Sonnie Trotter

Canadian professional climber (born 1979)

Traditional climbing
- Crack climbing
Sport climbing
Bouldering

Highest grade

Redpoint: 5.14d (9a)
Bouldering: V12 (8A+)

First ascents

Cobra Crack (5.14b, 2006)
The Path (5.14a R, 2007)

Updated on 8 February 2023.

Sonnie Trotter (born November 15, 1979, in Toronto), is a Canadian professional climber, known for his strength in many rock climbing disciplines – particularly traditional climbing – and contributing to hundreds of first free ascents around the world.

Climbing career

Trotter began climbing in 1997 at age 16 and became the first Canadian to climb at grade 5.14c, and the third North American to make the first free ascent of a 5.14d (9a) graded route. In later years, Trotter became known for his traditional climbing routes, and his first free ascent of the Cobra Crack in Squamish, British Columbia. In 2006, Trotter and climbing partner Matt Segal, connected The Shadow (5.13b), The Grand Wall (5.13b), and The Black Dyke (5.13b), on the Stawamus Chief in Squamish, in a single 12-hour push.

Personal

He currently works at Elevation Place in Canmore, Alberta.^[2] He lives in Canmore with his wife, daughter and son.^[3]

Filmography

'Trotter has been featured in three award-winning films. "The Cobra Crack", won the best short film at the BIMFF in 2006. "If you're not falling" won Best Short Film at BIMFF in 2008 and "First Ascent" is the winner of multiple awards. Trotter is also prominently featured in the opening scenes of the hit motion picture 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2' being chased by Bella while free soloing.^[4]"

Notable ascents

Traditional routes

The Prophet (5.13d R), November 2011, El Capitan. First repeat with Will Stanhope of Leo Houlding's 2010 traditional climbing route.^[5]^[6]
Rhapsody (5.14c X, E11 7a), June 2008, Dumbarton, Scotland. First repeat of Dave MacLeod's famous traditional climbing route, world's first E11.^[7]^[8]
The Path (5.14a R, E10/11), August 2007, Lake Louise, Alberta. First free ascent having chopped the bolts off an abandoned sport climb project.^[9]^[10]
Cobra Crack (5.14b, E9), June 2006, Squamish, British Columbia. First free ascent of one of the world's hardest and most coveted crack climbs.^[11]^[12]
East Face (Monkey Face) (5.13d R), 2004, Smith Rocks. First ascent to use only traditional climbing gear on Alan Watts' sport climbing route.^[13]^[14]

Sport routes

Estado Critico (5.14d), April 7, 2015, Oliana, Spain.
Forever Expired (5.14d, FA in 2004) Ontario's hardest route to date
Necessary Evil 5.14c (8c+), March 2003, Virgin River Gorge, Arizona. Repeat of Chris Sharma's famous 1997 route, the first 5.14c in America.^[15]
Superman (5.14c), 2002, Cheakamus Canyon, Squamish. First ascent of a link-up of several existing routes.^[16]
Just Do It (5.14c)
Sugar Daddy (soft 5.14a, FA in 2010), Nightmare Rock, Squamish BC.
Ewbank Route, Totem Pole (5.12d R in 2015), free ascent of the original aid line on Tasmania's iconic sea column (climbed in one pitch).

Boulder routes

The Proposal V12 (8A+), Squamish, British Columbia
The Egg V11 (8A), Squamish, British Columbia

References

^ ^a ^b Geldhard, Jack (10 June 2008). "Sonnie Trotter - Do what you love. Love what you do". UKClimbing. Retrieved 8 February 2023.}
^ "Media Release: Sonnie Trotter Joins Town of Canmore Team^{[permanent dead link]}". Town of Canmore. Retrieved 2013-07-21
^ "[1]". Sonnie Trotter. Retrieved 2014-01-21
^ "Physical Effects". Hollywood.com. 2012. Archived from the original on 12 August 2017. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
^ O'Malley, Casey (23 November 2011). "Houlding's Prophet Sees Second Ascent". Alpinist. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
^ "The Prophet, first repeat by Sonnie Trotter". PlanetMountain. 22 November 2011.
^ McDonald, Dougald (10 June 2008). "Sonnie Trotter Repeats Rhapsody". Climbing. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
^ "Sonnie Trotter Sending a Bold E11 (5.14c) in Scotland". Gripped Magazine. 29 January 2023. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
^ "Sonnie Trotter finds The Path 5.14 R at Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada". PlanetMountain. 23 August 2007. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
^ Lambert, Erik (31 August 2007). "Trotter Chops Bolts, Sends Marathon Project". Alpinist. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
^ "Cobra Crack is Canada's Famous Hard Gear Route, Here's Who's Climbed it". Gripped Magazine. 20 October 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
^ "Wide Boy Pete Whittaker Sends the Cobra Crack (5.14)". Rock & Ice. 17 February 2021. Retrieved 8 February 2023. The Cobra Crack was finally completed in 2006 by Canadian Sonnie Trotter, and the crack is now considered one of the hardest trad climbs in the world.
^ McDonald, Dougald (27 April 2004). "Trotter Cleans Up Monkey Face". Climbing. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
^ "Mike Doyle Trad Climbs East Face of Monkey Face 5.13d". Gripped Magazine. 31 May 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
^ "Michaela and Paige Send Necessary Evil 5.14c". Gripped Magazine. 8 February 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
^ "Finlayson Sends Superman". Gripped Magazine. 8 May 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2023.

External links

Sonnie Trotter Squamish Guides Profile
VIDEO: Sonnie Trotter's 2006 FA of the Notorious Cobra Crack, Climbing (June 2020)
VIDEO: Watch Sonnie Trotter Climb The Path 5.14R, Gripped Magazine (May 2015)