Dylan Chuat FA's Big Nose (8C)

Dylan Chuat, who earlier this spring did his first 9a+, has made the FA of Big nose (8C) and repeated Compass North (8B+) in Fionnay. (c) Sebastien Maflin

Can you tell us more about the first ascent?
After a major cleaning session with Clément Lechaptois, extensive method research (not easy to find), and a few attempts, here I am at the top of this King Line in Fionnay, which I named Big Nose in reference to the magnificent hold in the middle of the boulder. Without a doubt, it’s one of the most beautiful lines in Fionnay. It’s impressive, the moves are incredible, the holds are crazy, and the effort to link it all together is really cool!

I took a while to decide on the grade because it’s much harder than all the 8B+ routes in the region and tougher than the only 8C I’ve actually tried and completed (over 4 years ago 😅). However, I wasn’t in my best shape, and once I found the methods, I completed the boulder fairly quickly. Additionally, the last crux is very condition-dependent, and I’ve never had truly cold conditions, which makes a big difference in the difficulty of the boulder. So, a heads-up to future repeaters!