Jim Bridwell (b. 1943) San Antonio, TX
A sense of uncertainty that is potentially fatal is what makes climbing an adventure. Anything less is just working out.
Jim Bridwell
Sport climbing is a lot like sport f*#king. It’s a lot of fun and requires no commitment.
Jim Bridwell
2001
– Welcome to Afganistan, El Capitan, new route on the far right side
The Beast Pillar VII A5 5.10b WI4+ M6, 1500m, Mooses Tooth, new route – direct start to The Dance of the Woo-Li Masters, the team spent 30 days completing the route in capsule style, at half height they joined the 1981 line, partner: Spencer Pfinsten,
1999
– Oddysey (VI, 5.9, A4), Grandes Capucin, new route, partner: Giovani Groaz
– The Useless Emotion VII 5.9 WI4 A4, ca. 1430m, Bear’s Tooth, new route on the east face, partners: Terrt Christiansen, Glenn Dunmire, Brian Jones, Brian
1998
– Heavy Metal and Tinker Boys VI 5.10 PDH, El Capitan, (“Pretty Darn Hard” in “Abbreviated Aid Rating System”), new route on the southeast face, partners: Boulos Ayad, Tyson Hausdoerffer
– Experimental Earth V 5.10 A3, 10 pitches, Paria Point, Zion, new route, partners: Mark Bowling, Ron Olevsky
1997
Newfoundland ice routes
– Lurking Fear VI 5.10 A3, El Capitan, ascent
– Triple Direct VI 5.9 A2, El Cap
– Wyoming Sheep Ranch VI 5.10 A5, El Capitan, ascent without cheater stick
1992
– Classic Route, Eiger North Face, ascent
1989
– Shadows VI 5.10 A5, Half Dome, new route, final push of ten days, partners: Cito Kirkpatrick, Charles Row, William Westby
– West Face (VI 5.11b), El Capitan, free ascent
1988
– Exocet VI 5.9 WI6, Cerro Stanhardt, first complete ascent via East Face, new route, partners: Greg Smith, Jay Smith
– El Condor VI 5.11 A2, Aguja Desmochada, new route on the West Face, partners: Glen Dunmire, Jay Smith
1985
Everest, West Ridge
Mout Spender, Chinese Karakoram, leader of the first American expedition to the region
Big Chill 5.10 A5, Half Dome, first ascent, partners: Peter Mayfield, Sean Plunkett, Steve Bosque
1984
Tawoche, east face, attempt, partners: John Roskelley, Naoe Sakashita
1983
Trans-Borneo crossing
1982
– Pumori 7145m, South Face, new route in winter, seven days of climbing on the final push, partners: Jan Reynolds and Ned Gilette
– Changtse III, Tibet, first ascent
1981
– Zenyatta Mondatta VI 5.10 A5, ElCapitan, new route, partners: Peter Mayfield, Charlie Row;
– The Dance of the Woo-li Masters, VII A5 5.10b, 1500m, Moose’s Tooth, East Face, new route in winter, partner: Mugs Stump
1980
– The Shroud, Grandes Jorasses, Chamonix
– Petite Capucin, Chamonix
AMGA Certified Guide
1979
– Compressor Route 5.10 A3, Patagonia, first complete ascent of Cerro Torre, alpine style, the summit was reached on the second day of climbing, partner: Steven Brewer
– Kichatna Spire, new route on north-west face and second ascent of the peak, partner: Andrew Embick
– Ptarmigan Spire, new route via east ridge from Cool Sac Glacier and couloir between Ptarmigan and Citadel, partner: Andrew Embick
1978
– The Nose in less than a day with Dale Bard
– Sea of Dreams VI. 5.10 A4, El Capitan, first ascent, partners: Dale Bard, Dave Diegelman
– Zenith VI 5.9 A5, Half Dome, first ascent, partner: Kim Schmitz
– Bob Locke Memorial Buttress VI 5.11b A4, Mount Watkins, first ascent
1977
– West Side Glory VI 5.10 A4, El Capitan, with Kim Schmitz and Jim Pettigrew
– Bushido VI 5.10 A4, Half Dome, first ascent, partner: Dale Bard
1976
– Great Moments in Baseball 5.11, first ascent, partners: Mark Graham
– Gold Ribbon VI 5.10 A3, 15 pitches, Ribbon Falls, first ascent, with Mike Graham, sixty percent free
