Doug Robinson (climber)
American rock climber
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Doug Robinson (b. 1945)[1] is an American rock climber, climbing author and mountain guide. He has been called the father of clean climbing in Yosemite.[2][3] Clean climbing was about encouraging aid climbers to stop using fixed climbing equipment, such as pitons and other hammered-in mechanical gear, and to instead switch to using temporary equipment, which can be removed and causes less damage to the rock surface.[4]
In 1972, he was featured in a National Geographic article about his climb of Half Dome without using pitons, which brought great awareness to the success of clean climbing and catalyzed a rapid change of attitude in the climbing community against pitons.[5][6] The philosophy was shared in the 1972 Chouinard Equipment catalog.[7] It was also advocated in the catalog from company owners Yvon Chouinard and Tom Frost.[4] Notable because at the time pitons were their best selling product.[4]
Robinson grew up in Los Altos Hills, California.[6] After high school he lived with John Fischer in tents on ranch land and attended Foothill College where he obtained an English degree.[6] He later taught there with courses in guiding, climbing, and mountaineering.[6]
Robinson was elected the first President of the American Mountain Guides Association.[8]