Jonathan Siegrist Explained

Jonathan Siegrist
Nickname:	J-Star
Education:	Naropa University (BSc.)
Birth Date:	27 August 1985^[1]
Birth Place:	Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
Occupation:	Professional rock climber
Height:	167 cm
Highestonsight:	(flash)
Knownfor:	Prolific +5.15-grade sport climber.
Updated:	18 July, 2023

Jonathan Siegrist (born 27 August, 1985) is an American rock climber who is regarded as one of the world's most prolific extreme sport climbers, and who has redpointed, and made numerous first free ascents, of a large number of sport climbing routes at and above the grade of . Siegrist's breadth of experience at the world's most extreme sport climbing grades, means that he is often looked to for guidance regarding the grading of extreme sport routes in America. While principally known as a sport climber, he has repeated some of the world's hardest traditional climbing routes.

Climbing career

Siegrist began climbing at an early age with his father Bob Siegrist, who was an established 5.13 rock climber, but only started climbing seriously in about 2004, then aged 18.^[2]

Sport climbing

In 2009, Siegrist came to national attention when Climbing Magazine awarded him the in the "Breakaway Success" category.^[3]

In 2014, aged 28, Siegrist climbed his first graded route when he redpointed Chris Sharma's famous 2001 sport climbing route, Realization/Biographie. Over the following year, Siegrist became only the fifth person in history to complete the "9a+ Trilogy", adding La Rambla, and Papichulo. In 2017, Siegrist cemented his status at the 9a+ grade, with ascents of Pachamama, Joe Mama and Chaxi, all completed in one six-week trip to the famous Oliana crag in Spain.

In May 2018, Siegrist came to wider attention with only the second repeat of Sharma's groundbreaking route, Jumbo Love, which was Siegrist's first route at the grade of . In 2019, he repeated a second notable 9b graded route making the third repeat of La Planta de Shiva in Spain, and making his own first free ascent (FFA) of a route with All You Can Eat in the US. Over the next few years, Siegrist would create several other new 9a+ graded routes, and in 2022, he completed his first FFA of a route with Event Horizon, one of America's hardest sport climbing routes.

Traditional climbing

While Siegrist is known as a sport climber, he has repeated some of the world's hardest traditional climbs, including Sonnie Trotter's internationally famous 2007 route, The Path (5.14a R), and the even harder but less repeated route, The Almighty (5.14a/b R), by Ty Mack. In 2016, Siegrist made the first repeat of Tommy Caldwell's 2013 route, Direct Dunn-Westbay (5.14a/b), belayed by his 66-year-old father, Bob.

Notable ascents

Redpointed sport routes

• Stoking the Fire – Santa Linya (ESP) – April 2023. Fifth repeat of Chris Sharma's 2013 route.^{[4] [5] [6]}

• Event Horizon – 5G Wall, Las Vegas (US) – May 2022. First ascent; gives a direct finish to his 2020 5.15a/b route, Nu World.^{[7] [8]}

• Lapsus – Andonno (ITA) – October 2021. Third repeat of Stefano Ghisolfi's 2015 route (and Italy's first-ever 9b);^[9] possible 9a+ now.

• Peruvian Necktie – Pop Tire Cave Utah (US) – May 2021. Second repeat of James Litz's 2013 route, which Siegrist upgraded to 9b.^{[10] [11]}

• La Planta de Shiva – Villanueva del Rosario (ESP) – May 2019. Third repeat of Adam Ondra's 2011 route.^{[12] [13] [14]}

• Jumbo Love – Clark Mountain (US) – May 2018. Second repeat of Chris Sharma's groundbreaking 2008 route.^{[15] [16] [17]}

• Jungle Boogie – Ceuse (FRA) – July 2023. Repeat of Adam Ondra's 2012 route.

• Flex Luthor – Fortress of Solitude, Colorado (US) – November 2022. Third repeat of Tommy Caldwell's 2003 route, which Siegrist downgraded to 9a+, saying that it was much easier than the other 9b's he had done to date.^[18]

• Close Encounters – La Madre range, Nevada (US) – February 2022. First ascent.^{[11] [19]}

• Kinder Cakes – Skull Cave, Rifle Mountain Park, Colorado (US) – August 2022. First repeat of Joe Kinder's 2021 route.^[20]

• Seleccion Anal – Santa Linya (ESP) – March 2022. Second repeat of 's 2016 route.

