Stefano Ghisolfi Climbing a Flatanger 5.14d

On August 26, Stefano Ghisolfi sent Illusionist 5.14d in the Hanshelleren cave in Flatanger, Norway. Opened by Adam Ondra in 2013, the line was originally envisioned as a warm-up climb for the ultra-hard routes in the cave. The short, bouldery route turned out to be much harder than expected, leading Ondra to grade it 5.14d. The route traverses not far off the ground, which results in some sketchy falls at the crux. Ghisolfi just posted a video of his ascent, which you can watch below.

Illusionist was one of a series of 5.14d routes Ghisolfi completed this summer in between Silence 5.15d projecting sessions. Two days after his Illusionist send, he sent Purgatory in Hell, Norway. The power endurance line was put up by Ondra in 2013. Alex Megos was the first to repeat the route.

On September 8, Ghisolfi sent yet another Ondra 5.14d – Brunhilde Low Start. Established in 2015, the odd line links the low crux of Thor’s Hammer into Brunhilde, a 5.14b that is typically accessed by jumar. “Good endurance and kneebar training for the cave,” said Ghisolfi about the line.

Twenty days later, Ghisolfi repointed Little Badder 5.14d in the Hanshelleren cave. Established by Seb Bouin in 2013, Little Badder works up the first pitch of Ondra’s Move 5.15b/c into an easier finish. It’s well-known for being extremely physical and exhausting. Since Bouin’s FA, the route has seen a few repeats including from Ondra, Alex Megos, and Jorge Díaz-Rullo, among others.

Stefano Ghisolfi climbs Illusionist 5.14d

Adam Ondra on Illusionist 5.14d