View source for Traditional climbing

{{short description|Type of rock climbing}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2020}}
[[File:New River Gorge - Supercrack - 1.jpg |thumb|Traditional climber leading ''Super Crack'' {{climbing grade|5.9}} in the [[New River Gorge]], [[West Virginia]]]]
{{Climbing sidebar}}
'''Traditional climbing''' (or '''trad climbing''') is a type of [[free climbing]] in [[rock climbing]] where the [[Lead climbing|lead climber]] places the [[Protection (climbing)|protection equipment]] while ascending the [[climbing routes|route]]; when the lead climber has completed the route, the second climber (or [[belayer]]) then removes the protection equipment while climbing the route.<ref>{{cite web | website=[[Cambridge Dictionary]] | url=https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/trad-climbing | title=Trad climbing | date=2023 | quote=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 | accessdate=18 July 2023}}</ref>  Traditional climbing differs from [[sport climbing]] where the protection equipment is pre-drilled into the rock in the form of [[bolt (climbing)|bolt]]s.<ref name=UKC/>
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 ascending the route, or there may be few opportunities to insert satisfactory protection (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]] — became more popular, and all subsequent [[List of grade milestones in rock climbing|grade milestones]] from {{climbing grade|8a+}} onwards were on sport climbing routes.
From the early 2000s, there was a resurgence in interest in traditional climbing as climbers began [[Greenpoint (climbing)|greenpointing]] sport routes (e.g. ''[[Greenspit (climb)|Greenspit]]'' and ''The Path'' at 8b+), and setting new milestones for traditional routes (e.g. ''[[Cobra Crack]]'' at {{climbing grade|8c}} by [[Sonnie Trotter]], and ''[[Rhapsody (climb)|Rhapsody]]'' at {{climbing grade|8c+}} by [[Dave MacLeod]]).  Female climber [[Beth Rodden]] created a new traditional route at the same level as the men with ''Meltdown'' also at {{climbing grade|8c+}}.  In 2019, Jacopo Larcher created what is considered the first {{climbing grade|9a}} graded traditional route with ''Tribe''.
==Description==
[[File:The Climb - geograph.org.uk - 2480355.jpg|thumb|left|Climber [[lead climbing|leading]] a traditional climbing route, attempting to insert a [[nut (climbing)|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 climbing|lead climber]] places [[climbing protection]] into the [[climbing route]] while ascending.<ref name=CM1/><ref name=CN/>  After the lead climber has reached the top, the second climber (or [[belayer]]) removes this temporary climbing protection while climbing the route.  Some consider the hammering in of [[piton]]s while climbing the route, as long as they are only for climbing protection and not to aid progression, to also be traditional climbing.<ref name=CM1/><ref name=CN/><ref name=HTRC12>{{cite book | title=How to Rock Climb | isbn=978-1493056262 | edition=6th | pages=311–334 | chapter=Chapter 12: Trad Climbing | first1=John | last1=Long | first2=Bob | last2=Gaines | author-link=John Long (climber) | publisher=[[Globe Pequot Press|Falcon Guides]] | date=August 2022}}</ref>
Traditional climbing differs from [[sport climbing]] that has the climbing protection already [[bolt (climbing)|pre-bolted]] into the route (i.e. the lead climber just clips their rope into [[quickdraw]]s attached to the bolts); sport climbing is therefore a much safer, and less stressful, form of free climbing.<ref name=UKC>{{cite web|last1=Bate|first1=Chris|last2=Arthur|first2=Charles|title=A Glossary of Climbing terms: from Abseil to Zawn|url=https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/a_glossary_of_climbing_terms_from_abseil_to_zawn-33|website=UK Climbing|access-date=29 April 2018|language=en|date=8 May 2006|display-authors=etal|quote=SPORT CLIMBING. Climbing on routes which use bolts. TRADITIONAL "TRAD" CLIMBING 1. Climbing where the leader places protection while going up.