Carlo Traversi Sends Classic Boulder Project 10 Years Later

On a Switzerland trip back in 2013, Carlo Traversi repeated Story of 2 Worlds V15 and made the first ascent of The Kingdom V14/15. He also came very close to sending the classic From Dirt Grows the Flowers V15, heartbreakingly falling over and over again on the exit mantle during his final session of the trip. On a trip in early 2023 – 10 years since first getting on the line – Traversi put From Dirt Grows the Flowers on the top of his priority list. Mellow just released a film of his send, 10 years in the making.

First climbed by Dave Graham in 2005, From Dirt Grows the Flowers V15 is a perfect blend of power and technique. The steep first half clocks in at around V13 and the slopey finish features a V11 mantle to a slab exit. Many top climbers have repeated the problem including Adam Ondra, Jan Hojer, and Jimmy Webb.

“Returning this year, [From Dirt Grows the Flowers] was my highest priority,” said Traversi via Instagram. “One promising session was followed by one terrible one, and it seemed unlikely that it was going to happen. I waited for a single cold day at the end of the trip and after feeling stiff and tired in my warm up, I pulled on and perfectly executed every move to the top. It was the most weightless I’ve ever felt on the wall and one of the most pure moments I’ve had in climbing. It reminded me of how much I love pushing myself in bouldering. Prop to Dave [Graham] for being way ahead of the game when he made the first ascent of this one. It still stands as a perfect test piece of hard bouldering and one of my favorite boulders that I’ve climbed.”

The new Mellow film includes two other Traversi sends from this year: La Proue V13 and Kubalik V13. Both classic Swiss blocs, La Proue was first established by Fred Nicole in 1998 and Kubalik was put up by Giuliano Cameroni in 2019.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Carlo Traversi (@carlodenali)

Carlo Travesi Sends From Dirt Grows the Flowers V15