David Ethan Graham (born November 10, 1981) is an American professional

rock climber Rock climbing is a sport in which participants climb up, across, or down natural rock formations. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a usually pre-defined route without falling. Rock climbing is a physically and ...

. Professing to enjoy bouldering the most, he is one of the elite sport climbers and boulderers of his generation. Graham repeats classic routes or boulder problems as well as performing cutting-edge

first ascent In mountaineering, a first ascent (abbreviated to FA in guide books) is the first successful, documented attainment of the top of a mountain or the first to follow a particular climbing route. First mountain ascents are notable because they en ...

s. He is known for climbing, in 2005 an boulder problem (''The Story Of Two Worlds'',

Cresciano Cresciano is a former municipality in the district of Riviera in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. On 2 April 2017 the former municipalities of Iragna, Lodrino and Osogna merged into the new municipality of Riviera. History Cresciano is f ...

, Switzerland). He is also known for his stance against grade inflation and for his strong anti-chipping ethic. He writes an ongoing blog for the website of Climbing Magazine.

Biography

Born in

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...

, Graham was introduced to climbing in 1997 by one of his skiing teammates. Within a year, he climbed a route, ''The Present''. Quickly, he became one of the strongest climbers in the United States, before moving to Europe in 2005. In 2005, he climbed an boulder problem (''The Story Of Two Worlds'',

, Switzerland), and his first route (''Coup de Grace'', Val Bavona, Switzerland).

Rock climbing

As of November 2017, Graham climbed 455 routes between and , of which 143 were

onsight __NOTOC__ This glossary of climbing terms is a list of definitions of terms and jargon related to rock climbing and mountaineering. The specific terms used can vary considerably between different English-speaking countries; many of the phrases d ...

ed: * 1 9a+\b * 4 9a+ * 13 9a * 41 8c+ * 66 8c * 82 8b+ (of which 3

ed) * 92 8b (of which 31

ed) * 91 8a+ (of which 61

ed) * 66 8a (of which 48

ed)

Redpointed routes

: :*''Ali Hulk Sit Start Extension Total'' - Rodellar (

SPA A spa is a location where mineral-rich spring water (and sometimes seawater) is used to give medicinal baths. Spa towns or spa resorts (including hot springs resorts) typically offer various health treatments, which are also known as balneoth ...

) - September 2020 - Fifth ascent. Originally considered 9b, but later downgraded to 9a+\b. : :*''La Rambla'' - Siurana (

) - March 2019 :*''Thor's Hammer'' -

Flatanger Flatanger is a municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Namdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Lauvsnes. Other villages include Jøssund, Hasvåg, and Vik. The municipality is the 2 ...

( NOR) - October 5, 2015 - Sixth ascent :*'' Realization'' - Céüse (

FRA A friar is a member of one of the mendicant orders founded in the twelfth or thirteenth century; the term distinguishes the mendicants' itinerant apostolic character, exercised broadly under the jurisdiction of a superior general, from the ol ...

) - July 30, 2007 - Fourth ascent :*''Coup de Grace'' - Val Bavona ( SUI) - November 8, 2005 - First ascent : :* ''Chocholoco'' -

Carros Carros (; oc, Carròs) is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France. Carros is one of sixteen villages grouped together by the Métropole Nice Côte d'Azur tourist department as the ''Route des Villages Perchés'' (Rout ...

(

)- October 14, 2009 :* ''Abyss'' - Gorges du Loup (

) - October 3, 2009 :* ''Kryptonite'' - Rifle (

Colorado Colorado (, other variants) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It encompasses most of the Southern Rocky Mountains, as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of t ...

USA The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

) - September 14, 2008 :* ''

Bunda De Fora ''Bunda de Fora'' is a sport climbing route located in Acephale, Alberta, Canada. At a climbing grade of 9a (5.14d), it is one of the most difficult climbs in North America and one of Canada's hardest sport climbs.Galloway, Derek (2011). ''Bow Va ...

'' - Acephale (

CAN Can may refer to: Containers * Aluminum can * Drink can * Oil can * Steel and tin cans * Trash can * Petrol can * Metal can (disambiguation) Music * Can (band), West Germany, 1968 ** ''Can'' (album), 1979 * Can (South Korean band) Other * C ...

) - September 6, 2007 :* ''Ali-Hulk (de pie)'' - Rodellar (

ESP ESP most commonly refers to: * Extrasensory perception, a paranormal ability ESP may also refer to: Arts, entertainment Music * ESP Guitars, a manufacturer of electric guitars * E.S. Posthumus, an independent music group formed in 2000, ...

) - June 27, 2007 :* ''Esclatamasters'' - Perles (

) - March 8, 2007 - Second ascent. First ascent by

Ramón Julian Puigblanque Ramón or Ramon may refer to: People Given name * Ramon (footballer, born 1998), Brazilian footballer * Ramón (footballer, born 1990), Brazilian footballer *Ramón (singer), Spanish singer who represented Spain in the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest ...

