Keenan Takahashi Put Up a Scary V14 Highball in Bishop
Known for his highball sends, he adds yet another big hard boulder first ascent to his resume
American climber Keenan Takahashi recently made the first ascent of a difficult new highball in the Buttermilks in Bishop, California. He named the problem A Little Life and graded it V14. The stunning line sits to the right of Terminus V12, another highball he put up in 2016.
The crux of A Little Life is found high up on the boulder. It features a long shouldery move off the left hand. You can watch Takahashi rehearse the sequence on TR in the video below.
Takahashi had this to say about his big send on Instagram: “Wow… probably the best moment I’ve ever had climbing!!! Hands down the most sketchy as well – never thought I’d push my physical limit so close on something so scary… a new level of satisfaction. Crazy to think how much inspiration and direction this bloc has shaped my climbing, from seeing Terminus for the first time in 2014 and finally doing this much harder and less probable but stunning wave wall on the right. So thankful to have such inspiration from this world”
Takahashi grew up in Davis, California. After studying talus morphology as an intern for Yosemite National Park, he began working in air and water quality monitoring for the National Park Service. He has put up numerous hard highball first ascents throughout the U.S., including Stones Throw V13 in Yosemite, Terminus V12 in Bishop, and Hokusai’s Wave V12 in New Mexico.
He has climbed 5.14d sport and bouldered V15 in Red Rocks, Lake Tahoe, and Japan. In 2019, he won the Hueco Rock Rodeo after sending Diabolique V13 and five V12’s in a single day. In the summer of 2022, he took a trip to Rocklands where he sent many hard problems including Cosmic Artifact V14 and and Get Railed V14.
Keenan Takahashi on Terminus V12
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