Everest](/summit/1/mt.-everest) South West Face expedition in 1975. An epic attempt on The Mustagh Tower followed in 1956, with treacherous snow conditions forcing retreat just short of the main summit. In 1975, Brown led an expedition to [Trango Tower](/crag/33921/trango-towers), which was curtailed by [Martin Boysen](/climber/1005/martin-boysen)’s harrowing knee-jamming episode. The team returned the following year to make the first ascent, setting a new bench mark for continuously hard rock climbing at high altitude. Other expeditions included Alaska, Ethiopia, Guyana, Iran, Morocco, the Pamirs, the Peruvian Andes and other Himalayan objectives, including two attempts on Everest. In the 1960s, Brown was the star of several BBC outside broadcasts, most memorably [The Old Man of Hoy](/crag/281/old-man-of-hoy). It is sometimes suggested that Brown invented jamming. Though he refuted this as 'baloney' [4], he certainly employed the technique to great effect on many of his new routes. His technical mastery is recounted by [Jim Perrin](/climber/1203/jim-perrin): > With all the other greats of my time, I could understand how they climbed: fitness, physique, supple gymnasticism or sheer application. With Brown, there was something else at work. He was quite short, not heavily built, his muscles corded rather than developed, his movement smooth and deliberate. When I climbed with him, sometimes I would watch the way he made a move, copy it when I came to that point, and his way, that he had seen instantly, would be the least obvious and most immediately right. He was climbing's supreme craftsman, unerringly aware of the medium. [3] ### References [1] An extended biography written by Ollie Burrows is available here [https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography](https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography) including a list of many of Joe's first ascents. [2] [Interview with the BMC](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmEz2GLo_wM) [3] [Obituary on UKClimbing written by Jim Perrin](https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/joe_brown_obituary-12750). [4] Interview with [Johnny Dawes](/climber/561/johnny-dawes), [Best Forgotten Art](https://climbing-history.org/library/22/best-forgotten-art), 1996.
Diff
--- before

+++ after

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

-Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as [Don Whillans](/climber/730/don-whillans), he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as [Cemetry Gates](/climb/1296/cemetry-gates) (E1), [Great Slab](/climb/1331/great-slab) (E3) and [The Great Crack](/climb/1332/right-eliminate) (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured in to territory that was previously considered off limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection.
+Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as [Don Whillans](/climber/730/don-whillans), he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as [Cemetery Gates](/climb/1296/cemetry-gates) (E1), [Great Slab](/climb/1331/great-slab) (E3) and [The Great Crack](/climb/1332/right-eliminate) (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured in to territory that was previously considered off limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection.

