Cameron Hörst, with 14 routes 9a and beyond under his harness, has done the first ascent of Big Bone (9a+) in Utah Hills, which was equipped by Joe Kinder. ”Joe and I always thought this climb would be 9b. Over the years, however, we optimized every possible move and sequence down to its easiest form. So maybe just high end 9a+ is where it should lie.” (c) Daniel Teitelbaum

”This climb was the north star of my life over the last few years. My hardest and longest project. That being said, what I take away from the multiple seasons spent in the cave was the the close-nit experience Joe and I had together, while rolling the dice on this thing. Which only we can fully wrestle with meaning of. Hard to believe this chapter is done, but looking for the next north star. Also...def higher-end 9a+. hehe.”

Can you tell us more about the ascent and what went into completing it?
It was my longest and hardest project. Joe and I first began working on it in the fall of 2022, shortly after I moved to Salt Lake City. At the time, the route felt completely beyond us.

Over the following years, we made sporadic trips during the spring and fall seasons, gradually inching closer to the send. Some years we spent long stretches of time in the cave; other years, short seasons and poor conditions limited our efforts.

This spring was different. Joe kicked off the season by establishing a new route in the cave, Bone Saw, while I arrived believing I was finally in the shape required to send Big Bone (and I did a few weeks later). What made this project so significant was not just the novelty of the climb itself, but the role the Fynn cave played in the development of my friendship with Joe. It became a kind of time capsule—an isolated space where the events, challenges, and milestones of our lives were shared and processed over countless days spent pursuing a common goal. Looking back, I suspect the send itself will fade in intrinsic significance. What will last is the friendship that was forged over those years and ultimately transcends climbing altogether.

How many sessions are we talking?
I honestly lost count of session. I have so many days in the cave over the last 4 years, likely close to 100 now. Probably north of 50 sessions on big bone.

Elias Iagnemma sent Exodia last November after 211 sessions during 4.5 years, suggesting it to be the first 9A+ in the world. It took him 160 sessions before he could do all moves. "First part is 8B+, 45 seconds bat rest and 8C+.”

Olivia Ogier, who last year sent her first 8c+, has done the first ascent of Yellow Sun (9a) in The Fortress of Solitude. ”My favorite. My hardest. Still finding the words. I owe a big thank you to Nicholas Millburn for bolting this extension to Tommy’s iconic Kryptonite. The feeling of clipping the chains after doing all 50 meters is not something I’ll forget. One of the absolute best.”

Can you tell us more about the ascent and what went into completing it?
The route is an extension to Kryptonite, which Tommy Caldwell established in 1999 as America’s first 5.14d and the first route at the Fortress. That climb has such a huge history in American sport climbing, so being able to contribute something to that wall felt really meaningful to me from the beginning. The extension was bolted by Nikolas Milburn , finishing all the way at the top of the steep. It turns an already massive pitch into a full 50-meter route, and what makes it special to me is that it really adds to Kryptonite. After climbing all of Kryptonite, there’s still a real fight left- a hard boulder problem involving a terrible sloper and a stacked mono, and another long section of easier but committing climbing when you’re already completely exhausted.

I first tried the route in November, and honestly I remember being intimidated. The wall is incredibly huge and conditions dependent, so most of the process became this constant cycle of preparing, waiting, and hoping the pieces would line up. I spent the entire winter coming back to it. I work a full time job, so I could only go on Saturdays and Sundays. My life was work, train, drive to The Fortress, repeat- but I wouldn’t change it. A big part of the challenge was learning how to stay mentally steady through the process. This route forced me to become more patient and I had to have a bit of delusional self belief to keep showing up. On the first warm day of the season, everything finally came together. The name “Yellow Sun” comes from Superman lore. Since the first pitch is Kryptonite, I wanted the extension name to connect back to that. Superman’s powers come from Earth’s yellow sun, so it felt fitting for a route that continues past Kryptonite and finishes higher on the wall.

On the grade, I believe Kryptonite now sits at the very top end of 8c+ with modern beta and a few broken holds over the years, but not quite 9a anymore. Yellow Sun adds enough difficulty and endurance after Kryptonite that 9a feels appropriate to me. What means the most to me is probably the process behind it. Spending an entire season focused on one line taught me a lot about commitment and trust in the process, and I feel incredibly honored that the route now stands as the second 9a established by an American woman.

Pepa Šindel has made a visit to Götterwandl and among other things, the 18-year-old sent Juturna (9a), Fonax (8c+) and flashed Zeris (8c).

Can you tell us more about the trip and the most memorable ascents?
Götterwandl is a magical place in Austria where I spend a lot of time, and until now I had only managed to send two routes there. On this trip, I wanted to change that, with the goal of sending as many hard routes as possible.

