List of grade milestones in rock climbing

In rock-climbing, a first free ascent is the first redpoint, onsight or flash of a single-pitch, multi-pitch or bouldering climbing-route that did not involve using aid equipment to help progression or resting — the ascent must thus be performed in either a sport, a traditional, or a free solo manner. First-free-ascents that set new grade milestones are important events in rock climbing history, and are listed below. While sport climbing has dominated grade milestones since the mid-1980s, milestones for modern traditional-climbing, free-solo-climbing, onsighted & flashed-ascents, are also listed.
A climbing route's grade is provisional until enough climbers have repeated it to establish a "consensus". At the highest grades, this can take years as few climbers are capable of repeating these routes. For example, in 2001, Realization was considered the world's first, however, the first repeat of the 1996 route , which only happened in 2008, suggested that it was possibly the first. Open Air has had no further repeats, and has had holds broken since 1996, whereas Realization has had many ascents and is thus a "consensus" 9a+. Thus, the 2nd to 4th ranked candidates are also recorded.
As of January 2026, the technically hardest-ever redpoint of a single-pitch rock-climbing route is at the grade of for men and the grade of for women. The technically hardest onsight is at the grade of for men and for women. The technically hardest boulder solved is at the boulder grade of for men and for women. The technically hardest redpoint of a multi-pitch route is at the grade of. The technically hardest free solo of a single-pitch route is at the grade of, and the technically hardest free solo of a multi-pitch route is at.

Single-pitch routes

Redpointed by men

Pre-sport era

The notable first ascents that set a new highest-grade prior to The Face were traditional climbing routes:

Redpointed by women

Pre-sport era

The notable first female ascents that set a new highest-grade pre Fleur de Rocaille were traditional climbing routes:

Onsighted / Flashed by men

With route beta on the internet, the distinction between an onsight and a flash is less relevant; it is recorded where noted.

Onsighted / Flashed by women

With route beta on the internet, the distinction between an onsight and a flash is less relevant; it is recorded where noted.

Free-solo by men

Boulder problems

Solved by men

Solved by women

Multi-pitch routes

Given the smaller number of entries for multi-pitch and big wall routes, the sections below combine milestones for overall and female ascents. In some cases, the first free ascent was by a climbing pair alternating leads, and in such instances, the first individual to free climb all the pitches is also recorded.

Redpointed

File:CimaOvest-PanAroma.JPG|thumb|Climbers on the roof of Pan Aroma on the Cima Ovest in the Dolomites.

Free-soloed

File:Alex Honnold El Capitan Free Solo 1.png|thumb|Alex Honnold's 2017 free solo of Freerider, El Capitan