Traditional climbing

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Traditional climbing (or trad climbing) is a type of free climbing in rock climbing where the lead climber places the protection equipment while ascending the route; when the lead climber has completed the route, the second climber (or belayer) then removes the protection equipment as they climb the route. [1] Traditional climbing differs from sport climbing where the protection equipment is pre-drilled into the rock in the form of bolts. [2]

Contents

Traditional climbing carries a much higher level of risk than bolted sport climbing, as the climber may not have placed the protection equipment correctly (while trying to ascend the route), or there may be few opportunities to insert protection equipment (e.g. on very difficult routes). Traditional climbing was once the dominant form of free climbing, but since the mid-1980s sport climbing (and its related form of competition climbing) has become more popular, and all subsequent grade milestones in rock climbing have been in sport climbing.

From the early 2000s, there was a resurgence in interest in traditional climbing as climbers began greenpointing sport routes (e.g. Greenspit ), and also as new milestones in traditional climbing routes were established (e.g. Cobra Crack by Sonnie Trotter and Rhapsody by Dave MacLeod). Leading female climbers such as Beth Rodden were setting 'trad' grade milestones at the same level as the men. By 2024, it was leading sport climber Adam Ondra who confirmed one of the first-ever E12 routes as being James Pearson's Bon Voyage.

Description

Climber leading a traditional climbing route, attempting to insert a nut for climbing protection. The Climb - geograph.org.uk - 2480355.jpg
Climber leading a traditional climbing route, attempting to insert a nut for climbing protection.

Traditional climbing (or "Trad" climbing), is a form of free climbing (i.e. no artificial or mechanical device can be used to aid progression, unlike with aid climbing), which is performed in pairs where the lead climber places climbing protection into the climbing route as they ascend. [3] [4] After the lead climber has reached the top, the second climber (or belayer) removes this temporary climbing protection as they climb the route. Some consider the hammering in of pitons while climbing the route, as long as they are only for climbing protection and not to aid progression, to also be traditional climbing. [3] [4] [5]

Traditional climbing differs from sport climbing that has the climbing protection already pre-bolted into the route (i.e. the lead climber just clips their rope into quickdraws attached to the bolts); sport climbing is therefore a much safer, and less stressful, form of free climbing. [2] Traditional climbing differs from free solo climbing where no climbing protection is used whatsoever. [3] [4] [5]

First free ascent

With the greater popularity of sport climbing, traditional climbing evolved to embrace some of its redpointing techniques in making a first free ascent (FFA). The previously controversial practices of hangdogging (i.e. practicing on an abseil rope), and headpointing (i.e. practicing on a top rope) are now accepted by the leading traditional climbers. [6] [7] Traditional climbers subsequently introduced the derived term 'greenpointing' (or the Grünpunkt movement, as a play on the sport climbing Rotpunkt movement), to describe making the first free ascent of a pre-bolted sport-climb, but only using "traditional protection". [8] [9]

History

As 20th-century rock climbers began to free climb (i.e., avoiding any form of aid), they often used traditional climbing techniques for protection. [10] Early traditional climbers relied on crude, and often unreliable, forms of homemade "passive" climbing protection such as pieces of metal or chockstones attached to slings. [11]

With the development of "active" traditional climbing protection in the 1970s—called spring-loaded camming devices (SLCDs, or "friends")—the grades of technical difficulty that traditional climbers could safely undertake increased dramatically, [11] [12] and new grade milestones were set on new traditional climbing routes. [4] However, by the mid-1980s, the leading traditional climbers were again facing technical challenges with minimal possibilities for traditional climbing protection (i.e. tiny or no cracks whatsoever in which to insert SLCDs), that required them to accept significant personal risks — Johnny Dawes's 1986 ascent of Indian Face being a notable example. [13]

Jonathan Siegrist on The Path 5.14a R, 8b+, at Lake Louise 1633A3515.jpg
Jonathan Siegrist on The Path 5.14a R, 8b+, at Lake Louise

At this time, French climbers such as Patrick Edlinger began to pre-drill permanent masonry bolts into the almost "blank" faces of Buoux and Verdon for protection (but not as artificial aid); this became known as sport climbing. [12] [14] It led to a dramatic increase in climbing standards — all future new grade milestones would be set on sport climbing routes. The increased safety of pre-drilled bolts also led to the development and popularity of competition climbing and the emergence of the "professional" rock climber. Sport climbing then became—and remains—the most popular form of rock climbing. [15]