:* ''A Muerte'' - Siurana (

) - December 7, 2006 - Third ascent :* ''Bain de Sang'' - Saint-Loup ( SUI) - April 13, 2005 :* ''Psychedelic'' - Gorilla Cliffs (

) - November 18, 2001 - First ascent :* '' Action directe'' -

Frankenjura Franconian Switzerland (german: Fränkische Schweiz) is an upland in Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Germany and a popular tourist retreat. Located between the River Pegnitz in the east and the south, the River Regnitz in the west and the River Main i ...

( GER) - May 21, 2001 - fourth ascent

Boulder problems

As of June 2022, Graham had climbed about 700 boulder problems between and , of which 4 were

ed and 29 flashed: * 2 8C+ * 17 8C * 69 8B+ * 163 8B * 213 8A+ (of which 1 flashed and 2 onsighted) * 246 8A (of which 28 flashed and 2 onsighted) 8C+ (V16) :* ''Hypnotised Minds -'' Rocky Mountain National Park - October, 2019 - Third ascent. First ascent by Daniel Woods, 2010 ;* ''Euclase -'' Valle Bovona, Switzerland - April, 2022 - First Ascent. Awaiting grade confirmation. : :*''La Rustica'' - Valle Bovona, Switzerland - April, 2022 - First Ascent Jimmy Webb 2019 :*''4-low'' - Valle Bovona, Switzerland - February, 2022 - First Ascent Daniel Woods :*''Primitivo'' - Valle Bovona, Switzerland - February, 2022 - 3rd ascent, First Ascent Jimmy Webb 2019 :*''Roadkill'' - Valle Bovona, Switzerland - December, 2021 - First Ascent Shawn Raboutou :*''Trieste Assis'' - Red Rock, USA - April 2020 :*''Squoze'' - Red Rock, USA - December 2019 - First Ascent Jimmy Webb :*''Meadowlark Lemon'' - Gateway Canyon (

) - January 8, 2013 - Second ascent. First ascent by Paul Robinson in 2012 :* ''

The Wheel of Life ''The Wheel of Life'' is a famous boulder problem in the sport of rock climbing. Located in Hollow Mountain Cave in the Grampians of Australia and initially graded , it is now commonly considered to be . Route The problem, which consists of ...

'' - Hollow Mountain Cave ( AUS) - June 8, 2012 - Sixth ascent. First ascent by Dai Koyamada in 2004. Composed of 65 moves, it links four different boulder problems. Although it is climbed without rope, it is considered to be almost a

climbing route A climbing route is a path by which a climber reaches the top of a mountain, rock, or ice wall. Routes can vary dramatically in difficulty and grade; once committed to that ascent, it can sometimes be difficult to stop or return. Choice of rou ...

. It is commonly graded 8C as a boulder problem, and 9a as a route. Graham stated that it was "not possible to compare it to other boulder problems, due to its length", and that it was in a league above 9a routes he had climbed, possibly even a 9a+. :* ''Paint it Black'' -

Rocky Mountain National Park Rocky Mountain National Park is an American national park located approximately northwest of Denver in north-central Colorado, within the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. The park is situated between the towns of Estes Park to the east and ...

(

) - April 18, 2012 - Third ascent. First ascent by

Daniel Woods Daniel Woods (born August 1, 1989) is an American professional rock climber who specializes in bouldering and is considered one of the most important climbers in the history of bouldering. Woods has climbed over thirty bouldering problems graded ...

in 2012 :* ''The Ice Knife'' - Guanella Pass (

) - October 18, 2011 - First ascent :* ''Warrior Up'' - Mt Evans / Wolverine Land (

) - September 4, 2010 - Second ascent. First ascent by

:* ''Big Paw'' -

Chironico Chironico is a former municipality located in the district of Leventina in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland. On 1 April 2012, it was incorporated into the municipality of Faido along with the former municipalities of Anzonico, Calpiogna, Ca ...

( SUI) - November 27, 2008 - First ascent :* ''The Island'' -

Fontainebleau Fontainebleau (; ) is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southeast of the centre of Paris. Fontainebleau is a sub-prefecture of the Seine-et-Marne department, and it is the seat of the ''arrondissement ...

(

)- April 7, 2008 - First ascent :* ''From Dirt Grows The Flowers'' -

( SUI) - March 7, 2005 - First ascent :* ''The Story Of Two Worlds'' -

( SUI) - January 9, 2005 - First ascent :*''Foundation's Edge -''

Fionnay Fionnay is a village in the Swiss Alps, located in the canton of Valais. The village is situated in the western part of the canton, in the valley of Bagnes, south-east of Martigny. It is part of the municipality of Val de Bagnes. Fionnay lies at ...

( SUI) - October 15, 2013 - First Ascent

References

External links