Nick Bradley, who sent his third and last 8C almost three years ago, has ticked Railway (8C) in Wild Basin. The 27-year-old is working full time as a software engineer.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Railway looks like a pretty simple crimp line, and for the most part it is, but what I really enjoyed about it is how surprisingly technical it is. A lot of the difficulty comes down to how well you’re keeping tension through your feet. That combination of crimps and tension fits me pretty well, so I was able to do all the moves pretty quickly on my first session, but it’s one of those climbs where every move adds a lot. The first move is definitely the most difficult, but it makes the “easier” moves feel way harder. By the time I had finally done it I’d probably fallen at the last move around 15-20 times. Huge props to Aidan for adding this gem to an already stacked zone.

How come it is almost three years since you sent anything harder than 8B?
I’ve been preoccupied with finding a career that fits me and the lifestyle that I want. I’m in a much better place now and headed in the right direction, but for a while I felt like I had to choose between performing at a high level and having a stable career. Climbing Railway helped reassure me that I’m on the right path, and that I can do both.

What have you studied and what is your job now?
So I spent 6 years of school studying finance. I never really loved it but wanted to be successful so I spent a lot of time setting myself up for a good career in it. I got a 4-yr degree, passed the CFA exams, and landed a job as an investment analyst. I hated it. In school I liked doing math and figuring out difficult problems, but in practice I just did not at all enjoy finance. At that job I automated some stuff in Python which kicked off my switch to software engineering. I got another 4-yr degree in that and am working as a software engineer now, and I absolutely love it. It’s a bit cliche for a climber, but if the shoe fits!

For how long time have you had a full time job?
I’ve worked 40hr weeks since I was 18 but they were part-time jobs like working at a restaurant or routesetting/coaching at a gym. But 2-3 years at a “corporate” full-time desk job.

So full time also when you were studying?
Yeah, in college I’d work “doubles” at the restaurant Friday-Sunday and get close to 40hrs. Once I graduated and was working on the CFA exams I’d just study after work. When I went back to school to switch careers, it was online so I had the flexibility to study whenever I had time.

Adam Shahar, who during the last five months has sent four 8B+' and two 8C's, has ticked Sleepwalker (8C+) in Black Velvet Canyon, logging it as an 8C. "Was able to get her done second sesh after working out the moves and links Sunday with a dope squad. Tried the low a bit today and super stoked on returning for return."

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Last week I took a four day trip to Red Rocks Las Vegas with the sole goal being to work out sleepwalker and get an understanding of how I match up with the climb. After a great first working session things all seemed to be more reasonable than I had first thought. After warming up and rehearsing links I was able to take down the line first try from the bottom on my second day. This was a surreal feeling as I vividly remember watching the FA video five years ago and hoping one day I would have the abilities necessary to complete an ascent. Here we are now way earlier than expected! After a short break in SLC I am now heading back to Red Rocks hoping to give a good effort on the lower start! 🤞

Did you have time to check the Sit?
Yes, I was able to flash into sleepwalker from the bottom and on my third go got to the big bump move. I thought it was something like v12 [8A+] maybe? I’ve heard others say 13 but I didn’t think so.

Roxane Durand, who five years ago at age 34 sent her first 8b+, has completed Rue Gamma (8c) in Peillon. During the last year and a half she has done 13 routes 8b to 8c, meaning she is peaking just a couple of days before turning 40!

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I am so happy having sent this route cause it is a nice big classic one in Peillon, and for me it is also the end of a long process wich started 3 years ago. 😮This route is a real monster 👹, a kind of 3-in-1 route : It starts by the 8b « Das Boot », which needs a lot of power and core strenght, and also good conditions cause of the no texture pinch in the crux. After a big rest the route continues in the specific part of Rue Gamma. The crux consists of a big lock-off with the right arm pulling a mono and a left heelhook on the hand, all in a roof ! To finish, you have to climb the quite resistant part of the 8a+ Vizir. Sending this route was trying to make everything happen in the same time, trying to align these 3 planets : Das Boot – Rue Gamma – Vizir ! 🌒🌘🌓

After sending Das Boot in 2021, I started to try Rue Gamma but I wasn’t able to do the crux with the mono. Also, I tried only 5 sessions a year so I didn’t make any progress in it so I had no conviction at all to be able to send it one day, and no much motivation.😞 This year I realised it had no sense to continue trying this route if I wasnt able to do the crux and if I didn’t manage to go more often. So I decided to train specifically the move with the mono, and I bought for this route, a Monofinger hanging device to give me a chance to maybe one day be able to send it! In April, I was able to do the crux with the mono but not to send again the Das Boot part… By the way my motivation increased and I did 5 sessions in the route in spring, and I went again in the route in autumn. In December 🥶, with much better conditions than in autumn, I sent Das Boot again and started to fall in the mono crux and to have good tries, which motivates me a lot !

