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Patrick Edlinger

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Patrick Edlinger
Personal information
NationalityFrench
Born(1960-06-15)15 June 1960
Dax, Landes
Died16 November 2012(2012-11-16) (aged 52)
La Palud-sur-Verdon
Climbing career
Highest grade
Known for
Medal record
Sport RocciaI Bardonnechia
Winner1986Lead
Snowbird International Sport Climbing Championship
Winner1988Lead
Rock Master
Winner1988Lead
Munich International Sport Climbing Championship
Winner1989Lead
Updated on 18 september 2026

Patrick Edlinger (15 June 1960 – 16 November 2012) was a professional French rock climber and climbing author and climbing film-maker. Edlinger is considered a pioneer of the rock-climbing disciplines of sport climbing, of competition climbing, and of free solo climbing, and was ranked amongst the world's greatest rock-climbers during the mid to late 1980s as the sport began to moderize from its traditional climbing roots and into sport-climbing and competition-climbing.[1][2]

Edlinger was the second-ever climber to redpoint at grade 7c (5.12d) with Nymphodalle (1979), and at grade 7c+ (5.13a) with Le Toit (1981). He was the first-ever climber to onsight at grade 7b+ (5.12c) with Captain crochet (1982), and second-ever at grade 7c (5.12d) with La Polka des Ringards (1982). His free solo in 1989 of Orange Mécanique 8a (5.13b) was the second-ever at that grade in history. Nicknamed "Le Blond" (after his hair), he became known for his climbing style and physical appearance within the rock climbing community.[3]

Early life

[edit]

Patrick Edlinger was born in Dax, Landes. His father, Jean-Marie Edlinger (1936–2023)[4], was a French Air Force pilot stationed in Dax when Patrick was born, before the family settled in La Seyne-sur-Mer. Family vacations were spent notably in Ailefroide, in the Écrins, where Patrick discovered the mountains at a very early age. As a mountain enthusiast, his father teach him to rock climbing at the age of nine and accompanied him on his first multi-pitch climbs. Family moved later in the city of Barcelonette in Ubaye Valley. His mother, Éliane, also provided him with deep support throughout his climbing career[5]. Patrick has a sister named Corinne, she appeared in films alongside her brother in José Giovanni's "Les Loups Entre Eux " (Among Wolves) (1985)[6], credited as Corinne Edlinger in the role of Jackie, Patrick's sister.[7].

Climbing career

[edit]

At 17–18, Patrick Edlinger left school to devote himself to rock climbing, frequenting major French rock climbing areas such as Buoux, the Verdon Gorge and the Calanques. It was during this period that photographer Robert Exertier arranged a meeting between Edlinger and another leading French climber, Patrick Berhault—who was three years his senior. Together, they formed a remarkable climbing partnership in the early 1980s, achieving first free ascents at the highest difficulty grades of the time as well as notable alpine climbs[8]. Pioneers in their field, they developed an intensive training regimen that included running, pull-ups, weight training, and flexibility work. Nicknamed "the Blond" and "the Brun" (the Dark-Haired One) respectively, they distinguished themselves through an approach that prioritized physical conditioning, lightweight gear, and free climbing—sometimes even free soloing. From 1978 onwards, they completed several notable ascents in the Alps, such as the speed record for the "Voie des Plaques" on Ailefroide Occidentale (1,000 m, ED), completing the round trip from the village of Ailefroide in 23 hours during the winter of 1980[9].

The duo distinguished themselves through numerous free-climbing ascents in the Verdon—often moving simultaneously ("rope-stretched") or solo—undertaking bold link-ups that were remarkable for the time.

The Verdon Gorges
The Verdon Gorges (France)

Patrick Edlinger came to public attention with Jean‑Paul Janssen’s film La Vie au Bout des Doigts (Life By Fingertips) (1982), a documentary showing Edlinger free solo climbing in Buoux, and at La Piade, above the sea near Toulon,[10] and made him a leading figure in the free climbing world at the time. His fluid climbing style and personal physical appearance made him a recognisable figure beyond the climbing world.[11]. In 1983, he made the first free ascent of Ça Glisse Au Pays des Merveilles at Buoux, one of the first 8a (5.13b) graded sport climbs in France.[12] In 1984, Edlinger was the subject of the short climbing film, Opera Vertical, which concludes with a solo ascent in the Verdon Gorge — set to the music Wie furchtsam wankten meine Schritte from J.S. Bach's Cantata BWV 33 — during the final sequence. "Le Blond", as he had then come to be known, had a smooth and astehic style of free climbing that lent itself to film.[13]

