Ascent Log
| Climber | Suggested Grade | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Sharma | 9a+/5.15a | 18th Jul 2001 | FA of one of the first 9a+ routes Video |
| Sylvain Millet | 9a+/5.15a | 24th May 2004 | Video |
| Patxi Usobiaga | 9a+/5.15a | 29th Jul 2004 | Video |
| Dave Graham | 9a+/5.15a | 30th Jul 2007 | Video |
| Ethan Pringle | 9a+/5.15a | 2nd Sep 2007 | DMM Article |
| Ramón Puigblanque | 9a+/5.15a | 27th Jul 2008 | |
| Enzo Oddo | 9a+/5.15a | 15th Aug 2010 | 8a Article |
| Jonathan Siegrist | 9a+/5.15a | 1st Jun 2014 | Jonathan’s first 9a+ Climbing Narc Post |
| Alex Megos | 9a+/5.15a | 11th Jul 2014 | Clipped the chains on his 3rd go on the same day! Planet Mountain Interview |
| Adam Ondra | 9a+/5.15a | 22nd Jul 2014 | Adam Ondra tried to flash the route. Video |
| Sachi Amma | 9a+/5.15a | 7th Aug 2014 | Video |
| Stefano Ghisolfi | 9a+/5.15a | 22nd Jun 2015 | Planet Mountain Interview |
| Jon Cardwell | 9a+/5.15a | 25th May 2016 | Rock & Ice Magazine |
| Sean Bailey | 9a+/5.15a | 5th Aug 2016 | Rock & Ice Magazine |
| Margo Hayes | 9a+/5.15a | 24th Sep 2017 | Margo made history as the first woman to climb Biographie. No other woman is yet to match this feat. Video |
| Piotr Schab | 9a+/5.15a | 3rd Jul 2018 | Planet Mountain |
| Stefano Carnati | 9a+/5.15a | 22nd Sep 2018 | Video |
| Jorge Díaz-Rullo | 9a+/5.15a | 13th Jul 2019 | Instagram Post |
| Sébastien Bouin | 9a+/5.15a | 13th Jun 2020 | Video |
| Matty Hong | 9a+/5.15a | 29th May 2023 | Gripped Magazine |
| Tanguy Merard | 9a+/5.15a | May 2023 | Instagram Post |
Climb Profile
The Route
Jean-Christophe Lafaille, a French climber, bolted the limestone route named Biographie in 1989. Although he did not climb it, Arnaud Petit of France managed to climb the lower half and place a bolt at his high point in 1996, grading the route as an 8c+. Petit didn’t reach the summit because of a 7B boulder problem in the middle.
Chris Sharma made over 30 attempts between 1996 and 2000 but was unable to overcome the boulder move. After skipping the Bouldering World Cup in Gap (near Céüse), Sharma sent Biographie three days later, linking the two sections and renaming the route Realisation. The renaming of the route caused quite a stir among the French community so it remained at its original name sticking to the European climbing tradition.
The bouldering style in which it can be completed adds to the charm and difficulty of Biographie. The route begins with what appears to be a boulder problem, followed by a sustained 8a climb consisting of two three finger pockets and underclings up to Arnaud Petit’s anchor.
The final crux is a 12-move dance with foot movement and small pockets and crimps while you’re already pumped and numb from getting there. The last section above the crux is rated as an easy 6c until the top bolts.
Biographie/Realisation is regarded as one of the world’s first 9a+ routes, though Open Air from Austria and Mutation from England, both bolted in the 1990s, may be considered earlier 9a/+ pitches climbed before Sharma’s ascent.
After climbing Biographie, Margo Hayes, the first woman to ever complete the 9a+ consensus (2017), described the route as more mentally difficult than La Rambla, also requiring finding a perfect balance between strength and endurance.
Wall of Glory
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First Ascent: Chris Sharma
18th July 2001
Climbing legend, Chris Sharma, spent three years and made over thirty attempts to free Biographie. While he successfully freed the first section in three days, he failed for a month in 1997 while battling the high crux. Even though Sharma does not assign grades to routes, this was one for the record books.
The film Dosage Volume 1 depicted the climb and struggle. Sharma described the route as intimidating because he had to skip bolts to conserve energy, resulting in large falls. His “Realisation” was as he says the result of “three years of trying, walking up to the crag, putting on the climbing shoes, lighting incense, chalking up, and starting off again for the next attempt”
Second Ascent: Sylvain Millet
24th May 2004
French climber, Sylvain Millet managed the first repeat of this epic route almost three full years after Sharma’s achievement.
When talking to Climbing Magazine about his ascent, he declared that he cannot grade Biographie but is harder than what he climbed before.
“I don’t have enough reference to say if it is 9a or 9a+ — I have made only two 8c+’s [plus Biographie], and one of them has not been repeated. Moreover, I don’t care about that,”
“The only thing that suggests it would be 9a+ is the number of climbers who are very strong who tried the route without linking it, and the number of tries which Chris did to link it — and me even more!”
A great and healthy philosophy regarding climbing just for the love of it, without hunting grades.
Third Ascent: Patxi Usobiaga
29th July 2004
Patxi Usobiaga made the third ascent on July 29, just a few months after Millet. Biographie was the first 9a+ in the Basque climber portfolio, and it was quickly followed by more in the years that followed.
Patxi, now retired from competitive climbing, is making significant changes in the climbing world, particularly as a trainer, with Adam Ondra among them.
Legacy
Biographie, which is still considered a benchmark for difficulty in sport climbing, has been climbed over 20 times in the last 22 years, with notable climbers taking on this behemoth route.
Among the most notable attempts we can recall was Adam Ondra’s failed attempt in 2012 to achieve his “long-term crazy dream to flash this route.”
Aside from Ondras’ insane attempt, one of the most remarkable repeats was Alex Megos‘ ascent after only three burns in a single day (2014), which set a record for the quickest repeat of the Biographie climb. As he stated in an interview with Planet Mountain, it was a dream come true for him, as it was one of the best routes he had ever climbed.
Of course, we can’t talk about Biographie and not mention Margo Hayes’ monumental achievement of being the first (and currently only) woman to have climbed this iconic route.
A symbol of difficulty and inspiration for climbers, Biographie is still a driving force behind training and progression, with more climbers attempting to send it faster and better. Congratulations to Matty Hong for completing his lifetime goal on this route in June 2023, making him the most recent climber to reach the top!
Video Library