Traditional returned to prominence when in 2003, Swiss climber Didier Berthod greenpointed the bolted sport climb Greenspit (E9, 5.14, 8b) to create one of the hardest traditional crack climbing routes in the world. [16] In 2006, Canadian climber Sonnie Trotter greenpointed The Path (E9, 5.14a R, 8b+) to create one of the world's hardest traditional climbs at the time. Trotter, and other leading 'trad' climbers such as David MacLeod, led a resurgence in traditional climbing by creating new grade milestones on routes such as Cobra Crack (E10, 5.14b, 8c) and Rhapsody (E11, 5.14c R/X, 8c+). The increased prominence of traditional climbing attracted the leading sport climbers who began to repeat—and create—major traditional routes (e.g. Ethan Pringle with BlackBeard's Tears and Beth Rodden with Meltdown). In 2023, when British climber James Pearson created one of the world's first E12 'trad' routes with Bon Voyage, the first repeat was by sport climbing legend, Adam Ondra. [17] [18]

Protection

Equipment

Climber with equipment.jpg
The Screamer E4 6a Reiff Scotland 2.jpg
Traditional climbers using various approaches to carrying the extensive protection equipment (or "rack") needed for their traditional climb

Traditional climbing requires more rock climbing equipment than sport climbing as the lead climber needs to carry, and insert, protection devices as they climb the route. The choice of equipment carried will depend on the type of route being attempted. Some of the most difficult and dangerous traditional routes (e.g. Indian Face or Master's Edge ) offer very little opportunity to insert protection into the rock, and thus the lead climber carries very little protective equipment.

Classic traditional climbs often involve crack climbing (e.g. Separate Reality ) that offers greater opportunity for inserting protection — into the crack itself — and the lead climber will carry a lot more equipment to secure their safety. [3] [4]

Two main classes of protection are used in traditional climbing, namely: "passive" and "active". Passive protection devices include nuts, hexcentrics and tricams, and are metal shapes attached to wires or slings, which can be inserted into cracks and fissures in the rock that will act like temporary sport climbing bolts (to which quickdraws and the rope can be clipped into). Active protection consists of spring-loaded camming devices (or "friends"), which are cams that dynamically adjust to the size of the crack or fissure in the rock, but also act like temporary sport climbing bolts. [3] [4]

Risk

Climbing in Yosemite Valley - 01.jpg
Traditional climber inserting a spring-loaded camming device for their protection while leading Freeblast (5.11b), in Yosemite
Coyne Crack 5.11+ - Supercrack Buttress - Indian Creek.jpg
Traditional climber leading Coyne Crack (5.11+), Indian Creek; the crack offers lots of opportunity for inserting climbing protection

The traditional climber has two key concerns, or areas of risk, when placing the protection equipment while they are leading the traditional route.

The first concern is related to the quality of the protection placements. Where these placements are considered good and will hold the climber in the event of a major fall, they are called "bomb-proof" (i.e. they behave just like pre-drilled bolts). However, when the placements are poor, and there is uncertainty that they will hold in the event of a major fall — risking a "zipper-fall" — they are described as "thin". [19] For example, when Johnny Dawes freed the traditional climb Indian Face (E9 6c) in 1986, the protection was so thin, Dawes assumed if he fell, the protection would rip out, and he would fall to the ground. [20]

The other concern is the distance between the protection placements. Where there are many protection placements with small gaps between them (e.g. 2 to 3 metres), then any fall will be short and less onerous; even if one placement fails/rips-out, there are more placements that might still hold. However, large gaps between placements — known as a "run out" — means that any fall will be larger and will place more pressure on the existing placements to hold the fall. Famous extreme traditional climbs such as Master's Edge (E7 6c) and Gaia (E8 6c) have notorious run-outs, where even if the protection holds, the falling climber has a high chance of hitting the ground, as spectacularly shown in the opening sequence of the 1998 British climbing film, Hard Grit . [21] [22]

To reflect the greater risk of traditional climbing routes over sport climbing routes, an additional grade is often added to the route's grade of technical difficulty (i.e. how hard are the individual moves) to reflect the risks. In the United Kingdom, this is known as the "adjectival" grade (Diff, VDiff, HS, VS, HVS, E1 to E11). In the United States, it takes the form of a suffix (PG — be careful, R — fall will cause injury, R/X — fall will cause serious injury, X — fall likely to be fatal). [23]

