He participated in the first ascent of the North America Wall in 1964 (with Royal Robbins, Tom Frost, and Chuck Pratt), using no fixed ropes.

In 1961, he visited Western Canada with Fred Beckey, and made several important first ascents, including the North Face of Mount Edith Cavell (Rockies), the Beckey-Chouinard Route on South Howser Tower in the Bugaboos (Purcell Mountains), and the North Face of Mount Sir Donald (Selkirk Mountains).

In 1957, he bought a second-hand coal-fired forge, and started making hardened steel pitons for use in Yosemite Valley.

[citation needed] Around 1970, he became aware that the use of steel pitons made by his company was causing significant damage to the cracks of Yosemite.

This concept revolutionized rock climbing and led to further success of the company, despite cannibalizing the sales of pitons, formerly his most important product.

Chouinard started to sell clothes by chance as a way to support his moderately profitable equipment business.

[12] From this small start, the Patagonia company developed a wide selection of rugged technical clothing.

[15] In 2002, Yvon Chouinard founded 1% for the Planet and Patagonia became the first business to commit 1% of annual sales to the environment.

[17] In 2022, Chouinard announced that he was donating ownership in Patagonia to a trust to ensure profits are used for addressing climate change.

[18][19] Chouinard's family retains control of the company's voting stock through the Patagonia Purpose Trust.

[20][21] In 1971, Chouinard met and married his wife, Malinda Pennoyer, who was an art and home economics student at California State University, Fresno.