| Country | Contributions | Between | Climbers | Crags | Summits | Climbs | Ascents | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United Kingdom | 11148 | 22nd May 2025 – 16th September 2026 | 114 | 13 | 0 | 586 | 1083 |
| 2 | France | 3430 | 22nd May 2025 – 29th August 2026 | 32 | 13 | 0 | 172 | 326 |
| 3 | USA | 1770 | 30th July 2025 – 14th August 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 |
| Date | Time | User | Type | Name | Attribute | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1861 | 24th June 2026 | 15:33:39 UTC | Mono | climb | Justified and Ancient | notes_pretty | |
|
Before
<p>The forerunner to Unjustified utilising a glued on crimp on the crux (knocked off by Tony Mitchell prior to the FA of Unjustified).</p>
After
<p>The forerunner to Unjustified utilising a glued on crimp on the crux (knocked off by Tony Mitchell prior to the FA of Unjustified). </p>
<p>Name likely a reference to the 1991 <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justified_%26_Ancient" rel="noopener noreferrer">KLF track</a>.</p>
|
|||||||
| 1862 | 24th June 2026 | 15:33:39 UTC | Mono | climb | Justified and Ancient | crag_name | |
|
Before
None
After
Malham Cove
|
|||||||
| 1863 | 24th June 2026 | 15:33:39 UTC | Mono | climb | Justified and Ancient | crag_location_breadcrumb | |
|
Before
None
After
United Kingdom / England / Skipton
|
|||||||
| 1864 | 24th June 2026 | 15:33:39 UTC | Mono | climb | Justified and Ancient | crag_location_breadcrumb_pretty | |
|
Before
None
After
<a href="/crags/location/United Kingdom" class="text-muted">United Kingdom</a> / <a href="/crags/location/United Kingdom/England" class="text-muted">England</a> / <a href="/crags/location/United Kingdom/England/Skipton" class="text-muted">Skipton</a>
|
|||||||
| 1865 | 24th June 2026 | 15:33:39 UTC | Mono | climb | Justified and Ancient | crag_id | |
|
Before
None
After
610
|
|||||||
| 1866 | 24th June 2026 | 12:23:07 UTC | Mono | climb | Mia Julia | crag_id | |
|
Before
None
After
18563
|
|||||||
| 1867 | 24th June 2026 | 12:23:07 UTC | Mono | climb | Mia Julia | ukc_url | |
|
Before
None
After
https://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crags/cala_estreta-18563/mia_julia-754189
|
|||||||
| 1868 | 24th June 2026 | 12:23:07 UTC | Mono | climb | Mia Julia | crag_name | |
|
Before
None
After
Cala Estreta
|
|||||||
| 1869 | 24th June 2026 | 12:23:07 UTC | Mono | climb | Mia Julia | crag_location_breadcrumb | |
|
Before
None
After
Spain / Balearic Islands / Balearic Islands
|
|||||||
| 1870 | 24th June 2026 | 12:23:07 UTC | Mono | climb | Mia Julia | crag_location_breadcrumb_pretty | |
|
Before
None
After
<a href="/crags/location/Spain" class="text-muted">Spain</a> / <a href="/crags/location/Spain/Balearic Islands" class="text-muted">Balearic Islands</a> / <a href="/crags/location/Spain/Balearic Islands/Balearic Islands" class="text-muted">Balearic Islands</a>
|
|||||||
| 1871 | 24th June 2026 | 12:21:21 UTC | Mono | climb | Trente Six | Hidden Note | |
|
Before
None
After
unknown crag in Veaux area, France
|
|||||||
| 1872 | 24th June 2026 | 09:44:10 UTC | Mono | climber | Alex Megos | notes | |
|
Before
Alex Megos is a German sport climber known for his cutting-edge first ascents, historic onsights, and astonishingly rapid repeats of some of the world’s hardest routes. Hailing from the Frankenjura, he has climbed virtually every hard route in the area. Unsurprisingly, he is exceptionally strong on pockets, though he is also famous for having notoriously poor skin.
Alex was the first person in the world to onsight 9a with his ascent of [Estado Crítico](/climb/98/estado-crítico) in [Siurana](/crag/1728/siurana---valley). He has also onsighted [TCT](/climb/593/tct) (9a), [Underground](/climb/591/underground) (9a), [Intermezzo XY Gelöst](/climb/1464/intermezzo-xy-gelöst) (9a) and [Mr. Big](/climb/1009/mr.-big) (9a) making him one of the best first-go climbers in the world alongside [Adam Ondra](/climber/467/adam-ondra). Other notably quick ascents include [La Rambla](/climb/514/la-rambla) (9a+) second go, [Biographie](/climb/513/biographie) (9a+) in a session, [Demencia Senil](/climb/1323/demencia-senil) (9a+) third go and [Red Ram](/climb/2152/red-ram) (9a+) third go.
In 2018 Alex established [Perfecto Mundo](/climb/471/perfecto-mundo) (9b+) in [Margalef](/crag/27268/margalef) to become only the third person in the world to have climbed 9b+. In 2020 Alex established [Bibliographie](/climb/466/bibliographie) (9b+) in [Céüse](/crag/2054/céüse) after 60 sessions of work over multiple years. Initially he suggested 9c, though after some repeats it has since settled at 9b+.
Alex is also an experienced competitor with 45 world cup appearances and 10 podium finishes as of the start of 2026.
### References
[1] [Interview with RockClimbingUK](https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php?topic=23697.0)
[2] Interview with [Magnus Midtbø](/climber/505/magnus-midtbø), 2024 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMoBcKnJ_h4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMoBcKnJ_h4)
[3] Interview with grimper.com (2026) [https://www.grimper.com/news-alex-megos-veux-etre-moyen-veux-etre-vraiment-bon](https://www.grimper.com/news-alex-megos-veux-etre-moyen-veux-etre-vraiment-bon)
After
Alex Megos is a German sport climber known for his cutting-edge first ascents, historic onsights, and astonishingly rapid repeats of some of the world’s hardest routes. Hailing from the Frankenjura, he has climbed virtually every hard route in the area. Unsurprisingly, he is exceptionally strong on pockets, though he also has notoriously poor skin.
Alex was the first person in the world to onsight 9a with his ascent of [Estado Crítico](/climb/98/estado-crítico) in [Siurana](/crag/1728/siurana---valley). He has also onsighted [TCT](/climb/593/tct) (9a), [Underground](/climb/591/underground) (9a), [Intermezzo XY Gelöst](/climb/1464/intermezzo-xy-gelöst) (9a) and [Mr. Big](/climb/1009/mr.-big) (9a) making him one of the best first-go climbers in the world alongside [Adam Ondra](/climber/467/adam-ondra). Other notably quick ascents include [La Rambla](/climb/514/la-rambla) (9a+) second go, [Biographie](/climb/513/biographie) (9a+) in a session, [Demencia Senil](/climb/1323/demencia-senil) (9a+) third go and [Red Ram](/climb/2152/red-ram) (9a+) third go.
In 2018 Alex established [Perfecto Mundo](/climb/471/perfecto-mundo) (9b+) in [Margalef](/crag/27268/margalef) to become only the third person in the world to have climbed 9b+. In 2020 Alex established [Bibliographie](/climb/466/bibliographie) (9b+) in [Céüse](/crag/2054/céüse) after 60 sessions of work over multiple years. Initially he suggested 9c, though after some repeats it has since settled at 9b+.
Alex is also an experienced competitor with 45 world cup appearances and 10 podium finishes as of the start of 2026.