}}</ref>   Traditional climbing differs from [[free solo climbing]] where no climbing protection is used whatsoever.<ref name=CM1>{{cite web | magazine=[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]] | url=https://www.climbing.com/skills/beginners-guide-trad-climbing/ | title=Learn to Trad Climb: A Beginner's Guide | date=March 2022 | first=Julie | last=Ellison | accessdate=28 February 2023}}</ref><ref name=CN>{{cite web | magazine=Climber | url=https://www.climbernews.com/what-is-trad-climbing/ | title=What Is Trad Climbing? – Get Started With Our Complete Guide | date=18 October 2021 | accessdate=28 February 2023}}</ref><ref name=HTRC12/>
===First free ascent===
With the greater popularity of sport climbing, traditional climbing evolved to embrace some of its [[redpoint (climbing)|redpoint]]ing techniques in making a [[first free ascent]] (FFA).  The previously controversial practices of [[hangdog]]ging (i.e. practicing on an abseil rope), and [[headpoint]]ing (i.e. practicing on a [[top rope climbing|top rope]]) are now accepted by the leading traditional climbers.<ref name=GR1>{{cite web | magazine=Gripped Magazine | url=https://gripped.com/profiles/redpoint-pinkpoint-and-headpoint-what-do-they-mean/ | title=Redpoint, Pinkpoint, and Headpoint – What Do They Mean? | first=Aaron | last=Pardy | date=5 November 2022 | accessdate=21 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | magazine=[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]] | url=https://www.climbing.com/places/history-headpointing-peak-district-gritstone/ | title=How the World's Boldest Climbing Area Got that Way: How headpointing became a legitimate, go-to tactic on Peak District gritstone | first=Mike | last=Huttom | date=3 November 2022 | accessdate=13 February 2023}}</ref>  Traditional climbers subsequently introduced the derived term '[[Greenpoint (climbing)|greenpointing]]' (or the ''Grünpunkt'' movement, as a play on the sport climbing ''[[redpoint (climbing)#Etymology|Rotpunkt]]'' movement), to describe making the first free ascent of a pre-bolted sport-climb, but only using "traditional protection".<ref>{{cite web | website=PlanetMountain | url=https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/heiko-queitsch-greenpoint-climbing-in-the-frankenjura.html | title=Heiko Queitsch greenpoint climbing in the Frankenjura | date=3 August 2012 | accessdate=22 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | website=PlanetMountain | url=https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/chasin-the-trane-greenpoint-in-the-frankenjura.html | date=7 November 2011 | accessdate=22 December 2022 | title=Chasin the Trane greenpoint in the Frankenjura | quote=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.}}</ref>
==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.<ref name=Origin>{{cite journal | title=The Origin and Early Evolution of Rock Climbing | date=9 August 2021 | first1=Beifeng | last1=Zhu | first2=Ruizhi | last2=Chen | first3=Yuan | last3=Li | doi=10.2991/assehr.k.210806.124 | publisher=Atlantis Press | journal=Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research | series=Proceedings of the 2021 5th International Seminar on Education, Management and Social Sciences (ISEMSS 2021) | pages=662–667 | volume=571 | isbn=978-94-6239-414-8 | s2cid=238693283 | url=https://www.atlantis-press.com/proceedings/isemss-21/125959751| doi-access=free }}</ref>  Early traditional climbers relied on crude, and often unreliable, forms of homemade "passive" climbing protection such as pieces of metal or [[Chock (climbing)|chockstones]] attached to [[sling (climbing)|slings]].<ref name="bigwalls">{{cite journal|last=Middendorf|first=John|author-link=John Middendorf|url=http://www.bigwalls.net/climb/mechadv/index.html|title=The Mechanical Advantage: Tools for the Wild Vertical|journal=Ascent|year=1999|access-date=21 December 2022 | publisher=[[Sierra Club]] | pages=149–173}}</ref>
