Doug Robinson

Doug Robinson, born in 1945, is an American rock climber, climbing author and mountain guide who has been called the father of clean climbing in Yosemite. Clean climbing encouraged aid climbers to stop hammering in pitons and other fixed gear and to use removable equipment that causes less damage to the rock. In 1972 a National Geographic article featured his climb of Half Dome without pitons, which brought wide attention to the approach and helped turn the climbing community against pitons. The philosophy was also promoted in the 1972 Chouinard Equipment catalog. Robinson grew up in Los Altos Hills, California, studied English at Foothill College where he later taught guiding and mountaineering courses, and became the first president of the American Mountain Guides Association.