Anna Hazelnutt Climbs Technical and Bold E9 in the U.K.
The run-out trad climb was first climbed in 2008 and only had a few ascents before Hazzelnutt began working on it
This past weekend, America climber Anna Hazelnutt made the first female ascent of the 50-metre The Walk of Life, a run-out and bold E9 6c at Dyer’s Lookout in the U.K.
Other women to climb a U.K. E9 including Hazel Findlay, Emma Twyford, Eve Lancashire, Barbara Zangerl and Madeleine Cope. James Pearson made the first ascent of The Walk of Life in 2008 and it was then climbed by Dave MacLeod in 2009, Dave Birkett in 2010 and James McHaffie in 2018.
Photographer and videographer Alastair Lee wrote about the ascent after Hazelnutt’s redpoint: “What a line! This cliff is magical. One of the best things I’ve ever captured, incredible composure and concentration and Anna’s third hard trad route to boot, insane really. Watching Tom Randal coaching Anna on how to place the gear just a couple of days earlier, it’s scarcely believable how quickly the lead came together. And such a solid send, as Tom [Randall] said, no messing.”
It took Hazelnutt six days of work to gain the confidence to get on the sharp end on day seven. The led the route and placed all of the gear as she climbed. Last fall, she repeated Once Upon a Time in the Southwest E9 6c, which is a neighbour to The Walk of Life.
Hazelnutt’s First E9
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