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Hard Boulders Climbed in Europe and States

February 8, 2018
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While it’s mid-ice climbing season in Canada, south of the border and over the Atlantic are experiencing prime bouldering temperatures.

Canadians recently visited Red Rock and climbed some hard lines. Josh Muller sent The Nest Stand at V13. Thomasina sent a number of V9s, including Slave to the Grind, Super Froz and To Kill Ya Corner Sit.

Amanda Berezowski also climbed Slave to the Grind and ticked her first V11 with Beefy Gecko.

In Colorado, Sam Weir climbed La Plancha V14 at the Flat Irons in Colorado. Watch video here. And Nina Williams climbed Window Shopper in Flagstaff for her fourth V12.

Williams wrote on her 8a.nu scorecard, “Extremely finger-position specific. Getting the far right hand determined how the come-in move to the crystal crimp felt. The crystal crimp determined how the next three slaps felt. I used an insecure high right heel for the end moves and never trusted it. Came down to micro-beta and getting out of my own head. Not sure if I ever really got out honestly. Just pure luck on the send. Epic mental battle.”

In Red Rocks, Keenan Takahashi and Ethan Pringle have climbed Daniel Woods’s 2013 problem called The Nest V15 in Red Rocks.

They join a small group of climbers who’ve sent it, including Woods, Jimmy Webb, Paul Robinson, Nalle Hukkataival and Facundo Langbehn.

Takahashi wrote on Instagram, “This one was quite a journey. I don’t know if there’s any other move I’ve tried more than the one pictured. So much microbeta, self-doubt intertwined with self-belief, existential crises in full effect, and finally the strangest and most wild sensation of place in the world.”

As many of you know by now, I finally sent my nemesis project, The Nest, last Thursday night around 10:30 pm. — When I first looked at the Nest on a warm spring day in 2014 and felt the holds, it looked impossible. But I was drawn to it by a curiosity of what I was truly capable of, and subconsciously, to disprove the critical and untrue stories I tell myself about my ability. All that, and because it’s one of the most bad-ass hard lines I’ve ever seen. After a couple days, I could do every move. After a few more days, I sent the V13 stand start, and I thought a send of the entire line was imminent. Days turned into weeks, weeks into months and months into years. Despite some very close attempts, I just couldn’t quite seem to put it all together. Every failed attempt seemed to compound the fear that I might not be able to do it. But even though hiking up to The Nest and continuing to project it started to feel more like a dreadful chore, I wouldn’t allow myself to give up. Finally this season, I saw Keenan (who also recently sent it) hike the crux with different beta- the same beta the previous three ascentionists used to send it. The statistics were undeniable. He made it look so easy that I committed myself to learning it. The instant I did, my psyche was renewed. While still difficult, this new method was leagues more consistent. — On Thursday night I found myself at The Nest alone. I noticed my inner monologue speaking more positively about my chances than usual. Sure enough on my third try of the night, I stuck the crux move from the ground, but was so shocked I rushed the last hard move and slipped off, agonizingly close to success. I was excited and frustrated, but I kept trying. Another couple tries later, (with my GF Stacy watching and encouraging from my phone over face time!) I stuck the crux move again but this time I took my time and didn’t slip off. I latched the hold that marks the end of the hard climbing with a guttural yell, climbed to the top of the boulder in disbelief, and screamed like a banshee for several minutes, releasing the frustration, self criticism and anticipation of over 50 days of effort. In the end, I don’t regret a single one.

A post shared by Ethan Pringle (@ethan_pringle) on

Sebastian Cotting has climbed Dai Koyamada’s low start to The Story of Two Worlds V15 in Cresciano, Switzerland. It took him about 80 days of work according to 8a.nu.

Koyamada made the second ascent of the route after Dave Graham and added the lower start. Other climbers who’ve done it include Paul Robinson, Jernej Kruder, Carlo Traversi, Giuliano Cameroni, Gabriele Moroni, Toru Nakajima, Jimmy Webb, Jan Hojer, Samuel Ometz, Martin Stráník and Alex Khazanov.

"The Story of two Worlds" by Sebastian Cotting from Giuliano Cameroni on Vimeo.

At Ticino in Switzerland, 20-year-old Giuliano Cameroni climbed over a dozen routes graded V12 or harder. He climbed 10 new ones and sent Iur V14.

He told planetmountain.com about his new hard route here, “Four years ago Markel Mendieta from Spain came to Cresciano and built a huge but sketchy landing with old logs. I remember we tried it together and although we did the moves it was still somehow too intimidating for us. Now that it’s done it’s for sure one of the best.”

Cameroni’s first ascents include IUR V14 in Cresciano, Mithril sit V14 in Cresciano, Wie im Urlaub sit V14 in Brione, Great Escape V13 in Cresciano, Il Maestro V13 in Cresciano, Homo verticalis V13 in Cresciano, Banana Pancake V12 in Cresciano, Version originale sans trucage V12 in Branson, Fuoco di paglia V12 in Brione and Fallen leaves V12 in Valle Bavona.

Spanish climber Nacho Sanchez made the second ascent of of Alberto Rocasolano’s El Indomable V15.

Dave MacLeod made the eighth ascent of Catalan Witness the Fitness, Chris Sharma’s Spainsh V15, which some have graded V14.

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