Michaela Kiersch, who moved to Innsbruck two months ago to climb full time, has sent Walk The Line (8A+) and Rabbit seduto (8A) in Chironico and I Portici (8A+) in Osogna.

How many sessions were needed for those two 8A+’?
I did Portici in about 20 mins as it really suited my style — crimps and heel hooks. Walk the line took 2 sessions — the first one I worked out the bottom sequence but because it was raining I didn’t do the top out. It went quickly in the second session with dry conditions!

What is next?
I have a few big projects like Arrival of the Birds (9a) and Forgotten Gem (8C) but I love climbing all the classics of an area, especially 8A-8B.

Arlo Rogers, who sent his first 9a in January, has done Seleccion natural left exit (9a) and Direct into your Fabelita (9a), as well as flashed Rollito Sharma (8b+). (c) Kieran Whitehead

Can you tell us more about those ascents?
I first tried this back in April 2024, sleeping in a bivvi tent in the car park, I got really ill and despite my best efforts, many days were written off and I went home with my best go getting me to the tuffas. I later returned a year on to the most rain the area had almost ever received. Despite a good time on that trip training and skating down the hill many goes ended with wet hands and air time.

This time I went to the digital anchor [Seleccio Natural (9a)] on the second day of my trip and then to the top of the crag for the extension on my third.

My friend Josh was then trying direct in to your fabelita which I started trying with him, I was surprised to send it on my 6th session. I did also manage to fall of on the last v1 move 30cm away from the chains the day before the most pumped I have ever been. On the send go through conditions were terrible so the top took me forever.

I went for the flash on my last tie in on the last day of my trip. It’s one i have saved for a good flash go for a while and felt brilliant being carried up by robs beta as the sun was setting. I used a techy knee for the big move in the crux. Maybe this reduces the Grade but obviously hard to tell on the flash, it’s very low percentage and I certainly had to fight for it!

What are your 2026 plans?
This winter I’m back in UK but going to Pitumarca in July in South America with some friends. Hoping to repeat some of the classics and develop some new single pitch and multi pitch routes.

Sam Daulton, who earlier this year sent his first 8c+, has repeated Carlo Traversi’s Empath (9a+) in Tahoe (CA), twice. First he sent it as a sport climb, ”might only be 8c”, and later on trad gear. ”Came back and did it without the bolts. 2nd ascent on gear. All natural pro, all placed on lead. So fun! Not sure about the grade, but definitely a little harder than on bolts… I dialed in the jams, it is certainly much harder without jams.” (c) Sean Haverstock

Traversi suggested 9a+ which was confirmed multiple times before it was downgraded by Ethan Pringle doing it with climbing gloves. Later Connor Herson sent it both on bolts and later did the FA on trad gear, without commenting the grade. ”I was able to jam my way past the three of the four cruxes on the route, making each of them substantially easier. I did not wear any tape or crack gloves for the send.”

This summer, Tommy Caldwell (46) did it on bolts. ”With the way I used my trad-dad skills to get it done—it’s probably more like 8c.”

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
When Carlo established Empath in 2020, I remember thinking it was one of Tahoe’s most inspiring lines—and immediately writing it off, since I don’t climb 5.15 [9a+] I didn’t try the route until this year.

One of the things I love most about climbing is confronting challenges that initially seem impossible and slowly realizing they might just be possible after all. Interestingly, 2020 was also the year I began crack and trad climbing on Donner Summit. Five years later, I still don’t climb 5.15—but I’ve picked up a new skill set. Those techniques transformed what once felt like a pipe dream into something that was within my wheelhouse. That shift made this process one of the coolest experiences I have had with a route.

I first tried the route twice in the summer of 2025, but only managed one attempt each session due to limited time. Even so, the line stuck with me—steep, immaculate granite with striking features. In the fall, I committed to giving it a proper effort, getting out as consistently as I could while working full time—using some vacation to get out during some afternoons.

October weather in Tahoe is hit or miss, and I pulled my draws just before a storm dropped a foot of snow on the Sierra Crest. Fortunately, it melted quickly, and shortly after, I redpointed the route on bolts. All told, it took nine sessions, including the two summer days.

Even before sending it on bolts, I was curious about climbing the route on gear. Difficult trad climbing is one of my favorite styles because of the added complexity—choosing placements, deciding when to run it out, and managing the mental side alongside the physical. Since the temperatures were dropping and the season was winding down, I went out to micro-traxion the route to suss the gear. I redpointed it on gear 3 sessions later in November, wrapping up a wild process on a dream route right before another Sierra deluge!

Big thanks to Carlo for establishing such a beautiful line, to my partner Sara for the support, to Sean for filming, and to all my climbing partners along the way!

