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2000
Todd
Skinner (United States)
Todd
Skinner is one of the most diversely accomplished rock climbers of his generation. His
achievements have been documented in film and magazines in eight languages. He has made
more than 300 first ascents in 26 countries around the world and has  established new
climbs at the highest level of difficulty. He relishes the challenge of all aspects of
rock climbing, from bouldering to Himalayan peaks, but most of all dreams about Big Walls
that may be free-climbed in all corners of the globe.
Todd's climbing highlights include the first free ascent of
the Salathe Wall on El Capitan in Yosemite National Park; the first free ascent of the
north face of Mt. Hooker in the Wind River Range; the first free ascent of the Proboscis
Wall in the Cirque of the Unclimbables in the Yukon Territories; the first free ascent of
the Northwest Direct Route on Half Dome, Yosemite National Park; the first free ascent of
the east face of Trango Tower in Pakistan's Karakorum Himalayas (the first grade 7 free
climb in the world). Skinner also has the first free ascent of a new route on Kaga Pamari,
Hand of Fatima Group, Mali, West Africa, and the first free ascent of a new route, War and
Poetry, on Ulamertorsuaq, in the Cape Farewell region of Greenland.
Skinner's accomplishments have been covered by periodicals
including National Geographic (cover feature on Nameless Tower April 1996 and article on
Vietnam December 1997), Life Magazine, Outside Magazine, USA Today, Climbing, Rock and
Ice, and the premier issue of National Geographic Adventure, April 1999. His expeditions
to Pakistan, Vietnam, and Mali have been featured on the Outdoor Life Channel. His
expedition to Greenland will be an Outdoor Life Channel feature this fall. His expedition
to Aritiyope, an Amazon big wall in Venezuela, was featured on ESPN. Todd was invited to
be one of three adventurers included in National Geographic's first Live from National
Geographic lecture program held outside of Washington D.C.
Todd has been at the forefront of the development of free
climbing in the United States for the last 20 years and continues to believe the future of
the sport lies in free climbing on bigger walls in remote corners of the world. Todd
always has at least five years of plans on the drawing board and is most energized by
dreaming of first free ascents in unexplored regions and unknown ranges.
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