Grading

The grading of traditional climbing routes starts with a sport climbing grade for the "technical difficulty", and an additional "risk grade" to reflect how hard the lead climber will find protecting the route as they ascend. Some sport grading systems, particularly the French system (e.g. ... 6b, 6c, 7a, 7b, 7c, ...), offer no additional "risk grade", and are thus less likely to be used as traditional climbing grades (but may be quoted alongside one). The most dominant grading system for traditional climbing is the American system (e.g. ... 5.9, 5.10a, 5.10b, 5.10c, 5.10d, 5.11a, ...), which for traditional routes can add the "suffix" of "R" for risk of serious injury in any fall, or "X" for routes where a fall at a particular place, could be fatal (i.e. a "chop route"). [24] [25] [26] For example, a famous but serious extreme North American traditional climb is Sonnie Trotter's 2007 route, The Path in Lake Louise, Alberta, which is graded 5.14a R. [27] [28]

One of the most detailed, and still widely used, traditional grading systems is the British E-grade (e.g. ... VS 4c, HVS 5a, E1 5b, E2 5c, E4 6a, ...). [26] Two grades are quoted; the first being the "adjectival grade", and the second being the "technical grade". [24] The interplay between the two grades reflects the "risk grade" of the route. For each "technical grade", there is a normal equivalent "adjectival grade"; for example, for the technical grade of "6a", the normal "adjectival grade" is "E4". [24] Where the "adjectival grade" is lower than normal, for example, E3 6a (or even E2 6a), that means the route is much safer and easier to protect. When the "adjectival grade" is higher than normal, for example, E5 6a (or even E6 6a), that means the route is more dangerous and harder to protect. [24] For example, one of the most famous and dangerous extreme British traditional climbs is Johnny Dawes' 1986 route, Indian Face , which is graded E9 6c (instead of the normal E7 6c), or 5.13a X under the American system. [29]

Hardest routes

Pre sport-climbing era

Before the emergence of sport climbing in the early 1980s, almost all new grade milestones in rock climbing were set by traditional climbers. [12] [30] By the end of the 1970s, male traditional climbers were climbing to 5.13a  (7c+) with Toni Yaniro  [ fr ]'s Grand Illusion, [12] while female traditional climbers were climbing to 5.12d  (7c), with Lynn Hill on Ophir Broke. [30] During the early 1980s, leading European traditional climbers like Jerry Moffatt and Wolfgang Güllich changed to sport climbing, in which all future new grade milestones would be established. [30] Moffatt's last major traditional FFA was Master's Wall (E7 6b) in 1984, where he said afterward: "At that time to be respected, you really had to be putting up really scary new [traditional] routes. That was where it was at, in Britain at least. Master's Wall is probably where I risked most". [31]

Post sport-climbing era

North West face of Dumbarton Rock. Rhapsody and Requiem follow the line of the thin and tallest crack in the centre of the face. Rhapsody holds the line of the crack all the way to the top, while Requiem veers right. Dumbarton Rock North West Face 02.jpg
North West face of Dumbarton Rock. Rhapsody and Requiem follow the line of the thin and tallest crack in the centre of the face. Rhapsody holds the line of the crack all the way to the top, while Requiem veers right.

While the status of traditional climbing waned during the rise of the safer disciplines of sport climbing (and its related sport of competition climbing), and latterly bouldering, contemporary traditional climbers continued to set new "traditional climbing" grade milestones.

By 2024, the strongest male traditional climbers (e.g. Jacopo Larcher and James Pearson) were climbing just one notch above the strongest female traditional climbers (e.g. Beth Rodden, Hazel Findlay and Barbara Zangerl) at 9a  (5.14d) versus 8c+  (5.14c). In contrast, the strongest male sport climbers (e.g. Adam Ondra and Seb Bouin) were climbing two notches above the strongest female sport climbers (e.g. Angela Eiter and Laura Rogora) at 9c  (5.15d) versus 9b  (5.15b)

As of 2024, the following traditional routes are considered to be some of the hardest-ever ascended: [32] [33]

In film

A number of notable films have been made focused on traditional climbing including: [44]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grade (climbing)</span> Degree of difficulty of a climbing route

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Climbing route</span> Path to scale a mountain, rock, or ice wall

