Samuel Hsin has done Paint it Black (8C) at Bear Lake Road. Daniel Woods put up what is regarded as a five-star 65 degree roof in 2012. ”This one was huge for me. I’ve always had a hard time getting myself psyched to solo session for one, and feeling like I’m at this level for another. I made some progress early on, but at the end of the day it came down to me committing to sessioning alone on a day that I couldn’t rally the homies that let me put it down. No external motivators, no one to prove to, nothing to gain, just me and my desire to do this rock climb.”

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Zach Galla did the second ascent of Daniel Woods' The Process (8C+) in March, after projecting it for some ten sessions during three trips. "I saw Daniel do the FA in real rock when I was 14 and the boulder has been in my mind as one of the most mega things out there. Feels crazy that it’s remained unrepeated for 9 years, and my climbing has leveled up enough in that time to climb it for its 2nd. The boulder is definitely scary but not too dangerous. the crux jump to the lip is about 18 feet [5.5 meters] off the ground and feels like it will swing you off and cause a weird fall, but I was lucky to never take a bad one from there. After the lip, the boulder starts to get into a no fall zone as you execute around a V8 [7B+] boulder before making it onto some easy slab terrain. It felt as if there was nothing else around me and I was climbing in a bubble. A unique climbing experience I’ve never experienced before."

Vroni Gaßner, who previously has completed 15 boulders 8A or 8A+, has done El Gauhara (8A) in Zillertal.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
Last weekend I went to Zillertal with my boyfriend. We spontaneously decided to give “El Gauhara” a try, but I wasn’t sure if it would be too hard for me. He did it quite quickly and it also went much better than expected for me. I fell a few times on the second last move. So we came back this weekend and I did this dreamline just before the rain came. So happy!

David Fitzgerald reports on Instagram that he has repeated Shawn Raboutou’s Big Z (8C+) in Tahoe, after projecting it for some 25 sessions. (c) Jon Thompson

The 30-year-old started climbing at age 18 and within six months, he had done his first 7C; three years later in 2016, he did his first 8B+. In 2022, he did his first out of three 8C's.

Andrea Zanone has completed Condé de choc (9a) in Entraygues. The very steep gneiss route, located at 1600m altitude, was put up by Tony Lamiche in 2006. It has later become one of the more popular 9a’s in the world and has 17 logged ascents in the database.

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
I went to Entraygues for the first time many years a go. I was young and inexperienced as a climber maybe I was approaching my first 7a's but anyway I've got good memories from those days. I sporadically came back for few years always during the deep summer. In 2020 I was in good shape in summer and I achieved the goals to reapeat a few lines like Deltaplane man direct (8c+) and Onde de choc (8b+) with a style that suits me really well.

Last year in May I injured the index finger of my right hand and I had to wait until August to try something at my limit again. I came back again to Entraygues to check the intro boulder problem of the 9a. It took me 3 days to climb the first part. I knew I was ready for the main project.

I came back at the end of September to try to complete the full linefor a full month and I got extremely close to send it. I was climbing the first boulder problem every tries but my power endurance was not enough to reach the chain. I felt more than two tries per day at the last 3/4 moves of the route, day after day and I was feeling the pressure. My body and my mind started to feel the fatigued of the days spend at the crag so my dream disappeared in the cold winter of the French Alps.

This line was stuck in my head for all the winter and the desire to climb on it again was huge. I waited until May 2024 to come back and on my first day of attempts I did this great powerful test piece. For me this route represent a new beginning of who I am at the moment. I worked really hard in the past years especially on the mental aspect, to be a better person and a better climber everyday. Grades are important for the motivation, but I think that living the passion to learn new ways, to express ourselves, is way more important. For sure I will fight again to live amazing emotions like this one in the future.

Aidan Roberts reports on Instagram that he's proposing 9A for Spots of Time, which he put up in February, after working on it for 30+ sessions. "At this level, where style becomes specific and finer details so important, it feels at best a good guess and I feel open to be humbled by missed methods or simple overconfidence in my own ability." (c) Jim Pope

The Brit has previously sent several 8C+ graded boulders, Alphane (9A) and Arrival of the Birds, which he did in March, saying it was harder than Alphane, but a grade has not yet been proposed .

James Webb reports on Instagram that he has completed two Giuliano Cameroni FA’s in Valle Bavona, Solar Plexus (8C) and Eye in the Sky (8C). "This line in particular is on the first of many house sized blocks and is just a dream to climb. Comfy rock, fun moves, powerful yet technical etc etc. Hands down one of the best out there!" (c) Patinaeater

What was the key for the ascents?
I had tried them both before. I sent eye in the sky in the evening. And then the next morning I went and sent Solar Plexus. They both are quite low percentage so I think the key was a bit of luck haha. Especially on Solar Plexus. The first move is one of the more complex and difficult single movements out there. Not to mention it’s on river polished granite so that adds a whole other element when it comes to conditions and the proper friction to stick to the holds.

What are your summer plans?
Right now summer plans are to spend time hiking deep into the Sierra searching for new areas. Possibly a trip to Colorado to try a few things but mostly spending my time here in California developing in the alpine.

Andreas Hofherr has made the third ascent of Bernd Zangerl's trad line Into the Sun (8c+) in Mugtal. For the 20-year-old full-time competition climber, it was the first time he placed gear and his redpoint took only two sessions. Bernd has described the difficulties as, "It starts with a six move 8A+ traverse into Fred Nicole's old top rope boulder Murgtal Tag & Nacht 8A+ (where gear is placed) and tops out with a 7b link. "