Who are your FA heroes and why?

Big bump for lynn Hill.

Dave Shultz, the iron monkey

+1 for Fritz Wiessner my grand father

Also Sharma and Levit

John Turner...bold bad-ass

Layton Kor! Even named my son after him.

Brown and Whillans. Working class heroes who smashed the grades in the UK, climbed hard routes in the Alps in record times, and did awesome first ascents in the greater ranges (individually). Brown's FA of Cenotaph Corner must be one of the most famous FAs in UK climbing history. Their style strongly influenced the likes of Robbins and Chouinard.

Sean Cobourn for his routes at the Bald!

Charlie Fowler. Alex Lowe.

I'm surprised nobody has brought up Harvey Carter. His FAs of all sorts of wacky desert towers "back in the day" are nothing short of miraculous. The mere thought of climbing some of his lines, back in the 60s and 70s with old equipment is enough to give me nightmares for a good while.

Ray Jardine. Not necessarily because I've climbed his routes (not sure i've climbed any) but more so because he's a certified badass and pioneer across many disciplines including yosemite hard routes and FFAs, inventing the friend, ultra light long distance backpacking, sea kayaking, and much much more. Life inspiration.

I wouldn't say hero, but I have a lot of respect for a couple local guys who had the nerve to put up a new route here, on new rock, because they hustled out right after an entire cliff face fell off.

Amy Skinner, Paul Piana, and Sam Lightner for all his work all over the place (Thailand!!!)

How can this thread make it to the 3rd page with no mention of Nicole or Kehl?

Lynn Hill
Porter Jarrard
Chris Sharma
Jeff Frizzell

Pretty heavy sport bias.

Boone Speed
Merril Bitter
Ruckmans
Doug Heinrich
Kevin Fosburg
Shingo
Richard M. Wright

Bob Scarpelli.

Matt Samet
Jeff Jackson
Dave Pegg
Jeff Achey

I spend most of my time at the base of their climbs. It's a product of where I live I'm sure...

Charlie Porter represents the true standard that any First Ascentionist should be so bold as to try and replicate. There are not many people that climb for the thrill of it alone, so many people also want some glory (myself included). Charlie Porter put up the Zodiac, solo (except for a belay on the 1st pitch), The Shield, Mescalito, Tangerine trip, to name a few El Cap Routes. FA's in the Alaska Range, Patagonia, and of course a solo ascent of Mt. Thor in Baffin Island, over ~30 days on the wall! The best part about Mt. Thor (the longest vertical drop in the world), is he barely told anyone about it!!

Anytime I get to a crux nowadays, I ask myself "What would Charlie Porter do?"

climbing friend,

ron kauk and/or john bachar, for establishing midnight lightning, and perpetuating mystique that only bachar or kauk could ever do the problem, by hiding in the bushes, waiting until someone they struggle on boulder, and then casually coming down and chucking a lap.

ho ho!

ha ha!

myah!

Layton Kor - I've loved all of his routes that I have managed to climb.