Lynn Hill
Encyclopedia
Lynn Hill is a United States
rock climber
, known as a top sport climber
of the 1980s and famous for making the first free ascent of the Nose Route on El Capitan
in Yosemite Valley
.
Originally from Detroit, Michigan
, she grew up in southern California
.
Hill started climbing as a 14 year old on a climbing trip with her sister and her sister's fiancé. During the early 1980s she became part of the climbing community centered around Camp 4
in Yosemite Valley
. She participated in various television productions, such as being a candidate in the TV show Survival of the Fittest.
In 1979, Lynn Hill became the first woman to establish a 5.12+/5.13
, Ophir Broke in Ophir, Colorado
. In 1984 at The Gunks
she performed an onsight
first ascent of Yellow Crack 5.12R/X
. From 1986 to 1992 Lynn Hill was one of the world's top sport climbers, winning over 30 international titles, including five victories at the Arco Rock Master. In 1991, she set another landmark by becoming the first woman to redpoint
a consensus 5.14
, Masse Critique in Cimai, France
.
After ending her career as a professional competitive climber, Hill went back to traditional rock climbing. In 1993, together with her partner Brooke Sandahl, she became the first person, male or female, to free climb
The Nose, a famous route on El Capitan
in Yosemite Valley
. In 1994 she upped the ante, by becoming the first to free climb the entire route in a single 24 hour period, beginning at 10:00 PM on September 19. Lynn Hill's original climbing grade for the "Free Nose" was 5.13b
. The Free Nose and the Free Nose in a day remained unrepeated over 10 years after Hill's first ascents - despite numerous attempts by some of the best big wall climbers in the world. Over time, a consensus grade of 5.14a/b
has emerged for the most difficult pitch, pitch 27, the Changing Corners, a fact which cements her Free Nose ascents as two of the most impressive achievements in climbing history. The Nose saw a second free ascent in 1998, when Scott Burke summitted after 261 days of effort. Then, on Oct 14, 2005, the team of Caldwell
and Rodden
also freed the Nose, and on Oct 16, 2005, Caldwell
freed it in less than 12 hours.
In 1988 Lynn married fellow Gunks climber Russ Raffa in a ceremony that featured the bride and groom dangling from the top of the cliffs in full wedding finery. Their marriage ended in 1991
On April 14, 2003, Hill gave birth to a son, Owen. The father is Hill's partner, chef Brad Lynch.
Hill is currently a sponsored athlete for the Patagonia
gear and clothing company.
In 2005 Lynn started offering climbing camps in 5 locations in the United States, with plans for more in 2006.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
rock climber
Rock climbing
Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...
, known as a top sport climber
Sport climbing
Sport climbing is a form of rock climbing that relies on permanent anchors fixed to the rock, and possibly bolts, for protection,...
of the 1980s and famous for making the first free ascent of the Nose Route on El Capitan
El Capitan
El Capitan is a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, located on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. The granite monolith extends about from base to summit along its tallest face, and is one of the world's favorite challenges for rock climbers.The formation was...
in Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of California, carved out by the Merced River. The valley is about long and up to a mile deep, surrounded by high granite summits such as Half Dome and El Capitan, and densely forested with pines...
.
Originally from Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, she grew up in southern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Hill started climbing as a 14 year old on a climbing trip with her sister and her sister's fiancé. During the early 1980s she became part of the climbing community centered around Camp 4
Camp 4 (Yosemite)
Camp 4 is a campground in Yosemite National Park. It became notable after World War II as the hangout for rock climbers with many spending months there . It is located near Yosemite Falls, on the north side of the valley. There is a single parking lot at the campground, and no driveways connecting...
in Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of California, carved out by the Merced River. The valley is about long and up to a mile deep, surrounded by high granite summits such as Half Dome and El Capitan, and densely forested with pines...
. She participated in various television productions, such as being a candidate in the TV show Survival of the Fittest.
In 1979, Lynn Hill became the first woman to establish a 5.12+/5.13
Yosemite Decimal System
The Yosemite Decimal System is a three-part system used for rating the difficulty of walks, hikes, and climbs. It is primarily used by mountaineers in the United States and Canada. The Class 5 portion of the Class scale is primarily a rock climbing classification system. Originally the system was...
