When the municipalities mark up trails they are happy to see lots of hikers getting out in nature even if this mean that the trails have been wider. In order to make them more popular, the municipality often build trails including small bridges over muddy places or steps in steep terrain etc.

When crags are becoming more popular and the "green grass" below gets destroyed, some conseravtive climbers, who do not want our sport to grow, say this could create access problems. This might be a risk in some cases but in general it should be considered as a possibility improve the access to to get more people out in the nature.

In many crags around the world, platforms have been built in order to have better access to some routes. I have personally sowed seed improving the green grass under several crags. Once we get more rock climbers, many of them will become ambassadors of the nature and that will have a great impact on the environment of the globe. The rocks and the boulders make climbing as one of the most eco-friendly sport around, even if we build platforms etc.

Solveig Korherr, who did two 8c+' in 2019, has done King of the bongo 8c in Rottachberg. The 154 cm tallis #2 in the 8a ranking game. "I was trying the route over four days. The lower part before the crux sequence had some very big moves where I had to be creative as a shorter climber to find a solution that fit me. The crux consisted of several difficult cross moves and a power endurance sequence. I kept falling on one of the cross moves in the crux. After changing the beta on my fourth day, I sent it immediately after." (c) Niklas Dormanns

"I started climbing with my father when I was very young. I come from a competition climbing background as a youth. During the lockdown, I trained intensively on a fingerboard at my home. The last couple of months I basically trained during the week and climbed outside on the weekend. I am feeling very fit recently after this training cycle."

Antoine Girard has done Practice of the Wild in Magic Wood in just three sessions. Video on his Insta. "For me it is an hard 8b+ comparing with my other 8b+. Moreover I can’t count it as my first 8c I want a real 8c for my first one."

During July, the 20-year-old has logged another 13 boulders 8A to 8B+ in Magic Wood, included Dark Sakai 8B in the picture. In the8a monthly ranking game, he is #3.

" I started climbing some 12 years ago and begun outdoor climbing 3 years ago. I have built my own training center in my barn. I’ve got a special school planing which permitted to train myself 20 hours per week."

" I’m 36 years old and I climb since 1995 (when I was 10). In the early days, I dedicated almost 100% to the competitions. I won eleven times a Brazilian championship (6 lead and 5 boulders). In the World Cup my best place was #15 in 2009. During the last two years I tried so hard to make it to the Olympics. One month ago, after 23 years I announced my retirement from the comps, so now, only rock! Hehe. Pure dreaming is my first 9a I need to make my account on 8a.nu!"

Robyn Erbesfield-Raboutou, the very best female competition climber in the early 90'ies and also the third female to do 8b+, has done Bierstadt 7C+ in RMNP. (c) Ryan Arment

How much do you train lately and how many sessions did it take to send?
I'm not really training, just getting outside more. I got Bierstadt the third time I tried it. The two previous times I got to that particular boulder after trying too many other boulders and I was tired. The moves were fun with fresh skin. :-)

Robyn runs the ABC Kids Climbing and she has coached many of the best in the USA like; Emily Harrington, Margo Hayes, Colin Duffy, Natalia Grossman beside her children Brooke, who has qualified to Tokyo 2021, and Shawn. She did her first 8c at age 49 and just three months ago she did yet another 8A boulder.

Natalia Grossman, who got two silvers at Youth Worlds last year, has done her fourth 8B during the last ten weeks, Freaks of the Industry in RMNP. In the monthly 8a ranking game, she is #12. (c) Brooke Raboutou

” Weather issues... Day 1: worked out all the beta and gave one attempt before I called it quits and it started hailing. Day 2: Got to warm up on the moves for 10 minutes before it started raining. Day 3: Super greasy but somehow managed to stay on and send 2nd try! As always, thanks to Brooke for all the encouragement and positive vibes :)”

During the last three months, the 19-year-old has done 53 boulders 7C+ and harder and she comments on Insta. "All my life I have been so focused on competitions that I never allowed myself the time to explore the hundreds of boulders in my own backyard. At the end of spring with all the competitions cancelled, I started to focus on outdoor climbing. I decided to make it a goal of mine to send 50 new double-digit boulders before summer ended/school started and to explore the amazing areas that Colorado has to offer."

Maggie Odette, who did her first 8c last year at age 49, has done Mutton Bustin 8b+ at Pipe Dream. "Shocked. Went directly from 3 hangs to the send. I guess the comeback is complete!" (c) Woohan Ong

Her husband Chuck (64) is getting closer on his first 8c, T-Rex and by doing so he each time passes the 8b+ anchor of Millenium which he the first time did in 2007. The retired full time climber since five years started to climb in 1978 and did his first 7a+ at age 34.

"I've repeated Millennium three times now this year and fallen higher on the T-Rex finish each time. This past Monday I fell 5 bolts from the top. It has 26 bolts! I skip 3 or 4 typically. I was only a couple of moves from a rest and typically won't fall after that no matter how tired or pumped I am. I finished with a strong one-hang on wet holds due to heavy rain hitting the finish. So, I've one-hung it 3 times and done it from a low point starting below the Millennium crux. If I can stay healthy, no injuries, I can get it done. Hopefully I send before I die of old age... ha, ha!

I feel like I'm climbing smarter now. I have to rest twice as much so progress is slow, but if I take my time, NO rushing, and I allow things to happen organically, I usually find success. The most important thing is that my passion to climb is still strong. The desire to push limits is equally strong. I will wait to climb "just for fun" when I'm in my 80's... maybe 90's :)"

The king of deep-water soloing finds new lines to fuel his soul in Mont-Rebei, Spain. Summer in Spain is the time for psicobloc. The heat and humidity drive climbers like Chris Sharma to the sea in search of cooler temps, clean rock, and the next king line. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, he managed to make a few day missions out to Mont-Rebei, complete with a five- to six-kilometer kayak approach, and established a new 15-meter high deep-water-soloing line, which he named Trick or Tree.

"The route is really continuous, steep, and pumpy. The feeling to be 60 feet up at the lip of a cave, and just dangling by your fingertips, chalking up, and getting ready to go for a crux move. It’s so extreme and wild and spectacular, and yet controlled and safe, too. The beauty of deep water soloing is that it’s such a free form of climbing. It’s very playful, spontaneous, and creative. It allows you to interact with the wall and with nature. You’re not thinking about the grade. Psicobloc is climbing in its purest form.” Read the full story with more pictures.

Alex Puccio seems to be in the best shape of her life having done Paul Robinsons's Reverse logic 8B+ Coal creek and then, after two hours driving, Daytripper 8B in Upper Chaos. "Either REALLY suited me or it’s more of an 8B! Time will tell! :) Did it second try from the start, second day on it. Sent this and Daytripper in RMNP in the same day! lol." (c) Robin O'Leary

FA Paul Robinson comments, "Alex and I have very different styles so it is really cool to see her crush that boulder!!! She is such an impressive boulderer." In total, the runner up in the World Champion in 2014, has done eight 8B+' and 30 8B's which should be at least double as many as all other female. In the last month ranking game, she has only four male in front of her.