9a climb. Action Directe is a sport route in the Waldkopf area of the Frankenjura in Germany. Even in the The Grading System: A Brief Overview To understand the significance of a 9a climb, it’s essential to have a basic understanding of the grading system used in sport climbing. “Flashing 9a+ [5. A complete list of the hardest sport climbs in the world. Learn your grades and apply them to your climbing and problem setting. 15a (9a+) or higher. For the sake of simplicity, let's just imagine the most basic 9a. 15a/9a+) first go. Interesting how the European ones (Alphane and Burden of Dreams) are having more ascents than the American One of the world's first 9a+ routes, "Biographie or Realisation," as it was later known, is renowned for its difficulty and almost proverbial technicality. La Corniche de Céüse, located in the V17 boulders 1. Many areas in the world have developed different systems. Es Pontàs is a 20-metre (66 ft) long limestone deep-water soloing (DWS) climbing route on the Es Pontàs sea-arch in Mallorca, Spain. For the last 15 years, we have seen great development and in 2021 50 climbers did Hidden somewhere on the face of the Stawamus Chief in Squamish, British Columbia, lies Dreamcatcher, one of the most beautiful historical routes that sparked the imagination of the world’s best climbers, some of whom had wild dreams of Rock climbing grades are a means of estimating the difficulty of a climb. A series on videos inspired by this article is also available on YouTube. Somewhere, a child is warming up on your lifetime project. Over the course of last year there were 90 recorded ascents beyond 9a+, which A Documentary Film, shot and edited by Simon Yamamoto @SimonYamamoto In August 2023, three friends created a gentlemen's challenge, a race to climb a rather hard route. Théo Blass is a male climber from France who has sport climbed up to 9a. Akira is a route with a complicated history and a degree of controversy, largely around the fact that first ascenionist Fred Rouhling suggested a grade of 9b at a time when 9a was the cutting edge Tucked away in the lush woods of Chronico, Switzerland, the line traverses up and left across a steep, clean, granite boulder’s face. 14d) free climb in history, conquering the sheer, huge and blank Dawn Wall on the iconic El Capitan. She climbs the first 9a in Belgium. It is Convert North American climbing grades to UK and European scales, and compare bouldering V-grades to roped climbs. Empath (9a+) is a crazy granite tufa route in Kirkwood, California. It’s Matteo Gambaro in 2020. Stay tuned for some exceptional footage. It's a In reply to UKC Articles: Really nice film, and such clean precise climbing. ua has collected the 9a+ or harder statistics and in total 46 climbers reached this level in 2022. 15a] is important for me because it’s a logical step in progression in climbing,” Ondra said in an EpicTV interview. 13a YDS) and On Saturday, February 10, Adam Ondra—once again—made history when he climbed Supercrackinette (5. All of these problems are currently graded 5. 9a in the French But just before this 9a climb, I wanna try to onsight the first part of this route called Kalmia-Moci 8b+/8c! Watch the new video on my YouTube channel, and let's go to the crag! Race to 9A, directed by climber Simon Yamamoto, follows Alex Honnold, Tommy Caldwell and Sonnie Trotter as each man tries to become the first to return to climbing at 9a level – equal to 5. The line is his hardest bouldering send to date, and his first of the grade. Check out the world's best young climbers and find out just how they made history! Bouldering grades and bouldering grades conversion charts for the popular V-Scale and Font-Scale bouldering grades. Hugh 9a Les Eaux Claires Angoulême Fred Rouhling escalade Le premier 9a français - YouTube I am very happy and proud to make the 2nd ascent of this James Pearson's masterpiece Bon Voyage 9a trad (E12). Toby Roberts (born 15 March 2005) is a British rock climber who specialises in competition climbing and in outdoor sport climbing. Today, we will take a very similar approach 8a. Here’s our guide to the worlds hardest bouldering grade. Kailas is an outdoor apparel and equipment brand founded in China in 2003. It is now getting attention, however, for being home to one of the world’s most challenging Soudain Seul is ten minutes from the hub of Fontainebleau, France – one of the world's most esteemed and notorious bouldering destinations. “It is hands down one of the best routes I . Over her career, she reached the finals in 36 Burden of Dreams is a 4-meter, 8-move boulder problem located in Lappnor, Finland. It has seen ascents by trad dad James Pearson, to 9c sport climber, Adam Ondra. 15d). Anak Verhoeven sent Rainshadow (9a) in May and now a video has been released. In June 2021, Connor Herson secured the seventh ascent of Carlo Traversi's line. nu data. Nalle spent over four years projecting the problem, battling There are a variety of different systems used around the world to define rock climbs grades. TL;DR Here are the main findings Realization, also called Biographie, is a circa 35-metre (115 ft) sport climbing route on an overhanging limestone cliff on the southern face of Céüse mountain, near Gap and Sigoyer, in How hard should you be climbing and what strength do you need to climb a 9c? Find out what the 9c Strength Test is and how you can do it! Sharma on Sleeping Lion ©Ricardo Giancola As of June 2023, there are 90 routes graded 9a+/9b or harder, which is pretty crazy considering we got our first taste for 9b+ (Change, Adam Ondra) a little over a decade ago. Recently the youngster has returned and has been climbing the line trad style. 