Joe Kinder has repeated Jonathan Siegrist’s Smoke Wagon (9a) in . The 42-year-old did his first, out of 19, 9a or 9a+ graded climbs back in 2008. (c) Nico Savoia

"Between working and tending to life I put in tries and somehow caught the window of opportunity with the sun. It was COLD as f-k but found myself dropping the guard and meeting the moment perfectly. I LOVE ROCK CLIMBING!"

How did you manage to keep warm?
The first part of the climb is a 7a+ and has a kneebar at the top so that warmed me up just enough plus the sun was out so that saved the day.

What is next?
Next is a return trip to Mollans and St Leger in Jan and Feb as it’s been a WHILE since 2018.

Stefano Ghisolfi has done the first repeat of Adam Ondra's Bombardino (9a+) in Arco. As can be seen in the picture by Sara Grippo, it was freezing conditions including icicles on the neighbor route Liftscheisser (8b).

"It was an epic day, Gio Placci was really close to sending too. We warmed up in my garage and went directly there. The route is perfect for cold conditions because it has three kneebars so we could climb and warm our hands on the kneebars. The temperature was 0, with a lot of ice. Fortunately not on the route, only at the end slab a bit. We arrived and immediately climbed on a send attempt. While belaying it was cold and quite uncomfortable as you cannot move because you have to be tied to a ledge. Climbing was good, we had to wear shorts to feel the kneebars better. It was a crazy experience. Gio climbed first and he had to punch away some icicles. .

On his youtube channel he just published a video where he tries to do 100+ boulders in an hour.

In August, we reported that Florian Wientjes had flashed Amandla (8B+) in Rocklands and now the video is out. “I was playing with the (flash) idea since a month or so. I went up early to the crag and started my warm-up routine including some Hangboarding. After 40min I decided to give it a try. My mind was free, cuz I know it totally fits my style and it worked. But, all in all, I just did the same stuff like everyday when I climb😅.

Noa Shiran becomes the first woman from Israel to do an 8c with her ascent of Rolex Direct in Nezer Cave, video. The professional climber, who was #15 in one World Cup in 2022, needed three sessions for her send.

"I found some time to go outdoors after the comp season. I don't climb on rock very often but this route looked really cool with the overhang and the powerful dynamic moves so I chose to try it. It took me two sessions to understand that I can do it soon, and on the 3rd day I managed to send it dealing with bees that settled their beehive inside the kneebar rest before the last boulder problem. They acted friendly but were all around me so it was quite terrifying 🙂"

William Bosi has had a great day in Brione where he flashed Fake Pamplemousse (8A) and Flash Flood (8B). During the last six weeks, Will has flashed seven boulders 8A to 8B (+) as well as redpointed nine boulders 8A to 9A.

Can you tell us more about the two flashes?
So I wanted to go try Kingdom but when we got there the whole face was still soaking wet. Luckily the wall on the right was dry so I sent White Stripe (8A+). We then checked out the Frogger wall and somehow it was mostly dry. I got pretty excited and hopped straight on Fake Pamplemousse (8A) and got the flash! I really wanted to try to flash Liquid Nails (8B+) but it was unfortunately wet so I turned my attention to Flash Flood (8B). I watched a video and then went for it and just stuck the crux move and then managed to battle on. The line is very steep and crimpy so I think it suits me pretty well. Was right at the limit on the crux slap! although I reckon I could have used better beta.

Bronwyn Hodgins has done the second female ascent, after Mary Eden, of Necronomicon (8b) in The White Rim. (c) John Kasaian

Can you tell us more about the ascent and the route?
Necronomicon took 5 sessions. Two scoping days earlier in November to check it out. Then I went back at the end of the month to camp out there with some friends. I spent two more days dialling in my beta, gear placements, etc. Took a rest day on day 3. And then sent on day 4 (on my second redpoint attempt). I prepared before the trip for two months in my hometown Squamish, in my friend’s shed (where he has a new set-up similar to the wide boys dungeon) and on a few excellent granite roof cracks nearby. I also discovered a crack on the under side of a bridge that was the perfect training site for Necronomicon: a 25m perfectly uniform and slippery thin hands crack.