• Full Metal Brisket – New River Gorge, West Virginia, (US) – December 2020. First ascent.^[21]

• Nu World – 5G Wall, Las Vegas (US) – October 2020. First ascent, and felt by Siegrist to be closer to 9a+/b.^[22]

• One Hundred Proof – Clear Light Cave, Mt. Potosi, Las Vegas, (US) – February 2020. First ascent.^[21]

• All You Can Eat – Mt. Potosi, Las Vegas, (US) – March 2019. First ascent.^{[21] [23] [24]}

• Bone Tomahawk – Flynn Cave, St. George, Utah, (US) – March 2018. First repeat of Joe Kinder's 2016 route, which Siegrist graded as 9a+.^[25]

• Chaxi – Oliana (ESP) – April 2017. Repeat of 's 2016 route.

• Joe Mama – Oliana (ESP) – April 2017. Repeat of Chris Sharma's 2009 route.

• Pachamama – Oliana (ESP) – April 2017. Repeat of Chris Sharma's 2009 route.^{[26] [27]}

• Papichulo – Oliana (ESP) – November 2015. Repeat of Chris Sharma's 2008 route; Siegrist was the 5th person to do the "9a+ Trilogy".^[28]

• La Rambla – Siurana (ESP) – March 2015. Twelfth repeat of the famous route, and Siegrist's second 9a+.^{[29] [30]}

• Realization/Biographie – Ceuse (FRA) – June 2014. Seventh repeat of Chris Sharma's famous 2001 route, and Siegrist's first 9a+.^{[31] [32]}

Traditional climbing routes

• 5.14a (8b+) R. The Path – Lake Louise (Canada) – August 2018. Repeat of Sonnie Trotter's famous 2007 route; at the time, it was one of the world's hardest traditional routes.^[33]
• 5.14a/b (8b+/c). Direct Dunn-Westbay – The Diamond, Colorado (US) – August 2016. First repeat of Tommy Caldwell's 2013 multi-pitch route;^[34] Siegrist was belayed on the route by his 66-year-old father, Bob Siegrist;^[35] also one of the world's hardest traditional climbs.^[33]
• 5.14a/b (8b+/c) R. The Almighty – Teyton Canyon, Wyoming (US) – July 2013. First repeat of Ty Mack's 2011 route;^[36] one of the world's hardest.^[33]
• 5.13d (8b) R. Enter the Dragon – The Fins, Lost River Range, Idaho (US) – September 2012. First ascent, and Siegrist's hardest traditional FFA.^[37]

Onsighted routes

• Digital system – Santa Linya (ESP) – March 2022. Flash.^[38]

• Radote jolie pépère – Ceuse (FRA) – July 2023. Onsight.^{[39] [40]}

Boulder problems

• . Jade – Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado (US) – June 2015. Repeat of Daniel Woods' famous 2007 boulder.^[41]

See also

• List of grade milestones in rock climbing

External links

• VIDEO: Jonathan Siegrist Climbs Flex Luthor 5.15 in Wild Conditions, Gripped Magazine (2022)
• VIDEO: Watch Jonathan Siegrist Cruise Rifle’s Hardest Route, Climbing (2022)
• VIDEO: Jonathan Siegrist Digs Deep for 5.15b Stoking the Fire, Gripped Magazine (2023)

