Hardest trad onsight . Feb 21, 2024 · On Wednesday, February 14, Czech rock whiz Adam Ondra made the first repeat of James Pearson’s Bon Voyage (E12) in Annot, France. Seb Grieve is a male climber from United Kingdom who has sport climbed up to 8b and trad climbed up to E9. Jan 19, 2021 · Johnny Dawes is a male climber from United Kingdom who has bouldered up to 7C+, sport climbed up to 8b+ and trad climbed up to E9. results. James recently established ‘Bon Voyage’ (E12), a route he boldly suggests is the world's hardest trad climb, pushing the boundaries of difficulty and safety in the sport. Jan 24, 2021 · Alex Honnold is a male climber from USA who has bouldered up to 8A, sport climbed up to 9a and trad climbed up to E10. 14) in mid February, Hirayama has tackled his hardest trad project in years. James Pearson is a household name in the climbing world, known for his ground-breaking first ascents like ‘The Walk Karin Magog is a female climber from United Kingdom who has sport climbed up to 8b+ and trad climbed up to E8. Nov 18, 2025 · Ray Kay is a male climber from United Kingdom. On The Edge 126, page 46 Hazel Findlay is a female climber from United Kingdom who has bouldered up to 8A, sport climbed up to 9a and trad climbed up to E10. Sep 18, 2025 · Simon Nadin is a male climber from United Kingdom who has trad climbed up to E7. Peter Croft is a male climber from Canada who has trad climbed up to E7. Julian Lines is a male climber from United Kingdom who has trad climbed up to E10. What is the hardest (physically hardest, that is) trad route that has been onsighted? Is Yuyi Hirayamas onsight of Sphinx crack (8a+) still hanging in there? And is Beth Roddens onsight of Phoenix (7c+) the hardest female onsight? According to my "slash 2 (french) grades from your hardest sport route" rule, the hardest trad-onsight for men should be 8a Adam Ondra is a male climber from Czechia who has bouldered up to 9A, sport climbed up to 9c and trad climbed up to E12. 14b), which he climbed in 2009. com | UKClimbing. Dan McManus is a male climber from United Kingdom who has sport climbed up to 8a+ and trad climbed up to E8. Magnus Midtbø is a male climber from Norway who has bouldered up to 8B+, sport climbed up to 9a+ and trad climbed up to E7. 15d) for men and the grade of 9b+ (5. hardest on-sight trad lead - page 2 - SuperTopo's climbing discussion forum is the world's most popular community discussion forum for people who actively climb outdoors. Crispin Waddy is a male climber from United Kingdom who has trad climbed up to E7. Steve is also a very capable trad climber and has repeated and established some of the UKs hardest trad climbs. May 20, 2025 · Adam Ondra is no stranger to challenges. Feb 3, 2003 · Others are Birdie on the Lleyn (Dave Jones and Ray Kay; totally onsight I think), and Ian Vickers' unrepeated Pembroke E8 Broughton Power, although I read Neil Foster's account of this the other day and it didn't seem to be exactly what I think of as onsight, more ground-up. I understand that some routes are harder to onsight than others, but would like to know if anything graded harder than Dawes had been done onsight in the UK? Would be interesting to hear about hard onsights overseas too. Lucy Creamer is a female climber from United Kingdom who has bouldered up to 7C+, sport climbed up to 8b+ and trad climbed up to E8. Spending 3 years in the US in the 80s, John onsight soloed multipitch routes up to 5. Sillly question I know, but I am curious. The first British woman to onsight E6. This must be my hardest trad onsight. Thus, the 2nd to 4th ranked candidates are also recorded. Bon Voyage is a variant on Pearson’s 2017 Le Voyage (E10), breaking left across a Feb 16, 2024 · Adam Ondra secures the first repeat of one of the most difficult trad climbing routes: Bon Voyage E12 (9a) near Annot, France. Doubly impressive as up until that point the hardest route Alex had climbed was 9a and the hardest route he had onsighted was 8b+. 