With the development of "active" traditional climbing protection in the 1970s—called [[spring-loaded camming device]]s (SLCDs, or "friends")—the [[Grade (climbing)|grades of technical difficulty]] that traditional climbers could safely undertake increased dramatically,<ref name="bigwalls"/><ref name=CL10/> and new [[List of grade milestones in rock climbing|grade milestones]] were set on new traditional climbing routes.<ref name=CN/> 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.<ref name=PM1>{{cite web | website=PlanetMountain | url=https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/the-indian-face-johnny-dawes-story-of-britains-first-e9.html | title=The Indian Face by Johnny Dawes, the story of Britain's first E9 | date=1 June 2020 | accessdate=9 January 2022}}</ref>
[[File:1633A3515.jpg|thumb|[[Jonathan Siegrist]] on ''The Path'' 5.14a R, 8b+, at [[Lake Louise (Alberta)|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 Gorge|Verdon]] for protection (but not as artificial aid); this became known as sport climbing.<ref name=CL10/><ref name=NatGeo>{{cite web | magazine=[[National Geographic]] | url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/rock-climbing#:~:text=Most%20ancient%20people%20probably%20climbed,the%20Dolomites%20of%20Northern%20Italy. | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210327100131/https://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/article/rock-climbing#:~:text=Most%20ancient%20people%20probably%20climbed,the%20Dolomites%20of%20Northern%20Italy. | url-status=dead | archive-date=March 27, 2021 | title=Rock climbing: from ancient practice to Olympic sport | first=Freddie | last=Wilkinson | date=14 March 2019 | access-date=2 March 2023}}</ref> It led to a dramatic increase in climbing standards – all future new [[List of grade milestones in rock climbing|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.<ref name=CL5>{{cite web | magazine=[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]] | url=https://www.climbing.com/people/american-sport-climbings-contentious-beginnings/ | title=American Sport Climbing's Contentious Beginnings | first=Craig | last=Smith | date=22 July 2022 | accessdate=2 March 2023}}</ref>
Traditional returned to prominence when in 2003, Swiss climber [[Didier Berthod]] [[greenpoint (climbing)|greenpointed]] the bolted sport climb ''Greenspit'' (E9, 5.14, 8b) to create one of the hardest traditional [[crack climbing]] routes in the world.<ref name=PM10>{{cite web | website=PlanetMountain | date=May 2019 | accessdate=16 September 2023 | title=Greenspit, the dream of a generation climbed in Valle Orco by Matteo della Bordella, Francesco Deiana | url= https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/greenspit-dream-generation-climbed-valle-orco-matteo-della-bordella-francesco-deiana.html}}</ref>   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 [[Dave MacLeod]], led a resurgence in traditional climbing by creating new grade milestones on routes such as ''[[Cobra Crack]]'' (E10, 5.14b, 8c) and ''[[Rhapsody (climb)|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 (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]].<ref name=CL101/><ref name=CL102/>
== Protection ==
{{see also|Rock-climbing equipment}}
===Equipment===
{{Multiple image|perrow=2|total_width=370
|footer= Traditional climbers using various approaches to carrying the extensive protection equipment (or "rack") needed
|image1=Climber with equipment.jpg
|image2=The Screamer E4 6a Reiff Scotland 2.jpg
}}
Traditional climbing requires more [[rock climbing equipment]] than sport climbing as the lead climber needs to carry, and insert, protection devices while climbing 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 (climb)|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.<ref name=CM1/><ref name=CN/>
