The Many Betas of Burden of Dreams V17
The problem had a big year in 2023, with some new beta discovered. Will more innovative sends come this year?
The world’s first V17 (9A), Burden of Dreams, has seen a lot of action over the past year. Many of the world’s best climbers have spent time on the climb including Shawn Raboutou, Will Bosi, Stefano Ghisolfi, and Simon Lorenzi, among others. Bosi picked up the coveted second ascent of the line in April last year. Lorenzi made the third ascent in late December. With all this action, the standard beta for Burden has evolved over time with some surprising innovations.
Burden of Dreams was opened by Nalle Hukkataival way back in 2016. Located in Lappnor, Finland, it took Hukkataival nearly four years to send the problem. Hukkataival’s beta is what most people think of when they think about the beta for Burden of Dreams. He used a five-move sequence to move up the short, 45-degree overhanging face.
Everything about Burden of Dreams is difficult. The holds are small and face in awkward directions, requiring very specific finger and thumb positions. The moves are long, especially the first move and the final one to a three-finger crimp, necessitating powerful, dynamic movement. And the foot holds are lousy demanding an immense amount of body tension and balance. Let’s run through how different climbers have tackled this short and “simple” problem.
The Standard Five-Move Beta: Nalle Hukkataival, Will Bosi, & Shawn Raboutou
Starting seated, the first move is long throw to a crimp rail with the right hand, one of the single hardest moves on any established boulder. In his first ascent, after sticking the first move, Hukkataival rearranged his feet and then matched his left hand on the crimp rail just above his right hand. His right hand then went up to a higher rail, grabbing a crimp pinch, followed by the left hand which grabbed a crimp gaston. The final hard move is a massive throw with to a decent three-finger drag hold. As his right hand caught the hold, Hukkataival cut feet. After holding the swing, it’s a straightforward top-out.
In his second ascent, Bosi essentially used the same five-move sequence as Hukkataival. You can compare Bosi’s beta in the video below to Hukkataival’s beta in the video above.
Shawn Raboutou spent time on Burden last year, and got incredibly close. He employed beta very similar to Hukkataival and Bosi, with some slight changes in footwork here and there. You can watch him break down the moves and holds of Burden in the video below.
Simon Lorenzi’s Four-Move Sequence
In his third ascent in December, Simon Lorenzi employed some new beta, eliminating a hand move from the standard beta. After sticking the first move with his right hand, instead of matching with his left hand, he brings up his left foot in a backstepped position and then rotates his leg downward into a drop-knee, bringing his left hip in close to the wall. This allows him to move directly into the crimp gaston with his left hand, skipping a hand move. He brings up his right hand onto the crimp pinch and then launches for the final three-finger drag hold with his right hand. Although send footage has not yet been released, you can analyze his beta in his Instagram video below.
Stefano Ghisolfi’s Squeeze Beta
Not known for his bouldering, Ghisolfi surprised many with his progress on Burden last year. After a successful session on Bosi’s plastic replica, he set off to Finland to try the real thing. He completed all moves in isolation (including the notoriously difficult first move) and made lots of links.
He ended up discovering unique and funky alternative beta for the problem’s second move. After sticking the first move, he brings up his right foot high above the rest of his body. He then bumps his left hand to a tiny crimp out left. This method leaves him squeezing between the right crimp rail and the left tiny crimp before throwing his right hand up to the crimp pinch. Ghisolfi has not yet sent Burden of Dreams and we’ll have to wait and see if he returns this year for another go on the problem. If he does return, will he employ this new beta? You can watch the beta in his video below.
Elias Iagnemma’s Seven-Move Beta
Burden of Dreams is a long-term project for Italian climber Elias Iagnemma, and his beta makes Burden look like a completely different problem. While Lorenzi turned topped the problem in just four major hand moves, Iagnemma is taking a different and highly creative approach which takes seven hand moves to reach the top.
After sticking the first move, Iagnemma brings up a left heel near the left hand starting hold. He then bumps his left hand to Ghisolfi’s squeeze crimp, but stays on it for only a brief moment before bumping again to the high left hand crimp gaston. He then brings his right arm across his body and grabs a left-facing sidepull. This allows him to rearrange his feet so that he can move the right hand again to the right pinch. From there, like everyone else, he launches to the three-finger drag hold. But unlike everyone else, he launches for the hold with his left hand. As he hits the hold with his left hand, rather than holding the vicious swing, he uses the momentum to quickly clutch a hold further out right with his right hand.
Iagnemma hasn’t sent Burden yet, but he was very close on his last trip. You can watch his slick beta in the video below.
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