Alex Johnson back in the game after ACL surgery

Alex Johnson has sent Social Distortion / Blood Meridian (8B) in Buttermilks. Eighteen months ago, she tore her ACL during a basketball game. Prior to that, she had completed 21 boulders graded 8A+ or 8B. Between 2008 and 2010, she claimed victory in two World Cups and finished as runner-up twice. (c) Bobby Sorich

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
This was one of the things I was most excited about in returning to Bishop. In part because it’s a crimp test piece, and honestly also because it’s a drop off. I’ve been having mental blocks with trying hard even a little bit off the ground since my ACL surgery, having had a lot of complications and setbacks.

It felt amazing to feel like myself again, and completely check into the present of only focusing on grabbing holds and doing moves as opposed to being distracted by thinking about falling. I needed this as a reminder that I can still climb hard! Onward from here.

Do you know why the boulder has two names?
The climb was FA’d by Matt Birch who called it Social Distortion 8B. Later someone else repeated it, maybe not knowing Matt had already done it first, and called it Blood Meridian 8B.