As for the grade, the route felt more manageable once I dialed in the jams, it is certainly much harder without jams. With my beta, I don’t think it is harder than 8c+ on bolts, although 8c is probably a sandbag. Climbing it on gear adds time in strenuous positions to place gear, which certainly increases the difficulty, but I’m not sure it bumps the letter grade. Connor is much more well-equipped to grade this than me, so I largely defer to him :).

Pietro Vidi has repeated Magic Line (8c+) in Yosemite (CA). In 1996, Ron Kauk completed the route using pre-placed gear, and his son Lonnie repeated it in the same “pink-point” style in 2016. Two years later, Lonnie achieved the first true clean ascent, upgrading the grade to 8c+ to reflect the added difficulty of placing the gear on lead. (c) Victoria Kohner-Flanagan

Pietro’s repeat of Magic Line follows his ascents of the big wall The PreMuir (8a+) on El Capitan, and the trad line Meltdown (8c+) trad last month - topping off a very successful trip to The Valley.

”After a last minute change of plans and not starting my push on The Nose, the obvious goal was Magic Line. I have always been attracted by the beauty and aesthetics of the line, but at the same time intimidated knowing it wouldn’t suit me as well as meltdown. The thought of climbing both routes in the same season got me even more psyched to try it! I found the route actually suited me really well - with a hard intro boulder, followed by some very delicate laybacking on really bad smears and little edges and then a final no-hands rest before the last boulder.

On the first session on a Top-Rope I could quickly link the two cruxes, but it took me 3 further sessions to optimise my beta for the long middle section and figure out the most efficient gear placements and all the little details. I eventually top-roped the route placing all the gear on my fourth session and felt really confident to send even with thr limited time I had left on the trip. On my first day of lead attempts I made it to the last, (easier) crux on both tries, but my foot slipped on one of the very last moves, seeing me take a couple of big whippers.

I managed to send the route on my first try of the next day, finding myself flowing through the cruxes without even thinking and “magically” found myself at the chains! For sure one of the best, most aesthetic and most technical lines I’ve ever climbed! Really happy to have climbed both this and Meltdown in the same trip, but I’ll definitely have my focus back on the bigger walls for my next trip to The valley!”

Stefano Carnati, with 37 routes 9a to 9b under his belt, has repeated Ultimo tango a Zagarolo (9a+) in Grotti. The Italian only needed two days for the ascent and commented it is either a hard 9a or 9a/+. (c) Filippide Calindro

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Ultimo Tango a Zagarolo is short and specific route: it starts with a powerful ten-move boulder, featuring a long move off distant feet and then a series of two-finger pockets that are extremely hard on the tendons. The final crux is a jump from a deep, sharp two-finger pocket. I managed to stick this move in isolation already on my first try, but I quickly realised that coming into that pocket from below makes it almost impossible to get it as deep and solid as you’d want.

On my redpoint I must have pulled way too hard on that pocket, because my finger went numb for the entire upper section. That part climbs around 8a, on a vertical wall with smaller, sharper pockets… definitely not as easy as I expected after only checking it twice. Another lesson learned. In the following days my tendons were incredibly sore, and I could barely climb anything.

Matilda Söderlund reports on Instagram that she has done the first female ascent of Spomin (8c) in Paklenica. The 350-meter route is split into ten pitches, with the crux sections graded 8c and 8b+. The Swede boasts one of the greatest résumés in women’s climbing. She finished sixth at the 2012 World Championship and has since climbed 9a’s, onsighted 8b,’s and sent boulders up to 8B. Her achievements also include a couple multi-pitch ascents graded 8b+ and 8c.

”It took us 14 hours car to car, so we weren’t fast 😅 But climbing the last couple of pitches in the dark with no wind was a really cool mix of calmness and epic. Standing on the summit of Anica Kuk, completely exhausted, together is a memory I will cherish forever - and ’Spomin’ actually means memory ✨”

Eva Hammelmüller, who previously in 2025 has done a dozen routes 8c+ and beyond, has sent Omen Nomen (9a) in Arco. The Austrian tried it four years ago but could just barely do every move in isolation. This year, the 25-year-old sent it in just four sessions and she moves to second position, after Laura Rogora, in the ranking game.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
A dream of mine that first took shape back in 2021 became reality last weekend. At that time, my big objective was to climb 9a, and I thought ‘Omen Nomen ’could potentially fit my style perfectly; the route is not too steep and really technical, and can be split into three sections with rests in between. However, to be honest, I think I just didn’t have the level yet. The cruxes require a huge amount of body tension, biceps, and finger strength - which I definitely lacked at that time.

