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Ben Harnden Sends V14 for Squamish Trifecta

Watch Squamish-based Ben “Butters” Harnden makes the third ascent of The North Ridge V14 in Gibb’s Cave on the West Coast in this short clip by photographer Thomas Burden.

With his V14 climb in July, Harnden completed the Squamish Trifecta: a 5.14 sport route, a 5.14 trad route and a V14 boulder.

Harnden is one of Canada’ best technical rock climbers with ascent of The Bull 5.14R, Cobra Crack 5.14, Dreamcatcher 5.14d and the only other ascent of Sonnie Trotter’s Family man 5.14b.

Marek Gomolka says about his friend Harnden in a story here, “In a sport where myths and exaggerations are the fuels that stoke camp fire stories, where self-directed PR allows us to live vicariously through what we read in climbing porn, there is hope.

“He has never looked for the spotlight and keeps going about his life within a framework of principles that are his own. He is still having fun, is fun and has managed to avoid becoming one dementional.”

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