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realization
Oct 16, 2003, 2:31 AM
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In your opinion, who has been the most influential climber of all time ? Just wanted to get some opinions out there, I might write a paper on this or something, and wanted to get some ideas! thanks :D In my opinions it is Dean Potter, he's done alot of outrageous new things, what do YOU think??
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erickaclimbstoo
Oct 16, 2003, 2:57 AM
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Okay don't know if this counts but I got into climbing form a collage profesor. He inspired me to go beyond what I thought I could achive. It's worked so far. I'm so thankfull for taking his classes and working with him. Thank you Bill Quinn!
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xcaliclimber
Oct 16, 2003, 3:05 AM
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Lynn Hill, definitely
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paganmonkeyboy
Oct 16, 2003, 3:08 AM
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Alex Lowe for attitude and general demeanor ( www.alexlowe.org )
Lynn Hill for sheer talent and setting the standard in a male dominated sport
Dan Osman too - he was incredible...
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maculated
Oct 16, 2003, 3:17 AM
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If I were to say "who" has influenced current climbing the most, it would have to be all the new climbers in the last five years or so. Climbing was happening way before this, but it has surged so much that THAT is what is becoming the driving force behind who is important nowadays. All those sponsored climbers are ABLE to do 5.15s because consumers are paying for them to, indirectly.
Gyms have sprung up, leading the way for more climbers, guides have enjoyed an influx of clientele. Then it has also become more diverse: no longer just alpine and trad, we've got sport and bouldering, too. That creates huge new demand for new and specialized items. Instead of the old tube devices and eights, we have Reversos and the like. Ropes are getting longer, stronger, thinner, lighter . . . harnesses are becoming more and more diverse. More shoes, etc.
This will allow for more top climbers to break barriers. Will there every be a 5.20? Maybe one day.
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stickclipper
Oct 16, 2003, 3:20 AM
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In reply to: In your opinion, who has been the most influential climber of all time ? Just wanted to get some opinions out there, I might write a paper on this or something, and wanted to get some ideas! thanks :D In my opinions it is Dean Potter, he's done alot of outrageous new things, what do YOU think??
This is not something you can pinpoint. Picking out the most influential AMERICAN climber with the first name John would be hard enough (Muir, Gill, Bachar, Long, Sherman, etc...).
Seriously, this is an unanswerable question; climbing is too diverse and too widespread to ever narrow it down to one fella.
I will say, however, that it is Definitely not Dean Potter - not taking anything away from him, but did not revolutionize climbing like Fritz Weissner or John Gill or Royal Robbins. Or, as has just been mentioned, Lynn Hill. You could argue (though I wouldn't) that he is the most influential contemporary climber, but even that is a Very shaky statement.
Realization: Buy Pat Ament's History of Free Climbing in America: Wizards of Rock. It will give you a decent perspective of many of the influential climbers and climbs of this country... (admittedly, a small portion of the climbing world)
And read about Fritz Weissner, his standard two piton rack, and his near first ascent of K2 in 1939. Roughly alpine style, no oxygen - would have been Hands Down the greatest achievement in climbing history if some mitigating circumstances (regarding the sherpas and Jack Durrance) had not conspired against him.
Dean Potter is an amazing, bold, and talented climber. Most influential, however, he is not.
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catra
Oct 16, 2003, 3:22 AM
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My husband Ammon McNeely he is truly amazing........
Catra
http://www.rocknrun.net
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m-d
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Oct 16, 2003, 3:25 AM
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Ferdinand Petzl, he was a caver, but his hardware rock...
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realization
Oct 16, 2003, 3:26 AM
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How about you can have your opinion and I can have mine ? how about that ?
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curt
Oct 16, 2003, 3:36 AM
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So, you had to start this thread because it was different from this thread...
In reply to: http://www.rockclimbing.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=14564&highlight=influenced+climbing
Curt
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maculated
Oct 16, 2003, 4:03 AM
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In reply to: How about you can have your opinion and I can have mine ? how about that ?