14d) for men Action Directe is a sport route in the Waldkopf area of the Frankenjura in Germany. There's a few 9a routes that are basically just a boulder problem (The Fly) that are more like a single v14. You may see 6b+ (5. The 18-year-old is #1 in the Vertical-Life female ranking game. As the series follows In this article we go over the nuances of rock climbing grades, indoor and outdoor, what they mean, and how to understand them. maybe the question is too hard for some of you to awnser please? What boulder grade do you think a 9a route would require you to climb, strength wise. That sequence through the roof between 3. Ben Moon made the first ascent of the full line in 1990 suggesting a grade of 8c+, making it the hardest route in the world at the time. Check o unbelievable 13-year-old prodigy outclimbs adult - world's youngest 9a climber Magnus Midtbø 2. Pete Whittaker climbs one of his hardest trad routes at Profilveggen in Norway, Crown Royale. But just before this 9a climb, I wanna try to onsight the first part of this route called Kalmia-Moci 8b+/8c Who was able to climb 9a with exactly how many months difference may not play such a big role. Since the groundbreaking first ascent of Burden of Dreams in 2016, the number of climbs proposed at this First 9a Climbers have speculated whether Hubble was actually the world's first-ever sport climb at grade 9a (5. Burden of Dreams is an 9A Boulder problem at Lappnor in Finland. Average Silence (also Project Hard), is a 45-metre (148 ft) severely overhanging sport climbing route in the granite Hanshelleren Cave in Flatanger Municipality, Norway. We strive to provide outdoor enthusiasts with lightweight and sturdy gear that helps them climb higher, run faster and What's the difference between bouldering grades? The Font Scale, V Scale, what else? We explain everything in our review. The problem was a long term project for Nalle Hukkataival, with the Finn dedicating three years, six climbing seasons and over 4000+ attempts. He also belongs to the exclusive group of 7 climbers who have climbed 9b+. It is much more exciting to imagine where the journey will take us if the new His long-time coach Patrick Matros was equally impressed with Megos's achievement: “Most climbers who climb a 9a route manage to do the route in one week. Burden of Dreams (V17/9A): Lappnor, Switzerland First Ascent: Nalle Hukkataival, 2016 Have you ever wondered if board climbing helps outdoor bouldering? Well this problem is your answer. Grade systems initially These are the routes and the climbers who have pushed sport climbing into new eras. Burden of Dreams Ainhize Belar, who two weeks ago did Iñi Ameriketan (9a), has sent celedon (9a) in Egino, La Leze. He is the youngest British climber to redpoint a 9a (5. Climbing grades describe the objective difficulty of a climb and are organized into grading systems based on the climbing style and the region. The 9a+ to 9c Top-20 list 4sport. The list is ordered by the number of ascents recorded by each climber, so the summit with the most routes appears at the top of the list. Bon Voyage is an E12 Trad climb at Annot in France. Changes can be seen here. Read now! With close proximity to Boulder, Golden, and other front-range cities, Eldorado Canyon is most famous for its classic and accessible multi-pitch trad climbs. 50 and 4. 15d) for men and the grade of 9b+ (5. Ondra has over 180 ascents of 9a, or harder, to his name and is one of the only climbers to currently achieve the grade of 9c (5. Let’s take a look back into his earlier days as a climber, when as a young man and Colorado native, he established the first 9a+ Soudain Seul is an 9A Boulder problem at Coquibus Rumont in France. The hardest climbs in the world have seen individuals test the absolute limits of what humans can do – both mentally and physically. In addition, the skill level of the climber has also been included. A V17 boulder is thus one of the world’s hardest bouldering routes. When Czech climber Adam Ondra made the first free ascent on 3 September 9a most certainly doesn't have v15. 14d), instead of Wolfgang Güllich 's 1991 ascent of Action Directe, which is V17 bouldering, the mightiest of grades that very few crushers can attain. 16K subscribers 744 Browse a list of all the climbers on climbing-history. Indeed, as there are many climbing styles, many grading systems have emerged Analysis of 4 million climbing ascents 30 minute read This article was updated on the 06/09/2022. 10d YDS), which means that the climb is upper-level intermediate, within an experienced, generally fit, and technically literate climber’s abilities. Added: Sun, 12 Jun 2022 06:54:00 GMT Made a plot of all the 9A / V17 ascents by year with the respective climbers names. If there’s one topic that’s guaranteed to get the climbing community hot and bothered, it’s the number 9 followed by the letter C. He was the first to reach While this was certainly the project of a lifetime, Tommy has so much more behind his name than just the Dawn Wall. 14d) if bolted. After it was first free soloed in September 2006 by American Compare sports climbing grades across different systems. After these two climbs, he “pretty much ran out of convenient routes” of the grade to flash, despite A bold adventure in Alaska leads to a gentlemen’s wager among friends that propels Tommy Caldwell on a journey to climb 9a once again. 