Domen Skofic Climbs Famous 5.15a/b in Spain
The route was first climbed over 20 years ago as the first-ever graded 5.15c, it was later downgraded
Slovenian Domen Skofic has climbed the famous Chilam Balam at Villanueva del Rosario in Spain. It was first climbed in 2003 by Barnabé Fernandez, who graded it 5.15c. It’s 85 metres long and includes over 230 moves.
When graded, Fernandez’s 5.15c was far harder than anything that had been climbed at the time. Because he refused to name his belayer or talk to media about the route, many didn’t believe his claim that he climbed it. Adam Ondra made the second ascent in only three days in 2011 and suggested a soft 5.15b. About the route, Ondra said, “There are two underclings, the footholds are bad, you need to be fast and at the same time really precise and the move that follows is really powerful. I was really lucky that I didn’t fall there and I couldn’t believe that I latched the two-finger pocket because I was so pumped. But I did.”
Other climbers who’ve climbed it include Dani Andrada in 2015, Edu Marin in 2015, Seb Bouin in 2017, Sindre Saether in 2019, Jon Flor in 2021, Yu Okumara in 2023 and Cédric Lachat in 2023. Watch Ondra repeat Chilam Balam below.
About the climb, Skofic said, “It’s probably my hardest route to date but my opinion is that this route doesn’t even need a grade because it’s so legendary. I believe that every climber who did and will do this beast in the future will feel something incredible. The last slab is a killer but that’s why the whole journey is so special. Nothing is granted until the very end.”