Brown was also an accomplished alpinist, establishing some of the more challenging routes of the day.
1113 20th July 2026 11:16:29 UTC Mono climber Joe Brown notes_pretty
Before
<p>Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as <a href="/climber/730/don-whillans" rel="noopener noreferrer">Don Whillans</a>, he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as <a href="/climb/1296/cemetry-gates" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cemetry Gates</a> (E1), <a href="/climb/1331/great-slab" rel="noopener noreferrer">Great Slab</a> (E3) and <a href="/climb/1332/right-eliminate" rel="noopener noreferrer">Right Eliminate</a> (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured in to territory that was previously considered off limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection.</p> <p>Brown was also an accomplished alpinist, establishing some of the more challenging routes of the day. </p> <p>In 1955, Brown, along with <a href="/climber/2049/george-band" rel="noopener noreferrer">George Band</a> made the first ascent of <a href="/summit/6/kangchenjunga" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kangchenjunga</a> (8586m), the third highest mountain in the world. This was the highest summit reached by a Briton at the time; Brown’s route took in an overhanging crack in the final wall and was probably the hardest climbing done at super high altitude until the <a href="/summit/1/mt.-everest" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mt. Everest</a> South West Face expedition in 1975.</p> <p>An epic attempt on The Mustagh Tower followed in 1956, with treacherous snow conditions forcing retreat just short of the main summit.</p> <p>In 1975, Brown led an expedition to <a href="/crag/33921/trango-towers" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trango Tower</a>, which was curtailed by <a href="/climber/1005/martin-boysen" rel="noopener noreferrer">Martin Boysen</a>’s harrowing knee-jamming episode. The team returned the following year to make the first ascent, setting a new bench mark for continuously hard rock climbing at high altitude.</p> <p>Other expeditions included Alaska, Ethiopia, Guyana, Iran, Morocco, the Pamirs, the Peruvian Andes and other Himalayan objectives, including two attempts on Everest. </p> <p>In the 1960s, Brown was the star of several BBC outside broadcasts, most memorably <a href="/crag/281/old-man-of-hoy" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Old Man of Hoy</a>.</p> <p>It is sometimes suggested that Brown invented jamming. Though he refuted this as 'baloney' [4], he certainly employed the technique to great effect on many of his new routes.</p> <p>His technical mastery is recounted by <a href="/climber/1203/jim-perrin" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jim Perrin</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>With all the other greats of my time, I could understand how they climbed: fitness, physique, supple gymnasticism or sheer application. With Brown, there was something else at work. He was quite short, not heavily built, his muscles corded rather than developed, his movement smooth and deliberate. When I climbed with him, sometimes I would watch the way he made a move, copy it when I came to that point, and his way, that he had seen instantly, would be the least obvious and most immediately right. He was climbing's supreme craftsman, unerringly aware of the medium. [3]</p> </blockquote> <h3>References</h3> <p>[1] An extended biography written by Ollie Burrows is available here <a href="https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography</a> including a list of many of Joe's first ascents.</p> <p>[2] <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmEz2GLo_wM" rel="noopener noreferrer">Interview with the BMC</a></p> <p>[3] <a href="https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/joe_brown_obituary-12750" rel="noopener noreferrer">Obituary on UKClimbing written by Jim Perrin</a>.</p> <p>[4] Interview with <a href="/climber/561/johnny-dawes" rel="noopener noreferrer">Johnny Dawes</a>, <a href="https://climbing-history.org/library/22/best-forgotten-art" rel="noopener noreferrer">Best Forgotten Art</a>, 1996.</p>
After
<p>Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as <a href="/climber/730/don-whillans" rel="noopener noreferrer">Don Whillans</a>, he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as <a href="/climb/1296/cemetry-gates" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cemetry Gates</a> (E1), <a href="/climb/1331/great-slab" rel="noopener noreferrer">Great Slab</a> (E3) and <a href="/climb/1332/right-eliminate" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Great Crack</a> (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured in to territory that was previously considered off limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection.</p> <p>Brown was also an accomplished alpinist, establishing some of the more challenging routes of the day. </p> <p>In 1955, Brown, along with <a href="/climber/2049/george-band" rel="noopener noreferrer">George Band</a> made the first ascent of <a href="/summit/6/kangchenjunga" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kangchenjunga</a> (8586m), the third highest mountain in the world. This was the highest summit reached by a Briton at the time; Brown’s route took in an overhanging crack in the final wall and was probably the hardest climbing done at super high altitude until the <a href="/summit/1/mt.-everest" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mt. Everest</a> South West Face expedition in 1975.</p> <p>An epic attempt on The Mustagh Tower followed in 1956, with treacherous snow conditions forcing retreat just short of the main summit.</p> <p>In 1975, Brown led an expedition to <a href="/crag/33921/trango-towers" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trango Tower</a>, which was curtailed by <a href="/climber/1005/martin-boysen" rel="noopener noreferrer">Martin Boysen</a>’s harrowing knee-jamming episode. The team returned the following year to make the first ascent, setting a new bench mark for continuously hard rock climbing at high altitude.</p> <p>Other expeditions included Alaska, Ethiopia, Guyana, Iran, Morocco, the Pamirs, the Peruvian Andes and other Himalayan objectives, including two attempts on Everest. </p> <p>In the 1960s, Brown was the star of several BBC outside broadcasts, most memorably <a href="/crag/281/old-man-of-hoy" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Old Man of Hoy</a>.</p> <p>It is sometimes suggested that Brown invented jamming. Though he refuted this as 'baloney' [4], he certainly employed the technique to great effect on many of his new routes.</p> <p>His technical mastery is recounted by <a href="/climber/1203/jim-perrin" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jim Perrin</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>With all the other greats of my time, I could understand how they climbed: fitness, physique, supple gymnasticism or sheer application. With Brown, there was something else at work. He was quite short, not heavily built, his muscles corded rather than developed, his movement smooth and deliberate. When I climbed with him, sometimes I would watch the way he made a move, copy it when I came to that point, and his way, that he had seen instantly, would be the least obvious and most immediately right. He was climbing's supreme craftsman, unerringly aware of the medium. [3]</p> </blockquote> <h3>References</h3> <p>[1] An extended biography written by Ollie Burrows is available here <a href="https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography</a> including a list of many of Joe's first ascents.</p> <p>[2] <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmEz2GLo_wM" rel="noopener noreferrer">Interview with the BMC</a></p> <p>[3] <a href="https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/joe_brown_obituary-12750" rel="noopener noreferrer">Obituary on UKClimbing written by Jim Perrin</a>.</p> <p>[4] Interview with <a href="/climber/561/johnny-dawes" rel="noopener noreferrer">Johnny Dawes</a>, <a href="https://climbing-history.org/library/22/best-forgotten-art" rel="noopener noreferrer">Best Forgotten Art</a>, 1996.</p>
