If you knew anything about the rock climbing scene in the late seventies and early eighties, you knew the name Hugh Herr. At the young age of 17, he was considered a child prodigy, pioneering some of the hardest routes in the nation. The majority of which, if climbed today, still earn you bragging rights. .
Hugh was the youngest of five children. He had 2 older brothers, and two older sisters. He grew up on a small farm in Pennsylvania. From an early age the Herr's often took the summer vacations to national parks, often traveling as far as Mt. Rainier and Yellowstone. So from a young age Hugh developed a love for the outdoors. As the boys grew older there Dad started to take them on mountaineering trips up some of the Northwest's Volcanoes. It was these trips that inspired Tony, Hugh's oldest brother to take up rock climbing. Naturally what his older brother was going to do, Hugh was going to do.
They started climbing on some of the near by cliffs, and boulders, but as they became older and sought more difficult climbs they headed up to New York's Shawgunks. The brothers soon found themselves driving to the Gunk's almost every weekend, not a quick trip, at a driving time of 6 hours! They spent their time during the week working on bouldering problems that they found around their town. It was Hugh who quickly became obsessed with climbing. He joined the schools gymnastics team to help him develop his strength and flexibility. He could also be found out running almost every morning. As Tony started into a relationship, Hugh found himself going to the Gunk's by himself more and more often. Not that he minded he always met up with friends to climb. .
It wasn't long till he became the best climber at the Gunk's. On any weekend one could find him going up some of the hardest routes in the nation, or pioneering new ones! At the age of seventeen Hugh was on top of the world. That winter he and one of his friends, Jeff planned a climb of the notorious Mt.
