Madeleine Brandt ticks Mind Stream (8A+)

Madeline Brandt does Mind Stream (8A+) at Smugglers' Notch. The 31-year-old did her first 7C+ two and a half years ago and has since then done 40 such graded boulders and harder.

“I’m very happy to have sent my first 8A+! Mind Stream has a short but very cool sequence. It starts with shouldery back-to-back crux moves through crimps in a roof, and then you gain the lip of the roof foot-first. Last year I did a few of the moves individually, so I was hopeful that this one would be my first 8A+. But, after a shoulder injury this past summer I decided to wait until spring to try it again. I wasn’t sure how I’d fare on it this time around, so I went in to the session with curbed expectations. To my surprise, I was able to repeat the moves I had done quickly, and also managed the one move I hadn’t previously done. A few bottom burns later I was on top of the boulder!”

What is your climbing background and what are your summer plans?
I got started climbing 9 years ago in gyms. Three years ago I moved to Providence, where the very psyched local community got me hooked on outdoor bouldering at Lincoln Woods. After that my motivation skyrocketed! Since then I’ve enjoyed exploring all the amazing blocs in New England, attempting to solve the stone puzzles, and pushing my physical limits through training.

I’m moving to Nashville over the summer for work, so I don’t have any climbing trips planned. I’m just going to get in lots of training and wait for the fall season in the south!