Adam Ondra has done the FA of Zvěřinec (9b+) (Menagerie) in Holstejn. He says that he did it on his first go on Sunday after having warmed up at home, as it was zero degrees and overcast. In total, Adam has now done four 9b+ and one 9c FAs. (c) Petr Chodura

”Second hardest route of my life, quite a bit harder than other 9b+ I have done or tried. Harder start into Perlorodka (my FA from 2011 that I graded 9a+ but it is probably more 9b - I just did not want to skip a grade in my homecrag). It is a linkup, but toally worth it in my opinion. There is a 9a called Kostej Nesmrtelny finishing in the last rest before the 8B+ crux of Perlorodka. Kostej + Perlorodka would be amazing direct line, but there is a very good rest halfway up of Kostej, so that is why I make a detour to the right through crux of Kudlanka (oldschool 8b+). That makes it harder and more resistant. 9a+ plus rest plus 8B+ boulder.”

Alex Johnson and Allison Vest have done in . Both women are having their best year ever having sent some ten boulders 8A+ and harder the last 12 months.

Alex: "Psyched about this one! When Vest and I first started trying this together we each literally couldn’t do any moves haha. It was one of those climbs that just came together a little more each session, in true projecting fashion. We put a few days of work in together but ultimately each sent solo on back-to-back days which was pretty cool. Very stoked to keep checking more off the list, and keep the send train chugging along together. It’s so motivating to have a best friend you can project with at your limit."

Allison: "Such an experience to project this one with AJ. The first time we tried this boulder together we legit could barely do a single move between the two of us. This boulder gets graded all over the place but even with all the varieties of betas we still both thought it felt very hard and it took us both about half a dozen sessions. We projected it together a lot but in the end, we sent on back-to-back days up there alone because our schedules didn’t quite line up. Love projecting with Alex, it makes me a better climber."

Erwan Legrand has done Le Brillant Saoulé (8c+) and Dévers Sévère (8c+) in Buoux. The latter was a FA of a route he bolted together with his father Francois, who won four straight World Cups and three straight World Championships at the beginning of the 90s.

"The route is very physical and the first part is a real endurance test piece. You start with a traverse in a roof that ends with the best move in the world, a 360 rotation with no feet. I have taken 13 sessions to send the route."

So, you sent this climb barefoot?
I've been climbing barefoot on my wall at home since I was little, but I've always climbed outdoors with climbing shoes. I had tried this route for three sessions, and I thought it might be easier by climbing barefoot. Then I started climbing barefoot in it and it immediately felt better so I started trying to chain it but I was falling every time on the 360 move due to my lack of strength in my biceps. One day I managed to pass the 360 coming from the beginning and I arrived at the 7B+ boulder problem in the roof which I almost succeeded, but I fell at the last move of the crux. Then the days after, I still fell on the 360. And on my 13th session in the route, I went back to the 360 and managed the 7B+ and 7A boulder problem at the top of the route, with a very big fight.

Mateusz Haladaj, who previously has done 16 routes 9a to 9a+, has sent Sanjski par extension (9a) in Osp - Banje in Babna. "One of the best routes I've done so far. Super intense and technical roof climb, feels solid for the grade even using kneepads." (c) Mikołaj Heretyk

The 37-year-old, who did his first 9a in 2009, reports that he was on a trip with the Polish youth national rock climbing team. Interview how this work is coming up. "Our 2022 Team grouping was quite successful. The youngsters get stronger every year and the highlights were: Missing drink (8b+) (hard) for Maja Oleksy age 15 and Sanjski par (8c+) for Michał Korban age 17."

On the 9th of November 2022 the regional council in Karlsruhe, Germany announced that the crag ‘Badener Wand’ at the ‘Battertfels’ close to Baden-Baden will be closed completely for climbing starting from January 1st, 2023.

The crags around the ‘Battertfels’ are one of the most important crags in Baden-Württemberg and have a climbing history of more than 130 years. The main face has more than 60 routes and is exceptionally tall for this region. This allows the locals to climb more alpine style multi pitches, without travelling to the Alps. In view of the current climate crisis, this is an important aspect to consider.

The DAV (German Alpine Association) developed together with local volunteers a concept to balance the needs of the climbers and the protection of the breeding grounds of the peregrine falcon. In the past, the solution was a temporary closure of the wall in spring and summer and the possibility to climb in fall. This concept was even verified by a ornithological report commissioned by the local authorities. Yet, the local authorities did not agree on any compromise with the local climbers!

A petition was started to save the Badener Wand for the next generation of climbers, while giving the falcon a quiet place to breed. The suggested compromise in the petition is a seasonal closure during breeding periods (spring and summer) and open for climbing in fall and winter. Please help and sign it and join the demonstration on 27th of November in Baden Baden.

Sera Gearhardt has done Les Ombres d'Opalines 8A+ in Fontainebleau, which is 8B in the topo. “Last day best day for me! Screaming, shaking, crying, etc. Consensus that I've heard is 8A+ and that seems right to me. Beyond psyched rn :')”

During three weeks in Fontainebleau, the 25-year-old, who previously has done three 8A+ In 2022, also sent Conviction (8A) and .

Can you tell us more about your latest 8A+ ascent?
Psyched to have had luck with the weather to finish this one off! Our last few days in font were projected to have 100% chance of rain all day, so I'd written off being able to do this one this trip. Luckily, that was not the case and we were able to sneak in a last day best day session! I put a lot of pressure on myself when I realized that I'd have a chance to try again. For a few hours I wasn't climbing well because of my expectations, but once I let go of the outcome it went much more easily :)

Niki Rusev, who did his first two 9a's in 2020, has done Falshiv geroy (9a) in . Last year, the 16-year-old won both the World and the Euro Championships in Boulder. Impressively, he also won one Euro Youth Cup in Speed.

”Can not describe how happy I am about this one😌. Back in 2020 @fazabrushes bolted a new line in the crag and it seemed to be a hard one💪. We did all the moves but for me, it was crazy to connect all the parts together 😲. The bad thing is that the route gets wet easily so we couldn’t improve more💦😩. Last month Ivailo fazata did FA 🫡. (Surprisingly fast he got back in shape after being a Bg national team coach the whole comp season).

For me it took me a month and a half to send Falshiv geroy (translated - Fake hero)👀. Every next try was better than the other until I stuck on the last hard move of the route, maybe because I underestimated it. I did try a lot of things like doing leg days in the fitness🦵(to rest more with my knees) or just training endurance in the gym but the final conclusion is I got better when I was on the route🤝. After another fail, I decided to change my beta by skipping one move and making a bigger jump and it helped🤔🤠🔥. I don’t know when but we have to go back to try the second part of Falshiv geroy. It continues directly through the roof of the cave and finishes on top of it🤯.

Matt Fultz, who previously has done five 8C+’, has done Moonlight Sonata (8C+) in Gallery. Taylor McNeill made the FA last year and there is a sit start project. (c) Insta

Could you say something about the ascent?
Moonlight Sonata is a very unique boulder FA’d by Taylor McNeil last year. On my first day, I did each individual move very quickly, flashing all but one of the moves. I expected it would be a fast send for me, but that ended up not being the case. The big surprise was that all the hand moves weren’t too bad, but the foot moves and transitions posed some serious problems. In the end, it took about 12 sessions in all. Half of those last Spring and the other half this Fall.

Are you doing any supplementary training?
I train flexibility through strength training. Squats, deadlifts, overhead press, and bench press are my main staples.