As a free solo exercise with no artificial aid or climbing protection, bouldering remained largely consistent since its origins. Single-pitch climbing generally stopped using artificial aid in the early 20th-century, led by Paul Preuss, so-called "free climbing". Free climbing of Big Walls started before World War I, and was advanced by Emil Solleder in the 20s, Batista Vinatzer in the 30s, and Mathias Rebitsch in the late-40s. Climbing protection was needed for single-pitch and big-wall free climbing, and was inserted into the route while climbing; this is now called "traditional climbing". By the 1980s, French pioneers like Patrick Edlinger wanted to climb rock faces in Buoux and Verdon that had few cracks in which to insert traditional climbing protection. Controversially, they pre-drilled bolts from above on rappel, using battery powered drills, into potential new routes for protection (but not as artificial aid); this became known as "sport climbing". It led to a dramatic increase in climbing standards, grades, and tools (e.g. artificial climbing walls and campus boards), the development of competition climbing (initially dominated in the 1990s by French climbers such as François Legrand), and the "professional" rock climber.
Female rock climbing developed later in the 20th-century but by the 1980s, climbers such as Lynn Hill and Catherine Destivelle were closing the gap to the standard of routes being climbed by the leading men. By the 21st-century, Josune Bereziartu, Angela Eiter and Ashima Shiraishi, had closed the gap to the highest sport and boulder climbing grades achieved by men to within one/two notches; Beth Rodden fully closed the gap for traditional climbing grades in 2008 and Janja Garnbret became the most successful competition climber in history with 42 IFSC world cup golds.
There are early documented examples of people "rock climbing" to achieve various objectives. The Le Quart Livre [fr] records that in 1492, ordered by his king, Antoine de Ville used castle siege tactics to ascend Mont Aiguille, a 300-meter rock tower, near Grenoble, France.[1][2] In 1695, Martin Martin described the traditional practice of fowling by climbing with the use of ropes in the Hebrides of Scotland, especially on St Kilda.[3]
The first ascent of Mont Blanc in 1786, started mountaineering's "modern era"; however it would take another century until the fixed anchors of rock climbing appeared, including pitons, bolts, and rappel slings.[4] By the early 19th-century, "alpine rock climbing" was developing as a pastime; the tools of the alpine shepherd guides (early mountain guides), the alpenstock and woodcutter's axe (later combined as the ice axe).[2]
The birth of climbing in Saxon Switzerland for nothing but sporting motivation is credited to gymnasts from nearby Bad Schandau who used ladders and other aid equipment to ascend the Falkenstein in 1864. Ten years later in 1874, O. E. Ufer and H. Frick free climbed the rock pinnacle "Mönch" with a similar motivation, consciously avoiding the use of aid equipment.[1] Inspired by late 19th-century pioneers such as Oscar Schuster [cs; de] on Falkenstein, by 1903 there were 500 climbers in the Saxon Switzerland climbing region, including the well-known team of Rudolf Fehrmann and American Oliver Perry-Smith; their 1906 ascent of Teufelsturm at grade VIIb, set new standards of difficulty. By the 1930s, there were 200 climbing clubs in the area.[1][6]
The 1887 solo first ascent of the Vajolet Towers by the 17-year-old Munich high school student Georg Winkler, encouraged the acceptance and development of the sport in the Dolomites, and in particular opened up the era of big wall climbing on the huge rock faces of the Dolomites, which spread over the wider Alps including the important centre of Chamonix in France.[1][9]
By 1897, members of the French Club alpin français began to gather amongst the boulders of Fontainebleau to practice their rock climbing skills that they would use in the Alpine season; the boulders were shorter than the large walls being attempted in the Lake District, Saxon Switzerland or the Dolomites, but this led to the development of more advanced bouldering skills.[1][5]
Oliver Perry-Smith (right) freed the first 6a (5.10a) with Perrykante in 1906 in the Saxon Switzerland; a region where the world's first 6a/a+ (Südriss, 1910), 6a+ (Westkante, 1918), 6a+/b (Kuniskante, 1921), 6b (Rostkante, 1922), and 6b+ (Talseite, 1952) would also be freed.[21]
1900 : Heinrich Pfannel, Thomas Maischberger, and Franz Zimmer do the first-ever alpine first free ascent on the Southwest Face of Dent du Géant, in Chamonix, France, bypassing all spikes, ropes, and ladders.
1901 : Michele Bettaga, Beatrice Tomasson, Artolo Zagonel make the first ascent of the South Face of Marmolada, Dolomites, Italy in a day; first big wall climb (5.5, using 4 pitons for anchors on 24-pitches).
1908 : Tita Piaz [it], J. Klammer, R. Schietzold, F Schroffenegger, make the first ascent of the West Face of Totenkirchl, Austria, UIAA Grade V (5.7 with a tension traverse) 19 pitches.[2]
1909 : (approximately) Felt-soled rock climbing shoes are introduced.
