Austin Hoyt Completes The Process V16
The American climber has made the fifth ascent of the massive Daniel Woods highball in the Buttermilks
On December 15, Austin Hoyt sent the The Process V16 (8C+) in the Buttermilks. First climbed by Daniel Woods in 2015, the problem is located on the famous Grandpa Peabody boulder to the right of Lucid Dreaming V15 and Devilution V16. The line was an open project for years before Woods’ eventual first ascent. Zach Galla made the long-awaited second ascent in February 2024. Sungsu Lee made the third ascent in December last year and Adam Shahar got the fourth earlier this year in February.
The Process is an extension of the drop-off problem Social Distortion V13, originally established by Matt Birch. After climbing through that problem, The Process continues up through a V14 sequence high off the deck, followed by a technical V10 slab exit in no-fall territory. The line contains some fragile rock and has experience breakage over the years, potentially making it more difficult.
“5th ascent!” said Hoyt after his ascent on his 8a.nu page. “Incredible experience. I have the poster of Daniel on the FA over my bed, I basically look at it every single day of my life. For me, this is the dopest climb I have ever done. I’m not sure it could get much doper.”
The Process V16 is Hoyt’s first of the grade. The 22-year-old American has four V15s to his name. In April, he topped Laying in the Light V15, a long link-up line that’s one hardest problems in the northeastern United States. In January, he sent the Paul Robinson’s famous Lucid Dreaming V15 in the Buttermilks.
“This piece of rock allowed me to grow as a person in so many ways,” said Hoyt on Instagram after his Lucid Dreaming ascent, “It taught me how to persevere to the fullest. It proved to me that if I set out to do something, I can do it. Things I would have imagined as impossible could be possible. I matured as a climber and as a human. There are so many things I could talk about, but I’d like to focus on how beautiful the sunset was as I stood on top of a dream. The best I’ve seen out here.”
In October last year, he did his hardest FA to date, establishing The Big Bad Wolf V15, the first of the grade in the northeastern United States. His first V15 was the iconic Monkey Wedding in Rocklands, South Africa, which he topped back in 2023.
