8 December 2025
Laura Pineau does 8b MP in Yosemite
Laura Pineau has done the first female ascent of Wet Lycra Nightmare (8b) in Yosemite (CA). The 25-year-old started climbing at age 17 after previously having focused first on tennis and later on boxing. In 2019, she did her first 7a and her personal best 18 months ago was 8a. (c) Logan Calder
โIn 2023, after two months in Squamish prepping for Free Rider, everything changed when I saw Samuel Crossleyโs film about Wet Lycra Nightmare at the Arcโteryx festival. The vision of that ridiculous chicken-wing move 600 meters above the Valley instantly hooked me. It wasnโt just the exposure โ the slabs, cracks, powerful boulder problems, and the final wild chimney felt like the perfect mix to test myself on granite.
The lead-up wasnโt ideal. A heavy bike crash in July left me with a bad shoulder and two months of inconsistent training. When I arrived in Yosemite feeling weaker than usual, part of me doubted the whole project. But after ten cautious days on the wall, my shoulder suddenly stopped hurting. From that moment, I committed: six weeks on the route, seventeen days total. Once I finally sent the 8b on lead, I knew the full ascent was possible, even if two hard 7c+ pitches still stood between me and the top. The three-day push was intense.
The first day went well until five exhausting attempts on the crux forced me to sleep on Ahwahnee Ledge โ where my Coros calmly informed me Iโd burned 4700 calories. Day two turned into a mental war: ten tries on the 8b, including a devastating slip on the seventh that nearly broke me. Some upbeat music helped me reset, and on try number ten, everything clicked. I even sent the next pitch in the last minutes of shade. At that point, I felt the top was finally within reach. Day three is now one of the best climbing days of my life. I fought through the last 7c+ completely pumped, then nearly got stuck in the chimney โ a full minute frozen between tension, fear, and determination. Once I unlocked the move, everything flowed. I enjoyed every step to the anchor.
Clipping that last anchor brought huge relief and pride. Wet Lycra Nightmare became my first big wall sent entirely on my own โ the perfect ending to what I now call my โYosemite year.โ After seven months in the Valley, Iโm heading back to Europe with unforgettable memories and the feeling that Iโve left a small trace in one of climbingโs most iconic places.โ
โIn 2023, after two months in Squamish prepping for Free Rider, everything changed when I saw Samuel Crossleyโs film about Wet Lycra Nightmare at the Arcโteryx festival. The vision of that ridiculous chicken-wing move 600 meters above the Valley instantly hooked me. It wasnโt just the exposure โ the slabs, cracks, powerful boulder problems, and the final wild chimney felt like the perfect mix to test myself on granite.
The lead-up wasnโt ideal. A heavy bike crash in July left me with a bad shoulder and two months of inconsistent training. When I arrived in Yosemite feeling weaker than usual, part of me doubted the whole project. But after ten cautious days on the wall, my shoulder suddenly stopped hurting. From that moment, I committed: six weeks on the route, seventeen days total. Once I finally sent the 8b on lead, I knew the full ascent was possible, even if two hard 7c+ pitches still stood between me and the top. The three-day push was intense.
The first day went well until five exhausting attempts on the crux forced me to sleep on Ahwahnee Ledge โ where my Coros calmly informed me Iโd burned 4700 calories. Day two turned into a mental war: ten tries on the 8b, including a devastating slip on the seventh that nearly broke me. Some upbeat music helped me reset, and on try number ten, everything clicked. I even sent the next pitch in the last minutes of shade. At that point, I felt the top was finally within reach. Day three is now one of the best climbing days of my life. I fought through the last 7c+ completely pumped, then nearly got stuck in the chimney โ a full minute frozen between tension, fear, and determination. Once I unlocked the move, everything flowed. I enjoyed every step to the anchor.
Clipping that last anchor brought huge relief and pride. Wet Lycra Nightmare became my first big wall sent entirely on my own โ the perfect ending to what I now call my โYosemite year.โ After seven months in the Valley, Iโm heading back to Europe with unforgettable memories and the feeling that Iโve left a small trace in one of climbingโs most iconic places.โ
2 comments
Sort by:
Date
Reply
Most commented
Jorge Diaz-Rullo reports on Instagram that he has made the first ascent of Cafe Colombia in Margalef. At 27, heโs already stacked four 9b+ sends and now heโs adโฆ
26 January 2026
Sean Bailey FAโs Duality of Man (9c)
Sean Bailey reports on Instagram that he has done the first ascent of Duality of Man (9c) in Dry Canyon. โ After four total years and three seasons of climbing,โฆ
23 March 2026
Jorge Diaz-Rullo proposes 9c for Cafรฉ Colombia
Jorge Diaz-Rullo elaborates on the reasons for him to suggest 9c for Cafรฉ Colombia on Instagram, which he took down last week after projecting it for 240 sessioโฆ
Related
5 March 2022
Magic Line 8c+ trad by Carlo Traversi
Carlo Traversi has done Magic Line (8c+) in Yosemite (CA). Ron Kauk did the "pinkpoint" (gear preplaced) FA in 1996, suggesting 8c. The first repeat was done byโฆ
Katie Lamb has done Lost and Found (8B) in Yosemite (CA), (c) David Fitzgerald, and The Penrose Step (8B+) in Leavenworth (WA). The latter, a Carlo Traversi FA โฆ
7 June 2022
Carlo Traversi sends Magic Line 8c+ trad
Carlo Traversi did Magic Line (8c+) in Yosemite (CA) three months ago. Ron Kauk did the "pinkpoint" (gear preplaced) FA in 1996, suggesting 8c. The first repeat was done by his son Lonnie in 2016. Two years later, he did the clean FA placing the gear on lead and upgrading it to 8c+. There are only tโฆ
Related news
5 March 2022
Magic Line 8c+ trad by Carlo Traversi
Carlo Traversi has done Magic Line (8c+) in Yosemite (CA). Ron Kauk did the "pinkpoint" (gear preplaced) FA in 1996, suggesting 8c. The first repeat was done byโฆ
Katie Lamb has done Lost and Found (8B) in Yosemite (CA), (c) David Fitzgerald, and The Penrose Step (8B+) in Leavenworth (WA). The latter, a Carlo Traversi FA โฆ
7 June 2022
Carlo Traversi sends Magic Line 8c+ trad
Carlo Traversi did Magic Line (8c+) in Yosemite (CA) three months ago. Ron Kauk did the "pinkpoint" (gear preplaced) FA in 1996, suggesting 8c. The first repeat was done by his son Lonnie in 2016. Two years later, he did the clean FA placing the gear on lead and upgrading it to 8c+. There are only tโฆ
Favorites
Jorge Diaz-Rullo reports on Instagram that he has made the first ascent of Cafe Colombia in Margalef. At 27, heโs already stacked four 9b+ sends and now heโs adโฆ
16 March 2026
Ondra flashes 3*8C in two weeks
โI stopped focusing on competition bouldering after last yearโs World Cup in Prague, partly because I can already feel it on my body, especially in my shoulders. The modern competition style, with a lot of jumping from one hold to another, is very demanding for the shoulders.
Outdoor bouldering isโฆ
26 January 2026
Sean Bailey FAโs Duality of Man (9c)
Sean Bailey reports on Instagram that he has done the first ascent of Duality of Man (9c) in Dry Canyon. โ After four total years and three seasons of climbing,โฆ