The "best" climber in the world

Tony B wrote: I think you are thinking of Harvey Carter, but Fred is no Slouch.

Yes I have seen the same suggestions that Harvey is up there.... So any idea as to Harveys count? .. I think most are recorded .

"Chi-Ch'ang returned to his province. On a river-bank he found a
perfectly smooth pebble, adorned by lichen which could hardly be
seen. He placed it near to the window of his room, sat down at
the other end and, day after day, practiced looking. Two weeks
later, he could see the lichen quite clearly. Soon, it began to
look larger. After three months had passed, it seemed in
Chi-Ch'ang's eyes as large as a flower. Its slightest detail was
familiar to him. He spoke to the other members of the family of
the astonishing complexity of the leaves of the lichen, admiration
filling his voice. The seasons passed. Chi-Ch'ang hardly
noticed, if at all. The occasions on which he left his room were
rare. Each day his wife cleaned the pebble, lest a speck of dust
should settle on it and disturb his contemplation. After three
years, the lichen seemed to him as large as a tree. For the first
time, Chi-Ch'ang diverted his gaze from it to the pebble. Its
dimensions seemed those of an enormous block. He rushed out of
the house: horses seemed as big as mountains, pigs the size of
hills; chickens looked like castle towers. Chi-Ch'ang went then
to the climbing school where he had originally trained, and came
upon a smooth stretch of rock that no one had ever climbed. The
slightest roughness on its surface seemed to Chi-Ch'ang on that
occasion to take on the size of a considerable hold. He climbed
it easily. Without waiting any longer, he returned to Wei-Fei.
This time, the master had to admit that his pupil had succeeded."

-from "The Greatest Climber in the World", Bernard Amy (Mountain 74; The Games Climbers Play"; dharmaquest.com/writing-amy…)

This is easy

Lynn Hill

First free ascent of the nose

Lynn possibly has the best technique of any climber out there

Christopher Sharma has better technique than Lynn Hill... just sayin'

Probably some random Slovenian nobody's ever heard about.

chufftard wrote:Ken Nichols is the best climber in the world BC of his ethics.

You mean the guy whom everyone wants to kill? Last I read, he was legally banned from rock climbing in MA. I am not sure that has even happened before. Legally banned from climbing? You really have to fuck up to get a judge to order something like that. Is he even a climber?

Josh Kornish wrote:Christopher Sharma has better technique than Lynn Hill... just sayin'

Maybe. He doesn't have her balls though. Just sayin' ;).

Somehow I doubt the best climbers in the world give two s*#ts about how hard they can boulder.

Austin Baird wrote:Tommy Caldwell? I don't know if he does much alpine, but I'm WAY more impressed at someone climbing 7 5.14 trad pitches on the Dawn Wall than any of the 5.15s that the hard sport climbers have done.

agreed

Dana wrote: Why, yes, he is. I've climbed with Ken.

So, what exactly is his deal? Is he some hardcore tradster who hates bolts, or is he just trying to be a dumb ass and start crap with everyone in the entire sport?

Dana wrote: Why, yes, he is. I've climbed with Ken.

that was your first mistake

20 kN wrote: So, what exactly is his deal? Is he some hardcore tradster who hates bolts, or is he just trying to be a dumb ass and start crap with everyone in the entire sport?

I've climbed with him, BITD. Been to his home. Had dinner with he and his wife at the time. Haven't seen him recently, though.

I've seen him climbing with others and always got the impression - especially with newer climbers - that he was encouraging. Like he genuinely wanted them to be able to climb the route. I felt that way when I climbed with him and others have told me the same thing. At the same time, on at least one FA with him when I fell off while seconding, he lowered me all the way to the ground to start over again. "You can't count the FA if you've rested on the rope"

I've seen him jump all over someone for dropping a cigarette butt at the base of the cliff. And seen him go nuts on some teenagers who were spray painting graffiti on the rock at the top of the small cliff at Ragged. I've seen him place bolts on the lead and second others when they placed bolts on the lead. I'd say his ethic at the time was "ground up" climbing. No power drills and no bolting on rappel. I can't speak as to his current ethics.

Working with him, he certainly was focused. Almost to the point of driving me nuts- LOL. Later, he wrote that my "patience was infinite".

He's pretty vocal. And he has some pretty vocal enemies. Can't say that I agree with everything he's said/done. But, I have no bad feelings towards the guy.

Smarty Ports/Shants wrote: one of the most important skills in life: having focused attention on reality as it exists and therefore being able to rationally react to and adapt to it.

Perfect.

josh

Lynn Hill for being the best over the years

Pamela Pack------ her OW achievements are more than impressive

No sportie will ever, can ever compare......

My 2 cents

Merry Xmas to all!!!

Dana wrote: You'd have to ask Ken. He's probably out climbing now (really), but he'll be home later. I believe at one time a western Masschusetts climber hosted a website called (I think) StopKenNichols.com. If it is still up, you can learn more there. Seriously, though, I climbed with Ken once, can't speak about his personality or his motivations. Ken, Todd Swain, and me spent the day touring some of the CT cliffs - probably 25 years ago. Just another day at the cliffs.

can we have his phone number so we can ask him?

honestly I would give it to Adam Ondra, first 15c, first 14d flash, first 14c on-site(two in a day) has bouldered v16 more hard 14s than anyone else by a long shot.

no trad chops as of yet, but I doubt cracks will give him too much trouble when he bucks up.

that said I am personally much more inspired by Tommy Caldwell and Dave Macleod

well post it

http://www.stopken.org/Home.html

asdrubal wrote:... the "best" climber- implies climbing, not bravery or engineering skills, in the popular definition of climbing.

Not my definition, yours.

Ueli Steck, Steve House, or Conrad Anker. I dont care how hard someone can climb on perma-draws, let alone sport climb...