Peter Croft

Athlete to Athlete Interview:

Greg Child with Peter Croft

Bio:

For most of his climbing career, Peter has concentrated on big-rock routes. Starting in Canada, where he grew up, he inevitably gravitated to Yosemite Valley, where, after climbing the biggest cliffs there, he began to do link-ups of two or more big walls in a day. This led to his present neurosis: big traverses and link-ups in the High Sierra. He sometimes writes about his adventures in various climbing magazines and, in between climbs, logs serious couch-time watching TV with his wife, Karine, and Pee Wee the dog.

Birthdate:

5/18/1958

Favorite Destination:

High Sierra

Favorite The North Face Product:

Prolix Pant: a great climbing pant, very durable, clean lines.

Proudest Moment:

Starting climbing.

Cause(s):

The wilderness.

Words To Live By:

Realize that you suck and that you are superman.

Favorite Moment In History:

The Year TiVo was invented.

Most Recent Epic:

Being pounded by storms and sickness in Patagonia.

Ambition:

After climbing, going surfing.

Weakness:

Things with caffeine.

Three Things People Should Know About Me

I'm terrified of spiders, I love night climbing, and I'm afraid of the dark.

Career Highlights:

• First ascent of Blowhard, V 5.12+, High Sierra, 2005
• First ascent of Samurai Worries, V 5.12, High Sierra, 2005
• First ascent of Venturi Effect V 5.12+, High Sierra, 2004
• First ascent of Airstream V 5.13, High Sierra, 2004
• First ascent of the Evolution Traverse, the Sierras, 2000
• First ascent of Sponsar Brakk via 8,000-ft. rock route VI 5.11, Pakistan, 1998
• First solo and one-day Minaret Traverse, the Sierras, 1992
• First one-day link-up of the Nose and Salathe routes on El Capitan, Yosemite, 1992
• First free ascent of Moonlight Buttress V 5.12d/13a, 1991
• First free ascent of the Shadow V 5.13, onsight of crux pitch, 1988
• First free solo link-up of Astroman and the Rostrum, 1987
• First free solo of Astroman V 5.11, 1987
• First one-day link-up of the Nose of El Capitan and Half Dome, Yosemite, 1986
• First traverse of the Waddington Range, 1985
• First free solo of the Rostrum V 5.11, Yosemite, 1985
• First free ascent of University Wall V 5.12, Squamish, 1982

Films/Book Highlights:

• Moving Over Stone (Parts 1 and 2)
• Masters of Stone
• Painted Spider
• Beyond Gravity
• Authored The Good, the Great and the Awesome (2002), a select guide to the alpine rock routes of the High Sierra

Awards Highlights:

• Gold Medal at the Milano Montagna (2000)
• The American Alpine Club’s Underhill Award (1991)