17 October 2024
Owen Whaley does Grand Illusion (8C+)
Owen Whaley has completed Grand Illusion (8C+) in Little Cottonwood. Nathaniel Coleman put up the 25 moves roof climbing and also 9a+/b has been suggested for it, as it takes some two minutes to climb.
"This line has been at the top of my list since the first time I laid eyes on it. Perfect granite tufas, pinches, and crimps all the way from the bottom. I've been improving on the different sections through the seasons and started feeling really psyched last Spring when we dug out the boulder from under the snow and I started refining the 8B section. All summer I focused on power endurance, always with GI in the back of my mind. A few weeks ago I flowed the "Slug Link" and knew it was game on. I started getting closer from the ground every session, a type of linear progress I've never really experienced.
All I remember from the send was doing the 8A+ moves and noticing that it was raining much harder than it had been all night, I felt in control all the way to the lip but then slightly panicked because of how slippery it was. Luckily we put a kneepad over the crucial hold. Doing it on Instagram Live was super special, shoutout to the boys. It's almost bittersweet, so many good laughs with so many different people. One I will always remember."
"This line has been at the top of my list since the first time I laid eyes on it. Perfect granite tufas, pinches, and crimps all the way from the bottom. I've been improving on the different sections through the seasons and started feeling really psyched last Spring when we dug out the boulder from under the snow and I started refining the 8B section. All summer I focused on power endurance, always with GI in the back of my mind. A few weeks ago I flowed the "Slug Link" and knew it was game on. I started getting closer from the ground every session, a type of linear progress I've never really experienced.
All I remember from the send was doing the 8A+ moves and noticing that it was raining much harder than it had been all night, I felt in control all the way to the lip but then slightly panicked because of how slippery it was. Luckily we put a kneepad over the crucial hold. Doing it on Instagram Live was super special, shoutout to the boys. It's almost bittersweet, so many good laughs with so many different people. One I will always remember."
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
7 September 2025
Sungsu Lee does Grand Illusion (8C+)
Sungsu Lee, who did Burden of Dreams (9A) in May, has done Grand Illusion (8C+) in Little Cottonwood. The 26-year-old sent his first 8C less than 17 months ago โฆ
27 September 2025
Sungsu Lee does Sosa (8C+)
Sungsu Lee, who did his first 8C a year and a half ago, has sent Sosa (8C+) in Little Cottonwood. In total, the 26-year-old has completed a dozen boulders rangiโฆ
12 November 2025
Ben Hanna speed climbs Grand Illusion (8C+)
Ben Hanna, foremost a route climber with four 9aโs and harder to his name, has completed Grand Illusion (8C+) in Little Cottonwood. The 20 hand moves and 24 fooโฆ
Related news
7 September 2025
Sungsu Lee does Grand Illusion (8C+)
Sungsu Lee, who did Burden of Dreams (9A) in May, has done Grand Illusion (8C+) in Little Cottonwood. The 26-year-old sent his first 8C less than 17 months ago โฆ
27 September 2025
Sungsu Lee does Sosa (8C+)
Sungsu Lee, who did his first 8C a year and a half ago, has sent Sosa (8C+) in Little Cottonwood. In total, the 26-year-old has completed a dozen boulders rangiโฆ
12 November 2025
Ben Hanna speed climbs Grand Illusion (8C+)
Ben Hanna, foremost a route climber with four 9aโs and harder to his name, has completed Grand Illusion (8C+) in Little Cottonwood. The 20 hand moves and 24 fooโฆ
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