Connor Herson (born 8 July 2003) is an American rock climber who has redpointed of some of the hardest traditional climbing routes in the world, including Cobra Crack at 8c (5.14b), Meltdown, Crown Royale and Recovery Drink all at 8c+ (5.14c), and Bon Voyage at 9a (5.14d).[1][2] He has also greenpointed notable hard sport climbing routes such as Empath at 5.14+ (8c+/9a).[3]
| Personal information | |
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| Born | July 8, 2003 |
| Occupation | Rock climber |
| Climbing career | |
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| Highest grade | |
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| Updated on 11 May 2026 | |
On 14 July 2025, Herson completed the first free ascent of the established aid climbing route known as Drifter's Escape (first ascent in 1975, 5.9, A3) on the Stawamus Chief in Squamish, using traditional climbing protection and proposed a difficulty grade of 9a+ (5.15a), making it the first-ever traditional rock climb in history to carry that grade.[4][5][6]
Herson is also known for his big wall climbing in Yosemite. He is one of only a few climbers to have free climbed The Nose 5.14a (8b+), which he did in 2018 when he was aged 15.[7] In 2025, he repeated a second free-climb of the The Nose and became only the third person after Lynn Hill and Tommy Caldwell to free-climb The Nose in a day (the NIAD), setting a new speed record at 9.5 hours.[8] Herson has free climbed several other major big wall routes on El Capitan including making the first free ascent of Triple Direct 5.14a (8b+),[9] and repeating major routes such as Pre-Muir Wall 5.13d (8b), El Corazon 5.13b (8a) and Golden Gate 5.13a (7c+).[2]
Herson comes from an established rock-climbing family—his father Jim Herson made the second free ascent of the Salathé Wall on El Capitan, and his mother Anne Smith, was a competition climber.[10] His sister Kara is also a competition and big wall climber.[11] In 2026, Climbing magazine gave him their Golden Piton Award for his traditional climbing; at the time he was studying for a degree in Electronic Engineering at Stanford University.[10]
See also
editReferences
edit- ↑ Dreier, Frederick (15 March 2026). "With His Latest Crazy Ascent, Connor Herson Steps into Rock Climbing's Limelight". Outside. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
- 1 2 Pardy, Aaron (15 April 2026). "Connor Herson Sends James Pearson's Bon Voyage 5.14d Trad". Gripped Magazine. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
- ↑ Walsh, Anthony (14 September 2022). "Interview: Connor Herson on Doing 'Empath' (5.14d) on Gear". Climbing. Retrieved 16 May 2026.
- ↑ Bailey, Nat (30 April 2026). "Watch: The World's First 5.15 Trad Climb Was a Secret—Until Now". Climbing. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
- ↑ "Connor Herson climbs Drifters Escape, 9a+ trad at Squamish". PlanetMountain. 13 February 2026. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
- ↑ Pardy, Aaron (28 April 2026). "Connor Herson Climbs Drifter's Escape, the World's Hardest Trad Climb". Gripped Magazine. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
- ↑ "Connor Herson, 15, free climbs The Nose on El Capitan in Yosemite". PlanetMountain. 21 November 2018. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
- ↑ MacIlwaine, Sam (29 October 2025). "Did Connor Herson Just Have the Best 3 Days in Yosemite Climbing History?". Climbing. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
- ↑ "Connor Herson Makes First Free Ascent of Triple Direct on El Capitan". Gripped Magazine. 28 October 2025. Retrieved 11 May 2026.
- 1 2 Buhey, Corey (26 March 2026). "Connor Herson Opens Up About Going Viral at 15 and Sending What Could Be the Planet's Hardest Trad Climb". Climbing. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
- ↑ Chrobak, Ula (5 April 2018). "Generation 5.16: Kara and Connor Herson". Climbing. Retrieved 10 May 2026.
External links
edit- Connor Herson, Black Diamond Equipment
- Connor Herson climbs high in academics and on the rocks, Stanford Report (2026)