Daniel Woods (born August 1, 1989) is an American professional rock climber who specializes in bouldering, and who is considered one of the most important climbers in the history of bouldering. Woods has climbed over thirty boulder problems graded at or above 8C (V15). He has also won several competition bouldering events, such as the U.S. National Bouldering Championship and some international events. In March 2021, Woods achieved the first ascent of a low start to Sleepwalker V16 (8C+) which he named Return of the Sleepwalker and proposed the grade 9A (V17), only the second-ever route in history at that grade.
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Early life
Woods was born in Richardson, Texas, and was introduced to climbing through the cub scouts. In 1997, when he was 8 years old, his family moved to Longmont, Colorado. Woods then began competing and was part of a junior climbing team coached by Justin Sjong and Jimmie Redo.
Climbing career
Rock climbing
In 2003, Woods climbed his first bouldering problem rated 8A (V11), Fuck You Finger. The following year, at the age of 15, he made the first ascent of Echale, grading it 8B+ (V14).
On June 19, 2007, while traveling in the Chaos Canyon area of Rocky Mountain National Park, Woods made the first ascent of Jade, formerly named The Green 45 Project, a project he had worked for several years with Dave Graham. He graded it 8C (V15), making it his hardest ascent at that point. The consensus for the rating of Jade is now 8B+ (V14).
In early 2008, at the age of 18, Woods moved to Innsbruck, Austria, and spent part of his time training with Kilian Fischhuber and David Lama. In May 2008, he made the first ascent of In Search of Time Lost at Magic Wood in Switzerland and graded it 8C (V15).
In November 2011, Woods began filming a climbing movie called Welcome to the Hood with Paul Robinson, Guntram Jörg, and Anthony Gullsten. The filming lasted five months, during which the group climbed at some of the most famous and difficult bouldering sites in the world. The first part of the film was set in Magic Wood, Switzerland, where Woods climbed Somewhere in Between 8B+ (V14).
Competition climbing
Despite primarily focusing on hard outdoor bouldering, Daniel Woods is one of the most accomplished American male competition climbers. He won the ABS National Championship 9 times, the SCS National Championship, and competed in many IFSC World Cup events, earning a gold medal in the Vail World Cup in 2010. Woods also has the most open wins at the Hueco Tanks Rock Rodeo, his most recent having been in 2017.
Woods won the American Bouldering Series national championship in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2013 and the Teva Mountain Games in the bouldering category in 2006, 2007 and, 2010.
Notable ascents
Boulder problems
9A (V17):
Return of the Sleepwalker - Black Velvet Canyon (Red Rocks, USA) - 30 March 2021 - First Ascent
8C+ (V16):
Grand Illusion - Little Cottonwood Canyon (Utah) - June 2021 - Third ascent.
Off the Wagon Low - Val Bavona (Switzerland) - March 2020 - Third ascent.
Sleepwalker - Black Velvet Canyon (Red Rocks, USA) - 16 January 2019 - Second ascent
Box Therapy - Rocky Mountain National Park (USA) - 31 October 2018 - First ascent
Creature from the Black Lagoon - Rocky Mountain National Park (USA) - 27 September 2016 - First ascent
The Process - Bishop (USA) - 17 January 2015 - First ascent
Hypnotized Minds - Rocky Mountain National Park (USA) - 21 October 2010 - First ascent
Insomniac - Lincoln Lake (USA) - 15 September 2022 - Second ascent
Adrenaline - Colorado (USA) - February 2024 - First Ascent
8C (V15):
Direct Hit - Ubatuba (BRA) - 13 December 2019 - First Ascent
Finnish Line - Rocklands (South Africa) - 30 June 2018 - Fifth Ascent
Topaz - Wild Basin (USA) - 12 October 2016 - Second ascent
Redpointed sport routes
9a+ (5.15a):
Thor's Hammer in the Hanshelleren Caves, Flatanger Municipality, Norway in 2019. Repeat
