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:

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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:

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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.

Babsi Zangerl and Jacopo Larcher, two of the world’s top big wall climbers, have completed the first ascent of Next Generation, a 170-meter route in six pitches (7a, 8a+, 8b+, 7b+, 7c+, 6c) in Rätikon.

”This line is probably the closest mini big wall to our home - but still, it’s way up in the mountains. The approach from our flat to the base takes around three hours, which makes for a pretty demanding day. The climbing is simply amazing on this perfect limestone wall. The route was first climbed in 2018 by Pio Jutz - a true pioneer of alpine climbing in Austria. He established all the lines on this wall. But Generation Next was still waiting for its first redpoint ascent.

We first checked out the route back in 2022, but never returned - until this week. With the temperatures rising in the valleys, we felt like it was the perfect time to head back up and give it another go. After the long hike, we spent some time on the wall figuring out the beta for the two crux pitches. Both of us managed to send the first hard pitch, and Jacopo also successfully climbed the crux pitch. I had one fall at the crux, but it felt very promising to me too. Eventually we ran out of time and had to bail. But the cherry on top of an almost perfect day was flying back down to the valley in just a few minutes with our paragliders. After that, we knew it could work - we just needed to come back and give it a proper try.

Two days later, we hiked all the way up again and climbed the whole line free. Both of us led the three hardest pitches, and in the evening we stood on top of Zwöferkopf. Such a cool summit, looking down at where we started that same morning. We really enjoyed this kind of big day out. Huge thanks to Pio Jutz for this incredible line!”

Tereza Širůčková, who was #14 and #16 in her two first Lead World Cups in 2025, has had an amazing week, sending Jaxitax (8B) in Moravský kras and C'est la vie (8c+) in Alternatívna stena / Červenica.

Can you tell us more about the 8c+ ascent?
C’est la vie was recommended to me by Adam Ondra — which in itself meant a lot. The fact that he believed I could do a route of this level really pushed me forward. It’s located in Slovakia, in the area called Alternatívna Stena. The route climbs through a massive overhang inside a cave, actually, it’s almost a roof. Funny thing is, most routes in the cave lead outward, but this one bends deeper inside. That really caught my attention, it felt quite unusual and intriguing.

It starts with a few long moves on good holds leading up to the first kneebar. From there, it kicks into a bouldery sequence of about 11 powerful moves, followed by three harder ones into a big rest. From that point, there’s still an 8a section to the anchor.

I tried it for the first time about a month ago. When I arrived, the route was filthy, full of spiderwebs and dust. So the first attempt was obvious: cleaning duty. I have to admit, I was pretty frustrated. It felt a bit ridiculous to be trying something this hard when it wasn’t even clear where the route went, there were no chalk marks at all. On top of that, I have a huge fear of spiders, so mentally, cleaning it was a serious challenge.

That same day, I gave it my first try. The rock was a little damp, but surprisingly, I managed to figure out all the moves and came up with a really nice beta. I was actually shocked by how well it went. On the way home, I couldn’t stop talking about the route, I was totally hooked.

About a week later, I went back. This time, the route was completely condensed. I still decided to go through the moves again, but it became clear that this would be a very condition-dependent project. With temperatures rising, I started to wonder if I’d have to wait until autumn.

Then came this weekend. I saw a slight drop in temperatures, and when I got the message that the wall was dry, I knew I had to go. I went through the moves again and couldn’t believe how dry the route was. So I gave it a first real go and made it surprisingly far. For the first time, I truly believed it could happen. Unfortunately, I slipped on the next attempt. I immediately called my coach (Petr Klofáč) and told him how unbelievably dry it was and that I had to go again the next day. Luckily, he agreed.

After one more failed try (a foot popped), I sent the route on my 9th attempt (4th real try), on my fourth day on it. This ascent means a lot to me — it’s the first female ascent of the route, and only the third overall, after nine years without a repeat. As a cherry on top, I also managed to send a technical 8b+ the same day.

Tyler Thompson, with two 9a+’ to his name, has repeated BJ Tilden’s Lion's Share (9a) in Wolf Point. ”Surprised myself getting through the bottom yesterday and managed to keep it together. Nice one BJ!” (c) Nate Liles

Can you tell us more about the ascent?
We came out to lander about two weeks ago mostly to check out wolf point but also wild iris, both areas I’d never climbed before. Wolf point impressed me a lot, being one of the most stacked walls in the states. On my second day I checked out Lions share, an amazing power endurance 9a from BJ. After checking the moves I decided to have a redpoint try and immediately tweaked my finger on the first mono in the crux.

I waited about a week to try again. My middle finger was not 100% but I found certain body positions that let me do all of the mono moves with my right index finger instead. I was super motivated and one hung the route on my next session. The following day I was able to redpoint on my second try of the day.