Several years passed and finally, I returned this season with all my homework done. While I struggled to do the moves in isolation in 2021, I quickly linked both crux sequences this year. Four amazing days in Padaro with good friends later, and the anchor was clipped. Knowing how far I’d come since those first sessions, was an unreal and incredibly rewarding feeling. Huge thanks to the crew for hyping me up and sharing the psych!!

How can you best explain your great outdoor progress in 2025?
Over the last few years, my motivation for outdoor climbing outgrew my thrive for competitions. I enjoyed being out in nature with good friends so much more than competing, especially because I always experienced competition venues as really stressful and nerve-wrecking. While I felt energetic and psyched after a long rock climbing day, competitions left me feeling drained and tired. Therefore, I reckon that my decision to focus on rock climbing plays an important part in my performance improvement. If I feel relaxed and nothing but motivated, I simply perform way better. In addition, not having to focus on comp schedules and training cycles enables me to listen 100% to my body - if I am psyched for climbing, I climb, if I am tired or have many other things to do, I rest; that makes my training more effective and productive. Plus, I think my mentality is more the one of a team player - and outside, climbing is exactly about that: working together to find the best solution to succeed in a route, with the only 'opponent‘ being the route. After all, I guess it comes down to not take everything too seriously and make the most of every climbing session you get to spend outside with friends.

Jacopo Larcher has repeated James Pearson’s Bon Voyage (9a) in Annot. Pearson graded it E12 on the British trad scale, which also includes how dangerous and how hard it is to onsight. Later Adam Ondra did the second ascent, saying it is a solid 9a comparing to bolted routes.

The Italian climber boasts one of the most impressive trad tick lists, including his first ascent of Tribe, a potential 9a. He began projecting Bon Voyage two years ago on a solo trip, and after another solo trip and two more trips with a belayer, he successfully sent it.

"I remember when James first told me about Bon Voyage. He was still working on it at the time and showed me some pictures of those perfect pockets branching off from the classic Voyage, which required some creative beta. He spoke of bomber gear but also big falls: the perfect combination for some hard trad climbing!

After he sent it, I was even more motivated to check it out myself, so in November ’23 I drove down to Annot with my dog Olli. Once I started working the route, on a static line, I immediately told myself: “What a crazy line!” It’s incredibly rare to find something like this—proper hard climbing, yet still safe to protect on gear. I felt good on the route right away and was able to make big links, but the infamous mono move really made me struggle. My pinky was too weak, and I tore it as soon as I tried pulling on it. I had to find another method, which was super tough on the skin and low percentage. My fingers were simply too weak. I realized it didn’t make sense to try on lead when I couldn’t even consistently stick that move, so I shifted my focus to other projects (like Couilles de Mammouth). The next spring I made another quick solo trip, but again without real progress on that move.

This year, after winter training, I drove down again with a good friend, Nemuel Feuerle, for a week. We split our time between Bon Voyage and other routes, and finally that move started to feel doable—even with the pinky! Psyche was high and I was already planning another trip a few weeks later, but unfortunately on the second-to-last day in Annot I injured my neck while working the route. That meant a forced month of rest and losing power in my left arm for about two weeks. Pretty scary. Between the injury, frustration and other plans, I ended up putting the project aside. After the route-setting season, the plan for fall was to spend quite a bit of time in Yosemite as usual, but then unfortunately Babsi got injured, and I decided to cancel the trip as well. Bon Voyage started creeping back into my mind, especially since another friend was motivated for it too. I began training my pinky a bit, trying to find the balance between strengthening it and not getting injured again, and around mid- November I drove back to Annot. I don’t know what changed this time—maybe the training, maybe the shared motivation—but to my great surprise I could immediately stick the pinky mono move, and after a few days I finally tied in to give it proper lead attempts.

The first try on lead felt weird. I had spent so much time working the route, mostly alone on a static line, and I didn’t know what to expect. Part of me was hoping for an improbable “first go, best go”, while another part was just stressed about how the route would feel on lead. I was afraid it would feel horrible. I climbed poorly and was very tense, but when I fell I was relieved to finally be giving it real attempts. That try really unblocked something, and my internal motivation grew again. Everything felt different this time, and it was so cool to share the process and the attempts with friends who were also working the route. It felt like a normal day at the crag, sharing burns, rather than headpointing a hard trad line. 2025 was a challenging year for me. I had lots of amazing moments, but climbing-wise I struggled a lot and nothing seemed to click, which brought frustration and higher expectations/pressure, especially after the missed flash of Freerider. I couldn’t find the fire that usually burns inside me for climbing, and the more I searched for it, the further away it seemed. But somehow, in the weeks before the trip, I realized that the fire was coming back. I was climbing without pressure, simply for the joy of climbing and sharing good moments with friends. Some spontaneous trips reignited that spark, and the same happened in Annot.

