Just a Marketing Label

If a male went out and climbed the second ascent of one of my routes, would he call it the first male ascent? No! It’s a repeat ascent, and that’s all it is.

I don’t see the term “first female ascent” unless it’s pushing a product or an athlete. It’s such a crazy label, such a marketing label. And yet there are so many women who we don’t hear about who are pushing themselves, going out there and discovering new routes.

I wish there was more drive to promote that adventure rather than re-labeling a route that’s already been done. Neither the media nor climbers should give in to this kind of substandard. Go out there, climb the second ascent and be proud to have climbed the second ascent.

—Tamara Hastie, Flagstaff, Arizona

Tamara Hastie sending Three Turkeys (5.11c), the classic route of its grade at Paradise Forks, Arizona. [Photo] James Q Martin