### References
[1] [Interview with RockClimbingUK](https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php?topic=23697.0)
[2] Interview with [Magnus Midtbø](/climber/505/magnus-midtbø), 2024 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMoBcKnJ_h4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMoBcKnJ_h4)
[3] Interview with grimper.com (2026) [https://www.grimper.com/news-alex-megos-veux-etre-moyen-veux-etre-vraiment-bon](https://www.grimper.com/news-alex-megos-veux-etre-moyen-veux-etre-vraiment-bon)
Diff
--- before
|
|||||||
| 1873 | 24th June 2026 | 09:44:10 UTC | Mono | climber | Alex Megos | notes_pretty | |
|
Before
<p>Alex Megos is a German sport climber known for his cutting-edge first ascents, historic onsights, and astonishingly rapid repeats of some of the world’s hardest routes. Hailing from the Frankenjura, he has climbed virtually every hard route in the area. Unsurprisingly, he is exceptionally strong on pockets, though he is also famous for having notoriously poor skin.</p>
<p>Alex was the first person in the world to onsight 9a with his ascent of <a href="/climb/98/estado-crítico" rel="noopener noreferrer">Estado Crítico</a> in <a href="/crag/1728/siurana---valley" rel="noopener noreferrer">Siurana</a>. He has also onsighted <a href="/climb/593/tct" rel="noopener noreferrer">TCT</a> (9a), <a href="/climb/591/underground" rel="noopener noreferrer">Underground</a> (9a), <a href="/climb/1464/intermezzo-xy-gelöst" rel="noopener noreferrer">Intermezzo XY Gelöst</a> (9a) and <a href="/climb/1009/mr.-big" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mr. Big</a> (9a) making him one of the best first-go climbers in the world alongside <a href="/climber/467/adam-ondra" rel="noopener noreferrer">Adam Ondra</a>. Other notably quick ascents include <a href="/climb/514/la-rambla" rel="noopener noreferrer">La Rambla</a> (9a+) second go, <a href="/climb/513/biographie" rel="noopener noreferrer">Biographie</a> (9a+) in a session, <a href="/climb/1323/demencia-senil" rel="noopener noreferrer">Demencia Senil</a> (9a+) third go and <a href="/climb/2152/red-ram" rel="noopener noreferrer">Red Ram</a> (9a+) third go.</p>
<p>In 2018 Alex established <a href="/climb/471/perfecto-mundo" rel="noopener noreferrer">Perfecto Mundo</a> (9b+) in <a href="/crag/27268/margalef" rel="noopener noreferrer">Margalef</a> to become only the third person in the world to have climbed 9b+. In 2020 Alex established <a href="/climb/466/bibliographie" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bibliographie</a> (9b+) in <a href="/crag/2054/céüse" rel="noopener noreferrer">Céüse</a> after 60 sessions of work over multiple years. Initially he suggested 9c, though after some repeats it has since settled at 9b+.</p>
<p>Alex is also an experienced competitor with 45 world cup appearances and 10 podium finishes as of the start of 2026.</p>
<h3>References</h3>
<p>[1] <a href="https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php?topic=23697.0" rel="noopener noreferrer">Interview with RockClimbingUK</a></p>
<p>[2] Interview with <a href="/climber/505/magnus-midtbø" rel="noopener noreferrer">Magnus Midtbø</a>, 2024 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMoBcKnJ_h4" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMoBcKnJ_h4</a></p>
<p>[3] Interview with grimper.com (2026) <a href="https://www.grimper.com/news-alex-megos-veux-etre-moyen-veux-etre-vraiment-bon" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.grimper.com/news-alex-megos-veux-etre-moyen-veux-etre-vraiment-bon</a></p>
After
<p>Alex Megos is a German sport climber known for his cutting-edge first ascents, historic onsights, and astonishingly rapid repeats of some of the world’s hardest routes. Hailing from the Frankenjura, he has climbed virtually every hard route in the area. Unsurprisingly, he is exceptionally strong on pockets, though he also has notoriously poor skin.</p>
<p>Alex was the first person in the world to onsight 9a with his ascent of <a href="/climb/98/estado-crítico" rel="noopener noreferrer">Estado Crítico</a> in <a href="/crag/1728/siurana---valley" rel="noopener noreferrer">Siurana</a>. He has also onsighted <a href="/climb/593/tct" rel="noopener noreferrer">TCT</a> (9a), <a href="/climb/591/underground" rel="noopener noreferrer">Underground</a> (9a), <a href="/climb/1464/intermezzo-xy-gelöst" rel="noopener noreferrer">Intermezzo XY Gelöst</a> (9a) and <a href="/climb/1009/mr.-big" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mr. Big</a> (9a) making him one of the best first-go climbers in the world alongside <a href="/climber/467/adam-ondra" rel="noopener noreferrer">Adam Ondra</a>. Other notably quick ascents include <a href="/climb/514/la-rambla" rel="noopener noreferrer">La Rambla</a> (9a+) second go, <a href="/climb/513/biographie" rel="noopener noreferrer">Biographie</a> (9a+) in a session, <a href="/climb/1323/demencia-senil" rel="noopener noreferrer">Demencia Senil</a> (9a+) third go and <a href="/climb/2152/red-ram" rel="noopener noreferrer">Red Ram</a> (9a+) third go.</p>
<p>In 2018 Alex established <a href="/climb/471/perfecto-mundo" rel="noopener noreferrer">Perfecto Mundo</a> (9b+) in <a href="/crag/27268/margalef" rel="noopener noreferrer">Margalef</a> to become only the third person in the world to have climbed 9b+. In 2020 Alex established <a href="/climb/466/bibliographie" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bibliographie</a> (9b+) in <a href="/crag/2054/céüse" rel="noopener noreferrer">Céüse</a> after 60 sessions of work over multiple years. Initially he suggested 9c, though after some repeats it has since settled at 9b+.</p>
<p>Alex is also an experienced competitor with 45 world cup appearances and 10 podium finishes as of the start of 2026.</p>
<h3>References</h3>
<p>[1] <a href="https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php?topic=23697.0" rel="noopener noreferrer">Interview with RockClimbingUK</a></p>
<p>[2] Interview with <a href="/climber/505/magnus-midtbø" rel="noopener noreferrer">Magnus Midtbø</a>, 2024 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMoBcKnJ_h4" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMoBcKnJ_h4</a></p>
<p>[3] Interview with grimper.com (2026) <a href="https://www.grimper.com/news-alex-megos-veux-etre-moyen-veux-etre-vraiment-bon" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.grimper.com/news-alex-megos-veux-etre-moyen-veux-etre-vraiment-bon</a></p>
|
|||||||
| 1874 | 24th June 2026 | 09:43:38 UTC | Mono | climber | Alex Megos | notes_pretty | |
|
Before
<p>Alex Megos is a German sport climber, known for having climbed most of the hard routes in the Frankenjura area, incredibly quick repeats of many of the hardest routes in the world and many hard first ascents. He's very strong on pockets and has notoriously bad skin.</p>
<p>Alex was the first person in the world to onsight 9a with his ascent of <a href="/climb/98/estado-crítico" rel="noopener noreferrer">Estado Crítico</a> in <a href="/crag/1728/siurana---valley" rel="noopener noreferrer">Siurana</a>. He has also onsighted <a href="/climb/593/tct" rel="noopener noreferrer">TCT</a> (9a), <a href="/climb/591/underground" rel="noopener noreferrer">Underground</a> (9a), <a href="/climb/1464/intermezzo-xy-gelöst" rel="noopener noreferrer">Intermezzo XY Gelöst</a> (9a) and <a href="/climb/1009/mr.-big" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mr. Big</a> (9a) making him one of the best first-go climbers in the world alongside <a href="/climber/467/adam-ondra" rel="noopener noreferrer">Adam Ondra</a>. Other notably quick ascents include <a href="/climb/514/la-rambla" rel="noopener noreferrer">La Rambla</a> (9a+) second go, <a href="/climb/513/biographie" rel="noopener noreferrer">Biographie</a> (9a+) in a session, <a href="/climb/1323/demencia-senil" rel="noopener noreferrer">Demencia Senil</a> (9a+) third go and <a href="/climb/2152/red-ram" rel="noopener noreferrer">Red Ram</a> (9a+) third go.</p>
