Short answers, pulled from the story.
Modern rock climbing began in 1886 when Walter Parry Haskett Smith climbed Napes Needle in the Lake District, England. This ascent marked the birth of the sport by focusing on the act of climbing itself rather than reaching a summit.
The introduction of steel pitons after World War II enabled the golden age of big wall aid climbing. Later innovations like spring-loaded camming devices and rubber-soled shoes allowed for clean climbing and more technical movement.
Austrian climber Paul Preuss started the piton dispute in 1911 by arguing that pitons should be used only as emergency aids. This philosophy promoted free climbing and challenged the reliance on permanent hardware.
Alex Honnold free soloed the Freerider route on El Capitan in 2017 without a rope or protection. This feat was immortalized in the Oscar-winning documentary Free Solo and brought rock climbing to the global mainstream.
Rock climbing debuted as an Olympic sport in 2020 under the governance of the International Federation of Sport Climbing. The event combined lead climbing, bouldering, and speed climbing to test different aspects of a climber's abilities.
Lynn Hill became the first person to free climb The Nose on El Capitan in 1993. Her achievement symbolized the changing landscape of the sport and demonstrated that women could close the gap to the highest grades achieved by men.