Seb Bouin has made the first ascent of Les Rois du Lithium 5.15b at Pic Saint Loup in France. The hard sport climb adds to his growing list of 5.15 ascents, many of which have been first ascents. “When I bolted it, I couldn’t imagine there will be so much perfect holds,” Bouin said. “And when I first tried it, I was amazed by the moves and the line.” He added that it’s one of his favourite climbs at the grade. “There is another hard and inspiring project in Pic Saint Loup: The Wolf Kingdom project,” he said. “It will be harder than Les Rois du Lithium.” In 2023, he made the first ascents of Re ..read more

British climber Aidan Roberts recently completed two of his long-term, ultra-hard projects. In February, he made the first ascent of his longstanding Helvellyn Project in the U.K.’s Lake District, naming the line Spots of Time. Roberts has left the problem ungraded, but it is undoubtably one of the hardest boulders on the planet. It took Roberts around 10 sessions to complete all the moves of Spots of Time and over 30 sessions to achieve his eventual send. “I think it’s the experience I’m most proud of, and I feel like it’s really special to have found that so close to my home,” said Roberts o ..read more

On November 20, Yosemite climbing guide Lance Colley redpointed Gaia, a seven-pitch 5.12c he and former Yosemite climbing ranger Brandon Adams established between July and October 2023. Adams redpointed the line in October and Colley redpointed it a month later. “The entire experience, from visualizing to sending, is epic, and I’m grateful. I’m hoping all my monkey friends will try it,” Colley added, saying that the crux pitch was his hardest lead to date. His comment – climbing the hardest terrain he’s ever done while establishing a first ascent – is exactly what Adams told me in 2019 when he ..read more

On November 20, Yosemite climbing guide Lance Colley redpointed Gaia, a seven-pitch 5.12c he and former Yosemite climbing ranger Brandon Adams established between July and October 2023. Adams redpointed the line in October and Colley redpointed it a month later. “The entire experience, from visualizing to sending, is epic, and I’m grateful. I’m hoping all my monkey friends will try it,” Colley added, saying that the crux pitch was his hardest lead to date. His comment – climbing the hardest terrain he’s ever done while establishing a first ascent – is exactly what Adams told me in 2019 when he ..read more

Yesterday, a new children’s book was released featuring the story of comp climbing’s biggest star, Janja Garnbret. Titled Janja and the Magic Flower, the book was written by Primož Suhodolčan and illustrated by Matej de Cecco. The book is offered in Slovenian and English and can be purchased from the publisher’s website here. The story weaves biographical elements from Garnbret’s life into a fairy tale, focusing on the importance of self-confidence and hard work. The book is part of a series featuring other top Slovenian athletes from different sports including alpine skiing, cycling, basketba ..read more

Alex Honnold has shared the news that he recently flashed a test-piece in Bishop’s Pine Creek called Reggae, which is a “really beautiful 5.13d” according to him. “It was one of the highlights of our recent family climbing trip to Bishop,” Honnold said. “I tried to visit one route that I really cared about every other day… this was one of the best routes. Jake Whittaker came and gave some beta, which helped since he’d done the FA. It was a great day out with friends and I was proud of my effort.” Pine Creek is a popular granite canyon between Wheeler Crest and Mount Tom with around 650 route ..read more

Alpine Rising: Sherpas, Baltis, and the Triumph of Local Climbers in the Greater Ranges is a 265-page book by Bernadette McDonald published by Mountaineers Books in 2024. There are stories that need to be told. And that is why writers write. From the first paragraphs of Alpine Rising, the reader senses their author, Bernadette McDonald, understood these stories were long overdue. Having written seven books on topics related to Himalayan climbing, and edited several more, McDonald is well qualified for the task. And now published three years after the coveted first winter ascent of K2 was accom ..read more

Yamnuska has been witness to countless tales of triumph, struggle, and unwavering determination. Sitting at the eastern edge of the Canadian Rockies, the iconic wall stands as a testament to the indomitable spirit of adventure. Follow two modern day adventurers as they embark on a rock climbing journey through time, celebrating the rich history and folklore of one of Canada’s most iconic climbing cliffs and paying homage to the colourful characters who have etched their names into its vertical walls since the 1950s. Yamnuska: The Ragged Edge premiered in 2023 and went on to win several awards ..read more

James Pearson has made the second repeat of Bernd Zangerl’s highball boulder problem called 29 Dots in Val Noasca, Valle dell’ Orco, Italy. First climbed by Zangerl in 2015, the intimidating line has seen only one repeat to date, from Italian climber Gabriele Moroni, in 2017. Pearson shares his story about the climb below. “Last week, Caro and I headed with the kids to Valle dell’Orco in Italy, for Caro to attempt Green Spit, the famous roof crack. I didn’t have any particular objective, as I was mainly there to look after the kids and give her as much time as she wanted, but I couldn’t h ..read more

The world’s first V17 (9A), Burden of Dreams, has seen a lot of action over the past 18 months. Many of the world’s best climbers have travelled to Finland to try their hand at the Nalle Hukkatival problem, including Shawn Raboutou, Will Bosi, Aidan Roberts, 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, and Elias Iagnemma made the fourth ascent at the end of last month. Ryuichi Murai recently travelled to Lappnor to try Burden. He has put in four sessions so far and app ..read more