<p>In 2018 Alex established <a href="/climb/471/perfecto-mundo" rel="noopener noreferrer">Perfecto Mundo</a> (9b+) in <a href="/crag/27268/margalef" rel="noopener noreferrer">Margalef</a> to become only the third person in the world to have climbed 9b+. In 2020 Alex established <a href="/climb/466/bibliographie" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bibliographie</a> (9b+) in <a href="/crag/2054/céüse" rel="noopener noreferrer">Céüse</a> after 60 sessions of work over multiple years. Initially he suggested 9c, though after some repeats it has since settled at 9b+.</p>
<p>Alex is also an experienced competitor with 45 world cup appearances and 10 podium finishes as of the start of 2026.</p>
<h3>References</h3>
<p>[1] <a href="https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php?topic=23697.0" rel="noopener noreferrer">Interview with RockClimbingUK</a></p>
<p>[2] Interview with <a href="/climber/505/magnus-midtbø" rel="noopener noreferrer">Magnus Midtbø</a>, 2024 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMoBcKnJ_h4" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMoBcKnJ_h4</a></p>
<p>[3] Interview with grimper.com (2026) <a href="https://www.grimper.com/news-alex-megos-veux-etre-moyen-veux-etre-vraiment-bon" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.grimper.com/news-alex-megos-veux-etre-moyen-veux-etre-vraiment-bon</a></p>
After
<p>Alex Megos is a German sport climber known for his cutting-edge first ascents, historic onsights, and astonishingly rapid repeats of some of the world’s hardest routes. Hailing from the Frankenjura, he has climbed virtually every hard route in the area. Unsurprisingly, he is exceptionally strong on pockets, though he is also famous for having notoriously poor skin.</p>
<p>Alex was the first person in the world to onsight 9a with his ascent of <a href="/climb/98/estado-crítico" rel="noopener noreferrer">Estado Crítico</a> in <a href="/crag/1728/siurana---valley" rel="noopener noreferrer">Siurana</a>. He has also onsighted <a href="/climb/593/tct" rel="noopener noreferrer">TCT</a> (9a), <a href="/climb/591/underground" rel="noopener noreferrer">Underground</a> (9a), <a href="/climb/1464/intermezzo-xy-gelöst" rel="noopener noreferrer">Intermezzo XY Gelöst</a> (9a) and <a href="/climb/1009/mr.-big" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mr. Big</a> (9a) making him one of the best first-go climbers in the world alongside <a href="/climber/467/adam-ondra" rel="noopener noreferrer">Adam Ondra</a>. Other notably quick ascents include <a href="/climb/514/la-rambla" rel="noopener noreferrer">La Rambla</a> (9a+) second go, <a href="/climb/513/biographie" rel="noopener noreferrer">Biographie</a> (9a+) in a session, <a href="/climb/1323/demencia-senil" rel="noopener noreferrer">Demencia Senil</a> (9a+) third go and <a href="/climb/2152/red-ram" rel="noopener noreferrer">Red Ram</a> (9a+) third go.</p>
<p>In 2018 Alex established <a href="/climb/471/perfecto-mundo" rel="noopener noreferrer">Perfecto Mundo</a> (9b+) in <a href="/crag/27268/margalef" rel="noopener noreferrer">Margalef</a> to become only the third person in the world to have climbed 9b+. In 2020 Alex established <a href="/climb/466/bibliographie" rel="noopener noreferrer">Bibliographie</a> (9b+) in <a href="/crag/2054/céüse" rel="noopener noreferrer">Céüse</a> after 60 sessions of work over multiple years. Initially he suggested 9c, though after some repeats it has since settled at 9b+.</p>
<p>Alex is also an experienced competitor with 45 world cup appearances and 10 podium finishes as of the start of 2026.</p>
<h3>References</h3>
<p>[1] <a href="https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php?topic=23697.0" rel="noopener noreferrer">Interview with RockClimbingUK</a></p>
<p>[2] Interview with <a href="/climber/505/magnus-midtbø" rel="noopener noreferrer">Magnus Midtbø</a>, 2024 <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMoBcKnJ_h4" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMoBcKnJ_h4</a></p>
<p>[3] Interview with grimper.com (2026) <a href="https://www.grimper.com/news-alex-megos-veux-etre-moyen-veux-etre-vraiment-bon" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.grimper.com/news-alex-megos-veux-etre-moyen-veux-etre-vraiment-bon</a></p>
|
|||||||
| 1875 | 24th June 2026 | 09:43:38 UTC | Mono | climber | Alex Megos | notes | |
|
Before
Alex Megos is a German sport climber, known for having climbed most of the hard routes in the Frankenjura area, incredibly quick repeats of many of the hardest routes in the world and many hard first ascents. He's very strong on pockets and has notoriously bad skin.
Alex was the first person in the world to onsight 9a with his ascent of [Estado Crítico](/climb/98/estado-crítico) in [Siurana](/crag/1728/siurana---valley). He has also onsighted [TCT](/climb/593/tct) (9a), [Underground](/climb/591/underground) (9a), [Intermezzo XY Gelöst](/climb/1464/intermezzo-xy-gelöst) (9a) and [Mr. Big](/climb/1009/mr.-big) (9a) making him one of the best first-go climbers in the world alongside [Adam Ondra](/climber/467/adam-ondra). Other notably quick ascents include [La Rambla](/climb/514/la-rambla) (9a+) second go, [Biographie](/climb/513/biographie) (9a+) in a session, [Demencia Senil](/climb/1323/demencia-senil) (9a+) third go and [Red Ram](/climb/2152/red-ram) (9a+) third go.
In 2018 Alex established [Perfecto Mundo](/climb/471/perfecto-mundo) (9b+) in [Margalef](/crag/27268/margalef) to become only the third person in the world to have climbed 9b+. In 2020 Alex established [Bibliographie](/climb/466/bibliographie) (9b+) in [Céüse](/crag/2054/céüse) after 60 sessions of work over multiple years. Initially he suggested 9c, though after some repeats it has since settled at 9b+.
Alex is also an experienced competitor with 45 world cup appearances and 10 podium finishes as of the start of 2026.
### References
[1] [Interview with RockClimbingUK](https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php?topic=23697.0)
[2] Interview with [Magnus Midtbø](/climber/505/magnus-midtbø), 2024 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMoBcKnJ_h4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMoBcKnJ_h4)
[3] Interview with grimper.com (2026) [https://www.grimper.com/news-alex-megos-veux-etre-moyen-veux-etre-vraiment-bon](https://www.grimper.com/news-alex-megos-veux-etre-moyen-veux-etre-vraiment-bon)
After
Alex Megos is a German sport climber known for his cutting-edge first ascents, historic onsights, and astonishingly rapid repeats of some of the world’s hardest routes. Hailing from the Frankenjura, he has climbed virtually every hard route in the area. Unsurprisingly, he is exceptionally strong on pockets, though he is also famous for having notoriously poor skin.
Alex was the first person in the world to onsight 9a with his ascent of [Estado Crítico](/climb/98/estado-crítico) in [Siurana](/crag/1728/siurana---valley). He has also onsighted [TCT](/climb/593/tct) (9a), [Underground](/climb/591/underground) (9a), [Intermezzo XY Gelöst](/climb/1464/intermezzo-xy-gelöst) (9a) and [Mr. Big](/climb/1009/mr.-big) (9a) making him one of the best first-go climbers in the world alongside [Adam Ondra](/climber/467/adam-ondra). Other notably quick ascents include [La Rambla](/climb/514/la-rambla) (9a+) second go, [Biographie](/climb/513/biographie) (9a+) in a session, [Demencia Senil](/climb/1323/demencia-senil) (9a+) third go and [Red Ram](/climb/2152/red-ram) (9a+) third go.
