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2008: A Year of Ascents

Posted on 22. Dec, 2008 by B3 in Articles

As the year winds down I thought it would be appropriate to summarize what happened here in Colorado. Here are some of the notable ascents.

As many strong climbers were out of the country in the first part of the year, there wasn’t a whole lot of news to report. The first ever Bouldering World Cup came to Vail in June and with it many of the strongest Europeans. Things got back back into action as the alpine areas melted out. Perhaps the most impressive ascent in Colorado this year came early on when Nalle Hukkataival, a Finnish climber in town for the competition, made the first flash ascent of No More Greener Grasses V12.

No More Greener Grasses V12

This is the hardest flash in Colorado to date. Jon Cardwell also made a very impressive one day ascent of Ode to the Modern Man V14. Nalle also made a quick ascent of Ode.

Several new problems were installed in the Park, including Sinister Secret V10, The Hobbit V12, Parchaudge V6 and The Ecstatic Truth V9.

The Hobbit V12 FA

The most notable new boulders from this year are Andre DeFelice’s Pterodactyle V12, a swooping line of sloping edges to a very nice arete finish, Daniel Wood’s steep compression roof Blood Money V12 and Chris Schulte’s Storm Shadow V12 at Emerald Lake.

Pterodactyle V12

Daniel Woods FA Blood Money V12 Upper Chaos

The best new boulder to be put up is Ty Landman’s hard V13 Top Notch. This classic problem found smack dab in the middle of Chaos Canyon climbs a singular line of flat edges out a 45 degree wall. The first move is a brutal one, and so far, Daniel Woods, who quickly got the second ascent, is the only other climber to have done it. It should be noted that Phil Schaal had an outstanding year this year, climbing No More Greener Grass V12, The Automater V13, Freaks of the Industry V13, Freshly Squeezed V12/13 and Don’t Get too Greedy V13 and many others.

The strong but quiet Phil Schaal

But enough about the men.

It was truly a breakout year for women in Colorado this year. In the spring, Flannery Shay-Nemirow climbed Center Route V10 at Morrison. This was just a warmup, however, for what was to come. Angie Payne climbed, after three years of work, one of the hardest V12s in Colorado, European Human Being in Chaos Canyon.

Angie Payne attempts Clear Blue Skies, a problem both Alex Johnson and Alex Puccio sent this year.

Alex Johnson made a very impressive one day ascent of Clear Blue Skies V12 at Mt. Evans. She also climbed several other hard problems quickly including Sunspot V11 in a day. However, it was Alex Puccio who really had the year. Not only did she climb Clear Blue Skies, but added The Marble Sit Start V11/12 and most impressively Trice V12, on Flagstaff Mountain above Boulder. She also quickly dispatched the Maze of Death V12 in Bishop.
Well Done Ladies!

3 hours and over 7 miles from the trailhead

What does the future hold? It’s hard to say. Perhaps people will start hiking or driving farther, or perhaps this is just a natural lull in climbing activity after the flurry of the last 8 years. Perhaps we will see the first American woman to climb V13. In uncertain times, it takes someone with true vision to open everyone’s eyes to the possiblities still waiting. W3rd.