Or you could have Catra's. I know Ammon influenced my music taste indirectly on a scary ride up the grade, which influences my inspiration, which influences my climbing . . . dammit, Ammon is the most influencial guy out there. She's right. : )
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rizzuh
Oct 16, 2003, 5:18 AM
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dan osman... that guy's an animal
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organic
Oct 16, 2003, 1:04 PM
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Why is this topic in midwest?
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cthcrockclimber
Oct 16, 2003, 1:14 PM
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The Dirty Bird
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vertical_reality
Oct 16, 2003, 1:22 PM
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I kinda agree with Maculated on this. In recent years the newer generation of climbers have had the greatest influence on beginner climbers, like Chris Sharma and Dave Graham.
But I think the most influencial climber of all time was George Mallory. Because of his vision and determination to climb Everest, he influenced countless other to persue the same dream and this may have led to the development of modern rock climbing.
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greenspace
Oct 16, 2003, 1:43 PM
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Yvon Chouinard. I got into ice climbing and mountaineering before I started rock climbing and that guy is a huge inspiration to me and a hell of a nice guy, I hear!
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madriver
Oct 16, 2003, 2:26 PM
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....tORI aLLEN.....
mr 8)
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melekzek
Oct 16, 2003, 2:39 PM
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In reply to: Picking out the most influential AMERICAN climber with the first name John would be hard enough
lol, thats a good one. Add tons of european people who basically started it all you and up with many many names. How to choose? There are also all the engineers who invented really really cool devices we cannot live with it, tom frost, mr petzl as mentioned, ray jardine the list goes on.
On the other hand if you form the question, "who is the most infuluencial/inspirational climber for you?" everybody can choose its onw.
For me, it might be Jerzy Kukuczka and Wolfgang Gullich.
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climb_plastic
Oct 16, 2003, 3:17 PM
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I'm relatively new. The names I hear are fred nicole, sharma for bouldering and sport, yuji for the asians and katie brown, tori allen are huge for the girls.
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tradman
Oct 16, 2003, 3:26 PM
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Sir Edmund Hilary. He brought climbing to a wider untouched audience than anyone before or since. Oh yeah and he p*ssed on the summit of everest too.
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gbschmitt
Oct 16, 2003, 4:07 PM
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Rudolf Fehrman, followed by Fritz Wiessner.
Rudolf Fehrman was the first vehement defender of climbing without artificial aids, what we now call "free climbing." His influence determined the groundrules for climbing in Elbsandstein, Germany (the"cradle of free-climbing") in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Fritz Wiessner later exported the spirit of free climbing to America.
G-Man
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elvislegs
Oct 16, 2003, 4:24 PM
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different strokes, different folks.
What I mean to say is... TWIGHT! and MESSNER!1
Purist elitists rock domes.
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climbingjunky
Oct 16, 2003, 4:29 PM
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SHARMA! :)
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andy_lemon
Oct 20, 2003, 12:37 AM
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Hmmm... Lance Lowery and Jeff Taylor, Tim Powers, Jim Thurmond, Kris Hampton, Jake Harden, Jody Burton, Jim Moers... probably a couple others I left off.
Basically anybody that has taught me anything that has to do with climbing. I can't say that Chris Sharma, Dave Graham, John Gill, John Long, etc. have ever taught me anything personally. I really don't know where some of you are getting your lists? I mean, isn't the guy that showed you how to tie in more influential then seeing some guys picture in a mag? Shoot... talk to anyone on my list and they will climb with you tommorrow. Can't say as anyone else can do that with the people on their list... except for Ammon's wife.
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curt
Oct 20, 2003, 1:52 AM
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Many of the responses to this thread are really good. Hillary is perhaps the only "climber" who is truly famous among the general population. Fritz Wiessner is another good candidate. However, it is hard to deny that John Gill has been the "most influential" figure in climbing.
The entire concept of striving for ultimate climbing difficulty and training specifically for climbing, comes from Gill. Caldwell, Sharma, and all the rest of us are merely following in Gill's footsteps.
Curt
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