1910s
1910 : Hans Fiechtl [de] replaces the attached ring on pitons with an eye in the body of the piton, a design still used to this day.[2]
1910 : Angelo Dibona, G. Mayer, M. Mayer, A. Dimai, L. Rizzi climb the 2,500-foot North Face of Cima Una [it], in the Dolomites, UIAA V+ (5.8).[2]
1910 : Franz Schroffenegger and Franz Wenter climb the 450-metre Northwest Face of Delago Tower, and the 500-metre North Face of Croda di Re Laurino, in the Dolomites. UIAA Grade VI− (5.9−).[22]
1913 : Hans Dülfer and Willi von Redwitz, climb the 700-metre West Face Direct, on Totenkirchl, in Austria, at UIAA V+ with two rope traverses (5.8 X), in 8 hours (23-pitches, longest rock climb to date).
1913 : Rudolf Fehrmann publishes the second edition of Der Bergsteiger in der Sächsischen Schweiz (The Climber in Saxon Switzerland), which includes the first binding rules for climbing in the area to protect the soft sandstone rock. These include that only natural holds of the rock are allowed for climbing. These rules for free climbing are still in use and haven't changed significantly.[1]
1914 : Siegfried Herford and companions, climb, using shoulder stands, the Flake Pitch on the Central Buttress of Scafell (5.8 A0, 5.9 today), Britain's hardest climb at the time (3-pitches).
1916 : Ivar Berg free soloed the 60-foot Cave Arête Indirect at Laddow Rocks, Derbyshire, England, at E1 5a (5.9+), it was the first E1.[24]
1921 :Otto Herzog [de; fr] and Gustav Haber climb the 1,000-foot Ha-He Dihedral UIAA VI+ (5.9+) at Dreizinkenspitze [de], in Austria, in 2 days of climbing; would not be repeated until the 1950s.[2]
1922 : Hans Rost leads, with 2 protection rings, the run-out on Rostkante, on Hauptwiesenstein, in the Saxon Switzerland climbing region. Sax VIIIb, the world's first-ever 6b (5.10c).[21]
1923 : Willo Welzenbach [de], adding to Dülfer's five grades, creates the Roman Numeral European rating system for rock climbs (Grades I to VI); this system eventually became UIAA grading.[2]
1924 : Felix Simon and Roland Rossi climb the 850-metre North Face of Monte Pelmo, in the Dolomites, Italy, at UIAA V+, placing 11 pitons.
1925 : July 28, Fritz Wiessner, Roland Rossi climb Southeast Face of Fleischbank, Austria, at VI+/5.10a, 11 difficult pitches including 4 free pitches at Grade VI, a tension traverse pitch, and an aid pitch over a roof.[2]
1927 : Joe Stettner and brother, Paul, apply European techniques in the USA on their ascent of the 9-pitch Stettner Ledges (5.7) on the East Face of Long's Peak.[14][15]
1929 : Luigi Micheluzzi [it], Demitrio Christomannos, Roberto Perathoner make, in 2 days and placing only 6 pitons, the first ascent of the South Pillar of Marmolada, 5.9+, 600-meters, Dolomites.[2][25]
In the 1930s, Emilio Comici (left) and Riccardo Cassin (right, once taught by Comici) pioneered big wall climbing tools and techniques, and set new "hardest-ever" routes in the Alps.
1930 : Jack Longland leads, onsight, Javelin Blade at Hollytree Wall, Idwal, at E1 5b (5.10a X) with forty-foot runout at the crux.
1931 : Robert L. M. Underhill and Miriam Underhill (Miriam E. O'Brien), Early climbing couples; Robert introduced European climbing techniques in an article in the 1931 Bulletin of the Sierra Club.
1932 : Batista Vinatzer [it] and Giuani Rifesser climb Furchetta North Face route, Dolomites, adding a dangerous, 5-pitch direct finish, UIAA VII− (5.10b/c X), only 5 new protection pitons.
1933 : Emilio Comici, Giuseppi Dimai and Angelo Dimai climb, in 3 days, the 1,700-foot North Face Dimai Route of Cima Grande, in the Dolomites, at 5.9 and 3 aid pitches; becomes the world's most overhanging big wall climbing route.
1934 : Raffaele Carlesso [it], Bartolo Sandri climb, in 2 days, the 750-metre South Face of Torre Trieste, Dolomites, UIAA VIII-, maybe the world's first-ever 6c+ (5.11b/c) but it is doubted that the crux was done totally free (35-pitches).
1935 : Fritz Wiessner and Roger Whitney, using only 1 protection piton, climb Vector, on Ragged Mountain, Connecticut, rated 5.8+ R, likely 5.9, the hardest pitch in the US for a decade.[14]
1935 : Pierre Allain, added a protective rubber rand to the side of a tennis shoe as a climbing shoe; later, in 1947, with Edmond Bourdonneau (EB), he markets a stiffer, flat-soled edging shoe, the "PA".