The route itself was really fun! Campus into the roof. Then climb a long section of wide hands and fists (yellow and blue cams) into the middle of the roof. Shake out in a hand jam and then launch into the thin crux (several body lengths of green cams, though I chose not to place any cams in the crux which lead to some fun big swings!). I then flipped feet first into the no-hands double knee bar rest. Then did another 360 to exit into the home stretch, a final section of wide hands/fists to the finish.

Can you say something about your climbing background?
I’ve been climbing for ten years, and enjoy a wide range of disciplines from sport to trad to big wall to alpine. I work seasonally as a rock guide in Squamish BC and travel in the winter months. The objectives I get most excited about are big wall free climbs; I love the combination of skills and mental tenacity involved. In 2018 I was the first Canadian female to free climb El Capitan (via freerider) and in 2021 I was the third woman to send golden gate (after Hazel Findlay and Emily Harrington). This past summer I spent two months in Greenland, establishing new big routes approached via sea kayak. Coming home from that wild adventure, I’m excited to get stuck into a winter season focusing on single pitch goals and some strength training, which will hopefully lead to bigger and harder cliffs in the future!

Loic Zehani has done Mr. Big (9a) in Margalef. ”Stunning stamina route. 25 meters with a Boulder section just after the middle. Congrats Tom for bolting this wonderful route and for the first ascent. It took me 8 tries, 5 times I fell to catch this fucking two fingers pocket 😬 and one time at the top of the route slipping from the foot. 😂. I like this route so much. Thanks, Tomaso and Francesco for the pictures.”

What is next?
My next project is maybe an unrepeated route of Iker Pou, Artaburu. An incredible roof with crazy moves.

How much have you tried it and how hard is it?
Only yesterday one time for checking moves with the rain. Iker says it was his hardest route so at least 9b. (Article about Artaburu which Iker did the fa of in 2018.)

in Siurana is the most logged route on 8a in 2022, with 138 ascents. In total, it has been logged 1 449 times, out of which close to 60 % onsights. The popularity comes probably from a combination of; the quality, it being a bit soft for the grade, that the sector El pati has a short approach and that it is surrounded by many other high quality climbs as well as high graded routes like La Rambla (9a+). The 25m first pitch starts almost vertical on reddish pocketed and chalked holds. Then there is a roof on jugs until a relatively hard anchor clip. There is also a 15m 7c extension so in practice the first pitch has been done several times more in 2022. This climb, which has become one of the highest-ranked climbs in the world, was bolted by T. Albero in 2001.

The picture is from Ben Oveson who did it in 2016, and commented:
“Awesome climb, sent 3rd go. Lots of rests and a few techy moves for 25 meters then a V2 5 meter jug roof at the end. 7a+ guide book. Seeing as the moves on lame chuche baby's start where just as hard and crosta had no hands rests every 15 feet 7a+ is ambitious.

Radina Popova: “Pure joy and flow! This route has everything, starting with a technical vertical slab climbing, a crux somewhere on the 4th QD and then moving to a big jugs overhang climb paradise. Could have been my first 7a+ onsight but I got the Crosta panic attack in clipping the last bolt.”

Chris Sharma reports on Insta that he has done La Reina Mora in Siurana. "As I battle it out on my main project “Sleeping Lion” these days, I’ve also enjoyed climbing on this iconic route nearby." (c) Riki Giancola

Sharma started to work on Sleeping Lion last autumn and Giancola says he is pretty close. The estimated grade is at least 9b. Here is an Insta video from last May. Amazingly, there are no routes within some 20 meters of either side of Sleeping Lion and it is located on the big wall opposite of La Rambla and La Reina Mora.