name ten climbers who influenced American climbing the most

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Fat Dad

Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
May 11, 2014 - 06:28pm PT
You could go in so many different directions with this but if you had to pick one then it'd have to be Robbins.

First 5.9
First Grade VI
First continuous ascent of El Cap
First solo of El Cap
Climbing the Steck-Salathe in 2:15
First A5
Importing the Yosemite big wall techniches to Europe on the Dru, etc.

Huge props to folks like Sacherer, Barber, but they appear mostly to have continued what he started. Kor was a mad man as well.
steveA

Trad climber
Wolfeboro, NH
May 11, 2014 - 07:17pm PT
I feel very lucky to have climbed with a few on most everybody's list. I just got back from a beautiful day of climbing. It is about the only thing, that still keeps me going. Thank God for climbing, even thou in my case, it is pretty much a figure of speech, since I'm not very religious.

Before the age of media and magazines etc, I would have to go back to the early pioneers; F. Wiessner, John Turner,, ( who just passed away), Salathe, and quite a few more, who paved the way for later generations. I'm sure if you asked Robbins, Chouinard, Pratt etc, they would mention only a few really early American pioneers.

I'm sure it is the same for the Europeans.
skcreidc

Social climber
SD, CA
May 11, 2014 - 07:34pm PT
This is NOT a jab at anyone in any sense at all, but I'm not sure why every list doesn't name Royal Robbins and Jeff Lowe among the rest.
goatboy smellz

climber
लघिमा
May 12, 2014 - 06:15pm PT
Ed Hartouni

one more, but it is "climbing related"

Gallen Rowell

Right up there with Ansel Adams.
Photos will always be more inspiring to me than some run of the mill or Dr. Death trip report.
Brokedownclimber

Trad climber
Douglas, WY
May 12, 2014 - 06:47pm PT
I tend to think in deeper terms, and go back to the pioneers of the sport instead of the modern hard men and Lynn Hill (who IS an exception to my comment!) By the way, Lynn is the best known American climber in Europe.

The Underhills (R.L.M. Underhill and Miriam O'Brien Underhill); brought the science of modern rope management to the U.S. from Europe.

A.R. Ellingwood, pioneer of hard technical climbing on major mountains; (Ellingwood Ridge, la Plata Peak, CO; Ellingwood Arete, Crestone Needle, CO.)

Fritz Wiessner. 'Nuff said?

Jack Durrance; Durrance Route, Devil's Tower, WY.

David R. Brower, Hervey Voge, and Raffi Bedayn; Early Yosemite technical routes.

Glenn Exum and Paul Petzolt; Tetons pioneer climbers.

The "Modern Era" or climbers I've known and climbed/bouldered with who influenced me and my "style" of climbing:

Bob Culp. My first mentor, taught me how to smoothly move on rock.

Layton Kor. Madman. My friend.

Ray Northcutt. Early bouldering partner.

Chuck Pratt. Convinced me to see Yosemite.

John Gill. Amazing individual to emulate; master of rock.

Along the way of life there've been others too numerous to mention, and I hope they forgive me for my callousness in leaving their name from this list.

Finally, Jello. I'm saddened that I didn't meet him until recently, but he's a true gentleman of the mountains and rocks.
aspendougy

Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
May 12, 2014 - 06:52pm PT
Beverley Johnson did not show up on anyone's list........I suppose maybe not the top ten, but she was a pioneer for girls, paving the way for later greats like Lynn Hill, etc. She imparted lots of sweetness to the sport, that much can be said for her.
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