In 2018 Alex established [Perfecto Mundo](/climb/471/perfecto-mundo) (9b+) in [Margalef](/crag/27268/margalef) to become only the third person in the world to have climbed 9b+. In 2020 Alex established [Bibliographie](/climb/466/bibliographie) (9b+) in [Céüse](/crag/2054/céüse) after 60 sessions of work over multiple years. Initially he suggested 9c, though after some repeats it has since settled at 9b+.
Alex is also an experienced competitor with 45 world cup appearances and 10 podium finishes as of the start of 2026.
### References
[1] [Interview with RockClimbingUK](https://ukbouldering.com/board/index.php?topic=23697.0)
[2] Interview with [Magnus Midtbø](/climber/505/magnus-midtbø), 2024 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMoBcKnJ_h4](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMoBcKnJ_h4)
[3] Interview with grimper.com (2026) [https://www.grimper.com/news-alex-megos-veux-etre-moyen-veux-etre-vraiment-bon](https://www.grimper.com/news-alex-megos-veux-etre-moyen-veux-etre-vraiment-bon)
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| 1876 | 24th June 2026 | 06:41:49 UTC | Mono | climber | Beth Rodden | notes_pretty | |
|
Before
<p>Beth Rodden is an American big wall and trad. climber. In 1998 she became the youngest woman to climb 8b+ with her ascent of <a href="/climb/1575/to-bolt-or-not-to-be" rel="noopener noreferrer">To Bolt or Not to Be</a> (8b+) at <a href="/crag/3025/smith-rock" rel="noopener noreferrer">Smith Rock</a> at age 18.</p>
<p>In August 2000, along with her then-boyfriend <a href="/climber/551/tommy-caldwell" rel="noopener noreferrer">Tommy Caldwell</a> and fellow climbers Jason Smith and John Dickey, she visited the remote Kara Su valley in Kyrgyzstan with the aim of climbing some big walls in the area. Already a very bold proposition given her relative ineperience on big walls the trip took a dramatic twist when the team was kidnapped and held hostage by rebels from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Movement_of_Uzbekistan" rel="noopener noreferrer">Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan</a>. [1]</p>
<p>The team were marched over remote terrain with little food or water for 6 days. At one point they were left alone with a single captor acting as a guard, and while walking along a narrow path Tommy was able to push the remaining captor over a cliff allowing the team to escape. It was presumed that the person who had been pushed had died, but it later turned out that he had survived the fall.</p>
<p>Beth later spoke about how the event was a significant source of trauma for her, and how she struggled for a long time to process the events. [2]</p>
<p>Back in the US, Beth and then-husband Tommy Caldwell became well established as extremely capable trad and big wall climbers. Beth climbed many hard testpieces, including ascents of <a href="/climb/3450/sphinx-crack" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sphinx Crack</a> (E8), <a href="/climb/1430/grand-illusion" rel="noopener noreferrer">Grand Illusion</a> (E8) and <a href="/climb/523/the-phoenix" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Phoenix</a> (E7), the latter of which she onsighted.</p>
<p>In 2005 she made a team free second ascent of <a href="/climb/6215/the-nose" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Nose</a> (E9) on <a href="/crag/8023/el-capitan" rel="noopener noreferrer">El Capitan</a>, leading The Great Roof pitch and cleanly top roping the Changing Corners.</p>
<p>In 2008, after much work, Beth redpointed <a href="/climb/1424/meltdown" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meltdown</a> (E11) to give one of the hardest traditional pitches in the world at the time featuring super-technical 8c+ climbing with small, fiddly gear. Incredibly, the route waited 10 years for a repeat despite attention from many strong climbers.</p>
<p>In 2009 she divorced Tommy Caldwell and later married <a href="/climber/2159/randy-puro" rel="noopener noreferrer">Randy Puro</a>. In 2014 she had a son with Puro. In her book <em>A Light Through the Cracks</em> she discusses how she struggled in her relationship with Tommy, feeling a sense of obligation to be with him after the Kyrgyzstan incident, and how they had very different approaches to dealing with the trauma of the kidnapping.</p>
<p>More recently she has spoken openly about her struggles with disordered and self-image, and how this impacted her and her climbing. [3]</p>
<h3>References</h3>
<p>[1] <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20171201042923/https://www.outsideonline.com/magazine/200011/200011hostages1.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://web.archive.org/web/20171201042923/https://www.outsideonline.com/magazine/200011/200011hostages1.html</a></p>
<p>[2] Rodden, Beth. A Light Through the Cracks: A Climber's Story. United States: Amazon Publishing, 2024.</p>
<p>[3] <a href="https://www.outsideonline.com/health/training-performance/beth-rodden-climbing-body-image/" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.outsideonline.com/health/training-performance/beth-rodden-climbing-body-image/</a></p>
After
<p>Beth Rodden is an American big wall and trad. climber. In 1998 she became the youngest woman to climb 8b+ with her ascent of <a href="/climb/1575/to-bolt-or-not-to-be" rel="noopener noreferrer">To Bolt or Not to Be</a> (8b+) at <a href="/crag/3025/smith-rock" rel="noopener noreferrer">Smith Rock</a> at age 18.</p>
<p>In August 2000, along with her then-boyfriend <a href="/climber/551/tommy-caldwell" rel="noopener noreferrer">Tommy Caldwell</a> and fellow climbers Jason Smith and John Dickey, she visited the remote Kara Su valley in Kyrgyzstan with the aim of climbing some big walls in the area. Already a very bold proposition given her relative ineperience on big walls the trip took a dramatic twist when the team was kidnapped and held hostage by rebels from the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Movement_of_Uzbekistan" rel="noopener noreferrer">Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan</a>. [1]</p>
<p>The team were marched over remote terrain with little food or water for 6 days. At one point they were left alone with a single captor acting as a guard, and while walking along a narrow path Tommy was able to push the remaining captor over a cliff allowing the team to escape. It was presumed that the person who had been pushed had died, but it later turned out that he had survived the fall.</p>
<p>Beth later spoke about how the event was a significant source of trauma for her, and how she struggled for a long time to process the events. [2]</p>
<p>Back in the US, Beth and then-husband Tommy Caldwell became well established as extremely capable trad and big wall climbers. Beth climbed many hard testpieces, including ascents of <a href="/climb/3450/sphinx-crack" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sphinx Crack</a> (E8), <a href="/climb/1430/grand-illusion" rel="noopener noreferrer">Grand Illusion</a> (E8) and <a href="/climb/523/the-phoenix" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Phoenix</a> (E7), the latter of which she onsighted.</p>
<p>In 2005 she made a team free second ascent of <a href="/climb/6215/the-nose" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Nose</a> (E9) on <a href="/crag/8023/el-capitan" rel="noopener noreferrer">El Capitan</a>, leading The Great Roof pitch and cleanly top roping the Changing Corners.</p>
<p>In 2008, after much work, Beth redpointed <a href="/climb/1424/meltdown" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meltdown</a> (E11) to give one of the hardest traditional pitches in the world at the time featuring super-technical 8c+ climbing with small, fiddly gear. Incredibly, the route waited 10 years for a repeat despite attention from many strong climbers.</p>
<p>In 2009 she divorced Tommy Caldwell and later married <a href="/climber/2159/randy-puro" rel="noopener noreferrer">Randy Puro</a>. In 2014 she had a son with Puro. In her book <em>A Light Through the Cracks</em> she discusses how she struggled in her relationship with Tommy, feeling a sense of obligation to be with him after the Kyrgyzstan incident, and how they had very different approaches to dealing with the trauma of the kidnapping.</p>
<p>More recently she has spoken openly about her struggles with disordered eating and self-image, and how this impacted her and her climbing. [3]</p>
<h3>References</h3>
<p>[1] <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20171201042923/https://www.outsideonline.com/magazine/200011/200011hostages1.html" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://web.archive.org/web/20171201042923/https://www.outsideonline.com/magazine/200011/200011hostages1.html</a></p>
<p>[2] Rodden, Beth. A Light Through the Cracks: A Climber's Story. United States: Amazon Publishing, 2024.</p>
<p>[3] <a href="https://www.outsideonline.com/health/training-performance/beth-rodden-climbing-body-image/" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.outsideonline.com/health/training-performance/beth-rodden-climbing-body-image/</a></p>
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| 1877 | 24th June 2026 | 06:41:49 UTC | Mono | climber | Beth Rodden | notes | |
|
Before
Beth Rodden is an American big wall and trad. climber. In 1998 she became the youngest woman to climb 8b+ with her ascent of [To Bolt or Not to Be](/climb/1575/to-bolt-or-not-to-be) (8b+) at [Smith Rock](/crag/3025/smith-rock) at age 18.
