Adam Ondra’s Hardest Rock Climbs, Including His New 5.15c
With his first ascent of Zvěřinec, which he says is the second hardest route of his life, Ondra ups his 5.15c first ascent count to four
Photo by: Petr Chodura of Ondra on Zvěřinec 5.15c
This week, Adam Ondra made what he calls the “second hardest route of my life” with his redpoint of Zvěřinec 5.15c (9b+) at his home crag of Moravian Karst in Czechia. The route name translates to “menagerie,” and features two distinct halves, a 5.15a followed by a 5.15b.
In 2011, he became the second climber to ever onsight 5.14c with Patxi Usobiaga in Spain. The following year, he sent Change, the world’s first-ever 5.15c. In 2013, after nine weeks of projecting, Ondra made the first ascent of La Dura Dura, a route bolted by Chris Sharma. That same year, he made the second-ever onsight of a 5.14d with Cabane au Canada in Switzerland. In 2016, Ondra made the second ascent of The Dawn Wall, a 32-pitch 5.14d on El Capitan in Yosemite.
On Sept. 3, 2017, after four years of projecting and training, Ondra climbed Silence in the Hanshelleren Cave of Flatanger, Norway. Silence was the world’s first-ever route to have a proposed grade 5.15d. On Feb. 10, 2018, he made the world’s first-ever flash of a confirmed 5.15a with his ascent of Super Crackinette in Saint-Léger du Ventoux, France. Also that year, he visited Canada, where he made the first ascent of Sacrifice 5.15a and Disbelief, which he said is on the upper end of 5.15b.
Earlier this year he got the first ascent of Wonderland 5.15b, although he says the route is probably 5.15b/c. In addition to his 5.15c and 5.15d sends, Ondra has climbed over 20 5.15bs, around 50 5.15as, and well over 100 5.14ds. Below are Ondra’s hardest routes to date.
Adam Ondra’s Hardest Climbs
Silence 5.15d
Menagerie 5.15c
Vasil Vasil 5.15c
La Dura Dura 5.15c
Change 5.15c
Bomba 5.15b
The Lonely Mountain 5.15b
Taurus 5.15b
Erebor 5.15b
Neanderthal 5.15b
Disbelief 5.15b 
Eagle-4 5.15b
One Slap 5.15b
Move Hard 5.15b
Queen Line 5.15b
Mamichula 5.15b
Robin Ud 5.15b
Stoking the Fire 5.15b
C.R.S. 5.15b
First Round, First Minute 5.15b
Move 5.15b
Iron Curtain 5.15b
Fight or Flight 5.15b
La Planta de Shiva 5.15b
Chaxi Raxi 5.15b
Golpe de Estado 5.15b
Lapsus 5.15b
Chilam Balam 5.15b
La Capella 5.15b
Check out the latest buyer's guide:
