Over the past week, we’ve reported on many stories, but unlike most weeks, this one has been one filled with history-making climbs. From bouldering to trad and sport climbing, below are five highlights.
Nina Williams
Nina Williams has long been one of the world’s top boulderers and her recent climb of a massive highball only helps to solidify that position. Williams’ most recent jaw-dropping send was of Too Big to Flail, a V9 highball that many have said is more like a 5.13d free solo. She’s the seventh climber and first woman to top the dangerous boulder after Honnold (2012), Lonnie Kauk (2013), Steven Roth (2014), Ethan Pringle (2014), Fabian Buhl (2017) and Nick Muehlhausen (2018).
In 2017, Williams made the first female ascent of the Ambrosia in the Buttermilks, a V11 highball that tops out nearly 20 metres off the ground. Williams has also climbed Evilution Direct V11 and Footprints V9 to complete the Grandpa Peabody Trifecta.
Margo Hayes became the first woman to climb a 5.15a with her send of La Rambla in 2017. She then went on to repeat Biographie/Realization 5.15a as the first woman to tick the classic Chris Sharma line.
Hayes just climbed her third 5.15a with a send of Papichulo in Spain. She was fresh off winning bronze at the USA Climbing Bouldering Nationals, a medal that got her a place on the national team.
Jacopo Larcher sent a six-year project with his first free ascent of Tribe in Italy. Larcher, who’s repeated lines such as The Path 5.14aR, La Rambla 5.15a and Rhapsody 5.14cR, said that Tribe is the most difficult climb he’s ever sent, but won’t grade it.
Larcher has told planetmountain.com that, “The first part is fairly dangerous, with some random moves and dubious pro, in the region of 7a+ where you’re better off not taking a fall. Higher up there are two crux sections, both with bomber gear though. On the first roof you risk falling badly and on a couple of occasions I fell with the rope behind my leg and slammed into the rock and hurt my wrists.
“On the second roof the fall is longer but more straightforward. That’s why I’d define Tribe as technically difficult but fairly safe. Having said that, if you fall while going for the ledge at the end and if the pro doesn’t hold, then you risk taking a huge whipper. Luckily I didn’t try that though.”
Yuji Hirayama is undoubtedly one of the world’s most accomplished climbers, with speed records of The Nose, a repeat of Cobra Crack 5.14 trad and the first onsight of 5.14.
Nevertheless, the 50-year-old gym owner hasn’t slowed down and recently made the first ascent of a new 5.14c in Japan called Time Machine.
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Valhalla 5.15a, 14 pitches
Edu Marin reported that he made the first free ascent of his entire 14-pitch Valhalla 5.15a in the Getu, China. The massive route has a 300-metre roof section with a crux pitch called Odyn’s Eye that goes at 5.15a.
This might be the world’s most difficult multi-pitch in terms of grading. Of course, the 30-pitch Dawn Wall has 5.14b trad pitches and 5.14d sport, so comparing what climb might be the hardest is no easy task. They’re two completely different styles. Watch a clip from Valhalla below.