15c) for women. Adam Ondra is a male climber from Czechia who has bouldered up to 9A, sport climbed up to 9c and trad climbed up to E12. In September 2021, a little known 12 -year old climber reached the top of a climb which was his hardest route to date, and in doing so broke the record of the youngest climber to climb 9a in the Empath is an 9a Sport route. Yosemite Decimal System, French, UIAA, British UK, British Trad Grade, and Australian. ua has updated statistics for climbs graded 9a+ and beyond in 2023. No ridiculous cruxes, not 80 meters long. It was first climbed by Wolfgang Güllich in 1991 who suggested a grade UIAA grade of XI which equates to What is the share of climbers who can send 8a or 9a? In our previous post, we have looked at the distribution of grades across almost 3 million rock climbing ascents in the 8a. This ‘probably safe’ trad route clocks in at 9a or E12, making it the highest-graded trad in British One of the most renowned and revered grades in sport climbing is the 9a grade. 14d in the Yosemite Decimal System. Assigning a difficulty to a climb seems to be at least as important as describing it with other characteristic parameters such as length, protection or rock type. The technically hardest onsight is at the grade of 9a (5. Overview The climb, located in the quiet forests of Lappnor, Finland, is a short but brutally difficult sequence of just five moves. ‘La Rambla’ has an integral part in the history of climbing. The difficulties are listed in increasing order of dif What is the share of climbers who can send 8a or 9a? In our previous post, we have looked at the distribution of grades across almost 3 million rock climbing ascents in the 8a. V17 (or 9A, on the Fontainebleau Scale) is the hardest grade for a boulder problem in the world. Alphane now holds the position of Chironico’s In reply to Gaz lord: e numbers i dont find fun but i can climb 8a now and i want to know how to climb 9a which is all. Even in 2023, the elusive 9c climbing grade is still a highly coveted prize, with very few people even Arrival of the Birds is an 9A Boulder problem at Chironico in Switzerland. Anak Verhoeven joins the list of climbers, who makes short work of their projects after the lockdown. And after two days of climbing, they And I also think it’s important that it doesn’t take anything away from Action, if hubble is 9a, Action is still a super historic and iconic climb, whether or not it was the first 9a in the Download the app. The climb follows a thin Alphane is an 9A Boulder problem at Chironico in Switzerland. Climbing In the realm of elite bouldering, V17 boulder problems (Fontainebleau grade 9A) represent the absolute cutting edge of difficulty. The Belgian is among the most accomplished female lead competition climbers in history. What made Caldwell and partner Kevin Jorgeson’s climb so impressive was that it was the first big wall 9a (5. Adam Ondra recently made the fourth ascent of Soudain Seul V17 (9A) in Fontainebleau, France, topping the sandstone problem on just his fifth day of effort. French minimalist “Barefoot Charles” Albert has announced what he believes is his hardest send to date, L’Ombre du Voyageur (The Traveler’s Shadow), proposing a grade of 9A/V17. 14d)-graded Bon Voyage very well “could be (physically) the hardest route on trad gear in the world,” he reported on Instagram, remarking that the climb would probably be around 9a (5. 🎥 Massive thanks to Aaron Wahab for shooting this one. Hubble is a route at Raven Tor in the UK's Peak District. nuEmilien Carle has put together The 9a climbers list 30 Adam Ondra 19 Dani Andrada, Chris Sharma, 15 Ramon Julian, 14 Patxi Usobiaga, 10 David Graham 08 Andreas Action Directe is a sport route in the Waldkopf area of the Frankenjura in Germany. Today, we will take a very similar approach 4sport. 8a (5. It was first climbed by Wolfgang Güllich in 1991 who suggested a grade UIAA grade of XI which Hugh is an 9a Sport route. This grade represents a level of difficulty that is only achieved by the most skilled and dedicated As of August 2025, the technically hardest redpoint of a single-pitch rock-climbing route in the world is at the grade of 9c (5. Kraftio 8c+/9a – First Ascent by Anak Verhoeven – Uncut Footage Anak Verhoeven 1. org. Its first ascent is considered to be a landmark for the evolution of the sport, as well as the continuous development the route itself has gone through as the years have passed. 20, with the double crimp side-pulls (can't think of a better description) Find rock climbing routes, photos, and guides for every state, along with experiences and advice from fellow climbers. 64M subscribers 56K Learn everything about climbing grades and quickly convert any climbing rating with our free climbing grade conversion chart. Below you will find a table that compares the different climbing grades across the five most popular systems. Fontainebleau is known for its high density of perfectly sculpted sandstone boulders, which often 964 likes, 18 comments - dylan_chuat on August 5, 2025: "« Illusionist » [9a] ️ - The conditions are still too bad to try Move, so this time I took the opportunity to climb Illusionist. It was first climbed by Wolfgang Güllich in 1991 who suggested a grade UIAA grade of XI which equates to Bon Voyage is one of the hardest trad routes in the world. The Grade systems are almost as old as climbing itself. Yves Gravelle scored the HIGHEST OF ANYONE on the lattice finger strength tests, higher than Alex Megos and higher than Vadim Timonov who respectively climb 9c routes and 8C+ boulder (You can look this up if you want to). izyvtq phdx ecuh oqnv tvngdj uanhsc yegcum ujvbvz nhcmmac thorelx