1114 20th July 2026 11:16:29 UTC Mono climber Joe Brown notes
Before
Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as [Don Whillans](/climber/730/don-whillans), he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as [Cemetry Gates](/climb/1296/cemetry-gates) (E1), [Great Slab](/climb/1331/great-slab) (E3) and [Right Eliminate](/climb/1332/right-eliminate) (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured in to territory that was previously considered off limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection. Brown was also an accomplished alpinist, establishing some of the more challenging routes of the day. In 1955, Brown, along with [George Band](/climber/2049/george-band) made the first ascent of [Kangchenjunga](/summit/6/kangchenjunga) (8586m), the third highest mountain in the world. This was the highest summit reached by a Briton at the time; Brown’s route took in an overhanging crack in the final wall and was probably the hardest climbing done at super high altitude until the [Mt. Everest](/summit/1/mt.-everest) South West Face expedition in 1975. An epic attempt on The Mustagh Tower followed in 1956, with treacherous snow conditions forcing retreat just short of the main summit. In 1975, Brown led an expedition to [Trango Tower](/crag/33921/trango-towers), which was curtailed by [Martin Boysen](/climber/1005/martin-boysen)’s harrowing knee-jamming episode. The team returned the following year to make the first ascent, setting a new bench mark for continuously hard rock climbing at high altitude. Other expeditions included Alaska, Ethiopia, Guyana, Iran, Morocco, the Pamirs, the Peruvian Andes and other Himalayan objectives, including two attempts on Everest. In the 1960s, Brown was the star of several BBC outside broadcasts, most memorably [The Old Man of Hoy](/crag/281/old-man-of-hoy). It is sometimes suggested that Brown invented jamming. Though he refuted this as 'baloney' [4], he certainly employed the technique to great effect on many of his new routes. His technical mastery is recounted by [Jim Perrin](/climber/1203/jim-perrin): > With all the other greats of my time, I could understand how they climbed: fitness, physique, supple gymnasticism or sheer application. With Brown, there was something else at work. He was quite short, not heavily built, his muscles corded rather than developed, his movement smooth and deliberate. When I climbed with him, sometimes I would watch the way he made a move, copy it when I came to that point, and his way, that he had seen instantly, would be the least obvious and most immediately right. He was climbing's supreme craftsman, unerringly aware of the medium. [3] ### References [1] An extended biography written by Ollie Burrows is available here [https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography](https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography) including a list of many of Joe's first ascents. [2] [Interview with the BMC](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmEz2GLo_wM) [3] [Obituary on UKClimbing written by Jim Perrin](https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/joe_brown_obituary-12750). [4] Interview with [Johnny Dawes](/climber/561/johnny-dawes), [Best Forgotten Art](https://climbing-history.org/library/22/best-forgotten-art), 1996.
After
Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as [Don Whillans](/climber/730/don-whillans), he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as [Cemetry Gates](/climb/1296/cemetry-gates) (E1), [Great Slab](/climb/1331/great-slab) (E3) and [The Great Crack](/climb/1332/right-eliminate) (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured in to territory that was previously considered off limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection. Brown was also an accomplished alpinist, establishing some of the more challenging routes of the day. In 1955, Brown, along with [George Band](/climber/2049/george-band) made the first ascent of [Kangchenjunga](/summit/6/kangchenjunga) (8586m), the third highest mountain in the world. This was the highest summit reached by a Briton at the time; Brown’s route took in an overhanging crack in the final wall and was probably the hardest climbing done at super high altitude until the [Mt. Everest](/summit/1/mt.-everest) South West Face expedition in 1975. An epic attempt on The Mustagh Tower followed in 1956, with treacherous snow conditions forcing retreat just short of the main summit. In 1975, Brown led an expedition to [Trango Tower](/crag/33921/trango-towers), which was curtailed by [Martin Boysen](/climber/1005/martin-boysen)’s harrowing knee-jamming episode. The team returned the following year to make the first ascent, setting a new bench mark for continuously hard rock climbing at high altitude. Other expeditions included Alaska, Ethiopia, Guyana, Iran, Morocco, the Pamirs, the Peruvian Andes and other Himalayan objectives, including two attempts on Everest. In the 1960s, Brown was the star of several BBC outside broadcasts, most memorably [The Old Man of Hoy](/crag/281/old-man-of-hoy). It is sometimes suggested that Brown invented jamming. Though he refuted this as 'baloney' [4], he certainly employed the technique to great effect on many of his new routes. His technical mastery is recounted by [Jim Perrin](/climber/1203/jim-perrin): > With all the other greats of my time, I could understand how they climbed: fitness, physique, supple gymnasticism or sheer application. With Brown, there was something else at work. He was quite short, not heavily built, his muscles corded rather than developed, his movement smooth and deliberate. When I climbed with him, sometimes I would watch the way he made a move, copy it when I came to that point, and his way, that he had seen instantly, would be the least obvious and most immediately right. He was climbing's supreme craftsman, unerringly aware of the medium. [3] ### References [1] An extended biography written by Ollie Burrows is available here [https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography](https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography) including a list of many of Joe's first ascents. [2] [Interview with the BMC](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmEz2GLo_wM) [3] [Obituary on UKClimbing written by Jim Perrin](https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/joe_brown_obituary-12750). [4] Interview with [Johnny Dawes](/climber/561/johnny-dawes), [Best Forgotten Art](https://climbing-history.org/library/22/best-forgotten-art), 1996.
Diff
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-Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as [Don Whillans](/climber/730/don-whillans), he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as [Cemetry Gates](/climb/1296/cemetry-gates) (E1), [Great Slab](/climb/1331/great-slab) (E3) and [Right Eliminate](/climb/1332/right-eliminate) (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured in to territory that was previously considered off limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection.
+Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as [Don Whillans](/climber/730/don-whillans), he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as [Cemetry Gates](/climb/1296/cemetry-gates) (E1), [Great Slab](/climb/1331/great-slab) (E3) and [The Great Crack](/climb/1332/right-eliminate) (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured in to territory that was previously considered off limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection.