A climbing route is a path by which a climber reaches the top of a mountain, or rock/ice-covered obstacle. The details of a climbing route are recorded in a climbing guidebook and/or in an online climbing route database, and will include elements such as the type of climbing route, the difficulty grade of the route–and beta on its crux(es)–and any risk or commitment grade, the length and number of pitches of the route, and the climbing equipment needed to complete the route.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First ascent</span> Mountaineering and climbing term

In mountaineering and climbing, a first ascent, is the first successful documented climb to the top of a mountain or the top of a particular climbing route. Early 20th-century mountaineers and climbers focused on reaching the tops of iconic mountains and climbing routes by whatever means possible, often using considerable amounts of aid climbing, and/or with large expedition style support teams that laid "siege" to the climb.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander Huber</span> German rock climber

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sport climbing</span> Type of rock climbing

Sport climbing is a type of free climbing in rock climbing where the lead climber clips into pre-drilled permanent bolts for their protection while ascending a route. Sport climbing differs from the riskier traditional climbing where the lead climber has to insert temporary protection equipment while ascending.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Redpoint (climbing)</span> Type of free climbing

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Johnny Dawes</span> British rock climber

Johnny Dawes is a British rock climber and author, known for his dynamic climbing style and bold traditional climbing routes. This included the first ascent of Indian Face, the first-ever route at the E9-grade. His influence on British climbing was at its peak in the mid to late-1980s.

Steve McClure is a British rock climber and climbing author, who is widely regarded as Britain's leading and most important sport climber for a period that extends for over two decades, starting from the late 1990s. In 2017, he created Rainman, Britain's first-ever 9b (5.15b) sport route, and by that stage was responsible for developing the majority of routes graded 9a (5.14d) and above in Britain. Although mainly known for sport climbing, McClure has also been one of the most successful British traditional climbers, and British onsight climbers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerry Moffatt</span> British rock climber

Jerry Moffatt, is a British rock climber and climbing author who is widely considered as being the best British rock climber from the early-1980s to the early-1990s, and was arguably the best rock climber in the world in the mid-1980s, and an important climber in the history of the sport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of rock climbing</span> Key chronological milestones

In the history of rock climbing, the three main sub-disciplines—bouldering, single-pitch climbing, and big wall climbing—can trace their origins to late 19th-century Europe. Bouldering started in Fontainebleau, and was advanced by Pierre Allain in the 1930s, and John Gill in the 1950s. Big wall climbing started in the Dolomites, and was spread across the Alps in the 1930s by climbers such as Emilio Comici and Riccardo Cassin, and in the 1950s by Walter Bonatti, before reaching Yosemite where it was led in the 1950s to 1970s by climbers such as Royal Robbins. Single-pitch climbing started pre-1900 in both the Lake District and in Saxony, and by the late-1970s had spread widely with climbers such as Ron Fawcett (Britain), Bernd Arnold (Germany), Patrick Berhault (France), Ron Kauk and John Bachar (USA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave MacLeod</span> Scottish rock climber

Dave MacLeod is a Scottish rock climber, ice climber, mixed climber, and climbing author. MacLeod was the second-ever person free solo a 8b+ (5.14a) graded route, and for climbing one of the hardest traditional climbing routes in the world.

Beth Rodden is an American rock climber known for her ascents of hard single-pitch traditional climbing routes. She was the youngest woman to climb 5.14a (8b+) and is one of the only women in the world to have redpointed a 5.14c (8c+) traditional climbing graded climb. Rodden and fellow climber Tommy Caldwell were partners from 2000 to 2010, during which time they completed the second free ascent of The Nose. In 2008, Rodden made the first ascent of Meltdown, one of the hardest traditional climbs in the world and the first time in history that a female climber matched the peak of the highest climbing grades.

Didier Berthod, is a Swiss rock climber and priest. He specializes in traditional climbing, and crack climbing in particular.

Sonnie Trotter, is a Canadian professional climber, known for his strength in many rock climbing disciplines – particularly traditional climbing – and contributing to hundreds of first free ascents around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ethan Pringle</span> American rock climber (born 1986)

Ethan Pringle is an American rock climber with notable ascents in sport climbing, in traditional climbing, and in bouldering. He has also been active in competition climbing, winning the American national competition lead climbing championships in both youth and adult formats, and silver at the World Youth Championships.