In the summer of 1985, Edlinger — accompanied by Jean-François "Poil" Lignan and photographer Gérard Kosicki — embarked on a road trip across the United States. Starting in Colorado in late July, Edlinger sent Grand Inquisitor at Bell Buttress and completed the crack climb of Sphinx Rock 8a (5.13b) in six attempts. The journey continued to Lake Tahoe, California, where he ascented the famous Grand Illusion, the world's first ever 8a (5.13b) route. In the Joshua Tree desert, he climbed Asteroid Crack and Five Crying Cowboys before, among others, conquering the basalt columns of El Matador at Devils Tower, Wyoming, along with many other major routes of the era. This historic cross-country trip concluded in September on the overhangs of the Shawangunks, near New York. The story of this journey is told through images in the book Rock Games (1985) by photographer Gérard Kosicki.[14]

Edlinger won some of the first competition climbing events in history, including Sportroccia (1986), Rock Master and Snowbird (1988), the first ever competition climbing event to be held in the US, at the 1988 International Sport Climbing Championships in Snowbird, Utah.[15][16]. In 1988, at the prestigious Rock Master competition in Arco, Italia—held for the first time on an artificial wall—Patrick Edlinger and Stefan Glowacz tied for first place. This was a pivotal event that marked climbing's transition into its modern, media-focused form[17]. In 1989, he won the World Championships in Munich. The final featured a "side-by-side" showdown between German climber Wolfgang Güllich and Patrick Edlinger. The film of this showdown highlighted the two diametrically opposed approaches of the climbers, with Güllich’s athletic power versus Edlinger’s fluidity, technical reading of the route.[18].

In 1989, atrick Edlinger completed a free solo ascent of Orange Mécanique 5.13b (8a), which was the second-ever time a climber has free-soloed at that grade in history.[19] at Cimaï (South of France), an extraordinary feat for the time at that level of difficulty[20].

Final years and death

[edit]

On 21 July 1995, while training in the Calanques near Marseille on a route graded 7b (5.12b), he skipped several pieces of protection to save time; a hold broke and he fell about 18 metres. He survived with muscle tears and a cardiac arrest, but the accident marked the end of his top‑level career and of his extreme free solos. Afterwards he gradually withdrew from competition climbing and from free soloing, turning to other projects (route development, mentoring, life in the Verdon) and co-founded the magazine Roc 'n Wall, which served as a bible to the burgeoning European free-solo climbing movement. He settled close to Verdon Gorge, where the vacation rental he ran with his Slovakian-born wife Matia, Gîte l'Escales in La Palud-sur-Verdon, became a starting-point for rock climbers.

Haunted by old demons, and by the death in 2004 of his friend and alter-ego, Patrick Berhault,[21], which occurred following a fall in the Swiss Alps, his final years were marked by a long battle against depression and addictions, which he described as the "greatest challenge of my life".[22]

Patrick Edlinger died on November 16, 2012, at the age of 52,[23] after falling down stairs at his home. He is survived by his wife, Matia, and their daughter, Nastia, who was 10 years old at the time.[24]

Legacy

[edit]

On this death, tributes came from major global rock climbers including Catherine Destivelle, Lynn Hill, Ron Kauk, Alain Robert, Stefan Glowacz, Ben Moon, Chris Sharma, Adam Ondra, and Jerry Moffatt.[25] Lynn Hill wrote a personal tribute, recalling climbing and working with Edlinger and describing him as an inspiration to her generation. At his funeral in Manosque, around 200 friends and admirers attended; among those mentioned were Jean-Paul Lemercier, Michel Béal, Jean-Michel Asselin and photographer Maurice Rebeix.[26] The French minister of sports and youth, Valérie Fourneyron, said of Edlinger, « Patrick was a pioneer in France for free climbing at a high level, a man who had a thirst for the absolute challenge. He refused to compromise and disdained conventions. He dedicated his life to his passion – climbing. He was the first to establish climbing as a true discipline of live art, paving the way for many to climb with respect for nature ».[27]

His legacy is also rememberd in the routes and structures named in his honour: in 2012 Chris Sharma equipped a route called Le Blond in Oliana,(Spain), the climbing gym in Barcelonnette was named after him in 2018, and a 250‑metre route was opened in 2021 in the Verdon Gorge.[28][29][30][31][32]

Notable climbs

[edit]

The following a summary of his notable ascents:[1][33]