Brown was also an accomplished alpinist, establishing some of the more challenging routes of the day.
1115 20th July 2026 11:15:49 UTC Mono climber Joe Brown notes_pretty
Before
<p>Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as <a href="/climber/730/don-whillans">Don Whillans</a>, he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as <a href="/climb/1296/cemetry-gates">Cemetry Gates</a> (E1), <a href="/climb/1331/great-slab">Great Slab</a> (E3) and <a href="/climb/1332/right-eliminate">Right Eliminate</a> (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured in to territory that was previously considered off limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection.</p> <p>It is sometimes suggested that he was one of the inventors of jamming. Though this seems unlikely it is certainly true that he employed the technique to great effect on many of his new routes.</p> <p><a href="/climber/1203/jim-perrin">Jim Perrin</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>With all the other greats of my time, I could understand how they climbed: fitness, physique, supple gymnasticism or sheer application. With Brown, there was something else at work. He was quite short, not heavily built, his muscles corded rather than developed, his movement smooth and deliberate. When I climbed with him, sometimes I would watch the way he made a move, copy it when I came to that point, and his way, that he had seen instantly, would be the least obvious and most immediately right. He was climbing's supreme craftsman, unerringly aware of the medium. [3]</p> </blockquote> <h3>References</h3> <p>[1] An extended biography written by Ollie Burrows is available here <a href="https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography">https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography</a> including a list of many of Joe's first ascents.</p> <p>[2] <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmEz2GLo_wM">Interview with the BMC</a></p> <p>[3] <a href="https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/joe_brown_obituary-12750">Obituary on UKClimbing written by Jim Perrin</a>.</p>
After
<p>Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as <a href="/climber/730/don-whillans" rel="noopener noreferrer">Don Whillans</a>, he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as <a href="/climb/1296/cemetry-gates" rel="noopener noreferrer">Cemetry Gates</a> (E1), <a href="/climb/1331/great-slab" rel="noopener noreferrer">Great Slab</a> (E3) and <a href="/climb/1332/right-eliminate" rel="noopener noreferrer">Right Eliminate</a> (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured in to territory that was previously considered off limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection.</p> <p>Brown was also an accomplished alpinist, establishing some of the more challenging routes of the day. </p> <p>In 1955, Brown, along with <a href="/climber/2049/george-band" rel="noopener noreferrer">George Band</a> made the first ascent of <a href="/summit/6/kangchenjunga" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kangchenjunga</a> (8586m), the third highest mountain in the world. This was the highest summit reached by a Briton at the time; Brown’s route took in an overhanging crack in the final wall and was probably the hardest climbing done at super high altitude until the <a href="/summit/1/mt.-everest" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mt. Everest</a> South West Face expedition in 1975.</p> <p>An epic attempt on The Mustagh Tower followed in 1956, with treacherous snow conditions forcing retreat just short of the main summit.</p> <p>In 1975, Brown led an expedition to <a href="/crag/33921/trango-towers" rel="noopener noreferrer">Trango Tower</a>, which was curtailed by <a href="/climber/1005/martin-boysen" rel="noopener noreferrer">Martin Boysen</a>’s harrowing knee-jamming episode. The team returned the following year to make the first ascent, setting a new bench mark for continuously hard rock climbing at high altitude.</p> <p>Other expeditions included Alaska, Ethiopia, Guyana, Iran, Morocco, the Pamirs, the Peruvian Andes and other Himalayan objectives, including two attempts on Everest. </p> <p>In the 1960s, Brown was the star of several BBC outside broadcasts, most memorably <a href="/crag/281/old-man-of-hoy" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Old Man of Hoy</a>.</p> <p>It is sometimes suggested that Brown invented jamming. Though he refuted this as 'baloney' [4], he certainly employed the technique to great effect on many of his new routes.</p> <p>His technical mastery is recounted by <a href="/climber/1203/jim-perrin" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jim Perrin</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>With all the other greats of my time, I could understand how they climbed: fitness, physique, supple gymnasticism or sheer application. With Brown, there was something else at work. He was quite short, not heavily built, his muscles corded rather than developed, his movement smooth and deliberate. When I climbed with him, sometimes I would watch the way he made a move, copy it when I came to that point, and his way, that he had seen instantly, would be the least obvious and most immediately right. He was climbing's supreme craftsman, unerringly aware of the medium. [3]</p> </blockquote> <h3>References</h3> <p>[1] An extended biography written by Ollie Burrows is available here <a href="https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography</a> including a list of many of Joe's first ascents.</p> <p>[2] <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmEz2GLo_wM" rel="noopener noreferrer">Interview with the BMC</a></p> <p>[3] <a href="https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/joe_brown_obituary-12750" rel="noopener noreferrer">Obituary on UKClimbing written by Jim Perrin</a>.</p> <p>[4] Interview with <a href="/climber/561/johnny-dawes" rel="noopener noreferrer">Johnny Dawes</a>, <a href="https://climbing-history.org/library/22/best-forgotten-art" rel="noopener noreferrer">Best Forgotten Art</a>, 1996.</p>