Notes and References

1. Web site: JonathanSiegrist.com . About Jonathan Siegrist . 18 July 2023.
2. Web site: . Q & A with Jonathan Siegrist . 30 May 2012 . 18 July 2023 . Leah . Miller .
3. Web site: . 2009 Golden Piton Awards . 10 December 2009 . 4 August 2023 . Kristin . Bjornsen.
4. Web site: Gripped Magazine . Jonathan Siegrist Digs Deep for 5.15b Send . 17 April 2023 . 18 July 2023.
5. Web site: UKClimbing . Xa . White . 18 April 2023 . 18 July 2023 . Stoking the Fire, 9b, for Jonathan Siegrist .
6. Web site: . Interview: Jonathan Siegrist on Sending His Hardest Route Yet . Delaney . Miller . 8 April 2023 . 2 October 2023.
7. Web site: . Did Jonathan Siegrist Just Establish America's Hardest Sport Climb? . Stephen . Potter . 8 June 2022 . 18 July 2023.
8. Web site: Gripped Magazine . Jonathan Siegrist Climbs New 5.15b at 5G Near Vegas . 6 June 2022 . 18 July 2023.
9. Web site: Gripped Magazine . Jonathan Siegrist Returns to Italy and Grabs Fourth Send of Lapsus 5.15 . 27 October 2021 . 18 July 2023 .
10. Web site: Gripped Magazine . Watch Jonathan Siegrist on Peruvian Necktie 5.15b . 9 June 2021 . 18 July 2023.
11. Web site: . Bigs Sends (and Send Advice) From Jonathan Siegrist . Stephen . Potter . 18 February 2022 . 18 July 2023.
12. Web site: . Alison . Osius . Jonathan Siegrist on his second 15b: "fought like hell until the bitter end" . 14 May 2019 . 18 July 2023.
13. Web site: PlanetMountain . Jonathan Siegrist in Spain sends 9b again, La planta de Shiva at Villanueva del Rosario . 10 May 2019 . 18 July 2023.
14. Web site: Gripped Magazine . Jon Siegrist Sends La Planta de Shiva 5.15b in Spain . 6 May 2019 . 18 July 2023.
15. Web site: . Interview: Jonathan Siegrist Goes Big with Third Ascent of Jumbo Love (5.15b) . Michael . Levy . May 17, 2018 . June 16, 2022.
16. Web site: PlanetMountain . Jonathan Siegrist = Jumbo Love 9b . May 19, 2018 . November 21, 2022.
17. Web site: Gripped . Jonathan Siegrist Sends Jumbo Love 5.15b . May 17, 2018 . November 21, 2022.
18. Web site: Climbing . Jonathan Siegrist Repeats 'Flex Luthor', Skeptical of 5.15b Upgrade.. Stephen . Potter . November 9, 2022 . November 21, 2022 .
19. Web site: New 5.15 for Jonathan Siegrist Called Close Encounters in Nevada. 22 February 2022 . 18 July 2023 .
20. Web site: . Siegrist Claims Second Ascent of Rifle's Hardest Route . Stephen . Potter . 22 August 2022 . 18 July 2023.
21. Web site: . Jonathan Siegrist Establishes 5.15 Full Metal Brisket in the New River Gorge . 2 December 2020 . 18 July 2023 . Bennett . Slavsky.
22. Web site: Gripped Magazine . Watch Jonathan Siegrist on His New Nu World 5.15a/b . 22 December 2020 . 18 July 2023.
23. Web site: Gripped Magazine . Jon Siegrist Sends New 5.15a with All You Can Eat . 30 March 2019 . 18 July 2023.
24. Web site: . Siegrist Fills Up on "All You Can Eat," 5.15a FA in Nevada. 4 April 2019 . 18 July 2023.
25. Web site: . Siegrist Scores First Repeat of Kinder's Bone Tomahawk (5.15a) . Climbing Desk . 17 May 2018 . 18 July 2023.
26. Web site: . Jonathan Siegrist Sends Three 5.15's in Three Weeks . Alison . Osius . 27 April 2017 . 18 July 2023.
27. Web site: . Jonathan Siegrist chains Pachamama 9a+/b, the way of champions . Climbing Desk. 17 April 2017 . es . es.
28. Web site: . Jonathan Siegrist Crushes Papichulo (5.15a) . November 2015 . 18 July 2023 . Climbing Desk.
29. Web site: Gripped Magazine . Jonathan Siegrist Sends La Rambla 5.15a . 21 March 2015 . 18 July 2023.
30. Web site: . Ed. Media . VIDEO: Jonathan Siegrist Climbs La Rambla (5.15a) . March 2015 . 18 July 2023.
31. Web site: PlanetMountain . Jonathan Siegrist and Paige Claassen: Biographie and Just do It . 6 June 2014 . 18 July 2023.
32. Web site: Jonathan Siegrist Sends Biographie/Realization (5.15a). rockandice.com. 2 June 2014. 2 June 2014. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20140605155146/http://www.rockandice.com/lates-news/q-a-jonathan-siegrist-sends-biographie-realization-5-15a. 5 June 2014.
33. Web site: Gripped Magazine . The World's Hardest Trad Routes by Winter 2021 . 1 February 2021 . 18 July 2023.
34. Web site: Gripped Magazine . Jon Siegrist's Second Free Ascent of Colorado 5.14 at 4,200 metres. 8 September 2016 . 19 July 2023 .
35. Web site: UKClimbing . INTERVIEW – Jonathan and Bob Siegrist on the Dunn-Westbay 5.14a . Nathalie . Berry . 20 August 2016 . 18 July 2023.
36. Web site: UKClimbing . The Almighty, 8b+/c trad by Siegrist . Bjorn . Pohl . 24 July 2013 . 18 July 2023.
37. Web site: PlanetMountain . Jonathan Siegrist frees his Algorithm 9a at the Fins, USA . 19 September 2012 . 18 July 2023.
38. Web site: . "It was the best climbing trip of my life": Jonathan Siegrist Crushes His Anti-Style in Spain . Stephen . Potter . 29 April 2022 . 18 July 2023.
39. Web site: Gripped Magazine . Jonathan Siegrist Sends "Nemesis Route" at Céüse . Aaron . Pardy . 12 July 2023 . 18 July 2023.
40. Web site: 8a.nu . Jonathan Siegrist does Jungle Boogie (9a+) . 9 July 2023 . 18 July 2023 . Jens . Larssen.
41. Web site: . Jonathan Siegrist Establishes New 5.14+ in the Fins. 18 July 2023 . Climbing Desk .