I was getting closer and closer on every try, but instead of getting frustrated or feeling pressure—like I had for most of the year—I just wanted to try more, to climb more. Honestly, that’s what I had been missing these last months. It felt so good to try hard, share moments with friends, and be in a good headspace. The funny thing was that when I first started trying the route, I thought that once I somehow stuck the mono move, I would definitely send, since the last section didn’t feel too bad in isolation… but reality was different, and I fell at least five times after the mono. What an unexpected turn—from not being able to do the move at all, to sticking it almost every time and then falling after it. Mathieu Miquel gave us the perfect belay beta (redirecting the rope to a cam at chest height at the base of the wall), which made the fall off the arête safe. That allowed us to focus completely on climbing without fear. On Nov 29th, on the send go, everything aligned and I slipped into one of those rare flow states where everything feels almost effortless. Finishing a project with a big fight is great, but it’s also nice to finish such a long and challenging process in this way. In the end it’s just a piece of rock, but I’m grateful for what this route taught me throughout the process. It showed me that it’s always worth sticking with a goal, no matter how much you struggle. It reminded me of the importance of sharing the process with others, reconnected me with a country where I’ve spent a lot of good times and—especially on this last trip—reconnected me with my climbing. What a Bon Voyage, in the end. A big thanks to everyone who shared this journey with me, both there and from home.”

Ga-eun Kwon, who sent her first 8c+ at age 10, has repeated Chris Sharma’s iconic Era Vella (9a) during a three-week trip to Margalef.

”The first time I went climbing overseas was with just my dad when I was eight years old. Because that trip was so enjoyable and remains a great memory, the annual climbing trips are always something I look forward to and get excited about. ​Since it had been two years since I last sent an 8c+, my thirst for 9a had been growing. That’s why I was thrilled to come on this trip and finally climb the legendary Era Vella, which I had only seen in videos. ​The only really challenging part here was the cold, as the area doesn't get sun all day and is very windy.

​While adjusting to the time difference, I gradually worked out the moves, doing one or two attempts per day. After a few days, I solved all the moves, and Dad and I celebrated had a party. I was happy because I have always managed to send a route once I’ve solved the movement. ​In the end, I achieved the send after a total of six attempts over three days. ​The most memorable moment was during the fifth attempt: I passed every hard section, but just before clipping the final chain, the inside of a hold was wet. I struggled there for over 10 minutes before finally falling off. It was such an easy section, and I was frustrated and sad that I fell because the hold was wet.

My original schedule was to climb the next day, but Dad suggested we take a rest day. So, on our rest day, we had a great time walking by the sea and doing some local shopping. ​The following day, after warming up, I sent Era Vella on my very first try of the day, finally claiming my first 9a. ​The final moment was amazing; I'm so happy and still can't quite believe it.”

Her 54-year-old father, Younghye, who last year won the Ice World Cup in Korea, gives us the full background story.

”It is not easy for us, coming from an Asian country, to travel frequently to Europe. Because of this, the strength of the  "Selection and Concentration" has always been necessary for us. To ensure that she could complete her target route on each rare trip, we had to combine various pieces of information, preparing and training her for several months in advance.

As this is her last year of elementary school, I often reflect on my daughter's climbing life so far.  Since her mother and I run a climbing gym, the gym naturally became her playground from an early age.  By the time she was six, we began guiding her through more systematic training.

Ordinarily, she focuses her training on climbing competitions, only traveling for outdoor rock climbing once a year. Our goal is to let her experience the joy of climbing in nature and to use these rock climbs as opportunities to push her limits one step further. Because "Era Vella" is world-famous and has many videos available, we were able to analyze its climbing style and characteristics beforehand. I determined that the sustained endurance required for the 50-meter-long route and the angle of the steep overhang were well-suited to her climbing style. I set this route as her goal, and thankfully, she was able to solve the sequences without too much trouble.

However, due to her smaller stature, she often had to find her own unique moves—different from those used by adults—to solve various sections. Through this process, she constantly changed and refined her movements, learning ways to conserve energy even when using the tiniest holds.

Just when she had nearly solved all the movements, the weather became the critical variable. Even though it didn't rain, I suspect that the severe temperature difference caused moisture to appear on several holds. After struggling for several days with these wet holds, the wind finally picked up significantly on December 5th, returning the holds to normal condition. Not missing this crucial opportunity, she climbed calmly and steadily, clipping the rope into the chains to complete her first 9a route. And finally, we want to express our thanks to Chris Sharma for establishing this incredible line.”