Hard Boulder and Alpine Climbs Start March
From V16 second ascents to 5.15 repeats to remote alpine test-pieces, this month is off to a strong start
Last month was one of the most impressive February’s on record, with sends from V17 to 5.14d trad to 5.15 to WI6 solos – read all about it here – but not even halfway into March and there are already a lot of noteworthy climbs reported. Below are some of the sends from the past week and a bit.
Canadian Bronwyn Hodgins sent her project La Rubia 5.14c (8c+) in Villanueva del Rosario, Spain. “The route is 55m long, and steep with many knee-bar rests in the top half, which also gives a lot of opportunity to overthink things and get nervous,” said Hodgins. Read more about her send here.
Adam Ondra was back in action a few weeks after repeating Bon Voyage 5.14d trad with a flash of Luftig kö till nålens öga V14 (8B+) at Kjugekull (story here). ”Probably hard 8B?” said Ondra. “Fit my style perfectly except for the last move. Did it with the left heel and then the cut loose was so much on the limit.”
Zach Galla, 23, made the second ascent of The Process V16 (8C+) in the Buttermilks. It was first climbed in 2015 by Daniel Woods as one of the world’s only V16 problems, Galla had wanted to climb it for a decade (story here). The crux is 18 feet off the ground and includes a dynamic move.
Austin Purdy climbed Freakshow V15, which was first climbed by Drew Ruana at V14 and recently upgraded by Daniel Woods to V15 after a hold broke (story here). However, Purdy said it’s likely a soft V15 and maybe even just V14. “As for the grade it is certainly much harder post break than it was before, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it turned out to be V14 now and just V13 before the break,” said Purdy.
In February, Jonathan Siegrist repeated a 5.15a in Texas at a secret crag and followed it up with a repeat of a 5.14d in the same area called Don’t Die in Linares. He sent the route after injuring his finger (story here). He’s now climbed 75 routes 5.14d or harder, according to 8a.nu.
Here are some other noteworthy sends from this month. Eleven-time World Cup winner Shauna Coxsey climbed Fotofobia V14 in a single session (story her). Solveig Korherr, who’s climbed several 5.14+ routes, repeated Rêve de poutre 5.14b (8c) in Saint Léger after only two days. Emelie Gearhardt sent her project with Walk the Line V12 (8A+). Buster Martin repeated Will Bosi’s Furia de Jabali 5.15a (9a+) in Siurana after six sessions. Loic Zehani climbed Zao 5.14d in Sainte-Baume. And Piotr Schab redpointed JoeDan 5.14d at Santa Linya.
And in the world of alpine big walls, Marcin Tomaszewski and Pawel Haldas have made the first ascent of Cold Wars, a 19-pitch 980-metre mixed route up the south face of Moose’s Tooth in Alaska. It climbs 250 metres of approach slopes and 730 metres up to M5 A3. Read about it here.
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