onsight

On sight, or onsight, is a term used in rock climbing and bouldering to describe a successful ascent completed on the first attempt without prior information about the route’s holds, sequence, or grade beyond what is visible from the ground. The climber must ascend from start to finish in a single, uninterrupted effort, with no falls or practice on the route. The definition emphasizes lack of beta gathered beforehand, rather than the climber’s skill alone.

The concept is commonly contrasted with flash and redpoint. A flash involves a first-attempt ascent with some strategic knowledge of the route’s moves or holds, while a redpoint is an ascent achieved after practicing and learning the route, typically with no falls on the final attempt. In bouldering, onsight similarly refers to solving a problem on the first attempt without prior attempts or external assistance.

In competitive climbing, onsights are recognized as a measure of route-reading, composure, and technical ability, separate from progress achieved through repeated attempts. The term is used across lead climbing, sport climbing, and bouldering, and its difficulty is influenced by route design, grade, and the climber’s experience with reading terrain from the ground. Overall, an onsight signifies a pure, first-impression ascent, valued for its demonstration of spontaneous problem-solving under real-time constraints.