Oliver Perry-Smith

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Oliver Perry-Smith (born October 11, 1884 in Philadelphia, died 1969) was an American climber who moved to Dresden in 1902 to attend a technical university. He became well-known in the Sächsische Schweiz for the first ascents of major peaks such as

Schrammtorwächter (VI) in 1905
Kanzelturm (VI) in 1905
Teufelsturm (VIIb) in 1906 (at 5.8+ - with a shoulder stand - a very difficult rock climb)

and first ascents of several climbing routes that are still very popular today, e. g.:

Spannagelturm Perrykante VIIb in 1906
Falkenstein Südriss (VIIa) in 1913
Daxenstein Klavier (VIIa) in 1913
Daxenstein Perryriss (VIIb) in 1913

(All grades Saxon rating)

On a trip to the Alps in 1908 he and his friend Rudolf Fehrmann made a number of first ascents. The most famous is the 'Fehrmannverschneidung V-' at 'Campanile Basso (Giulia di Breta)'. Despite its name, this route was led by Perry-Smith.

Beside his achievements in climbing, he also won the Austrian championship in cross-country-skiing and ski-jumping in 1914.

There are a number of anecdotes depicting Perry-Smith as a rather unusual character:

When people doubted his ascent of 'Perryriss', he climbed that route again and wrote in big letters 'Perry' on the rock. (it can still be read today)
He owned a Bugatti race car and got in trouble with the police several times for driving fast and hazardously.
He was once arrested for getting drunk and disturbing the peace in the town of Bad Schandau.

In the year 1914 Oliver Perry-Smith returned to the US, never to visit Saxony again.