Alex Honnold Climbs One of America’s Hardest Rock Routes
The climbing superstar made the second ascent of Synthetic Happiness in Red Rock this season
Alex Honnold has made the second ascent of one of the hardest multi-pitch routes at Red Rock with Synthetic Happiness on Rainbow Wall.
Honnold sent it with Priti Wright belaying. This was the second big free route Honnold completed on the impressive Rainbow Wall this season, with the other being What Dreams May Come 5.13+ with Tommy Caldwell.
Synthetic Happiness goes has one 5.13c pitch, two 5.13b, three 5.13a and four 5.12s. The sandstone route has consistently technical and thin climbing on edges only millimetres wide. One of the 5.13b pitches is sustained and difficult to protect with trad gear, as Synthetic Happiness is a mixed bolt/gear line.
Honnold was joined by photographer James Lucas on the wall, who snapped some great photos and reported about the send here. Honnold told Lucas that it’s possibly one of the most difficult long routes of this style in the U.S.A.
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