Margo Hayes


Margo Hayes is an American professional rock climber from Boulder, Colorado. She is known for being the first woman to climb a route graded . In 2016, she won both the Bouldering and Lead Climbing events at the World Youth Championships in Guangzhou.

Biography

Originally a gymnast who trained at CATS Gymnastics in Boulder, Hayes began climbing at age 10. She joined Team ABC, a renowned youth climbing program in Boulder, where she was coached by Robyn Erbesfield-Raboutou. Hayes' grandfather, Dr. James Morrissey, led the first successful climb of the Kangshung Face on Mt. Everest and her father spent time climbing in Yosemite Valley.
On February 26, 2017, Hayes became the first woman to climb a route graded . As of November 2017, the most difficult route ever climbed by a female is . While two other female climbers—Ashima Shiraishi and Josune Bereziartu—had recorded 5.14d/5.15a ascents, Hayes's completion of La Rambla remains the first female ascent of a consensus 5.15a.
As part of the US National Team, Hayes has competed in all three disciplines of the International Federation of Sport Climbing competitions. In 2015, at the IFSC World Youth Championships in Arco, Italy Hayes won silver both in bouldering and lead, behind Janja Garnbret.
In 2016, at the IFSC World Youth Championships in Guangzhou, she competed in the Juniors category, winning both the bouldering and lead events, placing 15th in speed, and placing first in the overall standings. In the same year, Hayes won a Golden Piton award from Climbing Magazine for successfully climbing 14 routes graded 5.14.
Hayes was one of four women to earn a spot on the 2019 U.S. Overall National Team as a first step to qualifying for the 2020 Olympics climbing competition.
In 2016 she won a prize in a scholastic art show.

Rankings