In August 2000, along with her then-boyfriend [Tommy Caldwell](/climber/551/tommy-caldwell) and fellow climbers Jason Smith and John Dickey, she visited the remote Kara Su valley in Kyrgyzstan with the aim of climbing some big walls in the area. Already a very bold proposition given her relative ineperience on big walls the trip took a dramatic twist when the team was kidnapped and held hostage by rebels from the [Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Movement_of_Uzbekistan). [1]
The team were marched over remote terrain with little food or water for 6 days. At one point they were left alone with a single captor acting as a guard, and while walking along a narrow path Tommy was able to push the remaining captor over a cliff allowing the team to escape. It was presumed that the person who had been pushed had died, but it later turned out that he had survived the fall.
Beth later spoke about how the event was a significant source of trauma for her, and how she struggled for a long time to process the events. [2]
Back in the US, Beth and then-husband Tommy Caldwell became well established as extremely capable trad and big wall climbers. Beth climbed many hard testpieces, including ascents of [Sphinx Crack](/climb/3450/sphinx-crack) (E8), [Grand Illusion](/climb/1430/grand-illusion) (E8) and [The Phoenix](/climb/523/the-phoenix) (E7), the latter of which she onsighted.
In 2005 she made a team free second ascent of [The Nose](/climb/6215/the-nose) (E9) on [El Capitan](/crag/8023/el-capitan), leading The Great Roof pitch and cleanly top roping the Changing Corners.
In 2008, after much work, Beth redpointed [Meltdown](/climb/1424/meltdown) (E11) to give one of the hardest traditional pitches in the world at the time featuring super-technical 8c+ climbing with small, fiddly gear. Incredibly, the route waited 10 years for a repeat despite attention from many strong climbers.
In 2009 she divorced Tommy Caldwell and later married [Randy Puro](/climber/2159/randy-puro). In 2014 she had a son with Puro. In her book *A Light Through the Cracks* she discusses how she struggled in her relationship with Tommy, feeling a sense of obligation to be with him after the Kyrgyzstan incident, and how they had very different approaches to dealing with the trauma of the kidnapping.
More recently she has spoken openly about her struggles with disordered and self-image, and how this impacted her and her climbing. [3]
### References
[1] [https://web.archive.org/web/20171201042923/https://www.outsideonline.com/magazine/200011/200011hostages1.html](https://web.archive.org/web/20171201042923/https://www.outsideonline.com/magazine/200011/200011hostages1.html)
[2] Rodden, Beth. A Light Through the Cracks: A Climber's Story. United States: Amazon Publishing, 2024.
[3] [https://www.outsideonline.com/health/training-performance/beth-rodden-climbing-body-image/](https://www.outsideonline.com/health/training-performance/beth-rodden-climbing-body-image/)
After
Beth Rodden is an American big wall and trad. climber. In 1998 she became the youngest woman to climb 8b+ with her ascent of [To Bolt or Not to Be](/climb/1575/to-bolt-or-not-to-be) (8b+) at [Smith Rock](/crag/3025/smith-rock) at age 18.
In August 2000, along with her then-boyfriend [Tommy Caldwell](/climber/551/tommy-caldwell) and fellow climbers Jason Smith and John Dickey, she visited the remote Kara Su valley in Kyrgyzstan with the aim of climbing some big walls in the area. Already a very bold proposition given her relative ineperience on big walls the trip took a dramatic twist when the team was kidnapped and held hostage by rebels from the [Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_Movement_of_Uzbekistan). [1]
The team were marched over remote terrain with little food or water for 6 days. At one point they were left alone with a single captor acting as a guard, and while walking along a narrow path Tommy was able to push the remaining captor over a cliff allowing the team to escape. It was presumed that the person who had been pushed had died, but it later turned out that he had survived the fall.
Beth later spoke about how the event was a significant source of trauma for her, and how she struggled for a long time to process the events. [2]
Back in the US, Beth and then-husband Tommy Caldwell became well established as extremely capable trad and big wall climbers. Beth climbed many hard testpieces, including ascents of [Sphinx Crack](/climb/3450/sphinx-crack) (E8), [Grand Illusion](/climb/1430/grand-illusion) (E8) and [The Phoenix](/climb/523/the-phoenix) (E7), the latter of which she onsighted.
In 2005 she made a team free second ascent of [The Nose](/climb/6215/the-nose) (E9) on [El Capitan](/crag/8023/el-capitan), leading The Great Roof pitch and cleanly top roping the Changing Corners.
In 2008, after much work, Beth redpointed [Meltdown](/climb/1424/meltdown) (E11) to give one of the hardest traditional pitches in the world at the time featuring super-technical 8c+ climbing with small, fiddly gear. Incredibly, the route waited 10 years for a repeat despite attention from many strong climbers.
In 2009 she divorced Tommy Caldwell and later married [Randy Puro](/climber/2159/randy-puro). In 2014 she had a son with Puro. In her book *A Light Through the Cracks* she discusses how she struggled in her relationship with Tommy, feeling a sense of obligation to be with him after the Kyrgyzstan incident, and how they had very different approaches to dealing with the trauma of the kidnapping.
More recently she has spoken openly about her struggles with disordered eating and self-image, and how this impacted her and her climbing. [3]
### References
[1] [https://web.archive.org/web/20171201042923/https://www.outsideonline.com/magazine/200011/200011hostages1.html](https://web.archive.org/web/20171201042923/https://www.outsideonline.com/magazine/200011/200011hostages1.html)
[2] Rodden, Beth. A Light Through the Cracks: A Climber's Story. United States: Amazon Publishing, 2024.
[3] [https://www.outsideonline.com/health/training-performance/beth-rodden-climbing-body-image/](https://www.outsideonline.com/health/training-performance/beth-rodden-climbing-body-image/)
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| 1878 | 23rd June 2026 | 22:30:07 UTC | Mono | climber | Johnny Dawes | notes | |
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Before
Johnny Dawes is a very influential climber in the British climbing scene, with many of his routes from the 1980s helping to define the era. Alongside contemporaries such as [Jerry Moffatt](/climber/131/jerry-moffatt) and [Ben Moon](/climber/130/ben-moon) he helped take over the mantle from the likes of [Ron Fawcett](/climber/532/ron-fawcett) and pushed the standards in trad climbing to new levels, culminating in his ascent of [Indian Face](/climb/601/indian-face) on [Clogwyn Du'r Arddu (Cloggy)](/crag/457/clogwyn-du'r-arddu-(cloggy)) to give the UK it's first E9.