1936 : Batista Vinatzer [it] and Ettore Castiglioni free climb, in two days, a 29-pitch route on the Marmolada, Dolomites, UIAA VII− (5.10c). Hardest long, totally free climb in the world.
1937 : Vitale Bramani [it; fr; mg] develops and sells the first leather boots with "lug-soled rubber" (called tank-tread) for rock climbing, mountaineering, and hiking; called "Vibram soles".
1937 : Emilio Comici re-climbs the North Face Dimai Route on the Cima Grande alone, with some gear but no rope, mostly free-solo (5.9), but pulling on some pitons, in three and a half hours.
1940s : World War II leads to the development of inexpensive, army-surplus pitons, carabiners and the newly invented nylon rope, making leader falls significantly safer.[2]
1945 : Chris Preston, after a top rope, leads, with no protection, the two pitches of Suicide Wall, in Ogwen, Wales, at E2 5c (5.10c X).
1946 : Mathias Rebitsch [de] and Sepp Spiegl create an 8-pitch route on Fleischbank, Austria, UIAA VII (5.10d) with four hard pitches: VII, VII−, VI, VI−.
1947 : Pierre Allain, in France, and Raffi Bedayn, in the US, market lightweight, aluminum carabiners for climbing, significantly reducing the weight carried by climbers.
1951 : Joe Brown, wearing tennis shoes, onsightedRight Eliminate, at E3 5c or 6b+ (5.10d/11a), at Curbar Edge, UK, a poorly-protected off-width crack that is 50 feet long.[27]
1952 : Lionel Terray, Guido Magnone make the first ascent of Mount Fitzroy (11,020 feet), Patagonia, 16 pitches of Alpine rock climbing, 5.9 with some aid.
1952 : Bonnie Prudden leads the first ascent of Bonnie's Roof, (5.8, A0) Shawangunks, NY. 2 pitches.
1952 : Harry Rost leads Talseite on Schwager, Schrammsteine, in Saxon Switzerland, at Sax VIIIc or 6b+ (5.10d/11a), (today all free at IXa).one of the world's hardest routes.[11][21]
1955 : Walter Bonatti did one of the greatest big wall climbs in history with a solo, single-push, first ascent of a new route on the Southwest Pillar of the Dru over six days.
1958 : Don Whillans leads Goliath, a 30-foot crack, Burbage, in England, one of the world's first-ever 6c (5.11a/b) routes. A bit harder today, as footholds have broken, at E4 6a.[11][21][32]
Royal Robbins led Yosemite's big wall "Golden Age" from the late 1950s to the early 1970s, minimizing use of aid, unlike his rival Warren J. Harding.[33]
1960 : Dave Rearick and Bob Kamps make the first ascent of Diamond (5.8 A3), Longs Peak, CO, a 10-pitch, Alpine, Big Wall climb all above 13,000 feet of altitude.
1964 : Royal Robbins and Pat Ament free climb Athlete's Feat, Boulder CO. Five very short, hard pitches (5.11a. 5.10d, 5.10d, 5.10c, 5.9).[37] Most difficult multi-pitch in USA.
1964 : Dan Robinson builds the first climbing wall at Leeds University.[5] After training two years on the wall, John Syrett onsights, in 1970, one of Britain's hardest routes, Wall of Horrors (E3 6a).[38]
1965 : Europe's tallest rock face, Norway's 4,000-foot Troll Wall, is aid climbed by Norwegian and British teams who summit a day apart; the wall is rarely repeated.
1965 : Yvon Chouinard, T M Herbert ascend, in a single push, the 32-pitch Muir Wall on El Cap, 5.9 A5. First new El Cap route by a party of two.
1965 : Chuck Pratt and Chris Fredericks climb the classic, 2-pitch, off-width Twilight Zone in Yosemite, 5.10d X.[29]
1967: August 8. Pete Cleveland leads, uninspected, Super Pin, 5.11a X Black Hills, SD, USA, risking an 80-foot groundfall. Boldest short FA. Unrepeated for 40 years.[41][14]
1968 : Royal Robbins solos on aid (added aid bolt at crux) the Muir Wall on El Capitan, Yosemite, first time El Capitan is climbed alone (took nine days).[34]
1971 : John Stannard promotes clean climbing with a "nuts-only" logbook and Eastern Trade newsletter; the 1972 Chouinard Equipment Catalog includes influential articles by Yvon Chouinard, Tom Frost, and Doug Robinson.[5][46]
1973 : October, Beverly Johnson, Sibylle Hechtel, first female team to ascend El Capitan via Triple Direct; Hechtel called it "Walls without Balls".[13]
1975 : Kurt Albert paints his first "Rotpunkt" (or Redpoint) on the base of the aid climbAdolf Rott Ged.-Weg (V+/A1), in the Frankenjura, signifying he had freed it at 6a+ (5.10b).[49][50]
1975 : Charlie Porter aid solos the remote big wall, Northwest Face Mount Asgard, Baffin Island, 40 pitches, 5.10 A4. Alone for 9 days climbing; committing Big Wall climb.
