Home > News

V16 Climbed in Canada for the First Time Ever

Underground crusher Gabe Lawson sends his 2022 project in January 2023. It's a historic ascent.

Photo by: Gabe Lawson

On January 23, Squamish local Gabe Lawson sent his long-term project, naming it The Megg and assigning it a grade of V16. The problem is located on the backside of the Space Monkey boulder in the popular area The Farm in Squamish’s North Walls. At V16, The Megg is the first of the grade in Canada.

NOTE: The Megg has been repeated and given V14 by several climbers – read more here.

The problem had been a longstanding open project. Many of Squamish’s best climbers had worked the line over the years and several international pros have given it a try. Lawson, 29, first learned of the problem in November 2021. After giving it a scrub, he began trying it in April 2022. He spent 16 days over 10 months working the project.

The problem is long, with 16 hard moves before the top-out sequence. “It’s kind of two sections,” said Lawson. “One that’s very powerful and then one that’s very, very delicate. And the tricky thing is that you can’t de-contract at all—there’s just no stance [in between].”

In the coming days, we’ll be releasing a full-length interview with Lawson where we’ll dive into The Megg’s climbing, the boulder’s history, and Lawson’s projecting process. We’ll also go through Lawson’s thoughts on his first ascent and his assigned grade, his other big climbs in Squamish, and his 2023 Squamish season.

The Megg. Photo by Gabe Lawson

Check out the latest buyer's guide:

Easter Weekend Sales on Climbing Gear

Be sure that your rack is updated and ready for the upcoming rock climbing season
Lead photo: Gabe Lawson