Off the Wagon Bio The now-iconic problem first popped up on the climbing communities radar after Dave Graham moved to Ticino in 2005, drawn to the region because of its never-ending variety of high-quality rock and endless climbing opportunities. “The pool of projects is massive, to me this is like the future realm” he proclaimed. …
La Planta de Shiva Bio Villanueva del Rosario, an imposing crag sitting above the remote Spanish village is home to two 9b, endurance testing routes, Chilam Balam and La Planta de Shiva. La Planta de Shiva, although shorter than Chilam Balam, is still a renowned endurance-zapping test piece. The 45-meter route consists of powerful tufa …
The Byaku Dou Bio Byaku-Dou begins with a feet-first start into a traverse across a 40° roof overhang, with approximately 11 moves of 8B/V13 climbing, made up of technical moves on tricky, crimpy pockets. The second part of the problem, which intersects with the upper section of Bachelorette, a slightly easier 8A+/V12 with a redpoint …
Jour de Chasse Bio Sharing the opening four moves with Mécanique elèmentaire (8B+), Jour de Chasse was claimed by Jan Hojer in December 2013 and takes the most obvious line directly up the centre of the boulder. Like Mécanique elèmentaire, the problem starts on a crimp rail with a dynamic reach to a large sloppy …
Toupie Carnivore Assis Bio La Toupie Carnivore, or Carnivorous Spinning Top in English, can be done as both a sit (8B+) and stand start variation (8B). The sit start begins with an undercling match, up into a left-hand crimp. The next move, the crux of the problem, involves a dynamic right-hand slap onto the sloping …
First Round First Minute Bio First Round First Minute is a 25 move sport route in the Laboratori sector of Margalef. A name inspired by the iconic Muhammad Ali vs Sonny Liston fight, this short sport route packs a powerful punch. FRFM isn’t a stamina-testing line with easy sections or any obvious rest areas, beginning to …
Monkey Wedding Bio The notoriously difficult 14 move problem was put up by Fred Nicole in August 2002. At the time of his first ascent, Nicole awarded the problem the grade of 8B+/V14. Since then the route has had over a dozen repeats with the consensus being that the route is closer to the 8C/V15 …
Vasil Vasil Bio Standing at only 12m high, Vasil Vasil is considerably shorter than Ondra’s two prior 9b+, Change (55m) in Flatanger, Norway and La Dura Dura (40m) in Oliana, Catalonia. While the route might be shorter, it is by no means easier. Hidden within this 22 move route are some extremely difficult sequences. The …
Catalan Witness the Fitness Catalan Witness the Fitness is a horizontal roof problem found in Cova de Ocell, Catalunya. The problem is in a cave situated halfway up the cliff, requiring climbers to scale a fixed line in order to reach the problem. After moving to Barcelona and opening ‘Sharma Climbing Barcelona’ in 2015, Cova …
The Gioia Bio Gioia, Italian for Joy, came to fruition after Varazze local Marco Bagnasco became inspired by Fred Nicole’s iconic masterpiece Dreamtime. “I’m not sure exactly when, but someday I’ll find another difficult problem, perhaps not as hard as Dreamtime but just as beautiful” Bagnasco proclaimed to Core. True to his word, Bagnasco discovered …
