Sera Gearhart, with five 8B’s to her name, has completed Nuthin' But Sunshine (8B) in RMNP. The 28-year-old, who did her first 8B two years ago is the new #1 in the ranking game.

Can you tell us more about the ascent and how long the process was?
I’m in Colorado for a week to try The Automator (8B) and tried this boulder too! It took me two days, I did it second try of the second day. It felt a lot more approachable than Automator, so I’m hoping it’ll give me the momentum I need to siege the other.

Janja Garnbret, the two-time Olympic gold medalist who had not competed for nine months, won her 47th World Cup gold in Innsbruck. Interestingly, the Slovenian was fifth in the qualification and then fourth in the semifinal before winning the final in superior style.

”It feels amazing. I didn’t know how I would feel coming back, but this amazing Innsbruck crowd welcomed me back. I really enjoyed myself on the wall, had a bit of a shaky start in qualification, then it felt 100% better in semi-final, and now I felt like my old self in final. I really enjoyed being back.

You never forget how to compete, but being back after nine months, in the middle of the season, was not the easiest thing. I had a lot of doubts: ‘Am I ready? Am I not? Am I even motivated?’ But I’m so glad I came back, I enjoyed it so much.

I’ve been training and I’ve been rock climbing a lot, it was something for my heart, for my soul. I spent a lot of time outside, I trained in the gym as well, but mostly I was taking time off and enjoying other things besides competition and training.”

Cy McIntosh has sent Untwisted (8c+) at Wolf Point and Mutation (9a) in Wild Iris Main Wall. Earlier this spring, the 19-year-old was living in a truck but now he stays with his good friend and mentor, Aaron Hjelt. ”I’m really thankful for that opportunity because it’s let just climb whatever I want whenever I want while having a comfortable house to go home to.”

Can you tell us more about the ascents?
It started with Genetic Drifter (8c+). A classic link up on the rodeo wave which was really fun. After doing that I was really motivated to try the extension mutation. But it got a bit colder for a few days so I wanted to take advantage of that and go to wolf point. One of those days I ended up doing untwisted in a few tries. I’ve never done an 8c+ that fast before so perhaps the grade is up for debate.

After a rest day I went back and climbed mutation. Which is basically a link up of the entire rodeo wave with a rope swap in the middle. I really like goofy routes like that. Partially because sideways is my favorite direction to climb and they also just remind me not to take it to seriously. It’s cool BJ originally had that vision and made it happen.

We’re excited to announce that the Vertical-Life web platform has been upgraded to Nuxt 3! This marks a major technical milestone that brings improvements in performance, stability, and long-term maintainability.

Nuxt 3 is a modern, faster, and more flexible framework that allows us to:

• Load pages more quickly
• Improve the user experience across devices
• Streamline our development workflow for faster iteration

In order to do the upgrade, we had to end your sessions and log you out.

While we’ve tested everything carefully, some bugs may have slipped through the cracks. If you spot anything broken, please let us know!
Send a message to [email protected] with a short description of:

• What went wrong
• What page or feature it happened on
• What device/browser you were using & whether or not you were logged in.
• If possible, a screenshot or screen recording

Thanks!

The Paris Olympic gold medalist, Toby Roberts, who started the season with results of 15-15-20-51, won the Boulder World Cup in Innsbruck, finishing 0.2 points ahead of Sorato Anraku.

”I’m at a loss for words, I don’t really know what just happened. This season has been quite hard, but going into this event I wanted to give everything, and to be honest I’m a little bit starstruck. I’m just so happy.

I definitely struggled a bit post-Olympics, and when I started the season it hit me and I started to feel quite bad. I just wanted to go out there and climb the way I know I can. This competition has been incredible, I enjoyed every moment and to get away with a gold medal doesn’t even feel real.”

Hugo Parmentier, currently half way in a a year roadtrip with his girlfriend, has made the first ascent of Générations Futures (9a) in Céüse. In total, he put in some 20 days, exluding a couple of brushing days, for the send so he says it might be 9a+ but then the send go was quite effortless. (c) Jérôme Tanon

Can you tell us more about the first ascent?
I just got back from Céüse where I managed the First Ascent of “Générations Futures.” It’s without a doubt the most beautiful pitch of my life. Comparable to « Tom et je Ris » or the arête pitch of « Histoire sans fin ».

To do a first ascent at Céüse, at this grade and of this quality… I wouldn’t even have dreamed of it as a kid. The route is over 60 meters long and climbs the gigantic and magnificent blue overhang of Nitshapa. It has almost all the features of a true King/Queen Line! The moves, the line, the rock quality, the scale, the variety of holds, the runouts, the logistical complexity (rope drag, far from the classic sectors, longer approach, etc.), and all of that on the most beautiful cliff in the world.

