Ron Fawcett

Profession: Rock Climber

Biography: Ron Fawcett is a British rock climber and author who rose to fame between the 1970s and 1980s for his impressive ascents and for being one of the first to treat rock climbing as a full-time profession.

Born in 1955, Fawcett quickly became a celebrated figure in the British climbing community. In the 1970s, his ascent of demanding routes set new standards in the field. Mentored by Pete Livesey, a fellow British climber, their alliance also harbored a competitive edge that pushed both to greater heights.

Fawcett's climbing career was punctuated by groundbreaking first ascents like Slip 'n' Slide (E6 6a) in 1976 and Lord of the Flies (E6 6a) in 1979. Occasional controversies arose from his actions, however, such as the addition of two bolts during his ascent of The Cad (E6 6a).

He also succeeded in sports climbing with feats like conquering The Prow F7c (5.12d) in 1982. In 1986, free soloed over 100 extreme gritstone routes in a single day. The following year, he went on to complete the formidable highball boulder problem Careless Torque 8A (V11).

Expanding his influence beyond physical ascents, in 1987 Fawcett co-wrote Fawcett on Rock alongside John Beatty and M. John Harrison. He later co-authored another book with Ed Douglas, titled Ron Fawcett, Rock Athlete, which won the 2010 Boardman Tasker Prize for Mountain Literature.

His life and achievements were also captured on film by noted directors like Sid Perou, Eric Harrison, and Leo Dickinson.

Born: May 6, 1955
Birthplace: Embsay, North Riding of Yorkshire, England
Age: 69 years old

Generation: Baby Boomer
Chinese Zodiac: Goat/Sheep
Star Sign: Taurus