Person Biography:
Frédéric Nicole, also known as Fred Nicole, was born in 1970 in Vevey, Switzerland. He started climbing at the age of 13 with his brother François Nicole. In 1986, Fred successfully repeated the route Le Toit d'Auguste, which had been attempted by many climbers without success. This route, opened by French climber Patrick Berhault, was rated 8b+, the highest level at the time.
In the late 1980s, Fred discovered the climbing site of Saint-Loup in Switzerland. In 1987, he made the first ascent of Anaïs and Cannabis, the second route rated 8c after Wall Street, opened by Wolfgang Güllich in Frankenjura.
From the beginning of the 1990s, Fred Nicole made numerous ascents of blocks rated 8A and 8A+. In 1993, he made the first ascent of Bain de Sang, rated 9a, one of the few climbers to practice climbing at the highest grade both in bouldering and in cliff.
In the following years, Fred continued to make numerous first ascents of blocks and routes of very high level. He discovered the sites of Fontainebleau and Hueco Tanks, where he carried out numerous repetitions of blocks rated from 8A to 8B. He also made the first ascent of La Pierre Philosophale and La Couronne d'Aragorn, both rated 8B.
In 1997, Fred traveled to South Africa and made many first ascents of boulders between 8A and 8B. Two years later, he made a second trip there and successfully completed Armed Response, Oral Office, and Desperado, a series of blocks opened by Klem Lostok.
In 2000, Fred made the first ascent of Dreamtime in Cresciano, Switzerland, and in 2006, he reached a higher level by performing the opening of Terremer, originally rated 8C+, but downgraded to 8C by his second coach, Paul Robinson in 2008.
In the following years, Fred made many openings of blocks and routes of very high level without giving precise quotations. He notably made Entlinge, L'isola che non c'è, and Boa.
In 2015, at the age of 45, Fred made the first ascent of Azark, rated 8C.