Whilst Johnny's trad climbing was cutting edge he did not embrace sport climbing in the way that many did in the early 90s, though he did still climb up to 8b+, a very respectable level for the time.
> [Jon Barton](/climber/3087/jon-barton): Do you think you ever shocked anybody Johnny?
> Well I'd been at this mad party over in Wales. I left in the early hours to drive over to Sheffield, I like driving at night when the roads are quiet. I could tell you about the Snake Pass first thing at dawn, but that's boring hippy stuff. I got to Sheffield, and broke into the back of [Al Rouse's](/climber/1215/alan-rouse) house. I was in the kitchen making coffee, admiring Al's new decorating efforts, I went up stairs and jumped into his room and onto the bed, to be faced by two worried looking strangers hiding under the duvet. Al had moved out some weeks earlier.
> JB: No Johnny, did you ever shock anybody with your climbing?
### References
[1] Interview with [Niall Grimes](/climber/702/niall-grimes) and [Nick Dixon](/climber/540/nick-dixon) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gfAxYENlmU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gfAxYENlmU)
[2] Features in [80's Birth of Extreme](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkj3Buhfi2k)
[3] Interview for the film *Stone Monkey*, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdeaV_vfp5Q](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdeaV_vfp5Q)
[4] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D88mEgfHJ-I](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D88mEgfHJ-I)
[5] Interview with [Jon Barton](/climber/3087/jon-barton), On The Edge 63 (1996) [/library/11066/on-the-edge-63](/library/11066/on-the-edge-63)
[6] *What Climbing Has Taught Me* (2025) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L_uSJH7-30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L_uSJH7-30)
After
Johnny Dawes made an indelible contribution to British climbing in the 1980s and ‘90s.
Whilst contemporaries such as [Ben Moon](/climber/130/ben-moon) and [Jerry Moffatt](/climber/131/jerry-moffatt) pushed physical standards forwards, Johnny took a swerve sideways (probably getting the vehicle on two wheels in the process), bringing his restless innovation in movement to bear on some of the country’s most spectacular lines.
Dawes’s teenage years were spent honing his skills on the buildings around his school, but it wasn’t long before he made his presence known on the grit: the bold friction slab [Jugged Hare](/climb/6009/jugged-hare) (E6), climbed in EBs in 1983 was an aperitif for what was to come.
Jerry Moffatt had climbed [Ulysses' Bow](/climb/881/ulysses'-bow) (E6) in 1983 after extensive top rope practice. Just one year later Dawes soloed it onsight. He had made the route look easy, but as those who tried to follow him [found out the hard way](/climb/922/ulysses-or-bust), it was anything but.
A host of hard gritstone classics followed: [Braille Trail](/climb/3475/braille-trail) (E7), [Benign Lives](/climb/5798/benign-lives) (E7), [The Salmon](/climb/1450/the-salmon) (E7); [Sad Amongst Friends](/climb/2973/sad-amongst-friends) (E7) and [Silk](/climb/5782/silk) (E5) were climbed ground up.
In 1985, the North Wales slate beckoned, where Dawes found an affinity with its slabby style and slightly unhinged sparse bolting ethic. [Dawes of Perception](/climb/1167/dawes-of-perception) (E7) set a benchmark for difficulty and boldness that came to define the medium, whilst his best link on [The Meltdown](/climb/52/the-meltdown) project was worth at least 8c.
But the best was yet to come. 1986 was Dawes’s *annus mirabilis*: [Gaia](/climb/585/gaia) (E8), [End of the Affair](/climb/586/end-of-the-affair) (E8), and [Slab and Crack](/climb/622/slab-and-crack) (E8) on the grit; [Conan the Librarian](/climb/1187/conan-the-librarian) (E7) and [Come to Mother](/climb/1003/come-to-mother) (E7) on Gogarth; [Coeur de Lion](/climb/700/coeur-de-lion) (E8) and the majestic [The Quarryman](/climb/699/the-quarryman) (E8) on the slate.
But it was [Indian Face](/climb/601/indian-face) (E9) that topped them all, a harrowing quest up the Great Wall of [Clogwyn Du'r Arddu](/crag/457/clogwyn-du'r-arddu) and the country’s first E9. The route established a level of boldness that still may not have been surpassed, and has become a near-mythical part of British climbing lore.
The eighties was a time of conflicting styles as climbing evolved. The Indian Face was pre-inspected, but to a level that would be considered minimal by today’s standards. Although the more accessible classics such as [End of the Affair](/climb/586/end-of-the-affair) (E8) and [Gaia](/climb/585/gaia) (E8) are now regularly headpointed, few have matched the spirit and style of Dawes’s first ascents: End of the Affair was attempted ground-up with a terrifying fall, whilst the bold final moves on Gaia were climbed onsight.
The ground-up approach reached a new high watermark in 1988 when Dawes succeeded on the first ascent of [Hardback Thesaurus](/climb/1648/hardback-thesaurus) (E8) on Gogarth, but not before taking gear-ripping falls that were enough to make you feel sea sick. It remains one of the hardest ground-up first ascents.
The eighties also saw trips to [Sròn Uladail](/crag/778/sròn-uladail) to free climb [The Scoop](/climb/3047/the-scoop) (E7) and [Moskill Grooves](/climb/7131/moskill-grooves) (E6), multipitch monsters winding their way through the crag’s 50m overhanging girth.
The 1990s saw the bar for slab climbing raised further with [The Very Big and the Very Small](/climb/797/the-very-big-and-the-very-small) (8b+) on the slate and [Smoked Salmon](/climb/4123/smoked-salmon) (E8) and t[The Angel's Share](/climb/900/the-angel's-share) (7C) on the grit, the latter taking a harder line, above a harder landing, than is usually climbed today. A one-handed solo of [Downhill Racer](/climb/920/downhill-racer) was a typically Dawesian antic – he rated his effort E8.
In 1993, an attempt on Himalayan big wall [Meru Shark’s Fin](/summit/52/meru-peak) was abandoned when Dawes dropped a boot at 6000m.
In 1995 he repeated his friend [Nick Dixon](/climber/540/nick-dixon)’s masterpiece [Face Mecca](/climb/647/face-mecca) (E9), taking a parallel line to Indian Face. This marked the end of the superbold era.
The following years were spent exploring futuristic projects such as [Promontory Scoop](/climb/5479/promontory-scoop) and exploring inventive movement. In 2018 he pulled an ascent of an 8b+ slab in[La Pedriza](/crag/2660/la-pedriza) out the bag.
Dawes was captured climbing at his best in the 1986 film *Stone Monkey* by Alun Hughes, a cult classic that was shown on terrestrial television several times. In 1996 Dawes made *Best Forgotten Art*, a film about gritstone crack climbing that was the easy listening antidote to Ben And Jerry’s techno-energised *The Real Thing*, released around the same time. The difference between the two films is a perhaps encapsulates Dawes’s place in his era: a climber who stood alongside the sport’s leading performers, yet always seemed to be playing a different game.
> [Jon Barton](/climber/3087/jon-barton): Do you think you ever shocked anybody Johnny?
> Well I'd been at this mad party over in Wales. I left in the early hours to drive over to Sheffield, I like driving at night when the roads are quiet. I could tell you about the Snake Pass first thing at dawn, but that's boring hippy stuff. I got to Sheffield, and broke into the back of [Al Rouse's](/climber/1215/alan-rouse) house. I was in the kitchen making coffee, admiring Al's new decorating efforts, I went up stairs and jumped into his room and onto the bed, to be faced by two worried looking strangers hiding under the duvet. Al had moved out some weeks earlier.