– The Outside Face 5.10, Phantom Pinnacle, first free ascent, partners: Mike Graham, Roger Breedlove
– Pinky Paralysis 5.11, first ascent, partner: John Bachar
– South-East Pilar 5.10 A1, El Mocho, Cerro Torre group, Patagonia, first ascent, partner: Bob Staszewski
– Mojon Rojo, Cerro Torre group, Patagonia, first ascent, partners: Bob Staszewski, Bok Killip and John Nitschke
– Mirage VI 5.9 A4+, El Capitan, first ascent, partners: Jim Pittigrew and Kim Schmitz
1975
– The Nose in a day (15 hours), partners: Billy Westbay, John Long
– Pacific Ocean Wall VI 5.10 A5, El Capitan, first ascent, , 9 days, 5 pitches of A5, the most difficult route on El Cap at the time, partner: Billy Westbay, accompanied by Fred East and Jay Fisk (cleaning and hauling sacks)
– Free Blast 5.11, El Capitan, first free ascent, partners: John Long, Kevin Worral, Ron Kauk, Mike Graham
– Wailing Wall 5.12, Tuolumne Meadows, second 5.12 in the country, partners: Dale Bard, and Rock Accomozo
1974
– Freestone 5.11b, Geek Towers, first ascent
– Right Side of Folly 5.10d, first free ascent
1973
– Straight Error, Elephant Rock, first ascent
– Hot Line IV 5.10 A1, Elephant Rock, first ascent, four pitches of 5.10 and two of 5.9, only six pitons were used for aid, partner: Mark Chapman
– Mental Block 5.10, three pitches, partner: Dale Bard
– Central Pillar of Frenzy, 5.10, 8 pitches, Middle Cathedral Rock, partners: Roger Breedlove, Dale Bard, Ed Barry
1972
– Complete Nabisco Wall 5.10c, Cookie Cliff, first ascent
– Left Side of Hourglass 5.11, second ascent
– Cream, second ascent of great Mark Klemens’ route
– Basket Case 5.11, first ascent, the most difficult off-width in the USA, partner: Mark Klemens
1971
– Aquarian Wall VI 5.9 A4, El Capitan, first ascent of the route between the West Buttress and the Dihedral Wall, with Kim Schmitz
– Outer Limits 5.10c, Cookie Cliff, first ascent
– Catchy 5.10d, Cookie Cliff, first ascent
– Butterfingers 5.11a, , first ascent
– Wheat Thin 5.10c, Cookie Cliff, first ascent
1970
– New Dimensions, Arch Rock, first ascent, the first 5.11 in the United States, line follows overhanging had-jams and flared chimneys for four pitches, partner: Mark Klemens
– Vain Hope V 5.7 A3, Ribbon Falls, first ascent, partners: Royal Robbins, Kim Schmitz
1968
– The Nose VI 5.10a A3, two days ascent
T- riple Direct VI 5.10 A3, El Capitan, first ascent , the first 10 pitches of Salathe, 7 pitches of Muir Wall above Mammoth Teraces, and the upper 13 pitches of The Nose above Camp 4 ledge, partner: Kim Schmitz
– Salathe Wall VI 5.8 A3, El Capitan, three day ascent
1967
– Stoveleg Cracks, El Capitan, first free ascent of Stovelegs pitches of The Nose, realization of Frank Sacharer’s idea
– East Face VI 5.10 A4, Higher Cathedral Rock, first ascent
– South Cetral V 5.10a A3, Washington Column, first ascent
– Braille Book 5.8, Higher Cathedral Rock, first ascent
– North Face V 5.9A2, Quarter Dome, first one-day ascent
– West Face of Leaning Tower V 5.10c A3, first one day ascent
1966
– Direct Northwest Face VI-5.10A3+, Half Dome, second ascent
1965
– Ahab 5.10a, El Cap base, first ascent
– The Slack, Left 5.10b, El Cap base, first ascent
– Snake Dike 5.7, Half Dome, first ascent, partners: Eric Beck,Chris Fredericks
1964
– North Buttress 5.10a, Middle Cathedral Rock, first free ascent, few other routes at that time had as much 5.10 climbing as this route, partner: Frank Sacharer
– South Face V 5.9 A2, Washington Column, first ascent
– East Face 5.10 A2, Washington Column, first ascent
1963
– Northeast Buttress, Higher Cathedral Spire, first ascent
– Rixon’s East Chimney 5.10a, Rixon’s Pinnacle
1962
First trip to Yosemite Valley