Lucas Uchida Makes First Ascent of Wild Squamish V14
A hard problem with a turbulent history finally gets its first ascent
Canadian Lucas Uchida just threw down another hard problem in Squamish. This time it’s a first ascent of Seven V14. Found near the northeast corner of the giant Octagon bloc in the Grand Wall Boulders, the problem is a low start to Lesson Six V10, which was first sent by Jason Kehl in 2005. The low start had been an exciting, longstanding open project for years in Squamish until the unthinkable happened in 2019. Someone chipped the holds forever altering the low start.
The chipped problem had remained unclimbed until now. It took Uchida only four sessions over two weeks to send the line. Despite the chipping, which ruined what would have become one Squamish’s hardest all-natural lines, the problem offers some intense, athletic climbing. It rides up the slopey edge of a severely overhanging corner, which is then exited via a huge throw to the lip of Lesson Six.
Keeping with the number theme of Lesson Six, Uchida named the problem Seven, which also serves as a nod towards the film of the same name and problem’s sinful past. If climbing had seven deadly sins, chipping would most certainly be one of them.
Uchida had an incredible Squamish season in 2022. Many had joked, somewhat seriously, that there’s not much left for him in Squamish now that he’s ticked many of the very hard classics – but he proved them wrong with this new first ascent. Highlights of his 2022 Squamish season include repeats of Room Service V12, The Pool Low V13, Room Service Low V14, Deadlift V14, North-North Ridge V14, The Singularity V14/15, and Dreamcatcher 5.14d, and a first ascent of Offenders of the Faith V13.
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