I started with Jaturna 9a, whose beginning I already knew super well because I had climbed it many times from the route to the left. At the top, there is a really specific boulder problem that I solved with a long jump to a jug. Right after that, I checked out Fonax 8c+, and I did it on my second go! I felt pretty good and thought I might even flash Zeris 8c… and I did! My bro Venca (who also sent Zeris 8c and Zeus 8b+ on this trip!) gave me really good beta, and it worked out. With a bit of margin as well. Next on the list was Athena 8c, which I wanted to onsight, but unfortunately I hit my hand with my knee on the first hard move. I immediately pulled back on and then climbed the route to the finish jug. Still did it second go, though. On the last day, I added a flash of Nofretete 8b+ and a second-go ascent of Zeus 8b+. Pretty successful trip, I would say!

Jorge Diaz-Rullo, who in March did the FA of Café Colombia (9c), has done Vivi si muore (9a) in La Stazione. ”Incredible line and movement. What a fight against the heat and the sweaty skin 🥵 2 days.”

Mathieu Bouyoud, with 44 routes 9a and beyond under his harness, has sent La Reina Mora (9a) in Siurana and El Gran Bellanco (9a) in Montanejos.

Can you tell us more about the trip and those ascents?
We climbed in Siurana for 10 days. I came very close on the first try to climbing “La Reina Mora,” but I fell at the end of the La Rambla section. I gave it two more tries to finish it. After that, it became very hot for climbing in Siurana, so we moved to Montanejos to finish a two-year-old project, “El Gran Bellanco.” I sent it on the second day.

What is your next plan?
Norway and Flatanger. We will go there June 8th and come back 14th of July.

Jules Marchaland, who last year sent his first 9b and flashed an 8C boulder, has flashed Hélix au pays des merveilles 8c (+) in Pic St Loup.

Can you tell us more about the flash and the beta preperation?
I came to Pic St Loup for a change from Biographie (9a+), as it is hard for me to stay focused on a project for a long time. So I came here with my friend Naoch. My main goal was to try Legend but due to pain in my fingers, I decided to try easier routes just to train my endurance.

I belayed my friend on the route three or four times, learned the beta, and talked with him to find the best possible solution. Everything went perfectly, and it was an amazing climb. I really appreciated it, and it was super nice.

There is only a small issue with the ethics, as I had already climbed the last two meters of 6b climbing. So, in the purest ethical sense, it was not a flash. I don’t care honestly but this is a little problem but I am ok with this.

Adam Shahar, who last year sent his first 9A, and Ben Hanna have repeated Zach Galla’s Sosa (8C+) in Little Cottonwood.

Shahar: ”We are so back!! First day of the year, first try getting through the bottom. Really thought I wouldn't get the chance to hop back on this one due to a wrist injury a couple months back. Ecstatic, I pulled this one off. Truly such an awesome power testpiece. Props to Zach for the FA.”

Can you tell us more about the ascent and what went into completing it?
Hanna: I started trying Sosa stand back when it was a project and was able to do it pretty fast after Zach did the FA, but it wasn’t until last summer that the low start felt like something I could do, I remember having this moment where I thought “Holly shit! I can climb v16” it was the dead of summer though and so I waited for the fall to keep trying.

When I started going back up and putting together links I found myself fighting a pretty hard mental battle and decided to rotate to Grand Illusion. I ended up doing that the last week of the season and wanted to go back to Sosa with a fresh mind and more confidence but the season was over.

Despite that I found myself saying “the season isn’t over until I say it is” and hiking up through feet of snow to dig it out with my friend Justin. The boulder stays totally dry during the winter since it’s in a cave, you just have to dig out a lot of snow to get to it, and so that’s how I found myself spending weeks hiking up after work to dig it out every day after it snowed haha definitely one of the crazier things I’ve done for a climb. I got really close a few times but competitions season started and I had to focus on that. Finally I found myself with a break from comps and a window of good enough temps to try again. I went up twice last week to remember the moves and than last night after a few days off was able to fire it first try from the ground.

As far as grade, I’ve never climbed 8c and the only other 8c+ I’ve tried is grand Illusion so I’ll leave that to those smarter than me to decide.

What is next?
Back to competition training. I am pretty focused on world cups this next coming 2 years, but climbing outside it what really fuels my soul and so I try and make time to go outside for a few weeks every season to rejuvenate myself.

How come you did not participated in Bern today?
Sadly I bombed the team trials and so I am 5 on team but we only have 4 quota spots. Which means I only get world cups starts if someone else drops out. With that being said I’ll get Salt Lake and I am determined to make the final there.