1116 20th July 2026 11:15:49 UTC Mono climber Joe Brown notes
Before
Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as [Don Whillans](/climber/730/don-whillans), he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as [Cemetry Gates](/climb/1296/cemetry-gates) (E1), [Great Slab](/climb/1331/great-slab) (E3) and [Right Eliminate](/climb/1332/right-eliminate) (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured in to territory that was previously considered off limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection. It is sometimes suggested that he was one of the inventors of jamming. Though this seems unlikely it is certainly true that he employed the technique to great effect on many of his new routes. [Jim Perrin](/climber/1203/jim-perrin): > With all the other greats of my time, I could understand how they climbed: fitness, physique, supple gymnasticism or sheer application. With Brown, there was something else at work. He was quite short, not heavily built, his muscles corded rather than developed, his movement smooth and deliberate. When I climbed with him, sometimes I would watch the way he made a move, copy it when I came to that point, and his way, that he had seen instantly, would be the least obvious and most immediately right. He was climbing's supreme craftsman, unerringly aware of the medium. [3] ### References [1] An extended biography written by Ollie Burrows is available here [https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography](https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography) including a list of many of Joe's first ascents. [2] [Interview with the BMC](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmEz2GLo_wM) [3] [Obituary on UKClimbing written by Jim Perrin](https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/joe_brown_obituary-12750).
After
Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as [Don Whillans](/climber/730/don-whillans), he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as [Cemetry Gates](/climb/1296/cemetry-gates) (E1), [Great Slab](/climb/1331/great-slab) (E3) and [Right Eliminate](/climb/1332/right-eliminate) (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured in to territory that was previously considered off limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection. Brown was also an accomplished alpinist, establishing some of the more challenging routes of the day. In 1955, Brown, along with [George Band](/climber/2049/george-band) made the first ascent of [Kangchenjunga](/summit/6/kangchenjunga) (8586m), the third highest mountain in the world. This was the highest summit reached by a Briton at the time; Brown’s route took in an overhanging crack in the final wall and was probably the hardest climbing done at super high altitude until the [Mt. Everest](/summit/1/mt.-everest) South West Face expedition in 1975. An epic attempt on The Mustagh Tower followed in 1956, with treacherous snow conditions forcing retreat just short of the main summit. In 1975, Brown led an expedition to [Trango Tower](/crag/33921/trango-towers), which was curtailed by [Martin Boysen](/climber/1005/martin-boysen)’s harrowing knee-jamming episode. The team returned the following year to make the first ascent, setting a new bench mark for continuously hard rock climbing at high altitude. Other expeditions included Alaska, Ethiopia, Guyana, Iran, Morocco, the Pamirs, the Peruvian Andes and other Himalayan objectives, including two attempts on Everest. In the 1960s, Brown was the star of several BBC outside broadcasts, most memorably [The Old Man of Hoy](/crag/281/old-man-of-hoy). It is sometimes suggested that Brown invented jamming. Though he refuted this as 'baloney' [4], he certainly employed the technique to great effect on many of his new routes. His technical mastery is recounted by [Jim Perrin](/climber/1203/jim-perrin): > With all the other greats of my time, I could understand how they climbed: fitness, physique, supple gymnasticism or sheer application. With Brown, there was something else at work. He was quite short, not heavily built, his muscles corded rather than developed, his movement smooth and deliberate. When I climbed with him, sometimes I would watch the way he made a move, copy it when I came to that point, and his way, that he had seen instantly, would be the least obvious and most immediately right. He was climbing's supreme craftsman, unerringly aware of the medium. [3] ### References [1] An extended biography written by Ollie Burrows is available here [https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography](https://www.theclimbersshopjoebrownblog.co.uk/blog/joe-brown-biography) including a list of many of Joe's first ascents. [2] [Interview with the BMC](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmEz2GLo_wM) [3] [Obituary on UKClimbing written by Jim Perrin](https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/joe_brown_obituary-12750). [4] Interview with [Johnny Dawes](/climber/561/johnny-dawes), [Best Forgotten Art](https://climbing-history.org/library/22/best-forgotten-art), 1996.
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+++ after