  • 8c/5.14b:
    • Maginot Line – Volx (FRA) – 1989 – Second ascent of Ben Moon's route (1989)
    • Azincourt – Buoux (FRA) – 1989 – Ben Moon's route (1989)
    • Le Minimum – Buoux (FRA) – 1989
    • Asymptote – Saint-Crépin (FRA) – 1989 – Second ascent of Antoine Le Menestrel's route (1987)
    • Are you Ready? – Châteauvert (FRA) – 1988 – First ascent
  • 8b+/5.14a:
    • Les Spécialistes – Verdon (FRA) – 1989 – Second ascent of Jean-Baptiste Tribout's route (1987)
  • 8b/5.13d:
    • Les Sucettes à l'anis – Cimaï (FRA) – 1988 – First ascent
  • 8a+/5.13c:
    • La Femme Blanche – Céüse (FRA) – 1985
    • La Boule – Sainte-Victoire (FRA) – 1984 – First ascent
  • 8a/5.13b:
    • Orange Mécanique – Cimaï (FRA) – 1989 – Free solo ascent
    • Sphinx Crack – South Platte, Colorado (USA) – 1985[34]
    • Ça Glisse au pays des merveilles – Buoux (FRA) – 1983 – First ascent[35]
  • 7c+/5.13a:
    • La Femme Noire (7c/7c+) – Céüse (FRA)
    • Fenrir – Verdon (FRA) – 1982 – First ascent
  • 7c/5.12d:

Films and documentaries

[edit]
  • 1980: Overdon by Jean-Paul Janssen.
  • 1981: Over-Ice by Jean-Paul Janssen.
  • 1981: Oversand by Jean-Paul Janssen.
  • 1982: La Vie Au Bout Des Doigts by Jean-Paul Janssen: nominated for a César Award in 1984 in the Best Documentary Short Film category and adapted in 1984 for a National Geographic documentary series[37].
  • 1984: Opéra Vertical by Jean-Paul Janssen : adapted in 1989 for a National Geographic documentary series.
  • 1985: Les Loups Entre Eux by José Giovanni: Patrick, the climber.
  • 1986: Les Conquérants de l'Impossible: Portrait de Groupe by Bernard Dumont and Bernard Choquet.
  • 1989: Passion Extrême by Georges Auzolat.
  • 1992: La Belle Histoire by Claude Lelouch.
  • 1994: Le Grec - Georges Livanos by Jean Afanassieff.
  • 1997: Roc'n Wall 97 by Maurice Rebeix.
  • 1998: Verdon Forever by Maurice Rebeix.
  • 1998: Arrow Head by Maurice Rebeix.
  • 1999: Escalade : Voyage au bout de l'exploit.
  • 2001: La Cordée De Rêve by Gilles Chappaz.
  • 2008: Berhault by Gilles Chappaz.

See also

[edit]
[edit]
  • Vidéo : La Vie au Bout des Doigts (Life By Fingertips)[38] (1982), directed by Jean-Paul Janssen.
  • Vidéo : Opéra Vertical[39] (1984), directed by Jean-Paul Janssen.
  • Book : Patrick Edlinger by Patrick Edlinger and Jean-Michel Asselin, 2013 (ED. Guérin)

