Top-10 climber ever

So, where is CRISTIAN BRENNA??

When you accpet such a list does make sense (which is to be proved ;) ) I think Yuji should definitely be number one. He is without any doubt the more polyvalent climber of all time (onsight number one, among redpoint nnumber ones with Flat moutain and in different style -from les Eaux-Claires to tufs crags, winner of world cup events, hard(est) onsights in trad climbing -sphinx crack-, big walls freed and almost on-sight). In comparison, for example Gullich is a great climber but he performed only redpoint, not onsight, and in a very specific style. However Gullich also did impressive big-walls. Also Yuji has the reputation to be very honest and very kind. is it true , I don't know but it seems to be. In the other hand you can aso choose climber who have something particular, and who not only did hard routes. like Johnny Dawes and its crazy routes on gritstone.

I would second the vote for Tommy Caldwell, I mean all around: V13, 9a+ and a 9a sport, Dihedral Wall, tons of 5.13s on trad what more would you want? What about Dean Potter? Maybe its just because I am American.....

Nobody has mentioned Iker Pou. Action Direct (9a), Baind du Sang (9a), Mendeku (9a), The Nose (1100m, 8a+), Zunbeltz (600, 8b+), El Niño (1000m, 8b), Bravo les filles (8b, 600m) And so more.... Iker is one of the most polivalent climbers ever!

i think you can't tell generally. Climbing has so many aspects of skills which you can't really compare. Alpine super hero will be lost in a hard cruxy 7C, you guys know what i'm suggestin...

Once again forget about ranking the climbers. There is not point to do that. And it's impossible to tell who is the best, because there is not only one climber who can be number one. Our sport is so rich, from climbing, to bouldering, big walls, ice climbing etc. That's also why rock climbing is such a particular sport (no sorry way of life) and we don't need to be ranked like in other sports. Why do we have to know who is the best? Why do we have to compare each others?

This list is looks very good for me.

I think güllich was and is the best, he climbed 15years ago and very hard routs Action direct(9a) punks in the gym(8b+)... i think he is the father of sport climbing

Tommy Caldwell should definitely be on the list.

patrick edlinger jibe jacky goddoffe gullich

my top 10: IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER Gullich Graham Caldwell Hill Sharma Kauk Gill Rhouling Huber Andrada You also have to ask, are they the best, or more so "important" in there influence on the sport. John Gill was an important figure and climbed hard routes a generation before anyone, Fred Rhouling has climbed argueably the hardest sport routes, sharma is this generations Gullich, etc, etc...

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Gullich is number 1!!! and don't forget manolo...

Downgrade Action directe ? ! ? I'm leaving a bit the topic of this discussion aside. But I'm surprised to see the posting of Adam Jones, pointing out AD as 8c+/9a, without any comment. Even though that I'm far way from this routes, isn't it so that AD is (should be) the benchmark for any new 9a? Well, following the statistics of Jens that newer routes tend to be overrated, lowering the benchmarc would automaticaley lower all new route. Pretty smart ;-)

Are we talking steroids or no steroids ???

Ok so this is truely impossible for every reason everyone has already mentioned but its still fun. Here's my top 10 without thinking too much and not in any particular order, Caldwell-8B, 8b+ bigwall, 9a FA, 9a+ FA (unrepeated?), tons of 8a and harder trad Hirayama-8B+, 8c OS (first to do this), 9a+ FA, numerous plastic accomplishments, 8a+ free bigwall (hard to argue with this list of all around accomplishments) Sharma-8C, 9a+, the Arch, the staunch refusal to grade climbs, the inspiration to a new generation of climbers Lynn Hill- the Nose, "it goes boys" Gullich-Action Direct, took sport climbing to new levels changed everyone's idea of what is possible Dani Andrada- most prolific sport climber in history Fred Nicole- most prolific boulderer in history (even if he does overgrade climbs he still climbs frickin hard and his tick list is miles long) Bereziartu- (I hate the double standard between men and women but its there and this woman could almost be mentioned without it) The Stonemasters- Kauk, Bachar, Sorensen, Long, etc. (sort of cheating to use a group of people but really this was the first climbing team and collectively they pushed each other and climbing in general to new levels) The Brits- Moffat, Dawes, and in a different era Dave Macleod for having the biggest balls in history Dave Graham didn't make my list of top ten because he has always been in the shadow of others which might be unfair but when it comes to setting new standards and pushing climbing to new levels I just haven't seen it out of him in comparison with those in my top 10. Similarly with Pou, Loskot, and Koyamada. Plastic pullers don't get respect from me because I think gyms suck the life out of climbing (a personal gripe).I have all the respect in the world for Fred Rouhling but one climb isn't enough for me to put him in the top 10 of all time.

Folks- It's a question laden with issues such as: 1) It's not an "absolute", "objective", determination. The best climbers of 10, 20, 50 years ago are all relative to the benchmark standard at the time. I'd answer it in the context of the then defined frontier for climbing. 2) Climbing- What kind of climbing? Alpine, Trad, Sport etc. Although here you might argue that the climber that demonstrates ability across a number of disciplines should get extra credit. 3) Climbing is a Head Game. What greater challenge than not knowing whether the gear would hold a fall? (i.e. no cams, no bolt hangers, no screamers....) 4) The criteria has to include VISION: An unknown quantity that catches the eye, imagination, and supreme effort of a climber. In any case, with these caveats and concerns in mind: here are some of my nominees: Walter Bonatti (how about a solo!, FA, onsight of the Dru !!!!! Talk about pushing the boat out.....might as well have burned the boat before stepping in) Henry Barber (aka Hot Henry): I still meet Aussies who swear that he's Australian based on the impact he made on the grades there. And that ignores all the other climbing areas around the world that felt his impact. Finally, as with Bonatti, he did it on "primative gear". You know any climbers who pushed the boundaries on nuts and a bowline on a bight for a "harness"? ((by the way he still shuns cams and harnesses as the devils work)) Lynn Hill- Talk about VISION (the Nose in a Day). Plus she made an impact on Comp Climbing and Sport climbing. The Hubers - What more do you need to hear about their output? Alpine, sport, trad, solo, big wall.... Rheinhold Meissner- Alpine ascents, solos, big walls.... Tommy Caldwell- Trad and Sport at the bleeding edge. wouldn't disagree with another post highlighting Ron Kauk, Bachar, ... Climbing, imho, is more than what place you finished, or clipping bolts. Those are definitely metrics in the sport, but I would argue, very narrow definitions of climbing achievement. Please don't confuse this as dissing incredible athletes like Sharma, Graham, Josune, Hirayama etc. I just believe that climbing is bigger than just sport climbing and bouldering. (as much as I enjoy both)

I vote Garth Miller

I agree! Garth Miller definately deserves his name on that list

Ben Moon