Ben Harnden First to Repeat Epic New 5.14b Tim Emmett Route

Squamish local Ben Harnden has made the second ascent of Archimedes Principle 5.14b, a recently established sport route by Tim Emmett on Anvil Island. The line is severely overhanging, with physical, pumpy climbing not found in many other places near Squamish, or even in Canada for that matter. It hangs over the stunning blue waters of the Howe Sound in a peaceful location only accessible by water.

The route requires three-dimensional thinking, forcing the climber to work up an overhanging corner feature dotted with underclings, sidepulls, and poor footholds. “The toughest part of Archimedes Principle is the steepness of the route and its bouldering nature – and the lack of rests,” Harden told me. “It’s a really fantastic sport climb and one of the steepest in the Sea to Sky.”

It took Harnden only five goes to send the climb. It’s not his first time having success on Anvil. In 2020, he pulled off an impressive flash of Emmett’s other hard line on Anvil, Apnea 5.13d/14a.

Emmett made the first ascent of Archimedes Principle on May 26. The name of the route comes from the term in fluid dynamics – it’s the upward forced required to make an object float when in liquid. Emmett liked the association of the term with being able to float while climbing the steep route. He’s next working a hard project that links the start of Apnea into Archimedes Principle.

Harnden is one of Canada’s most accomplished and well-rounded climbers. He’s ticked many of the hardest Squamish classics including Dreamcatcher 5.14d, Cobra Crack 5.14b, and The Bull 5.14a R. In 2017, he completed the Squamish Trifecta: a 5.14 sport route, a 5.14 trad route, and a V14 boulder problem. In 2021, he made the first ascent of the sport route Dark Matter 5.14d/15a in Squamish. Last year, he put up Bladerunner 5.14b/c, a gear route up the Kashmir Wall on the Chief. In May this year, he repeated Deadlift V14.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ben Harnden (@ben.harnden)