It was bolted in 2021 by strong climber Jibé Jourjon from Chambéry. A photo of the wall he posted on Instagram totally hooked me. Focused on competitions, it took me a few years to find the time—and the courage—to give it a try. On a sabbatical year with my girlfriend Tess, it was the perfect moment to commit. It had never been tried before apart from a few shots from Jibé after bolting it. I got to experience the full First Ascent process from A to Z. Despite the rock’s high quality, I still spent a lot of time brushing off the lichen that settles on the blue walls washed by rain. I must’ve put two full Fazaa sessions into this.

In the end, the route demanded a lot of effort—two trips cut short by heavy rain, one illness, and a very hard battle for me. Even so, I had some timeless moments up there. With every attempt, I realized how privileged I was to be climbing this route. I still haven’t fully processed it—23 years of climbing, and to live something like this… it’s unreal.

Huge thanks to Tess for agreeing to come to this sector, for splitting our days (half at Demi Lune for her attempts on L’Académicien des Crépis, and half at Nitshapa for Générations Futures), and for the never-ending belays. Thanks also to Jérôme Tanon and Jan Novak for coming out to capture images of this insane line.

Cameron Hörst, with 13 routes 9a and beyond under his belt, has completed Lion's Share (9a) at Wolf Point. ”Mojos coming back. Stellar route, thanks bj.” (c) Nate Liles

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
A couple of weeks ago, I decided to take a spontaneous trip to Lander and climb at Wolf Point for the first time. It’s wild to think that I have been climbing in the Lander area since I was a little kid, and have never made it out to the point—until now.

When I arrived, Lion’s Share immediately caught my eye—it’s the centerpiece route of the wall! After just a few sessions on the route, I managed to “tickle the send,” falling on the exit moves of the final crux. I thought I’d get it on my next try, but had to be patient—respect the route, wait for better skin and conditions.

It’s been super fun (and inspiring) to hang at the cliff with the badass Lander climbing folk... Fingers crossed I can sneak in one more hard route before the summer heat really sets in!

Eva Hammelmüller, who sent two 9a’s this spring, has done Allez Baba (8c) in Bayreuther Hütte. ”Really cool boulder in the first part and nice holds and moves in the second part! 3rd go.” (c) Felix Mast

Can you share more about the climb?
A day rock climbing with friends was exactly what I needed after I messed up the final route at nationals pretty badly… Climbing 'Allez Baba‘ on my third try and flashing ‚Hyäne‘ made for a perfect day outside in the mountains! Plus, it felt good to wear a jacket for a change - climbing in the heat is something I will never completely get used to :D.

Hamish McArthur did the second ascent of Shawn Raboutou's Megatron (9A) in April. The 17-move test piece adds an 8C/+ low start to Tron (8B+). Hamish sent it after five sessions, having fallen seven times at the top on the day of the send.

Many climbers have long sung the praises of Kálymnos as a solid summer climbing destination—but I’ll admit, I’ve always been skeptical. Like many, I’ve traditionally stuck to the tried-and-true autumn trips. But after spending a week with my family on the island in mid-June, I’m ready to change my tune: Kálymnos in summer is an absolute paradise.

Summer Conditions: Better Than Expected
According to official stats, June is only about one degree warmer than September. But with the sun sitting higher in the sky, the shade lasts a bit longer in many crags, making afternoon sessions more feasible than you’d think. You can even climb until nine in the evening if you're motivated. During the last night it was actually a bit cold to eat in just a T-shirt.

The classic Kálymnos rhythm still works best: wake up early, climb until around 13:30, then shift gears to beach time and great food. That said, many crags—especially those around the Arginonta valley—fall into shade from around 13:00. And with so few climbers on the island in summer, you often have entire sectors completely to yourself. We even ended up doing double sessions most days.

Family-Friendly Upgrades
For families, one traditional downside has been the long or exposed approaches to some crags. But that’s changing. New concrete stairs, improved paths, and even small access roads have made many sectors much more approachable and less intimidating—even for younger kids. In the picture of Dolphin Bay, one suggested approach was actually abseiling; alternatively, ”scramble carefully down the scree in the steep gully…”

New Crags Worth Visiting
Kálymnos continues to evolve, and new crags keep popping up. Two recent favorites:
Little Eden: Just a 10-minute boat ride from the main harbor (free if you eat at the restaurant to the left in the square), this crag is a peaceful and stunning place to climb.
Gamos/Ruby: Located just above Arginonta, Ruby offers beautiful lines with incredible views, and is quickly becoming a must-visit sector.

On Route Wear
Yes, some popular routes are getting smoother from use. But rather than being truly polished, they just feel a bit more worn-in and less sharp. Still totally climbable—and still just as fun.

Final Thoughts
Kálymnos in summer? Absolutely. With longer shade, evening climbing, quieter crags, and better access than ever before, it’s a perfect time to visit—especially for those looking to avoid the autumn crowds. Whether you're pushing your limit or enjoying relaxed days with the family, Kálymnos in June might just surprise you.