Background
Skinner was born in Pinedale, Wyoming, and planned to "take a little while off to climb" after gaining a degree in finance from the University of Wyoming in 1982.
Skinner was born in Pinedale, Wyoming, and planned to "take a little while off to climb" after gaining a degree in finance from the University of Wyoming in 1982.
Instead, he became a full-time free climber and motivational speaker. In 1990, he settled in Lander, Wyoming, in part because he considered the dolomite cliffs there to be the ultimate training ground for free climbing. He opened the Wild Iris Mountain Sports store in Lander, and encouraged visits by climbers from around the world.
Todd Skinner completed a new route up the face of Leaning Tower in Yosemite National Park on October 23, 2006.
While rappelling down, he fell 500 feet and died. The cause of death was the failure of the belay loop of his climbing harness.
1985: The Gunfighter (513b), Hueco Tanks, Texas, United States of America
1986: City Park (513b), Lower Index Town Wall, Washington, United States of America
1988: The Salathe Wall (VI 513b), El Capitan, Yosemite National Park
1989: Lizzy Beams Desire (514a), Black Hills, South Dakota, United States of America
1990: The Jaded Lady (VI 512a), North face of Mountain. Hooker, Wind River Range, Wyoming.
With Paul Piana, Galen Rowell and Tim Toula.
1992: The Great Canadian Knife (VI 513b), Cirque of the Unclimbables, Yukon Territories, Canada
1993: Northwest Direct Route (VI 513d) on Half Dome, Yosemite National Park
1995: Cowboy Direct (VII 513a) East Face of Trango Tower, Pakistan"s Karakoram Himalayas (the first Grade 7 free climb in the world). 1998: War and Poetry (VI 512c), Ulamertorsuaq, Cape Farewell, of Greenland
2000: True at First Light (VI 513a), East Face of Poi, Ndoto Mountains, Northern Kenya
2004: Wet Lycra Nightmare (V 513d), Leaning Tower, Yosemite, California, United States of America.