Ethan Salvo completes The Singularity (8C)

Ethan Salvo has sent The Singularity (8B+) in Squamish after projecting for some 60 sessions over four years. It was put up by Tim Clifford in 2007 as an 8B+ and the upgrade comes from the later repeaters who started one move lower. (c) Pat Valade

To me, the singularity was my most fulfilling journey as a boulderer, and also the longest. Although the boulder looks quite simple, I had to go really deep to understand what it would take to climb the problem. In my years of effort, the problem pushed me to improve in every way.

By time I was able to execute the crux move, I had grown so much as a granite boulderer. My understanding of body position, hand placement, conditions, weather pattern, skin tactics, and more had greatly improved. It was clear that all the days I put in were finally paying off, and that the end was near.

My 2023 season ended by falling after the crux move 4 times total. I honestly never thought it would be possible to fall after the crux, but the slightest error in my set up for the crux made the 4th move extremely hard to execute in comparison to trying that move in isolation. I went to Bishop after that, climbed some hard classics and learned a lot about myself while doing so.

When I got back to Squamish in Feb, it was pouring rain and I had to wait for the room to dry out again. After patiently waiting what felt like months to have more tries, the problem finally dried out, but i felt like I had to relearn things again. After a poor session, I went home and watched the video of Nalles send on repeat for 45min. Everytime the video played back, I’d focus on the movements of a different body part. I woke up the next morning pretty sore from the day before, but decided I should try anyway. Everything I learned the night before watching nalles vid on loop definitely had an impact on my tries, in a way I felt like I had learned everything there was to understand about the problem. All that was left to do was close the chapter. I pulled on for my last try of the session, which ended up being my last try ever.”

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Keenan Takahashi did the FA of Ego Death (8C) last September a couple of months after he did his first 8C+. "Immediately upon walking up to it, I knew it was something special if it was possible. It’s the sort of thing I’ve dreamed of since I started climbing, steep compression, at my limit, decentl…

Pepa Sindel, 16, ticks Victimes del Futur (9a)

Pepa Šindel has completed Victimes del futur (9a) in Margalef.

Can you tell us more about your trip and Victimes del Futur?
Six years ago, my parents decided to change their jobs, and this allowed us to travel to Spain for six months to climb. I was 10 years old at the time and basically just started climbing. I remember Siurana - my first 7a+ PP, then 7c in Santa Linya and especially Margalef. I'd say that this trip made climbing my passion.

Spring school break 2024! Clear choice - Margalef, six climbing days. I set a clear goal for myself. Something in the royal sector of El Racó de La Finestra in difficulty 8c+ to 9a. The first choice fell on the legendary route Víctimes del Futur. A route with a long history, with changes in difficulty, well described on Vertical-life.

Right after the first try, I understood that it would be a very difficult task. 20 meters of endurance climbing 8b+ to a good rest was no problem for me. Then it starts to tighten and I couldn't do the final crux even after resting on the rope. I knew that the boulder has two ways of solving, directly over the small crimp and slightly to the left through the one mono and the two finger pocket. The next day I managed to climb the boulder in a direct way, with the crimp.

For the next two climbing days, I made attempts and each time I fell in the boulder. Depressive. I could fall over and over here. So I decided to change the beta and try to use the mono and the two fingers. In this way, I felt that I was simply small, I lacked two or three centimeters to reach a good pocket. But dad kept yelling at me from below: change your legs, adjust your position.

And therein lay the trick. Right leg high, turn the left leg correctly. And suddenly I did the boulder separately, several times in a row. A day of rest followed. And it rained...rain after seven months of drought. And it rained a lot, most of the roads were wet, the hills were flooded.

However, it proved just how good a choice Víctimes del Futur was. The only route with a somewhat dry climb in the sector. I dried the wet holes in the technical climb near the top and went for a sharp attempt... I run the lower part, tackle the boulder and did it! Just a good rest and finish for some 7b, 7b+. Final runout was a heart attack, especially for my mom. Because my foot slipped on a wet hold and I was left hanging for a while on finger pockets. But, I didn't let it go and fought to the max.

Conrad Piper-Ruth does his first 8B+ at age 38

Conrad Piper-Ruth has repeated Matt Fultz’ Hypothetical (8B+) at Swan Falls. Conrad has climbed four 8B's previously and he did his first at age 36.

Can you tell us more about doing your first 8B+ boulder at age 38?
I grew up in Boise, Idaho and have been climbing for the past 24 years. In my late teens, I embraced the dirtbag lifestyle—living out of my car/tent and seeking out the world’s premier climbing areas. Climbing was life. Then I hit my 30s, started working a desk job, and had a series of injuries. For awhile, I thought my days of climbing at my prior limits were past me. Then I moved back to Boise and realized there were plenty of old guys still crushing it (Mike McClure). I changed up my training to focus more on injury prevention and quit my desk job. This allowed me to dedicate more time to harder projects and push through previous plateaus.

Hypothetical first came on my radar as a potential project after my buddies (Mike McClure and Taylor Kiley) started working it. Their sends got me psyched to start trying it and commit to the projecting process. I spent a total of nine days working it, until I finally built up the power endurance to keep the body tension and take it to the top. Hoping to keep riding this send train well into my 40s.

