What’s the 225 Club you ask? Simple – its any climber that has climbed at least V15 and 5.15.
152 = 225
Why are we using the YDS and Vermin scales? Is it because we are based in the US? Is it because we like confusing our international audience? Bob in Montana South Canada, we see you buddy! Is it because we’re too dumb to parse the difference between French and Font scales?
No, no, and no. It’s because it sounds cool, and captures people near the very top of both disciplines, and if I squint really hard, seems like comparable difficulty. V15 was first suggested in 2000, 5.15 in 2001. The V15 has since been downgraded, and some earlier routes have gotten upgrades to 5.15 since, but we think the idea stands. They’re similar numbers, a sizeable pool in both camps, but a fairly small pool in both camps, which makes this an interesting list – good enough for us, its our website.
So, below is a list in rough chronological order of the members, and the first boulder and route that got them the coveted Members Only jacket. If we missed any, please email us. If you have a hot news story on new additions, email us. If you don’t see someone who belongs, keeping scrolling for a list of honorable mentions and the reason why.
A note on downgrades – if the first climb you did has since been downgraded by subsequent ascensionists (ex: Dave Graham’s FA of Coup de Grace seems to have settled at 5.14d), we just take the next most recent. If the climb hasn’t been repeated, it stands until someone legit sends and calls it soft.
| Climber | Class Of | Route | Boulder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Sharma | 2004 | Biographie, 2001 | Practice of the Wild, 2004 |
| John Gaskins | 2004 | Violent New Breed, 2004 | Walk Away SDS, 2003 |
| Markus Bock | 2006 | Corona, 2006 | Gossip, 2002 |
| Dave Graham | 2007 | Biographie, 2007 | The Story of Two Worlds, 2005 |
| Adam Ondra | 2010 | La Rambla, 2008 | Big Paw, 2010 |
| Daniel Woods | 2010 | Jaws II, 2010 | In Search of Time Lost, 2008 |
| Ethan Pringle | 2010 | Biographie, 2007 | Wheel of Life, 2010 |
| Paul Robinson | 2013 | Jaws II, 2013 | Terremer, 2008 |
| Alex Megos | 2015 | La Rambla, 2013 | Lucid Dreaming, 2015 |
| Permin Bertle | 2015 | Scènes biz. dans la mine d’or, 2015 | Wintertime Love, 2015 |
| Sachi Amma | 2016 | Papichulo, 2010 | Asagimadara, 2016 |
| Jernej Kruder | 2016 | Es Pontas, 2016 | The Story of Two Worlds, 2013 |
| John Cardwell | 2016 | Biographie, 2016 | The Game, 2013 |
| Dai Koyomada | 2016 | Corona, 2016 | Byaku-Dou, 2003 |
| Jan Hojer | 2018 | Es Pontas, 2018 | Big Island, 2013 |
| Will Bosi | 2018 | Rainshadow, 2016 | Practice of the Wild, 2018 |
| Jakob Shubert | 2018 | Papichulo, 2011 | Sierra Madre, 2018 |
| Shawn Raboutou | 2018 | First Ley, 2018 | Monkey Wedding, 2016 |
| David Firnenberg | 2018 | La Rambla, 2017 | Dreamtime (Post Break), 2018 |
| Jonathan Flor | 2019 | No Pain No Gain, 2019 | Crisis, 2017 |
| Jorge Diaz Rullo | 2019 | Ali Hulk Extension, 2017 | Soyuz, 2019 |
| Carlo Traversi | 2020 | Empath, 2020 | The Game, 2010 |
| Jimmy Webb | 2020 | Empath, 2020 | La Rustica, 2013 |
| Nathaniel Coleman | 2020 | Empath, 2020 | Grand Illusion, 2020 |
| Sean Bailey | 2020 | Biographie, 2016 | White Noise, 2020 |
| Seb Bouin | ??? | La Madone, 2012 | Quoi de Neuf, 2015 |
| Michaela Kirsch | 2024 | La Rambla, 2023 | Dreamtime, 2024 |
The Elite Elite
These are those that have gone a step beyond in both disciplines, 5.15B and V16, or 9b and 8C+. Unfortunately, those combinations of numbers aren’t as cool as 15×15, maybe we’ll just call these folks 225 Club Ascended Members.
| Climber | Class Of | Route | Boulder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Ondra | 2011 | Golpe de Estado, 2010 | Terranova, 2011 |
| Daniel Woods | 2018 | La Capella, 2018 | Hypnotized Minds, 2010 |
| Dave Graham | 2020 | Ali Hulk Sit, 2020 | Creature From the Black Lagoon, 2016 |
| Sean Bailey | 2021 | Bibliographie, 2021 | Grand Illusion, 2020 |
| Carlo Traversi | 2021 | Flex Luthor, 2021 | Creature From the Black Lagoon, 2020 |
| Will Bosi | 2022 | La Capella, 2020 | Honey Badger, 2022 |
| Jorge Diaz Rullo | 2024 | La Planta de Shiva, 2019 | Muerte por Asfixia, 2024 |
| Jakob Shubert | 2023 | Fight or Flight, 2014 | Alphane, 2023 (Homie skipped V16…..) |
The Elite Elite Elite?
Then there are these guys… I just…. What? 5.15c AND V17? 9b+/9A?
| Climber | Class Of | Route | Boulder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jakob Shubert | 2023 | Perfecto Mundo, 2021 | Alphane, 2023 |
| Sean Bailey | 2024 | Bibliographie, 2021 | Shaolin, 2024 |
A few people are halfway here. Will Bosi would have made it with first ascents of Honey Badger and King Capella. Diaz-Rullo, Bailey, and Ondra have all ticked the route without the V17 boulder (yet). Jakob is actually a half step further still, with his ascent of B.I.G.. We’ll have to to wait until someone opens the first V18 to consider this next accolade.