Connor Herson sends Blackbeard’s Tears, 8c+ (trad)

Connor Herson has made the first repeat of Ethan Pringle’s Blackbeard’s Tears (8c+), done in 2016, at the Promontory, after projecting it for seven sessions. The 40m crack was originally put up as an aid route by Matthias Holladay who had freed the first 6c section. There is also a glue-in anchor two-thirds up that goes at 8a.

"Blackbeard’s Tears is essentially a long, steep 5.13 crack to a good rest, to a hard boulder. The boulder consists of pulling a roof and really puts a lot of pressure on my right pinky. Two days before I sent it, I ripped a massive flapper there, so I had to change my beta to get that hold with my left hand instead. I didn’t really expect to send the day I did, but everything worked out and I found myself clipping the chains! Stay tuned for a short video ;)"

Carlo Traversi, who has been working on Blackbeard’s took the above picture and says, "Connor is a very talented climber, especially with cracks. You can get a no-hands rest [after the second anchor] in a few ways but Connor used a bat hang."

Connor Herson made his first 8a headline in 2018 when he did an 8c+, 2nd go at age 14. In the same year, he repeated The Nose 8b+ MP; and was #11 in the Youth World Championship. Last year he did the bolted route Empath 9a (+) on trad gear and later he was #12 in the YWC after being #2 in the qualification round. In August, we reported that he had done two 8c trad routes and a 9a in Squamish.

Last weekend, he was busy putting up the 13-pitch Hairline (8b) which summits Mt. Whitney (4 421 meters) together with Fan Yang. Connor has the full report on Instagram. Interview from last year: ”Multi discipline excellence”.