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Daniel Woods Projects Sleepwalker V16 with Sit Start Variation

Once sent, it will become one of the hardest climbs in the world

One of the world’s best boulderers is at it again. Daniel Woods has been one of the biggest names in hard bouldering for decades and is widely considered one of the world’s strongest boulderers.

He has sent some of the hardest boulder problems in the world, with multiple being first ascents, including, Hypnotized Minds V16 (2010), Box Therapy V16 (2018), and The Process V16 (2015). Now, Woods is attempting to complete another V16 boulder problem that he sent in 2019, only this time, he is adding a sit-start to the problem, possibly pushing the climb to an even more difficult grade.

Sleepwalker is located in Red Rock Canyon, just outside of Las Vegas, and more specifically, in Black Velvet Canyon. The V16 boulder problem had its first ascent in December of 2018 by Jimmy Webb. Daniel was with Jimmy when he made the first ascent, and less than a month later, Daniel completed the second ascent. The climb has also been repeated by Nalle Hukkataival, Drew Ruana, and Nathan Williams.

When attempting the climb from a sit-start, Woods is adding six more moves to this already incredibly difficult climb. While the grade of V16 for this climb is already world-class level and the route is considered the hardest boulder in the country, sending it with the sit start could possibly propel the grade to V17.

This would be one of the only V17s in the world. Daniel continues to project the route and has completed almost all the sit-start moves. Now, all that remains is linking these moves to the rest of the route and Woods could send one of the hardest boulder problems in the world.

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