Ascent Log
| Climber | Suggested Grade | Date of Ascent | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ryuichi Murai | V16/8C+ | 10th Dec 2021 | FA. Instagram Post |
| Florian Wientjes | V16/8C+ | 17th Oct 2023 | Instagram Post |
| Ryohei Kameyama | V16/8C+ | Oct 2023 | Instagram Post |
Climb Profile
The Route
Nestled in the forest of Mizugaki, Japan, lies a boulder that only a few dare to try. Japan is notoriously known for hard bouldering, and Floatin’ is no exception. This is a hard, very hard V16.
Floatin’ is a 35 degree wall of sheer granite consisting of 5 really really hard moves. Any average Joe like me would lose all their fingers to pulley injuries by walking up to the boulder.
The boulder starts with both feet on the crash pad, left hand on a bad pinch and right hand on a bad crimp. Getting started is the first crux.
From there, you launch yourself to the next move, hence the name ‘Launch Pad Project’. The next move is a left-hand pocket. Once you get your left hand in there, you get a high left foot to an edge (if you can call it that).
This is where it gets mad. Instead of continuing up the boulder like a normal person would do, you campus down to a crimp next to the left foot, bring down the left foot and swap it for your left hand – crux 2. Then, the right hand goes back up to the pocket. All this is done while completely campusing (or Floatin’).
From there, it’s easy peasy, just bump up with the left hand to a crimp, left again to a sloper, top out, walk up a slab and you’re done. Sounds easy right?
First Ascent
10th Dec 2021: Ryuichi Murai
Japanese climber Ryuichi Murai made the first ascent of Floatin’ in December 2021. Even though Murai is one of the strongest Japanese climbers out there, the route didn’t come easy for him.
It took him around 10 sessions and a lot of playing around with the beta before making his ascent. His initial beta was to launch himself for the left-hand crimp lower down. He kept missing and quickly realized he needed to try a different way.
At around session 6, he experimented with his new beta where he launches himself from the two bad starting holds to the left-hand pocket.
That beta didn’t exactly come easy either, but once he stuck the move he knew it was only a matter of time before the send. The next cruxy move is transitioning from a high left foot to a downward campus on two small crimps.
Battling freezing temperatures and bad skin, the FA of Floatin’ is one of Murai’s biggest accomplishments.
Second Ascent
17th Oct 2023: Florian Wientjes
The second ascent came by German climber Florian Wientjes. As soon as he saw the video of the first ascent, he became obsessed with the boulder. Four weeks before his trip out to Mizugaki, Florian focused his training on finger strength, campusing and pull speed.
The first time he touched the holds they felt a lot worse than he expected, but since he had done a lot of preparation, it didn’t feel impossible.
He spent most of his sessions working the first move, as that was the hardest for him. Instead of campusing up to the left hand pocket like Murai does, Florian found that a pogo for momentum worked better.
Once he stuck the first move, it was all about piecing it together. On his 5th session, he fell from the easy top out section, mainly because it was wet and slippy. After a 15 minute rest, he went for the send! Overall, it took him 9 days of climbing in Mizugaki before making the second ascent of this epic gnarly boulder.
Third Ascent
Oct 2023: Ryohei Kameyama
Kameyama first tried Floatin’ in November 2022 without any luck. A year later, in October 2023, Kayamada returned with vengeance. Stronger and more experienced, it didn’t take him long before bagging the third ascent.
Header image by saruzaemon9
Video Library