1975 : Ron Kauk, John Bachar, John Long, lead free (following on aid) all 12 pitches of Astroman, (5.11c) Yosemite. 5 pitches of 5.11. First continuous free ascent by Kauk in June 1977.[13][51]
1976 : Art Higbee, Jim Erickson, free climb the 25-pitch NW Face of Half Dome, Yosemite, at 5.12d (newer variations are 5.12a).[52][53] 3 pitches of 5.12, 5 of 5.11.[54]
1977 : Helmut Kiene, Reinhard Karl make the first ascent of a 10-pitch climb with off-width crux, Pumpriße, Austria. Officially, the first UIAA Grade VII (5.10d/5.11a). Nuts for protection.
1978 : Dave Diegelman, Dale Bard, Jim Bridwell lead the aid climbing route Sea of Dreams on El Capitan, Yosemite, hardest-ever aid route at 5.9/A5 (27-pitches; 39 drilled holes).
1979 : Spanish manufacturer Boreal creates a "sticky rubber" board-lasted climbing shoe called Firé (Fee-ray), which materially increases performance on rock climbs.[57][58]
1980s
Wolfgang Güllich became the world's strongest sport climber by the mid-1980s and would set more new "hardest-ever" sport climbing routes than any other climber in history, and revolutionize climbing training techniques.
1985 : Spanish manufacturer Boreal makes a slip-lasted climbing shoe, the Boreal Ninja, which further increases performance; is the template for all future shoes.[57][58]
Alexander Huber and Lynn Hill were two of the most dominant male and female rock climbers of the 1990s, setting new "hardest-ever" records in both sport climbing and big wall climbing.
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, sport climber Fred Nicole revolutionized bouldering standards, and set several new "hardest-ever" records.[71]
1991 : June, Catherine Destivellesoloed the first ascent of Voie Destivelle on the west face of the Petit Dru, at VI 5.11b A5), is the hardest-ever female First Ascent of an Alpine big wall, and the second-ever big wall route named after a female in the Alps.[72]
Chris Sharma and Josune Bereziartu were two of the most dominant male and female rock climbers of the 2000s, each breaking new "hardest-ever" grades on multiple occasions
2009 : Ueli Steck leads, over 4 days, Golden Gate on El Capitan, USA, at 5.13a (7c+), onsighting all 3 pitches of 5.13, all 5 pitches of 5.12, and 9 of the 10 pitches of 5.11.
2010s
In the 2010s, Adam Ondra took on the mantle of "world's strongest climber" from Chris Sharma, with Angela Eiter the strongest female climber.
^The two principal uses of pitons on an ascent are as protective safeguards (not used for actual hand or footholds - climbers refrained from putting weight on them except in the event of a fall) and as direct aid (used to physically assist in ascending a steep or overhanging slope rather than merely as protection). Climbers like Paul Preuss and Geoffrey Winthrop Young argued strongly against direct aid, but others of that era, including Hans Dülfer and Tita Piaz, advocated using such devices as artificial aids in order to climb otherwise unscalable walls. After World War I most European climbers chose to employ artificial aid when necessary. However, from the beginning days of rock climbing as a sport, through the 1940s, another form of artificial assistance was at times employed by teams of two or more climbers: the shoulder stand. From our current perspective, it seems odd that many of those climbers who strenuously objected to hanging on a piton found the shoulder stand to be quite acceptable. Occasionally, historical climbing photos, (e.g., [1]) illustrate this strategy, which arose from the perception that ascending a route was a team effort, with two climbers constituting one natural climbing unit. Something to keep in mind when reading of very early climbs in the 5.8 to 5.10 range.
^Beckwidth, Christian (1 September 2005). "Connections". Alpinist. Retrieved 20 December 2022. ..he took his gymnast's background to the gray schist boulders that dot the periphery of Jenny Lake. Here, he began exploring the overlap between gymnastics and climbing, and his introduction of chalk and dynamic movement marked the beginning of modern climbing in America"
^Perrin, Jim (2005). The Villain. Seattle Washington USA: The Mountaineers Books. pp. 184–186.
^"Being Bachar". Rock & Ice. March 2008. Retrieved 3 January 2023. [In 1982] 'I was so pissed off', says Bachar, 'That I went to Joshua Tree and soloed Baby Apes,' a 60-foot 5.12b/c he'd previously top roped but never led, thereby making the first "lead" of the now-classic line.