> JB: No Johnny, did you ever shock anybody with your climbing?
### References
[1] Interview with [Niall Grimes](/climber/702/niall-grimes) and [Nick Dixon](/climber/540/nick-dixon) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gfAxYENlmU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gfAxYENlmU)
[2] Features in [80's Birth of Extreme](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkj3Buhfi2k)
[3] Interview for the film *Stone Monkey*, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdeaV_vfp5Q](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdeaV_vfp5Q)
[4] [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D88mEgfHJ-I](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D88mEgfHJ-I)
[5] Interview with [Jon Barton](/climber/3087/jon-barton), On The Edge 63 (1996) [/library/11066/on-the-edge-63](/library/11066/on-the-edge-63)
[6] *What Climbing Has Taught Me* (2025) [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L_uSJH7-30](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L_uSJH7-30)
Diff
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| 1879 | 23rd June 2026 | 22:30:07 UTC | Mono | climber | Johnny Dawes | notes_pretty | |
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Before
<p>Johnny Dawes is a very influential climber in the British climbing scene, with many of his routes from the 1980s helping to define the era. Alongside contemporaries such as <a href="/climber/131/jerry-moffatt" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jerry Moffatt</a> and <a href="/climber/130/ben-moon" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ben Moon</a> he helped take over the mantle from the likes of <a href="/climber/532/ron-fawcett" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ron Fawcett</a> and pushed the standards in trad climbing to new levels, culminating in his ascent of <a href="/climb/601/indian-face" rel="noopener noreferrer">Indian Face</a> on <a href="/crag/457/clogwyn-du'r-arddu-(cloggy)) to give the UK it's first E" rel="noopener noreferrer">Clogwyn Du'r Arddu (Cloggy)</a>.</p>
<p>Whilst Johnny's trad climbing was cutting edge he did not embrace sport climbing in the way that many did in the early 90s, though he did still climb up to 8b+, a very respectable level for the time.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="/climber/3087/jon-barton" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jon Barton</a>: Do you think you ever shocked anybody Johnny?</p>
<p>Well I'd been at this mad party over in Wales. I left in the early hours to drive over to Sheffield, I like driving at night when the roads are quiet. I could tell you about the Snake Pass first thing at dawn, but that's boring hippy stuff. I got to Sheffield, and broke into the back of <a href="/climber/1215/alan-rouse" rel="noopener noreferrer">Al Rouse's</a> house. I was in the kitchen making coffee, admiring Al's new decorating efforts, I went up stairs and jumped into his room and onto the bed, to be faced by two worried looking strangers hiding under the duvet. Al had moved out some weeks earlier.</p>
<p>JB: No Johnny, did you ever shock anybody with your climbing?</p>
</blockquote>
<h3>References</h3>
<p>[1] Interview with <a href="/climber/702/niall-grimes" rel="noopener noreferrer">Niall Grimes</a> and <a href="/climber/540/nick-dixon" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nick Dixon</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gfAxYENlmU" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gfAxYENlmU</a></p>
<p>[2] Features in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkj3Buhfi2k" rel="noopener noreferrer">80's Birth of Extreme</a></p>
<p>[3] Interview for the film <em>Stone Monkey</em>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdeaV_vfp5Q" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdeaV_vfp5Q</a></p>
<p>[4] <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D88mEgfHJ-I" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D88mEgfHJ-I</a></p>
<p>[5] Interview with <a href="/climber/3087/jon-barton" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jon Barton</a>, On The Edge 63 (1996) <a href="/library/11066/on-the-edge-63" rel="noopener noreferrer">/library/11066/on-the-edge-63</a></p>
<p>[6] <em>What Climbing Has Taught Me</em> (2025) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L_uSJH7-30" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L_uSJH7-30</a></p>
After
<p>Johnny Dawes made an indelible contribution to British climbing in the 1980s and ‘90s.</p>
<p>Whilst contemporaries such as <a href="/climber/130/ben-moon" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ben Moon</a> and <a href="/climber/131/jerry-moffatt" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jerry Moffatt</a> pushed physical standards forwards, Johnny took a swerve sideways (probably getting the vehicle on two wheels in the process), bringing his restless innovation in movement to bear on some of the country’s most spectacular lines. </p>
<p>Dawes’s teenage years were spent honing his skills on the buildings around his school, but it wasn’t long before he made his presence known on the grit: the bold friction slab <a href="/climb/6009/jugged-hare" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jugged Hare</a> (E6), climbed in EBs in 1983 was an aperitif for what was to come. </p>
<p>Jerry Moffatt had climbed <a href="/climb/881/ulysses'-bow" rel="noopener noreferrer">Ulysses' Bow</a> (E6) in 1983 after extensive top rope practice. Just one year later Dawes soloed it onsight. He had made the route look easy, but as those who tried to follow him <a href="/climb/922/ulysses-or-bust" rel="noopener noreferrer">found out the hard way</a>, it was anything but. </p>
<p>A host of hard gritstone classics followed: <a href="/climb/3475/braille-trail" rel="noopener noreferrer">Braille Trail</a> (E7), <a href="/climb/5798/benign-lives" rel="noopener noreferrer">Benign Lives</a> (E7), <a href="/climb/1450/the-salmon" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Salmon</a> (E7); <a href="/climb/2973/sad-amongst-friends" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sad Amongst Friends</a> (E7) and <a href="/climb/5782/silk" rel="noopener noreferrer">Silk</a> (E5) were climbed ground up. </p>
<p>In 1985, the North Wales slate beckoned, where Dawes found an affinity with its slabby style and slightly unhinged sparse bolting ethic. <a href="/climb/1167/dawes-of-perception" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dawes of Perception</a> (E7) set a benchmark for difficulty and boldness that came to define the medium, whilst his best link on <a href="/climb/52/the-meltdown" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Meltdown</a> project was worth at least 8c. </p>
<p>But the best was yet to come. 1986 was Dawes’s <em>annus mirabilis</em>: <a href="/climb/585/gaia" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gaia</a> (E8), <a href="/climb/586/end-of-the-affair" rel="noopener noreferrer">End of the Affair</a> (E8), and <a href="/climb/622/slab-and-crack" rel="noopener noreferrer">Slab and Crack</a> (E8) on the grit; <a href="/climb/1187/conan-the-librarian" rel="noopener noreferrer">Conan the Librarian</a> (E7) and <a href="/climb/1003/come-to-mother" rel="noopener noreferrer">Come to Mother</a> (E7) on Gogarth; <a href="/climb/700/coeur-de-lion" rel="noopener noreferrer">Coeur de Lion</a> (E8) and the majestic <a href="/climb/699/the-quarryman" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Quarryman</a> (E8) on the slate. </p>
<p>But it was <a href="/climb/601/indian-face" rel="noopener noreferrer">Indian Face</a> (E9) that topped them all, a harrowing quest up the Great Wall of <a href="/crag/457/clogwyn-du'r-arddu" rel="noopener noreferrer">Clogwyn Du'r Arddu</a> and the country’s first E9. The route established a level of boldness that still may not have been surpassed, and has become a near-mythical part of British climbing lore.</p>
<p>The eighties was a time of conflicting styles as climbing evolved. The Indian Face was pre-inspected, but to a level that would be considered minimal by today’s standards. Although the more accessible classics such as <a href="/climb/586/end-of-the-affair" rel="noopener noreferrer">End of the Affair</a> (E8) and <a href="/climb/585/gaia" rel="noopener noreferrer">Gaia</a> (E8) are now regularly headpointed, few have matched the spirit and style of Dawes’s first ascents: End of the Affair was attempted ground-up with a terrifying fall, whilst the bold final moves on Gaia were climbed onsight. </p>
