Jonathan Siegrist onsights two 8b+’ and flashes an 8c

Jonathan Siegrist has onsighted Fuckin' Sphinxus in Ten Sleep Canyon (WY) and Hellbound (8b+), as well as flashed No Country for Old Men (8c) in Strawberry Roan. In total, the 38-year-old has onsighted twelve 8b+’, out of which half the last 15 months, and he is runner-up, after Adam Ondra, in the VL onsight ranking game. (c) Nate Liles

How have you been able to step up your onsight game lately?
To be honest I was never very good at this style (mainly a redpoint climber and never really did competition). But I practiced a lot when I was in France last year. And really the main step for me was just to try onsighting more - to make it also a priority some days. Like anything else you can’t get better at it unless you try. I’m starting to enjoy it a lot more now and actually find a nice flow when onsighting. Before it always felt so awkward and I was climbing with too much hesitation.

I really like flash climbing because it’s easier to find a nice flow with some information but for sure onsighting is a bigger challenge. I hope I can keep improving in this style but it’s hard! It also makes a crag with lower grades suddenly really exciting to go and try your best at. It would be fun to do a whole trip only for onsighting.