14a (8b+) or harder. Aug 21, 2025 · Jim Pope is a male climber from United Kingdom who has bouldered up to 8B+, sport climbed up to 8c+ and trad climbed up to E9. Brittany Goris Instagram. Alex Honnold is a male climber from USA who has bouldered up to 8A, sport climbed up to 9a and trad climbed up to E10. In an esteemed climbing career, the Czech sensation has become the first to flash and onsight multiple outdoor climbs and won acclaim in the competition climbing world, with more than 20 IFSC World Cup gold medals. Got any corrections? Send them to corrections@climbing-history. Jul 4, 2021 · Glenda Huxter is a female climber from United Kingdom who has sport climbed up to 8a and trad climbed up to E6. 15c) for women. Glenda Huxter is a female climber from United Kingdom who has sport climbed up to 8a and trad climbed up to E6. Alex had originally planned to try La Rambla Extension but couldn't find the route from the topo and so got on Estado instead. A list of all the trad routes E10 or harder that have currently been climbed, including details of the first ascent. Dec 22, 2021 · Duncan Critchley is a male climber from United Kingdom. Karin Magog Instagram. He's also completed some impressive challenges, such as the 100 lakes extremes in a day. Mar 16, 2024 · In this episode, join host Tom Randall for an in-depth conversation with climbing legend James Pearson. The first time I came to Malham it looked like the easiest crag in the world John Gaskins is a male climber from United Kingdom who has bouldered up to 8C, sport climbed up to 9a+ and trad climbed up to E10. com | YouTube. The route tackles a striking 50 foot fingernail seam, with a small offset stopper guarding an ankle breaking fall from the crux. [1][2] As of November 2025, the technically hardest redpoint of a single-pitch rock-climbing route in the world is at the grade of 9c (5. Aug 8, 2021 · Martin Boysen is a male climber from United Kingdom who has bouldered up to 6B. If you want other examples I'd suggest McClure's onsight attempt on Mission Impossible which failed due to wet holds, or Nick Dixon on Quartztecoatl. Karin Magog is a female climber from United Kingdom who has sport climbed up to 8b+ and trad climbed up to E8. Airlie Anderson is a female climber from United Kingdom who has sport climbed up to 8a and trad climbed up to E7. org Quick Info ˅ From: United Kingdom 🇬🇧 Date of birth: 6th May 1955 Age: 70 years old Gender: Male Hardest Boulder (Worked): 8A Hardest Sport (Worked): 8a+ Hardest Trad (Worked): E8 Hardest Trad (Onsight): E5 Notable Partnerships Pete Livesey Gill Kent Nicolas Favresse is a male climber from Belgium who has sport climbed up to 9a and trad climbed up to E10. Petter Restorp is a male climber from Sweden who has trad climbed up to E8. com Quick Info ˅ From: USA 🇺🇸 Gender: Female Hardest Trad (Worked): E9 Hardest Trad (Onsight): E7 hardest on-sight trad lead - page 4 - SuperTopo's climbing discussion forum is the world's most popular community discussion forum for people who actively climb outdoors. May 19, 2025 · The ascent, Lexicon's sixth, is the hardest trad flash of all time, and took place with no prior inspection of the holds. Could be the most "dangerous" trad lead as a headline, but not technically the hardest perhaps. For example The New Statesman at Ilkley included very difficult climbing in a dangerous position and Find the hardest trad routes per country (example for the UK, just click on a country or region on the left to change the selection) Find the hardest single pitch trad routes Find the hardest single pitch pure trad routes (without mixed trad) Or - if you think something is missing or wrong - just fix it by contributing to theCrag. Oct 1, 2025 · Adam Ondra is a male climber from Czechia who has bouldered up to 9A, sport climbed up to 9c and trad climbed up to E12. Louise Shepherd is a female climber from Australia. Natalie Berry is a female climber from United Kingdom who has bouldered up to 8A, sport climbed up to 8b and trad climbed up to E7. com Quick Info ˅ From: United Kingdom 🇬🇧 Gender: Male Hardest Trad (Onsight): E6 Hardest Trad (Flash): E5 Apr 17, 2024 · The first ever onsight of a 9a. Jun 1, 2021 · James McHaffie is a prolific North Wales based trad climber who's also a very capable sport climber. Nov 11, 2007 · What are they? And hardest onsight first ascents? For both men and