In rock-climbing, a first free ascent (FFA) is the first redpoint, onsight or flash of a single-pitch, multi-pitch or bouldering climbing route that did not involve using aid equipment to help progression or resting — the ascent must thus be performed in either a sport, a traditional, or a free solo manner. First-free-ascents that set new grade milestones are important events in rock climbing history, and are listed below. While sport climbing has dominated grade milestones since the mid-1980s (i.e. are now the highest grades), milestones for modern traditional-climbing, free-solo-climbing, onsighted & flashed-ascents, are also listed.

A climbing route's grade is provisional until enough climbers have repeated it to establish a "consensus". At the highest grades, this can take years as few climbers are capable of repeating these routes. For example, in 2001, Realization was considered the world's first 9a+ (5.15a), however, the first repeat of the 1996 route Open Air [de], which only happened in 2008, suggested that it was possibly the first 9a+ (5.15a). Open Air has had no further repeats, and has had holds broken since 1996, whereas Realization has had many ascents and is thus a "consensus" 9a+. Thus, the 2nd to 4th ranked candidates are also recorded.

As of August 2025, the technically hardest redpoint of a single-pitch rock-climbing route in the world is at the grade of 9c (5.15d) for men and the grade of 9b+ (5.15c) for women. The technically hardest onsight is at the grade of 9a (5.14d) for men and 8c+ (5.14c) for women. The technically hardest boulder solved is at the boulder grade of V17 (9A) for men and V16 (8C+) for women. The technically hardest redpoint of a multi-pitch (or big wall) route is at the grade of 9a+ (5.15a). The technically hardest free solo of a single-pitch route is at the grade of 8c (5.14b), and the technically hardest free solo of a multi-pitch (or big wall) route is at 7c+ (5.13a).

9c (5.15d):

9b+ (5.15c):

9b (5.15b):

9a+ (5.15a):

9a (5.14d):