Two main classes of protection are used in traditional climbing, namely: "passive" and "active". Passive protection devices include [[Nut (climbing)|nuts]], [[Hex (climbing)|hexcentrics]] and [[tricam]]s, and are metal shapes attached to wires or [[Sling (climbing)|sling]]s, which can be inserted into cracks and fissures in the rock that will act like temporary sport climbing bolts (to which [[quickdraw]]s and the rope can be clipped into).  Active protection consists of [[spring-loaded camming device]]s (or "friends"), which are [[Cam (mechanism)|cam]]s that dynamically adjust to the size of the crack or fissure in the rock, but also act like temporary sport climbing bolts.<ref name=CM1/><ref name=CN/>
===Risk===
{{Multiple image|perrow=1|total_width=240
| image1=Climbing in Yosemite Valley - 01.jpg|thumb|caption1=Traditional climber inserting a [[spring-loaded camming device]] for their protection while [[lead climbing|leading]] ''[[Freeblast]]'' (5.11b), in [[Yosemite]]
| image2=Coyne Crack 5.11+ - Supercrack Buttress - Indian Creek.jpg|thumb|caption2=Traditional climber leading ''Coyne Crack'' (5.11+), [[Indian Creek (climbing area)|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 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 "[[Glossary of climbing terms#bomb-proof|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 "[[Glossary of climbing terms#zipper fall|zipper-fall]]" – they are described as "thin".<ref>{{cite web | magazine=Climbing | url=https://www.climbing.com/videos/weekend-whipper-gear-ripping-trad-climbing-fall/#_pay-wall | title=Weekend Whipper: First-time Traditional Climbing Leader Rips-Out 3 (out of 4) Pieces | date=2 April 2022 | accessdate=1 March 2023}}</ref>  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.<ref name=PM7>{{cite web | website=PlanetMountain | url=https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/johnny-dawes-the-rock-climbing-interview.html | date=23 December 2012 | accessdate=9 January 2022 | title=Johnny Dawes - the rock climbing interview | first=Nicholas |last=Hobley}}</ref>
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 "[[Glossary of climbing terms#runout|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 (climb)|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]]''.<ref name=CMagazine>{{cite magazine | magazine=[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]] | url=https://www.climbing.com/places/history-headpointing-peak-district-gritstone/ | title=How the World's Boldest Climbing Area Got that Way | first=Mike | last=Hutton | date=3 November 2022 | accessdate=13 November 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine | magazine=Climbing | url=https://www.climbing.com/places/no-bolt-roulette-the-evolution-of-headpointing-on-peak-district-gritstone/ | title=No-Bolt Roulette: The Evolution of Headpointing on Peak District Gritstone | first=Mike | last=Hutton | date=12 November 2019 | accessdate=11 February 2022}}</ref>
To reflect the greater risk of traditional climbing routes over sport climbing routes, an additional grade is often added to the route's [[Grade (climbing)|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).<ref>{{cite web | website=Rockfax Publishing | url=https://rockfax.com/climbing-guides/grades/ | date=2023 | accessdate=2 March 2023 | title=Climbing Grade Conversions}}</ref>
==Grading==
The grading of traditional climbing routes starts with a [[Sport climbing#Grading|sport climbing grade]] for the "technical difficulty", and an additional "risk grade" to reflect how hard the lead climber will find protecting the route while ascending.  Some sport grading systems, particularly the [[Grade (climbing)#French numerical grade|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 [[Grade (climbing)#American YDS grade|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 "[[Glossary of climbing terms#r/x|R]]" for risk of serious injury in any fall, or "[[Glossary of climbing terms#x|X]]" for routes where a fall at a particular place, could be fatal (i.e. a "[[Glossary of climbing terms#chop route|chop route]]").