Last wednesday, 5 days before my 40th brithday 🎂, I aligned all the 3 planets and sent this big classic, which wasn’t an easy 8c for me ! Such a nice feeling to realise that I did something I was thinking impossible 3 years ago ! 🤩😃 In total, I did 22 sessions (12 this year), 53 tries (without considering Das Boot) ! During the ascent, after not falling in the two principal cruxes, I needed to stay focus a lot, to breath and stay calm until the end… And everything went perfectly ! 🥳🎉

Alex Huber has done the FA of the vertical 76-meter-long Mythos (8c+) at Barmstein. In February, the German mountaineer was diagnosed with a brain tumour and underwent emergency surgery almost immediately. Fortunately, the tumour was benign and successfully removed, but recovery was a challenging journey. After a three-month pause, he gradually regained strength over the summer and achieved two remarkable first ascents. The first, Überleben ("survival"), is a short multipitch at Brendelberg graded 7c, 7b, 8b and the second, was Mythos an extraordinary feat just months after life-saving surgery. (c) Heinz Zak

The 55-year-old was one of the greatest climbers in the world during the 90’ies. In 1996 he made the FA of Open Air (9a+) which has only been repeated by Adam Ondra, who upgraded it to 9a+. In fact, several of Alex’ hardest FA’s have later been upgraded. During the last 25 years, his focus has been putting up big walls and multipitches. In 2022, he made the FA of the six pitches Ramayana (8b+) after having worked it ground-up alone with a soloist set up.

Can you tell us more about the 76 m route and the process behind it?
The "Mythos" is on the north face of Barmstein, a cliff which is just a 10-minute walk from my home. The route itself has some three parts.... the first 35 meters are overhanging but good featured somewhat in the 7c - range, then followed by 25 meters of very compact, almost featureless wall. In this continuous crux there is no one single good hold or foothold. With the last move of the crux being 60 meters above the ground the route is a mind game. You shouldm't get nervous about these delicate and tricky moves. The last 16 meters are still compact but have holds of normal size and the difficulty does not exceed the grade 8a+.

I started working it occasionally in August, but even though it is a north face, the temperatures were way to high for really attempting it. It was much more for „training reasons“. Then in October came the good temperatures before I finally climbed it on the 1st of November.

How long falls did you take?
Falls were up to 15 metres, maybe even a bit more because there is so much rope involved. But falls are basically soft and due tot he nature of t he route without any risk. During the ascent I intentionally didn’t clip one oft he bolts and accidently couldn´t clip the next either… because oft he weight oft he rope, clipping is really difficult. Brain surgery at age 55, how did you manage to get back in shape so fast?
Because of a bigger defect of the Dura Mater which was closed by an artificial tissue, it was necessary to avoid any activity whatsoever after my operation in February till June. Then I started with therapeutic climbing and in July I began climbing outdoors. As there was some certain epileptic risk I started climbing just toprope, mostly self belayed with minitraxion. Six month after the surgery I went back to alpine climbing in the Dolomites with Simon Gietl and this was the moment for me when I could see myself coming back to normal.

If you ask me how I could come back in shape so fast... it felt different for me. Six months of no real climbing is something which has never happened to me since I began climbing some 40 years ago. It is a long walk but I always felt better after climbing so it was the best therapy for me.

Taisei Homma, #2 in the Lead World Cup in 2022, reports on Instagram that he has completed La Rambla (9a+) in Siurana, one of the most famous routes in the world. Alexander Huber originally bolted the route and completed the 8c+ FA to an intermediate anchor in 1994. Later, Dani Andrada added two bolts leading toward a neighboring route, and in 2003, Ramón Puigblanque achieved the FA of the full line at 9a+. Now, with over 30 ascents, this 41-meter-long route is the most repeated 9a+ in the world. (c) Shinta Ozawa