Hazel Findlay is a British traditional climber, sport climber and big wall climber. She was the first female British climber to climb a route graded E9, and a route graded 8c (5.14b). She did the third ascent of the Yosemite traditional route Magic Line 5.14c (8c+). She has free climbed El Capitán four times on four different routes and made many first female ascents on other routes. Climbing magazine gave her their Golden Piton Award (Alpine) for traditional climbing in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian Face</span> Traditional climbing route in Wales

Indian Face is a 45-metre (148 ft) rhyolite rock climbing route on the "Great Wall" of the East Buttress of Clogwyn Du'r Arddu, in Wales. When English climber Johnny Dawes completed the first free ascent of the route on 4 October 1986, it was graded E9 6c or, the first-ever E9-graded route, and was considered one of the hardest traditional climbing routes in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cobra Crack</span> Traditional climbing route in Squamish, Canada

Cobra Crack is a 45-metre (148 ft) long traditional climbing route on a thin crack up an overhanging granite rock face on Stawamus Chief, in Squamish, British Columbia. The route was first ascended by Peter Croft and Tami Knight in 1981 as an aid climb. After rebuffing many attempts by leading climbers – most notably by Swiss crack climber Didier Berthod in 2005 – Canadian climber Sonnie Trotter made the first free ascent in 2006. With subsequent ascents, the consensus grade has settled at 5.14b (8c) which ranked Cobra Crack as one of the hardest crack climbs in the world, and almost two decades later, it is still considered one of the world's hardest traditional climbing routes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Barbara Zangerl</span> Austrian rock climber

Barbara "Babsi" Zangerl is an Austrian rock climber who is widely considered as one of the best all-round female climbers in the world. At various stages in her career, she has climbed at, or just below, the highest climbing grades achieved by a female in every major rock climbing discipline, including bouldering, traditional climbing, sport climbing, multi-pitch climbing and big wall climbing.