<ref name=Rockfax>{{cite web | website=Rockfax Publishing | url=https://rockfax.com/climbing-guides/grades/ | title=Grade Conversions: Alpine Grading System | accessdate=4 May 2023}}</ref><ref name=AAJ>{{cite journal | journal=[[American Alpine Journal]] | date=2013 | title=International Grade Comparison Chart | accessdate=1 May 2023 | url= https://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13201212386/International-Grade-Comparison-Chart}}</ref><ref name=CAI/>  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.<ref>{{cite web | website=PlanetMountain | url=https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/sonnie-trotter-finds-the-path-514-r-at-lake-louise-alberta-canada.html | title=Sonnie Trotter finds The Path 5.14 R at Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada | date=23 August 2007 | accessdate=8 February 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Lambert |first=Erik|date=31 August 2007 |title=Trotter Chops Bolts, Sends Marathon Project|url=http://www.alpinist.com/doc/ALP20/newswire-trotter-path-bolt-chop |access-date=8 February 2023|magazine=[[Alpinist (magazine)|Alpinist]]}}</ref>
One of the most detailed, and still widely used, traditional grading systems is the [[Grade (climbing)#British E-grade|British E-grade]] (e.g. ... VS 4c, HVS 5a, E1 5b, E2 5c, E4 6a, ...).<ref name=CAI>{{cite book | first1=Gabriele |last1=Mandelli |first2=A |last2=Angriman | date=2016 | title=Scales of Difficulty in Mountaineering | publisher=Central School of Mountaineering, Italy |s2cid=53358088 }}</ref>  Two grades are quoted; the first being the "adjectival grade", and the second being the "technical grade".<ref name=Rockfax/> 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".<ref name=Rockfax/>  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.<ref name=Rockfax/>  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.<ref name=CL2>{{cite web | magazine=[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]] |url=https://www.rockandice.com/climbing-news/ullrich-and-muskett-climb-indian-face-e9-6c5-13ax/ | title=Ullrich and Muskett Climb Indian Face (E9 6c/5.13a X) | date=17 July 2013 | first=Duncan | last=Campbell | accessdate=10 February 2023}}</ref>
== Hardest routes==
===Pre sport-climbing era===
{{main|List of grade milestones in rock climbing#Redpointed by Men|List of grade milestones in rock climbing#Redpointed by Women}}
Before the emergence of sport climbing in the early 1980s, almost all new [[List of grade milestones in rock climbing|grade milestones in rock climbing]] were set by traditional climbers.<ref name=CL10/><ref name=PMEVOL>{{cite web | website=PlanetMountain.com | url=https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/the-evolution-of-free-climbing.html | title=The evolution of free climbing | date=23 December 2012 | first=Maurizio | last=Oviglia | access-date=4 January 2022}}</ref>  By the end of the 1970s, male traditional climbers were climbing to {{climbing grade |5.13a}} with {{ill|Toni Yaniro|fr}}'s ''Grand Illusion'',<ref name=CL10>{{cite web | magazine=Climbing | url=https://www.climbing.com/news/40-years-of-american-rock/ | title=40 years of American Climbing | date=22 April 2010 | accessdate=2 March 2023}}</ref> while female traditional climbers were climbing to {{climbing grade|5.12d}}, with [[Lynn Hill]] on ''Ophir Broke''.<ref name=PMEVOL/>  During the early 1980s, leading European traditional climbers like [[Jerry Moffatt]] and [[Wolfgang Güllich]] changed to sport climbing, in which [[List of grade milestones in rock climbing#Redpointed by men|all future new grade milestones]] would be established.<ref name=PMEVOL/>  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".<ref name=PM5>{{cite web | website=PlanetMountain.com | title=Jerry Moffatt Interview| url= https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/interviews/jerry-moffatt-interview.html | first1=Nicholas | last1=Hobley | first2=Niall |last2=Grimes | date=26 February 2009| accessdate=14 January 2022 }}</ref>