women? I'm guessing some pretty tricky E7's for the men and some tough E6's for the ladies. In fact, he estimates the 50-foot overhanging crack is equal to Squamish’s legendary Cobra Crack (5. Emma Twyford is a female climber from United Kingdom who has bouldered up to 7C+, sport climbed up to 9a and trad climbed up to E10. Pete Robins is a male climber from United Kingdom who has bouldered up to 8B+, sport climbed up to 8c+ and trad climbed up to E9. Sep 19, 2024 · Accomplished climber James McHaffie has just made the first ascent of Yma O Hyd at Skyline Buttress in the Ogwen Valley, a route that he believes is now the hardest trad climb in North Wales, an area known for hard trad climbs. Throw in some E8 flash/ground up type ascents somewhere too. John also put up many excellent trad routes. Robbie Phillips is a male climber from United Kingdom who has sport climbed up to 8c+ and trad climbed up to E10. Dec 8, 2023 · Ian Vickers is a male climber from United Kingdom who has bouldered up to 8A+, sport climbed up to 8c and trad climbed up to E8. Feb 27, 2025 · Ray Evans is a male climber from United Kingdom. Feb 5, 2021 · Pete Robins is a male climber from United Kingdom who has bouldered up to 8B+, sport climbed up to 8c+ and trad climbed up to E9. info Quick Info ˅ From: United Kingdom 🇬🇧 Gender: Female Hardest Sport (Worked): 8b+ Hardest Sport (Onsight): 8a Hardest Trad (Worked): E8 Hardest Trad (Onsight): E7 Hardest Trad (Flash): E6 Notable Partnerships Steve Crowe Yuji Hirayama Instagram. 69 entries on the list. org Also known as: 平山ユージ Quick Info ˅ From: Japan 🇯🇵 Date of birth: 23rd February 1969 Age: 56 years old Gender: Male Hardest Sport (Worked): 9a Hardest Sport (Onsight): 8c Hardest Trad (Worked): E9 Hardest Trad (Onsight): E8 Connor Herson is a male climber from USA who has sport climbed up to 9a+ and trad climbed up to E11. Ron Fawcett en. Aug 30, 2023 · James Pearson may have climbed the hardest trad route in the world, Bon Voyage, but refused to grade it. References [1] Queens of the Stone by Lucy Ellis, 2003. Dave Thomas is a male climber from United Kingdom who has sport climbed up to 7b+ and trad climbed up to E6. info | en. Walter Parry Haskett Smith is a male climber from United Kingdom. Not already a member? Sign up for free and join our growing global community of rock climbers. Yes he abbed the line, but didn't try any of the moves as I recall? Dave MacLeod is a male climber from United Kingdom who has bouldered up to 8B+, sport climbed up to 9a and trad climbed up to E11. Johnny Dawes is a male climber from United Kingdom who has bouldered up to 7C+, sport climbed up to 8b+ and trad climbed up to E9. Paul Pritchard is a male climber from United Kingdom who has sport climbed up to 7c+ and trad climbed up to E8. Duncan Critchley Instagram. Hey, it's not about the onsight anyway. The chart has 1 Y axis displaying # Ascents. He is one of the best trad onsight climbers in the UK (and potentially the world) with over a hundred E7 onsights to his name. Jun 12, 2022 · Connor Herson is a male climber from USA who has sport climbed up to 9a+ and trad climbed up to E11. wikipedia. 11b head-point in Teton Canyon known as Seams Heady. At E11, Lexicon is one of the hardest trad routes in the world, and was first climbed by Neil Gresham in September 2021. He was responsible for some of the hardest routes of the era, for example his route Requiem was established in 1983 and features ~8a climbing on trad gear, making it the hardest route in the UK at the time. 14d) for men and 8c+ (5. We can speculate that Aug 12, 2019 · I just said that IMO it isn't "the closest" to being the "hardest trad onsight", since the style is so far removed from that. The technically hardest onsight is at the grade of 9a (5. What is the hardest (physically hardest, that is) trad route that has been onsighted? Is Yuyi Hirayamas onsight of Sphinx crack (8a+) still hanging in there? And is Beth Roddens onsight of Phoenix (7c+) the hardest female onsight? According to my "slash 2 (french) grades from your hardest sport route" rule, the hardest trad-onsight for men should be 8a Moved PermanentlyThe document has moved here. The first ever onsight of a 9a. Ben Heason is a male climber from United Kingdom who has bouldered up to 7C+ and trad climbed up to E9. Philip Jewel is a male climber from United Kingdom who has trad climbed up to E6. Dec 6, 2024 · Watch a video of a climber falling from one of the world's hardest trad routes—plus a clip of him sending the crux sequence! Oct 11, 2025 · Last summer I climbed my hardest trad route, a thoughtful 5. Well there is one bolt though so one Sep 8, 2002 · Sillly question I know, but I am curious. Nov 18, 2025 · David Ian Jones is a male climber from United Kingdom. 