Daniel Woods makes the FA of Adrenaline (8C+)

Daniel Woods, who last week made the first repeat of Drew Ruana's Freak Show (8C), reports on Instagram that he has done the FA of Adrenaline. (c) Bobby Sorich

The 33-year-old has now completed 50 boulders 8C and harder including the FA of Return of the Sleepwalker (9A). He has also won one Boulder World Cup and completed roughly ten 9a+ graded routes.

Taylor Kiley boulders 8B+ while fighting Lyme disease

Taylor Kiley did Hypothetical (8B+) at Swan Falls, last month. Initially, we got in contact with Conrad Piper-Ruth, who did this same boulder as his first 8B+ at age 39, but he graciously chose to shine more light on Taylor's incredible story rather than his own impressive ascent.

Can you tell us a little about yourself and how long you've been involved in climbing?
I'm 30 years old. I grew up climbing in Idaho, and have been coaching for 10+ years! My climbing background is mostly outdoor bouldering in Idaho, I rarely gym climb. I also grew up with Lyme disease, which has been a constant battle in my climbing career.

How has this disease impacted your climbing?
Tough question to answer shortly, it has been the biggest impact of my entire life. Constant severe pinched nerves, osteoporosis, 20+ fractured bones, permanent broken fingers for multiple years. Cognitive issues, severe Hyperacusis, severe inflammation, arthritis, chronic fatigue, insomnia, heart issues, organ pain, severe migraines, the list goes on.

Ultimately Lyme's has been my greatest teacher, it's taught me how to heal/prevent traumatic injuries all over my body, eat correctly, & maintain an extremely positive & forward thinking attitude. Sometimes my window of climbing at my limit is only a few months out of the year because of all the injuries compounding. I have to find these really small windows where my body allows me to climb hard without nerves pinching, muscles tearing etc... It has been like this since I was a kid. It used to be very depressing & debilitating. I'm very lucky.

When I was a kid, my dream was to climb a v14. when I was 17 I was told I would never climb again, and end up in a wheelchair by 25.

When did you get infected?
I got it from a tick bite, when I was 6 years old. I wasn't diagnosed till I was 16 or 17. By that time I was so sick I wasn't't even able to do much. I couldn't even put my hand around a door knob and close my fist.

How much have you been able to train during the last years?
Especially in the past 5 years, It feels like at any moment something could break, tear, or get pinched. I feel like I'm listening to my body with a condenser microphone or an internal stethoscope. Oftentimes I can only do a few attempts on my project. If I do a full session, I could for sure get injured & maybe have to take 3 months off to heal. I became very good at flashing and day flashing as a result.

I'm constantly weary about getting injured, so the biggest thing that I knew had to improve if I wanted to climb "Hypothetical" or a v14 in general, was to figure out a way to increase my durability of my body!

I've never been able to train, like period. Anytime I tried to train I would immediately get injured. The only training I can do is preventative injury exercises, I do very thorough dynamic warm-ups, static hangs from the hangboard, & climb a ton outside really gently. Lots of heat therapy & acupuncture too. To be honest I spend a lot of my day just laying in bed in pain.

The way I've been able to train is by coaching, coaching motivates me to get out of my bed to do something with my life, Lyme disease can ultimately kill you if you lay in bed too long, it'll make its way to the brain and cause inflammation. Which, is why coaching has been so important. I probably wouldn't leave my bed most days without it. Teaching movement has taught me movement as well. Finding the path of least resistance through moves, instead of being stronger than the move. Having great precision and accuracy, learning how to execute under high pressure, while maintaining confidence and great positivity. I do a considerable amount of mental visualization, which is where most of my hours go into training. Honestly my training has mostly been purely teaching, visual, and finding ways to motivate belief in myself. That has been my biggest mechanism for training.

How many hours do you normally train in a month?
Short answer, I usually spend half the year climbing & half the year recovering from injuries! In a normal week when I'm not injured, maybe 2-3 hours, [but] oftentimes zero. I warm up really thoroughly every day like I'm about to climb and then don't! I'll go out and watch Conrad on the boulder, or my friend Mike & Tammy project things. I just immerse myself mentally in movement throughout the week. [I] Probably climb 4 hours over 2 weeks.

That being said when I'm not climbing, I'm still mentally climbing through other people, I continue going out watching my friend's project very closely. I'll help clean new lines build landings or just sit and watch. I'll just go out, walk around, sit in front of a boulder, and pretend to climb it for a while, while manically filling my brain with thoughts and impressions on why I CAN do the boulder. I see myself doing the boulder in my head so much I eventually I conjure it into reality.

What type of injuries have you had and how often do you have to battle them?
Last year specifically I had around 6 severe pinched nerves, I couldn't even leave my bed sometimes, at times I would crawl to the bathroom literally. I tore this extremely low AB muscle while projecting, that took about half a year to get in control of. A left lateral ligament strain/tear on my middle finger, bad inflammation all over & especially in the spine. Carpal tunnel in my left wrist (flares up and down). Increased heart issues and swelling. Severe strain of my groin ext...

Not really anyone except my close friends and family know about this, I've always been paranoid about people looking strangely, or down at me for being sick. But after doing this boulder, it might help people to know that the impossible can be possible! If you create an ecosystem in your life for success, confidence, health, & positive growth, you can create an opportunity to overcome your life goals.