References

  1. ↑ "Trad climbing". Cambridge Dictionary . 2023. Retrieved 18 July 2023. the style of climbing (= moving on rocks, up mountains, or up special walls as a sport) in which climbers use devices and ropes that they bring with them and remove after the climb, rather than using devices that have already been fixed to the rock
  2. 1 2 Bate, Chris; Arthur, Charles; et al. (8 May 2006). "A Glossary of Climbing terms: from Abseil to Zawn". UK Climbing. Retrieved 29 April 2018. SPORT CLIMBING. Climbing on routes which use bolts. TRADITIONAL "TRAD" CLIMBING 1. Climbing where the leader places protection as they go up.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Ellison, Julie (March 2022). "Learn to Trad Climb: A Beginner's Guide". Climbing . Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "What Is Trad Climbing? – Get Started With Our Complete Guide". Climber. 18 October 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  5. 1 2 Long, John; Gaines, Bob (August 2022). "Chapter 12: Trad Climbing". How to Rock Climb (6th ed.). Falcon Guides. pp. 311–334. ISBN   978-1493056262.
  6. ↑ Pardy, Aaron (5 November 2022). "Redpoint, Pinkpoint, and Headpoint – What Do They Mean?". Gripped Magazine. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  7. ↑ Huttom, Mike (3 November 2022). "How the World's Boldest Climbing Area Got that Way: How headpointing became a legitimate, go-to tactic on Peak District gritstone". Climbing . Retrieved 13 February 2023.
  8. ↑ "Heiko Queitsch greenpoint climbing in the Frankenjura". PlanetMountain. 3 August 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
  9. ↑ "Chasin the Trane greenpoint in the Frankenjura". PlanetMountain. 7 November 2011. Retrieved 22 December 2022. Greenpoint? OK redpoint, even pinkpoint is tried and tested (i.e. with gear already pre-placed) . But greenpoint? Ay yes, it's the term used to define climbing a sport route without the bolts but using trad gear such as nuts and camming devices! What might at first glance seem somewhat contorted is in fact a movement that is gaining popularity.
  10. ↑ Zhu, Beifeng; Chen, Ruizhi; Li, Yuan (9 August 2021). "The Origin and Early Evolution of Rock Climbing". Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research. Proceedings of the 2021 5th International Seminar on Education, Management and Social Sciences (ISEMSS 2021). 571. Atlantis Press: 662–667. doi: 10.2991/assehr.k.210806.124 . ISBN   978-94-6239-414-8. S2CID   238693283.
  11. 1 2 Middendorf, John (1999). "The Mechanical Advantage: Tools for the Wild Vertical". Ascent. Sierra Club: 149–173. Retrieved 21 December 2022.
  12. 1 2 3 4 "40 years of American Climbing". Climbing. 22 April 2010. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
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  14. ↑ Wilkinson, Freddie (14 March 2019). "Rock climbing: from ancient practice to Olympic sport". National Geographic . Archived from the original on March 27, 2021. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  15. ↑ Smith, Craig (22 July 2022). "American Sport Climbing's Contentious Beginnings". Climbing . Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  16. ↑ "Greenspit, the dream of a generation climbed in Valle Orco by Matteo della Bordella, Francesco Deiana". PlanetMountain. May 2019. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  17. 1 2 3 Potter, Stephen (19 March 2024). "Did James Pearson Just Establish the World's Hardest Trad Route?". Climbing . Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  18. 1 2 Clarke, Owen (21 February 2024). "Did James Pearson Just Establish the World's Hardest Trad Route?". Climbing . Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  19. ↑ "Weekend Whipper: First-time Traditional Climbing Leader Rips-Out 3 (out of 4) Pieces". Climbing. 2 April 2022. Retrieved 1 March 2023.
  20. ↑ Hobley, Nicholas (23 December 2012). "Johnny Dawes - the rock climbing interview". PlanetMountain. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  21. ↑ Hutton, Mike (3 November 2022). "How the World's Boldest Climbing Area Got that Way". Climbing . Retrieved 13 November 2022.
  22. ↑ Hutton, Mike (12 November 2019). "No-Bolt Roulette: The Evolution of Headpointing on Peak District Gritstone". Climbing. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  23. ↑ "Climbing Grade Conversions". Rockfax Publishing. 2023. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  24. 1 2 3 4 "Grade Conversions: Alpine Grading System". Rockfax Publishing. Retrieved 4 May 2023.
  25. ↑ "International Grade Comparison Chart". American Alpine Journal . 2013. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
  26. 1 2 Mandelli, Gabriele; Angriman, A (2016). Scales of Difficulty in Mountaineering. Central School of Mountaineering, Italy. S2CID   53358088.
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  28. ↑ Lambert, Erik (31 August 2007). "Trotter Chops Bolts, Sends Marathon Project". Alpinist . Retrieved 8 February 2023.
  29. ↑ Campbell, Duncan (17 July 2013). "Ullrich and Muskett Climb Indian Face (E9 6c/5.13a X)". Climbing . Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  30. 1 2 3 Oviglia, Maurizio (23 December 2012). "The evolution of free climbing". PlanetMountain.com. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  31. ↑ Hobley, Nicholas; Grimes, Niall (26 February 2009). "Jerry Moffatt Interview". PlanetMountain.com. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  32. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Top 16 Hardest Trad Climbs in the World". Gripped Magazine. 25 March 2019. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  33. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "The World's Hardest Trad Routes by Winter 2021". Gripped Magazine. 1 February 2021. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  34. ↑ White, Xa (29 September 2023). "Pete Whittaker makes first ascent ascent of trad project Crown Royale". UKClimbing. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
  35. ↑ Ethan Pringle on Blackbeard's Tears, 5.14c, touchstoneclimbing.com, Sep 23, 2016
  36. ↑ "Meltdown: Beth Rodden's Unrepeated Yosemite First Ascent", Climbing , Aug 25, 2016.
  37. ↑ "Valle dell'Orco: Tom Randall climbs Pura Pura 8c+", planetmountain.com, Jul 1, 2014.
  38. ↑ "Nicolas Favresse climbing The recovery drink in Norway", planetmountain.com, Jan 1, 2015.
  39. ↑ "Dave MacLeod frees Rhapsody E11 7a at Dumbarton Rock in Scotland". PlanetMountain.com. Apr 12, 2006.
  40. ↑ "Hazel Findlay Does "Magic Line," 5.14c Trad!". rockandice.com. Nov 26, 2019.
  41. ↑ "Desert Testpiece Century Crack (5.14b) Sees Third Ascent by Danny Parker", Climbing , Oct 29, 2018
  42. ↑ "Sonnie Trotter frees Cobra Crack 5.14 b/c", planetmountain.com, Jun 29, 2006.
  43. ↑ "MacLeod's Boldest: Echo Wall". Alpinist.com. Retrieved 22 February 2006.
  44. ↑ Bisharat, Andrew (6 September 2022). "The 20 Best Climbing Films of All Time". Outside . Retrieved 28 September 2023.

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