Watch Nina Williams Send Ambrosia V11 in Bishop
On Feb. 28, 2017, American crusher Nina Williams sent Ambrosia, a 15-metre highball on the Grandpa Peabody Boulder in the Buttermilks of Bishop. It was the first female ascent of the bold problem.
The first attempt of Ambrosia was in the early 1990s when California sender Tommy Herbert tried it on top rope. The Buttermilks were at a tipping point and some of the highball problems were being bolted. Herbert chopped the bolts on Transporter Room 5.12c to make it a daring V5.
George Ullrich later linked the top moves after reaching them with a ladder. It wasn’t until 2009 when Kevin Jorgeson linked the 31 moves on the 5.14-if-bolted steep face. Other ascents include those by Alex Honnold, Lonnie Kauk and Isaac Caldiero. Watch Jorgeson’s first ascent below.
Williams had completed the other two route on the Grandpa Peabody Boulder that make up the “trifecta” with ascents of Footprints V9 and Evilution Direct V11, both 15 metres tall. She trained for over a month in Utah before trying to send Ambrosia. She worked the line on top rope, first the top half and then the lower.
With 15 pads at the base of the climb, Williams pieced it together from the ground up. She had to make a number of big deadpoint moves, which meant down climbing would be nearly impossible.
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