<p>The ground-up approach reached a new high watermark in 1988 when Dawes succeeded on the first ascent of <a href="/climb/1648/hardback-thesaurus" rel="noopener noreferrer">Hardback Thesaurus</a> (E8) on Gogarth, but not before taking gear-ripping falls that were enough to make you feel sea sick. It remains one of the hardest ground-up first ascents. </p>
<p>The eighties also saw trips to <a href="/crag/778/sròn-uladail" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sròn Uladail</a> to free climb <a href="/climb/3047/the-scoop" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Scoop</a> (E7) and <a href="/climb/7131/moskill-grooves" rel="noopener noreferrer">Moskill Grooves</a> (E6), multipitch monsters winding their way through the crag’s 50m overhanging girth. </p>
<p>The 1990s saw the bar for slab climbing raised further with <a href="/climb/797/the-very-big-and-the-very-small" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Very Big and the Very Small</a> (8b+) on the slate and <a href="/climb/4123/smoked-salmon" rel="noopener noreferrer">Smoked Salmon</a> (E8) and t<a href="/climb/900/the-angel's-share" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Angel's Share</a> (7C) on the grit, the latter taking a harder line, above a harder landing, than is usually climbed today. A one-handed solo of <a href="/climb/920/downhill-racer" rel="noopener noreferrer">Downhill Racer</a> was a typically Dawesian antic – he rated his effort E8. </p>
<p>In 1993, an attempt on Himalayan big wall <a href="/summit/52/meru-peak" rel="noopener noreferrer">Meru Shark’s Fin</a> was abandoned when Dawes dropped a boot at 6000m. </p>
<p>In 1995 he repeated his friend <a href="/climber/540/nick-dixon" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nick Dixon</a>’s masterpiece <a href="/climb/647/face-mecca" rel="noopener noreferrer">Face Mecca</a> (E9), taking a parallel line to Indian Face. This marked the end of the superbold era. </p>
<p>The following years were spent exploring futuristic projects such as <a href="/climb/5479/promontory-scoop" rel="noopener noreferrer">Promontory Scoop</a> and exploring inventive movement. In 2018 he pulled an ascent of an 8b+ slab in<a href="/crag/2660/la-pedriza" rel="noopener noreferrer">La Pedriza</a> out the bag. </p>
<p>Dawes was captured climbing at his best in the 1986 film <em>Stone Monkey</em> by Alun Hughes, a cult classic that was shown on terrestrial television several times. In 1996 Dawes made <em>Best Forgotten Art</em>, a film about gritstone crack climbing that was the easy listening antidote to Ben And Jerry’s techno-energised <em>The Real Thing</em>, released around the same time. The difference between the two films is a perhaps encapsulates Dawes’s place in his era: a climber who stood alongside the sport’s leading performers, yet always seemed to be playing a different game.</p>
<blockquote>
<p><a href="/climber/3087/jon-barton" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jon Barton</a>: Do you think you ever shocked anybody Johnny?</p>
<p>Well I'd been at this mad party over in Wales. I left in the early hours to drive over to Sheffield, I like driving at night when the roads are quiet. I could tell you about the Snake Pass first thing at dawn, but that's boring hippy stuff. I got to Sheffield, and broke into the back of <a href="/climber/1215/alan-rouse" rel="noopener noreferrer">Al Rouse's</a> house. I was in the kitchen making coffee, admiring Al's new decorating efforts, I went up stairs and jumped into his room and onto the bed, to be faced by two worried looking strangers hiding under the duvet. Al had moved out some weeks earlier.</p>
<p>JB: No Johnny, did you ever shock anybody with your climbing?</p>
</blockquote>
<h3>References</h3>
<p>[1] Interview with <a href="/climber/702/niall-grimes" rel="noopener noreferrer">Niall Grimes</a> and <a href="/climber/540/nick-dixon" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nick Dixon</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gfAxYENlmU" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gfAxYENlmU</a></p>
<p>[2] Features in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jkj3Buhfi2k" rel="noopener noreferrer">80's Birth of Extreme</a></p>
<p>[3] Interview for the film <em>Stone Monkey</em>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdeaV_vfp5Q" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdeaV_vfp5Q</a></p>
<p>[4] <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D88mEgfHJ-I" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D88mEgfHJ-I</a></p>
<p>[5] Interview with <a href="/climber/3087/jon-barton" rel="noopener noreferrer">Jon Barton</a>, On The Edge 63 (1996) <a href="/library/11066/on-the-edge-63" rel="noopener noreferrer">/library/11066/on-the-edge-63</a></p>
<p>[6] <em>What Climbing Has Taught Me</em> (2025) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L_uSJH7-30" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L_uSJH7-30</a></p>
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| 1880 | 23rd June 2026 | 17:32:55 UTC | Mono | climb | Walk On By | notes | |
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Before
So far under the radar it's almost antipodean, Walk On By was likely one of the hardest problems in the world when it was first climbed in 1980. The climb is located at [Curbar Edge](/crag/21/curbar-edge) in the heart of the Peak District and features old-school crimping on tiny edges up a vertical quarried wall. In an instructive example of British trad grading, it was given E3 6c.
The climb was discovered and named by [Steve Foster](/climber/3228/steve-foster), who climbed it first with one point of aid: manteling a peg at the start. He was mercilessly ribbed for this behaviour, motivating first ascentionist [Rob Gawthorpe](/climber/736/rob-gawthorpe) to show him how to do it properly. Gawthorpe commented:
>Walk On By is suited to my climbing style – thin, very technical steep walls, but not crazily overhanging. I think Leeds Wall was a key – [Al Manson](/climber/1011/al-manson) and I just used to test each other on brick-edge problems on the Leeds Wall – hence how I got good at using very small edges and rock-overs.
>It was obviously hard, but I didn't think it was really any harder than some of the other problems we'd been playing on in Yorkshire, particularly with Al Manson at [Caley](/crag/540/caley-crags), [Almscliff](/crag/373/almscliff) and [Hetchell](/crag/34554/hetchell). At that time I thought there were a couple of really hard projects at Caley that seemed much harder.
It took two decades and the steely fingers of [Ben Moon](/climber/130/ben-moon) to finally give the climb a second ascent.
Walk On By: as the 1991 guidebook quipped 'Good advice!'
### References
[1] On Peak Rock, 2013
After
So far under the radar it's almost antipodean, Walk On By was likely one of the hardest problems in the world when it was first climbed in 1980. The climb is located at [Curbar Edge](/crag/21/curbar-edge) in the heart of the Peak District and features old-school crimping on tiny edges up a vertical quarried wall. In an instructive example of British grading, it was given E3 6c.
The climb was discovered and named by [Steve Foster](/climber/3228/steve-foster), who climbed it first with one point of aid: manteling a peg at the start. He was mercilessly ribbed for this behaviour, motivating first ascentionist [Rob Gawthorpe](/climber/736/rob-gawthorpe) to show him how to do it properly. Gawthorpe commented:
>Walk On By is suited to my climbing style – thin, very technical steep walls, but not crazily overhanging. I think Leeds Wall was a key – [Al Manson](/climber/1011/al-manson) and I just used to test each other on brick-edge problems on the Leeds Wall – hence how I got good at using very small edges and rock-overs.
>It was obviously hard, but I didn't think it was really any harder than some of the other problems we'd been playing on in Yorkshire, particularly with Al Manson at [Caley](/crag/540/caley-crags), [Almscliff](/crag/373/almscliff) and [Hetchell](/crag/34554/hetchell). At that time I thought there were a couple of really hard projects at Caley that seemed much harder.
It took two decades and the steely fingers of [Ben Moon](/climber/130/ben-moon) to finally give the climb a second ascent.
Walk On By: as the 1991 guidebook quipped, 'Good advice!'
### References
[1] On Peak Rock, 2013
Diff
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