The mother of a 5 year old, Owen, Lynn has been at the forefront of climbing since the 1970's including many firsts for a woman. Perhaps the pinnacle of her career was the first free ascent, male or female, of El Capitan's 23 pitch Nose route which she gave 5.13b (8a) although many say 5.14 or 8b+. A year later in 1994 she returned to the Nose and completed the first one day free ascent. In 1991 she was the first woman to climb 5.14a or 8b+ with Masse Critique in Cimai, France.
And she hasn't stopped climbing. As well as being a full time mother Lynn runs climbing camps, does private climbing tuition, is involved in a climbing technique video and works hard as an ambassador for her sponsors. She has also been doing lots of highball boulder problems in Colorado which will feature in a future climbing film.
Her ascent of Chablanke at Hueco puts her right up there with the other strong American women boulderers, some half her age, like Alex Puccio, Alex Johnson and Lisa Rands.
Below is a video filmed and produced by Joe Hedge of Lynn onsighting Golden Boy a 5.13b (8a), last month, on the perfect sandstone of Red River Gorge, Kentucky
Lynn Hill 5.13b onsight Nov 2008 from joe hedge on Vimeo.
Lynn Hill is sponsored by Patagonia, Beal, and Petzl.
Comments