References

[edit]
  1. 1 2 "Adieu Patrick Edlinger". planetmountain.com. 17 November 2012. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  2. ↑ "Patrick Edlinger: The highs and lows of France's pioneering rock god". The Independent. 1 December 2012. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022.
  3. ↑ https://www.thomascrauwels.ch/en/blog/patrick-edlinger-la-blonde-escalade-icone-des-annees-80/?srsltid=AfmBOorKNUL7fHLMFkLvBdWRV6oL2OCxVw9ghri-nBSSKx_N7O39_2WT
  4. ↑ "Monsieur Jean-Marie EDLINGER".
  5. ↑ "Patrick Edlinger, grimpeur français, pionnier de l'escalade libre". Anniversaire Célébrité (in French). Retrieved 21 September 2026.
  6. ↑ "Les Loups entre eux (José Giovanni, 1985) - La Cinémathèque française". www.cinematheque.fr (in French). Retrieved 21 September 2026.
  7. ↑ Douglas, Ed (16 November 2021). "The Triumphs and Tragedy of Patrick Edlinger". Climbing. Retrieved 21 September 2026.
  8. ↑ https://www.climbing.com/culture-climbing/the-tragedy-of-patrick-edlinger/
  9. ↑ Montagnes. "Solo : des hommes pressés". Montagnes Magazine : l'actu montagne, alpinisme, test matériel ski rando, randonnée (in French). Retrieved 21 September 2026.
  10. ↑ "La vie au bout des doigts". Summit Day. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
  11. ↑ Montagnes. "[Film] La vie au bout des doigts : le documentaire culte sur Patrick Edlinger". Montagnes Magazine : l'actu montagne, alpinisme, test matériel ski rando, randonnée (in French). Retrieved 18 September 2026.
  12. ↑ Semet, Matt (2011). The Climbing Dictionary. The Mountaineers Books. p. 204. ISBN 9781594855030.
  13. ↑ "documentaire de Gilles Chappaz sur le grimpeur Patrick Edlinger. Le temps n'a pas de prise sur Edlinger". Libération. 14 June 1997. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
  14. ↑ https://alpinemag.fr/patrick-edlinger-legende-escalade/
  15. ↑ "Continuing to dream of Patrick Edlinger". planetmountain.com. 19 November 2012. Retrieved 12 May 2013.
  16. ↑ "Deseret News", 'French Dominate Climbing Meet at Snowbird", 13 June 1988.
  17. ↑ "Comment le Championnat du Monde d'escalade a évolué au fil des années ? · PlanetGrimpe - Toute l'actualité escalade" (in French). Retrieved 24 September 2026.
  18. ↑ "Gullich and Edlinger: side by side climbing footage | Climber Magazine". www.climber.co.uk. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
  19. ↑ https://alpinemag.fr/patrick-edlinger-legende-escalade/
  20. ↑ https://climbing-history.org/climb/1508/orange-m%C3%A9canique
  21. ↑ https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/remembering-patrick-berhault-20th-anniversary-of-his-death.html
  22. ↑ https://livre.tourisme-alpes-haute-provence.com/patrick-edlinger-jean-michel-asselin/
  23. ↑ "Patrick Edlinger, l'homme qui a révolutionné l'escalade". Libération (in French). Archived from the original on 21 November 2025. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
  24. ↑ "Patrick Edlinger, l'homme libre qui a popularisé l'escalade". Le Monde (in French). 17 November 2012. ISSN 1950-6244. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
  25. ↑ https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/features/patrick_edlinger_-_le_blond-5117
  26. ↑ https://www.ledauphine.com/societe/2012/11/22/patrick-edlinger-a-rejoint-le-paradis-des-grimpeurs?utm_source=chatgpt.com
  27. ↑ "TRIBUTE: Patrick Edlinger - "Le Blond"". www.ukclimbing.com. 28 November 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2026.
  28. ↑ "Patrick Edlinger obituary". The Guardian. 10 December 2012.
  29. ↑ "Patrick Edlinger". The Daily Telegraph. 28 November 2012.
  30. ↑ "Escalade : Patrick Edlinger est mort". Le Dauphiné Libéré. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
  31. ↑ "Edlinger : mort d'un pionnier de l'alpinisme". Le Figaro. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 17 November 2012. Né à Dax en 1960, Edlinger était devenu célèbre après le film "La Vie au bout des doigts", réalisé par Jean-Paul Janssen, qui avait connu un succès retentissant en 1982
  32. ↑ "Patrick Edlinger, pionnier de l'escalade à mains nues". Le Monde. 2 November 2012. Retrieved 24 November 2012. Avant lui, l'escalade n'était qu'une section de l'alpinisme. Il lui a permis de conquérir son autonomie et ses lettres de noblesse à une époque où les murs de varappe urbains n'existaient pas.
  33. ↑ "Ha muerto Patrick Edlinger" (in Spanish). desnivel.com. 16 November 2012. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  34. ↑ Jeff Achey; Dudley Chelton; Bob Godfrey (2002). Climb!: The History of Rock Climbing in Colorado. The Mountaineers Books. p. 250. ISBN 9780898868760.
  35. ↑ "French Advantages – Part II. The short history of rock climbing 1980–1990". climbandmore.com. Retrieved 15 May 2013.
  36. ↑ Hobley, Nicholas (17 November 2012). "Adieu Patrick Edlinger". PlanetMountain. It was at the famous Luberon crag Buoux that Edlinger first began to leave his indelible mark, climbing numerous routes up to 7a solo (such as the exposed Pilier des Fourmis), succeeding 30 years ago in the world's first 7b on-sight (Captain crochet) and then, in that magic 1982 and still at Buoux, managing to on-sight the world's first 7c, La polka des ringards.
  37. ↑ https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1060354/
  38. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhKSadNnEZo
  39. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XejNaPGgBB8
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