@@ -1,8 +1,20 @@

Born in 1930, Joe Brown was one of the pivotal figures in post-war climbing in the UK. In the 1950s and 60s, and alongside contemporaries such as [Don Whillans](/climber/730/don-whillans), he pushed the standard of rock climbing in the UK to new levels with the first ascents of classic routes such as [Cemetry Gates](/climb/1296/cemetry-gates) (E1), [Great Slab](/climb/1331/great-slab) (E3) and [Right Eliminate](/climb/1332/right-eliminate) (E3). Joe's routes frequently ventured in to territory that was previously considered off limits, often tackling bold and uncompromising features with minimal protection.

-It is sometimes suggested that he was one of the inventors of jamming. Though this seems unlikely it is certainly true that he employed the technique to great effect on many of his new routes.
+Brown was also an accomplished alpinist, establishing some of the more challenging routes of the day.

-[Jim Perrin](/climber/1203/jim-perrin):
+In 1955, Brown, along with [George Band](/climber/2049/george-band) made the first ascent of [Kangchenjunga](/summit/6/kangchenjunga) (8586m), the third highest mountain in the world. This was the highest summit reached by a Briton at the time; Brown’s route took in an overhanging crack in the final wall and was probably the hardest climbing done at super high altitude until the [Mt. Everest](/summit/1/mt.-everest) South West Face expedition in 1975.
+
+An epic attempt on The Mustagh Tower followed in 1956, with treacherous snow conditions forcing retreat just short of the main summit.
+
+In 1975, Brown led an expedition to [Trango Tower](/crag/33921/trango-towers), which was curtailed by [Martin Boysen](/climber/1005/martin-boysen)’s harrowing knee-jamming episode. The team returned the following year to make the first ascent, setting a new bench mark for continuously hard rock climbing at high altitude.
+
+Other expeditions included Alaska, Ethiopia, Guyana, Iran, Morocco, the Pamirs, the Peruvian Andes and other Himalayan objectives, including two attempts on Everest.
+
+In the 1960s, Brown was the star of several BBC outside broadcasts, most memorably [The Old Man of Hoy](/crag/281/old-man-of-hoy).
+
+It is sometimes suggested that Brown invented jamming. Though he refuted this as 'baloney' [4], he certainly employed the technique to great effect on many of his new routes.
+
+His technical mastery is recounted by [Jim Perrin](/climber/1203/jim-perrin):

