Mary Eden Sending Necronomicon, a 5.14a Roof Crack
Long-awaited footage of Eden's historic send of the White Rim route was just released
On October 14, 2022, Mary Catherine Eden (AKA TradPrincess) made the first female ascent of Necronomicon 5.13d/14a trad. One hundred feet long and overhanging by 90 degrees, the route is one of the hardest roof cracks in the world. Located in the White Rim area of Utah’s Canyonlands, Necronomicon is in an intimidating climb, to say the least.
Jean-Pierre Ouellet made the first ascent in 2011. The climb was left unrepeated until 2019, when Wideboyz Tom Randall and Pete Whittaker both sent the route. After Eden made the FFA in October 2022, Canadian Bronwyn Hodgins made the second female ascent the following month in November.
Necronomicon was Eden’s hardest trad climb to date and her first-ever 5.14 trad climb. With the ascent, she became the 10th woman in history to climb 5.14 trad. She just released a 35-minute film detailing her journey on the climb, which you can watch below.
“I can’t explain enough the beauty, remote feel, and how much hard work it is to climb down in the White Rim,” said Eden after her send on Instagram in 2022. “The first time I saw the 30-meter roof crack, Necronomicon, there was a herd of bighorn sheep standing around the base, the sun lit up the sky for a cotton candy sunset, and the hardest looking crack I’d ever thought about climbing loomed above. Climbing there has fully captured my imagination and curiosity. Climbing this kind of crazy stuff on adventures like this is honestly why I love rock climbing so freaking much.”
Mary Eden on Necronomicon
Check out the latest buyer's guide:
