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Hazel Findlay Climbing Tainted Love 5.13d Trad

A new video featuring Findlay on a technical stem corner in Squamish

Hazel Findlay is known for her rad trad ability, whether she’s freeing El Cap or climbing crumbly sea-cliffs with sparse protection. For years, videos of her sends have inspired countless climbers and now we have another to get our stoke up to go push ourselves.

When she arrived in Squamish lins 2017, the British crusher knew just the route she should try. Perched precariously at the very top of The Chief, a bold stemming corner protected with little more than micro stoppers still awaited a first ascent.

“Crazy hard but uniquely technical movements of which most normal climbing cannot prepare you for,” she said about the route. “There are just a handful of holds on the whole pitch; a hand jam and a few finger locks. Upward progress is achieved by pushing alone. Extreme pushing with the legs and extreme palming with the hands. Moving between such precarious positions would be difficult enough if the gear was easy to place. Unfortunately, the route is mostly protected by micro wires (which gives you some indication of how small the crack is). Some people I chatted to suggested I place a bolt or two, ensuring that at least some people would repeat it.”

Watch Findlay get down to business and gun for the first ascent of Tainted Love 5.13d in this video from Black Diamond.

Tainted Love

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