> With all the other greats of my time, I could understand how they climbed: fitness, physique, supple gymnasticism or sheer application. With Brown, there was something else at work. He was quite short, not heavily built, his muscles corded rather than developed, his movement smooth and deliberate. When I climbed with him, sometimes I would watch the way he made a move, copy it when I came to that point, and his way, that he had seen instantly, would be the least obvious and most immediately right. He was climbing's supreme craftsman, unerringly aware of the medium. [3]

@@ -12,4 +24,6 @@


[2] [Interview with the BMC](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmEz2GLo_wM)

-[3] [Obituary on UKClimbing written by Jim Perrin](https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/joe_brown_obituary-12750).
+[3] [Obituary on UKClimbing written by Jim Perrin](https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/joe_brown_obituary-12750).
+
+[4] Interview with [Johnny Dawes](/climber/561/johnny-dawes), [Best Forgotten Art](https://climbing-history.org/library/22/best-forgotten-art), 1996.
1117 19th July 2026 20:44:22 UTC Mono ascent Joe Brown's ascent of Opening gambit notes_pretty
Before
None
After
<p>A typically adventurous contribution into the unexplored territory in Joe’s back yard, he graded the climb HVS 4c.</p>
1118 19th July 2026 20:44:22 UTC Mono ascent Joe Brown's ascent of Opening gambit notes
Before
None
After
A typically adventurous contribution into the unexplored territory in Joe’s back yard, he graded the climb HVS 4c.
Diff
--- before

+++ after

@@ -1 +1 @@

-
+A typically adventurous contribution into the unexplored territory in Joe’s back yard, he graded the climb HVS 4c.
1119 19th July 2026 20:42:30 UTC Mono climb Opening gambit notes_pretty
Before
<p>One of the first routes in slate, up the huge tottering back wall of <a href="/crag/636/twll-mawr" rel="noopener noreferrer">Twll Mawr</a>, the climb has been substantially altered by rockfall since <a href="/climber/612/joe-brown" rel="noopener noreferrer">Joe Brown</a>’s first ascent and is now graded XS. An adventure strictly for connoisseurs.</p>
After
<p>One of the first routes on slate, up the huge tottering back wall of <a href="/crag/636/twll-mawr" rel="noopener noreferrer">Twll Mawr</a>, the climb has been substantially altered by rockfall since <a href="/climber/612/joe-brown" rel="noopener noreferrer">Joe Brown</a>’s first ascent and is now graded XS. An adventure strictly for connoisseurs.</p>
1120 19th July 2026 20:42:30 UTC Mono climb Opening gambit notes
Before
One of the first routes in slate, up the huge tottering back wall of [Twll Mawr](/crag/636/twll-mawr), the climb has been substantially altered by rockfall since [Joe Brown](/climber/612/joe-brown)’s first ascent and is now graded XS. An adventure strictly for connoisseurs.
After
One of the first routes on slate, up the huge tottering back wall of [Twll Mawr](/crag/636/twll-mawr), the climb has been substantially altered by rockfall since [Joe Brown](/climber/612/joe-brown)’s first ascent and is now graded XS. An adventure strictly for connoisseurs.
Diff
--- before

+++ after

@@ -1 +1 @@

-One of the first routes in slate, up the huge tottering back wall of [Twll Mawr](/crag/636/twll-mawr), the climb has been substantially altered by rockfall since [Joe Brown](/climber/612/joe-brown)’s first ascent and is now graded XS. An adventure strictly for connoisseurs.
+One of the first routes on slate, up the huge tottering back wall of [Twll Mawr](/crag/636/twll-mawr), the climb has been substantially altered by rockfall since [Joe Brown](/climber/612/joe-brown)’s first ascent and is now graded XS. An adventure strictly for connoisseurs.

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