We have finally managed to compile a list of the world’s toughest trad routes. Of course, this still needs to be supplemented and corrected. So please come with your notes and corrections.

Probably the most difficult route in this list is „Tripe“ by Jacopo Larcher, which was only started last year. The difficulty is still unconfirmed, but the suggestion comes from Adam Ondra. The oldest route on this list is from Ron Kauk. He climbed the „Magic Line“ route in 1996 with preplaced gears. In 2018, his son Lonnie Kauk was able to remove this „flaw“. The currently most repeated route is the „Cobra Crack“ in the Canadian climbing area Squamish with 13 ascents. The route was first ascented by Sonnie Trotter in 2006.

The list shows all trad routes from grade 8b+/X+. The route „Prinzip Hoffnung“ route an little exception. The route deserves it because of its historical importance. Most trad routes are „traditional“ on the American continent. In Europe, apart from the British Isles, there are likely to be a few more pearls.

RouteGradCrag/GebietErstbegehungsjahrLandBegeher
Snoop Dogg8b+La Pedriza2023SpanienIgnacio Mulero
Das große Knübbeln8b+Pfalz2014DeutschlandFelix Lehmann
La Voyage8b+Chambre du Roi -Annot2017FrankreichJames Pearson, Barbara Zangerl, Jacopo Larcher, Symon Welfringer, Simon Wahli, Steve McClure, Ignacio Mulero, Robbie Phillips, Sébastien Berthe, Caroline Ciavaldini, Adam Ondra, Jean-Elie Lugon
Bon Voyage9a+?Chambre du Roi -Annot2023FrankreichJames Pearson, Adam Ondra
Rhapsody8c+Dumbarton Rock2006GroßbritannienDave MacLeod, Sonnie Trotter, Steve McClure, James Pearson, Jacopo Larcher, Mat Wright
Lexicon8c+Pavey Ark2021GroßbritannienNeil Gresham, Steve McClure, Dave MacLeod, Mat Wright, James Pearson
Echo Wall8cBen Nevis2012GroßbritannienDave MacLeod
Direquiem8b+Dumbarton Rock2010GroßbritannienSonnie Trotter
Longhope Direct8b+St. John's Head2011GroßbritannienDave MacLeod, James McHaffie, Ben Bransby
Tribe9a+?Cadarese2019ItalienJacopo Larcher
Pura Pura8c+Valle dell'Orco2014ItalienTom Randall
Lapoterapia8cOsso2015ItalienJacopo Larcher
Cobra Crack8cSquamish2006KanadaSonnie Trotter, Nico Favresse, Ethan Pringle, Matt Segal, Will Stanhope, Yuji Hirayama, Alex Honnold, Pete Whittaker, Tom Randall, Ben Harnden, Mason Earle, Logan Barber, Said Belhaj
Crack of Destiny8c?Squamish2023KanadaDidier Berthod
Family Man8cSkaha2014KanadaSonnie Trotter, Ben Harnden
Humble8b+Mt. Mizugaki2023JapanWataru Nakajima
Tom Egan Memorial Route8cBugaboos2015KanadaWill Stanhope
La Zébrée8b+Mont-King2007KanadaJean-Pierre Ouellet, Sylvain Masse
Sugar Daddy8b+Squamish2010KanadaSonnie Trotter, Ben Harnden
The Path8b+Lake Louise2012KanadaSonnie Trotter, Ethan Pringle, Miles Adamson, Matt Wilder, Peter Kamitses, Tommy Caldwell, Read Macadam, Tim Emmett, Doug McConnell, Babsi Zangerl, Jonathan Siegrist, Jacopo Larcher, Alexander Megos
Recovery Drink8c+Jossingford2013NorwegenNico Favresse, Daniel Jung, Pete Whittaker
Prinzip Hoffnung8b/+Bürser Platte2009Österreich Beat Kammerlander, Alex Luger, Jacopo Larcher, Fabi Buhl, Babsi Zangerl, Michael Gunsilius, Christian Bindhammer, Nemuel Feurle, Michi Wohlleben, Nadine Wallner, Luisa Deubzer, Lena Marie Müller, Johannes Ingrisch, Anna Hazelnutt
Psychogramm8b+Bürser Platte2018ÖsterreichAlex Luger, Fabi Buhl, Jacopo Larcher, Michi Wohlleben
Leve Leve8b+Pico Cão Grande2018São Tomé and PríncipeIker Pou, Enoko Pou
Into the sun8c+Murgtal2017SchweizBernd Zangerl, Jacopo Larcher
Magic Line8c/+Yosemite1996/2018USARon Kauk*, Lonnie Kauk, Hazel Findlay, Carlo Traversi
Blackbeard's Tears8c+Redwood Coast2016USAEthan Pringle
Meltdown8c+Yosemite2008USABeth Rodden, Carlo Traversi
Black Mamba8cUtah2019USATom Randall, Pete Whittaker
Brozone8cShawangunks2016USAAndy Salo, Sam Elias
Century Crack8cCanyonlands2016USATom Randall, Pete Whittaker, Danny Parker, Molly Mitchell
The Bull8cSquamish2013USAJeremy Smith, Ben Harnden
The Almighty8b+/cTeton Canyon2012USATy Mack, Jonathan Siegrist
Power Ranger8b+Sunset Rocks - Chattanooga2017USAJames Pearson
China Doll8b+Boulder Canyon2017USAMike Patz, Matt Segal, Ethan Pringle, Joe Mills, Heather Weidner
Dihedron8b+Joshua Tree1997USARandy Leavitt
East Coast Fist Bump8b+Oak Creek Canyon2015USAJoel Unema
Enter the Dragon8b+The Fins2012USAJonathan Siegrist
Father's Day8b+Donner Summit2014USAAlan Moore, Nico Favresse, Urs Moosmuller
Full Dunn-Westbay8b+The Diamond2013USATommy Caldwell, Joe Mills, Jonathan Siegrist
Ill Fire8b+Adirondacks2011USAPeter Kamitses
Iron Monkey8b+Eldorado Canyon2008USAMatt Segal, Ethan Pringle, Brian Kim
Magic Mushroom8b+Yosemite2012USATommy Caldwell, Justen Sjong, Babsi Zangerl, Jacopo Larcher
Oppositional Defiance Disorder8b+Adirondacks2011USAPeter Kamitses
Ozone8b+Shawangunks2016USACody Sims, Peter Kamitses, Andy Salo
Planet Claire8b+Shawangunks2015USAScott Franklin, Char Fetterolf, Andy Salo
Proper Soul8b+New River Gorge2011USABrent Perkins
Pure Pressure8b+Escalante Canyon2016USABen Rueck
Sewer Rat8b+Sundown Ledge2009USADave Sharratt
Silently Does the Sun Shine8b+Red River Gorge2012USAAndrew Gearing
South Face (Washington Column)8b+Yosemite2011USAMatt Wilder
Stranger Than Fiction8b+Moab2015USAMason Earle