Royal Robbins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Royal Robbins
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Royal Robbins in the early 1960s.
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| Born | February 3, 1935 |
| Died | March 14, 2017 (aged 82) Modesto, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | rock climber, author, CEO |
| Known for | Big wall climbing, clean climbing |
| Spouse(s) | Liz Robbins |
Royal Robbins (born February 3, 1935 – died March 14, 2017) was a very important person in American rock climbing. He helped start many new ideas in the sport. He learned to climb at a place called Tahquitz Rock.
After that, he made the first climbs on many huge rock faces, known as big walls, in Yosemite. Royal Robbins was one of the first people to strongly support "clean climbing". This means climbing without leaving behind equipment that harms the rock. Along with Yvon Chouinard, he helped change climbing in the late 1960s and early 1970s. They wanted climbers to use and protect the natural features of the rock. Later in his life, he also became a well-known kayaker.
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Amazing Climbing Achievements
Royal Robbins was famous for being the first to climb many difficult routes. These are called "first ascents." He often pushed the limits of what climbers thought was possible.
- 1952: He made the first free ascent (FFA) of Open Book (Tahquitz). This was the first climb ever rated 5.9 in the Yosemite Decimal System, which is a way to rate how hard a climb is.
- 1957: He climbed the Northwest Face of Half Dome in Yosemite, California. This was the first "Grade VI" climb in America, meaning it was a very long and difficult climb. He did this with Mike Sherrick and Jerry Gallwas.
- 1960: He completed the second ascent of The Nose on El Capitan in Yosemite. This was the first time it was climbed without stopping, and it took 7 days. He climbed with Tom Frost, Chuck Pratt, and Joe Fitschen.
- 1961: He made the first ascent of the Salathé Wall on El Capitan. At the time, this was the hardest big wall climb in the world. He climbed with Tom Frost and Chuck Pratt.
- 1964: He made the first ascent of the North America Wall on El Capitan. He was with Tom Frost, Chuck Pratt, and Yvon Chouinard.
- 1967: He made the first ascent of Nutcracker in Yosemite. This was an early route where climbers only used special gear called "nuts" for protection, which did not damage the rock. It's now a very popular climb.
- 1968: He made the first solo ascent of the Muir Wall on El Capitan. This was the first time anyone climbed El Capitan alone.
What is Clean Climbing?
Royal Robbins strongly believed in "clean climbing." This means climbing in a way that leaves the rock exactly as it was before you climbed it. He wrote two important books, Basic Rockcraft and Advanced Rockcraft. In these books, he taught climbers about free climbing skills and the importance of clean climbing.
He thought that making a first ascent was like creating a piece of art, like a painting or a song. He believed that choosing how to climb a route was a very creative act. He also felt that it was more artistic to choose not to use certain climbing tools if they weren't absolutely needed. He wanted climbers to use equipment that didn't harm the mountain. For him, even placing one piece of gear was a big decision, like choosing a single word in a poem.
The Dawn Wall Story
In 1971, Royal Robbins and Don Lauria climbed the Dawn Wall on El Capitan. This climb was a bit controversial because of what happened.
Another climber, Warren Harding, had made the first climb of the Dawn Wall in 1970. Harding had used many permanent bolts to help him climb. Royal Robbins and other clean climbing supporters did not like this method because it left equipment on the rock. When Robbins and Lauria climbed the route, they used the bolts that were already there. However, Robbins then removed parts of the bolts behind them. He did this to show his strong belief in leaving the rock as natural as possible and to encourage others to climb without damaging the rock.
Royal Robbins: The Company
After his successful climbing career, Royal Robbins started a company with his wife, Liz Robbins. The company, called Royal Robbins, LLC, makes outdoor clothing. It is based in San Francisco and focuses on clothes for outdoor adventures and travel. In 2018, a Swedish company bought Royal Robbins, LLC. Liz Robbins returned to the company in 2015 as an advisor.
Kayaking Adventures
In 1978, Royal Robbins developed a health condition that made serious climbing difficult. So, he started a new adventure: kayaking. He became known for being the first to kayak down very challenging rivers from high in the mountains.
Some of his early kayaking partners included Doug Tompkins and Reg Lake.
- In 1980, they kayaked down the San Joaquin River Gorge. They started very high up and went 32 miles down.
- In 1981, they carried their kayaks over Mount Whitney Pass, which is very high. Then they kayaked 55 miles down the Kern Trench.
- In 1982, with another friend, they kayaked down the Middle Fork of the Kings River. This was the biggest and steepest of their High Sierra river trips.
- In 1983, Robbins kayaked down the Tuolumne River in Yosemite National Park.
Later, he became interested in kayaking down smaller mountain creeks when they were flooding after heavy rains. He called this "flash boating." He did this on rivers like Sespe Creek, the Fresno River, and the Chowchilla River.
Images for kids
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Royal Robbins leading the third pitch of the Salathé Wall on El Capitan in Yosemite Valley.
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Royal Robbins on first ascent of Salathé Wall, El Capitan.
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Frost, Robbins, Pratt and Chouinard at the completion of the first ascent of the North America Wall on El Capitan.