, Ophir Broke in Ophir, Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
. In 1984 at The Gunks
Shawangunk Ridge
The Shawangunk Ridge , also known as the Shawangunk Mountains or The Gunks, is a ridge of bedrock in Ulster County, Sullivan County and Orange County in the state of New York, extending from the northernmost point of New Jersey to the Catskill Mountains.The ridgetop, which widens considerably at...
she performed an onsight
On-sight climbing
On-sight climbing means to attempt a rock climbing route for the first time without inspection or any form of "beta" ....
first ascent of Yellow Crack 5.12R/X
Yosemite Decimal System
The Yosemite Decimal System is a three-part system used for rating the difficulty of walks, hikes, and climbs. It is primarily used by mountaineers in the United States and Canada. The Class 5 portion of the Class scale is primarily a rock climbing classification system. Originally the system was...
. From 1986 to 1992 Lynn Hill was one of the world's top sport climbers, winning over 30 international titles, including five victories at the Arco Rock Master. In 1991, she set another landmark by becoming the first woman to redpoint
Red point
In sport climbing, the term redpointing refers to free-climbing a route, while lead climbing, after having practiced the route beforehand...
a consensus 5.14
Yosemite Decimal System
The Yosemite Decimal System is a three-part system used for rating the difficulty of walks, hikes, and climbs. It is primarily used by mountaineers in the United States and Canada. The Class 5 portion of the Class scale is primarily a rock climbing classification system. Originally the system was...
, Masse Critique in Cimai, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
After ending her career as a professional competitive climber, Hill went back to traditional rock climbing. In 1993, together with her partner Brooke Sandahl, she became the first person, male or female, to free climb
Free climbing
Free climbing is a type of rock climbing in which the climber uses only hands, feet and other parts of the body to ascend, employing ropes and forms of climbing protection to prevent falls only....
The Nose, a famous route on El Capitan
El Capitan
El Capitan is a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park, located on the north side of Yosemite Valley, near its western end. The granite monolith extends about from base to summit along its tallest face, and is one of the world's favorite challenges for rock climbers.The formation was...
in Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley is a glacial valley in Yosemite National Park in the western Sierra Nevada mountains of California, carved out by the Merced River. The valley is about long and up to a mile deep, surrounded by high granite summits such as Half Dome and El Capitan, and densely forested with pines...
. In 1994 she upped the ante, by becoming the first to free climb the entire route in a single 24 hour period, beginning at 10:00 PM on September 19. Lynn Hill's original climbing grade for the "Free Nose" was 5.13b
Yosemite Decimal System
The Yosemite Decimal System is a three-part system used for rating the difficulty of walks, hikes, and climbs. It is primarily used by mountaineers in the United States and Canada. The Class 5 portion of the Class scale is primarily a rock climbing classification system. Originally the system was...
. The Free Nose and the Free Nose in a day remained unrepeated over 10 years after Hill's first ascents - despite numerous attempts by some of the best big wall climbers in the world. Over time, a consensus grade of 5.14a/b
Yosemite Decimal System
The Yosemite Decimal System is a three-part system used for rating the difficulty of walks, hikes, and climbs. It is primarily used by mountaineers in the United States and Canada. The Class 5 portion of the Class scale is primarily a rock climbing classification system. Originally the system was...
has emerged for the most difficult pitch, pitch 27, the Changing Corners, a fact which cements her Free Nose ascents as two of the most impressive achievements in climbing history. The Nose saw a second free ascent in 1998, when Scott Burke summitted after 261 days of effort. Then, on Oct 14, 2005, the team of Caldwell
Tommy Caldwell
Tommy Caldwell is an American rock climber. He was previously married to prominent American rock climber Beth Rodden....
and Rodden
Beth Rodden
Beth Rodden is an American rock climber. She was the youngest woman to climb 5.14a, and is one of the only women in the world to have redpointed a 5.14c/8c traditional climb. She lives near Yosemite, California....
also freed the Nose, and on Oct 16, 2005, Caldwell
Tommy Caldwell
Tommy Caldwell is an American rock climber. He was previously married to prominent American rock climber Beth Rodden....
freed it in less than 12 hours.
In 1988 Lynn married fellow Gunks climber Russ Raffa in a ceremony that featured the bride and groom dangling from the top of the cliffs in full wedding finery. Their marriage ended in 1991
On April 14, 2003, Hill gave birth to a son, Owen. The father is Hill's partner, chef Brad Lynch.
Hill is currently a sponsored athlete for the Patagonia
Patagonia (clothing)
Patagonia, Inc. is a Ventura, California-based clothing company, focusing mainly on outdoor clothing. The company is a member of several environmental movements. It was founded by Yvon Chouinard in 1972....
gear and clothing company.
In 2005 Lynn started offering climbing camps in 5 locations in the United States, with plans for more in 2006.
External links
- Alpinist Magazine Faces - Issue 17
- Climbandmore.com Lynn Hill complete climbing profile