===Post sport-climbing era===
[[File:Dumbarton Rock North West Face 02.jpg|thumb|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 {{climbing grade|9a}} versus {{climbing grade|8c+}}.  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 {{climbing grade|9c}} versus {{climbing grade|9b}}
As of 2024, the following traditional routes are considered to be some of the hardest-ever ascended:<ref name=GRP>{{cite magazine | magazine=Gripped Magazine | url=https://gripped.com/profiles/top-16-hardest-trad-climbs-in-the-world/ | title=Top 16 Hardest Trad Climbs in the World | date=25 March 2019 | accessdate=3 January 2022}}</ref><ref name=Gripped2021>{{cite web | magazine=Gripped Magazine | url=https://gripped.com/profiles/the-worlds-hardest-trad-routes-by-winter-2021/ | title=The World's Hardest Trad Routes by Winter 2021 | date=1 February 2021 | accessdate=21 March 2023}}</ref>
*''Bon Voyage'' (at least 5.14d, 9a, E12) in [[Annot]], France, [[first free ascent]] (FFA) by James Pearson in 2023; repeated by [[Adam Ondra]] in 2024.<ref name=CL101>{{cite web | magazine=[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]] | url=https://www.climbing.com/news/james-pearson-bon-voyage-first-ascent/ | title=Did James Pearson Just Establish the World's Hardest Trad Route? | date=19 March 2024 | accessdate=7 April 2024 | first=Stephen | last=Potter}}</ref><ref name=CL102>{{cite web | magazine=[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]] | url=https://www.climbing.com/news/adam-ondra-repeats-bon-voyage/ | title=Did James Pearson Just Establish the World's Hardest Trad Route? | date=21 February 2024 | accessdate=7 April 2024 | first=Owen| last=Clarke}}</ref>
*''Tribe'' (at least 5.14d, 9a, E12) in Cardarese, Italy, FFA by [[Jacopo Larcher]] in 2019; repeated by James Pearson in 2020.<ref name=GRP/><ref name=Gripped2021/><ref name=CL101/>
*''Crown Royale'' (proposed 5.14d) in [[Jøssingfjord]], Norway, FFA by [[Pete Whittaker]] in 2023.<ref>{{cite magazine | magazine=UKClimbing | url=https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2023/09/pete_whittaker_makes_first_ascent_ascent_of_trad_project_crown_royale-73473 | title=Pete Whittaker makes first ascent ascent of trad project Crown Royale| date=29 September 2023 | accessdate=8 February 2024 | first=Xa| last=White}}</ref>
*''Blackbeard’s Tears'' (E11 7a, 5.14c, 8c+) at Redwood, USA, FFA by [[Ethan Pringle]] in 2016.<ref name=GRP/><ref name=Gripped2021/><ref>{{citation|url=https://touchstoneclimbing.com/ethan-pringle-blackbeards-tears/|title=Ethan Pringle on Blackbeard's Tears, 5.14c|publisher=touchstoneclimbing.com|date=Sep 23, 2016}}</ref>
*''Meltdown'' (E11 7a, 5.14c, 8c+) in [[Yosemite]], USA, FFA (and [[FFFA]]) by [[Beth Rodden]] in 2008.<ref name=GRP/><ref name=Gripped2021/><ref>{{citation|url=https://www.climbing.com/places/meltdown-beth-roddens-unrepeated-yosemite-first-ascent/|title=Meltdown: Beth Rodden's Unrepeated Yosemite First Ascent|magazine=[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]]|date=Aug 25, 2016}}.</ref>
*''Pura Pura'' (E11 7a, 5.14c, 8c+) in [[Valle dell'Orco|Orco Valley]], Italy, FA by [[Tom Randall (climber)|Tom Randall]] in 2014.<ref name=GRP/><ref
name=Gripped2021/><ref>{{citation|url=https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/valle-dellorco-tom-randall-climbs-pura-pura-8c-.html|title=Valle dell'Orco: Tom Randall climbs Pura Pura 8c+|magazine=planetmountain.com|date=Jul 1, 2014}}.</ref>
*''Recovery Drink'' (E11 7a, 5.14c, 8c+) in [[Jøssingfjord]], Norway, FA by {{ill|Nicolas Favresse|fr}} in 2013.<ref name=GRP/><ref name=Gripped2021/><ref>{{citation|url=https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/nicolas-favresse-climbing-the-recovery-drink-in-norway.html|title=Nicolas Favresse climbing The recovery drink in Norway|magazine=planetmountain.com|date=Jan 1, 2015}}.</ref>
