Quebec Crusher Emilie Pellerin Sends La Zébrée 5.14 Trad
It's the second known ascent of the steep crack this year
Emilie “Em” Pellerin, who’s onsighted The Shadow 5.13 trad in Squamish, has sent La Zébrée at Mont King in Val-David. It’s the fifth known ascent of the steep finger crack.
On the fourth of July, Julien Bourassa-Moreau became the fourth person to redpoint the 5.14 trad route. His ascent ended the 13-year drought since it had last been climbed.
Canadian crack master Jean-Pierre Ouellet made the first redpoint ascent of La Zébrée 5.14a at Mount King in the Laurentides, Quebec, over a decade ago. The crack is one of the most difficult trad free climbs in North America and was first freed by Jeff Beaulieu, who climbed it on pre-placed gear.
Ouellet made the first redpoint with a pre-placed first piece. In trad climbing. And then Sylvain Masse free climbed it and placed all of the gear on lead, including the first piece.
The line was first led as an aid climb in 1972 by Alain Hainault at A2. Others have attempted to free it, such as Louis Babin, Russ Clune and Peter Croft.
It took Pellerin five days this year plus a few goes over the past few years. She was close to sending it earlier this season but travelled to Squamish for her ACMG rock guide course. She sent it on her first attempt after Squamish.
“I placed all the gear on the way up,” said Pellerin, who placed the first piece while climbing. “It’s the one that guys place from the ground.”