12, a level that has not been surpassed today. Indian Face, E9, it's just had - what - three ascents in a week? Pff, trade route! Equilibrium, E10, just how hard can 10m of grit be? Rhapsody, E11 at Dumbarton by Dave M? Well, Steve M made light work of it tho he did perhaps escape the last few moves. Jonny Woodward is a male climber from United Kingdom who has sport climbed up to 8b+ and trad climbed up to E7. com | ifsc. By making the fourth ascent of Japan’s Daydream (5. Finally got to try this excellent crack route and it went better than I expected. Aug 12, 2019 · I just said that IMO it isn't "the closest" to being the "hardest trad onsight", since the style is so far removed from that. Tony Nicholls More Quick Info ˅ From: United Kingdom 🇬🇧 Gender: Male Hardest Trad (Onsight): E3 hardest on-sight trad lead - SuperTopo's climbing discussion forum is the world's most popular community discussion forum for people who actively climb outdoors. Don Whillans is a male climber from United Kingdom. Ryan Pasquill is a male climber from United Kingdom who has bouldered up to 8B, sport climbed up to 9a and trad climbed up to E10. Yes he abbed the line, but didn't try any of the moves as I recall? John Dunne is a British climber who established many hard, high quality sport and trad routes in the UK in the 1980s and 1990s. May 18, 2021 · Peter Croft is a male climber from Canada who has trad climbed up to E6. Jan 7, 2022 · Nicolas Favresse is a male climber from Belgium who has sport climbed up to 9a and trad climbed up to E10. Data ranges from 0 to 4. Oct 25, 2021 · Tom Proctor is a male climber from United Kingdom who has bouldered up to 7A, sport climbed up to 7a+ and trad climbed up to E5. Oct 3, 2025 · John Arran is a very accomplished trad climber with adventurous first ascents across the UK, North and South America and beyond, often climbed onsight. For example his onsight of Nightmayer on Dinas Cromlech is one of the most impressive ascents in this style in the UK as of 2021. Jul 5, 2013 · I was wondering what the 'hardest' route that has been onsighted is, I saw the UKC report on Caff's onsight of Dawes Rides a Shovelhead at E8 6c. Aug 19, 2013 · Again, no, it's just that no Brits can onsight it. Just how many E7's have succumbed this year? Anyone know of any? Anyone know of a female onsight of an E6+ this year? The Scottish Islands have had some E6 onsight first Lucy Creamer is a female climber from United Kingdom who has bouldered up to 7C+, sport climbed up to 8b+ and trad climbed up to E8. Pat Littlejohn is a male climber from United Kingdom who has trad climbed up to E7. org. I mean, whatever, cool pics and video, but the headline seems a bit click-bait-ey to me. In particular routes like Austrian Oak and Magnetic Fields at Malham Cove were some of the hardest in the UK at the time. Sep 24, 2019 · A complete list of the hardest trad climbs in the world. Dave Cuthbertson is an extremely influential Scottish climber who was operating at his peak in the 1980s. All of these trad routes are graded 5. In the process, Ondra has both confirmed the climb’s grade (making it the world’s hardest graded trad route) and cemented himself as our sport’s most versatile hardman. Jun 27, 2025 · I think what Alex is referring to that the hardest trad onsight might not be an E grade at all as that does not reflect "difficulty" necessarily. Jim Pope is a male climber from United Kingdom who has bouldered up to 8B+, sport climbed up to 8c+ and trad climbed up to E10. 14c) for women. zvq tfjjd zut nuorn auxnk lhlg vkvf nqxnfmm jqzt mvyll ixrtfg mnbs mwrv dznbp csgwt