*''[[Rhapsody (climb)|Rhapsody]]'' (E11 7a, 5.14c R/X, 8c+) in [[Dumbarton Castle|Dumbarton Rock]], Scotland, FA by [[Dave MacLeod]] in 2006.<ref name=Gripped2021/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/macleod-frees-rhapsody-e11-7a.html|title=Dave MacLeod frees Rhapsody E11 7a at Dumbarton Rock in Scotland|website=PlanetMountain.com|date=Apr 12, 2006}}</ref>
*''Magic Line'' (5.14b/c, 8c/+) in [[Yosemite]], [[pinkpoint]] by [[Ron Kauk]] in 1996, [[redpoint (climbing)|redpoint]] by Lonnie Kauk in 2018, FFFA by [[Hazel Findlay]] in 2019.<ref name=Gripped2021/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://rockandice.com/climbing-news/hazel-findlay-does-magic-line-5-14c-trad/|title=Hazel Findlay Does "Magic Line", 5.14c Trad!|magazine=rockandice.com|date=Nov 26, 2019}}</ref>
*''Century Crack'' (E10 7a, 5.14b, 8c) in [[Canyonlands National Park|Canyonlands]], Utah, FA by [[Tom Randall (climber)|Tom Randall]] and [[Pete Whittaker]] in 2011.<ref name=GRP/><ref name=Gripped2021/><ref>{{citation|url=https://www.climbing.com/news/desert-testpiece-century-crack-5-14b-sees-second-ascent-by-danny-parker/|title=Desert Testpiece Century Crack (5.14b) Sees Third Ascent by Danny Parker|magazine=[[Climbing (magazine)|Climbing]]|date=Oct 29, 2018}}</ref>
* ''[[Cobra Crack]]'' (E10 7a, 5.14b, 8c) in [[Squamish, British Columbia]], FA by [[Sonnie Trotter]] in 2006.<ref name=GRP/><ref name=Gripped2021/><ref>{{citation|url=https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/sonnie-trotter-frees-cobra-crack-514-bc.html|title=Sonnie Trotter frees Cobra Crack 5.14 b/c|magazine=planetmountain.com|date=Jun 29, 2006}}.</ref>
*''Echo Wall'' (E10 7a, 5.14b, 8c) on [[Ben Nevis]], Scotland, first ascent by [[Dave MacLeod]] in 2008.<ref name=GRP/><ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web08x/newswire-echo-wall-macleod |title=MacLeod's Boldest: Echo Wall |publisher=Alpinist.com|access-date = 22 February 2006}}</ref><ref name=Gripped2021/>
==In film==
A number of notable films have been made focused on traditional climbing including:<ref>{{cite web | magazine=[[Outside (magazine)|Outside]] | url=https://www.outsideonline.com/culture/books-media/best-climbing-mountaineering-films-of-all-time/?scope=anon | title=The 20 Best Climbing Films of All Time | first=Andrew | last=Bisharat | date=6 September 2022 | accessdate=28 September 2023}}</ref>
*''[[Hard Grit]]'', a 1998 documentary film about traditional climbing on extreme gritstone routes in the British [[Peak District]]
*''[[Valley Uprising]]'', a 2014 [[Sender Films]] documentary film about rock climbing in Yosemite that includes traditional climbing
==See also==
{{Commons category|Traditional climbing}}
*[[History of rock climbing]]
*[[List of grade milestones in rock climbing]]
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
===Further reading===
*{{cite book | title=How to Rock Climb | isbn=978-1493056262 | edition=6th | pages=311–334 | chapter=Chapter 12: Trad Climbing | first1=John | last1=Long | first2=Bob | last2=Gaines | author-link=John Long (climber) | publisher=[[Globe Pequot Press|Falcon Guides]] | date=August 2022}}
*{{cite book | date=2018 | title=[[Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills]] | edition=9th | isbn=978-1846892622 | publisher=Quiller Publishing | author=[[The Mountaineers (club)|The Mountaineers]]}}
*{{cite book | date=2014 | title=Trad Climbers Bible | edition=1st | isbn=978-0762783724 | publisher=[[Falcon Guides]] | first1=Peter | last1=Croft | first2=John | last2=Long | author-link1=Peter Croft (climber) | author-link2=John Long (climber)}}
== External links ==
{{Wiktionary}}
*[https://www.99boulders.com/trad-climbing Trad Climbing 101: The Complete Beginner’s Guide], ''99boulders'' (2020)
*[https://www.thecrag.com/en/article/hardesttradroutes The Hardest Trad Routes], ''theCrag'' (2024)
*[https://hardclimbs.info/hardest-trad-climbs/ Hardest Trad Climbs], ''HardClimbs'' (2024)
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[[Category:Types of climbing]]
[[Category:Types of mountaineering]]
[[Category:Sports originating in Europe]]