I. Every Second Counts

It鈥檚 10:15 P.M. when the white van rolls into El Capitan Meadow in Yosemite National Park. A nearly full moon illuminates the 3,000-foot monolith against the ink-blue sky. Twenty people cluster by the fences, the June night too warm for jackets. As the van鈥檚 headlights dim, two colors inside become visible鈥攑ink leggings for climbers Kate Kelleghan, red for Laura Pineau. The crowd begins to shriek in a charged-up wave.

Former Yosemite Search and Rescue (YOSAR) member Jack Keane steps out, all business: 鈥淭hey鈥檙e going to rack up first. Then we can cheer them on.鈥�

The crowd falls silent. Kelleghan and Pineau jump from the van and start clipping cams to their gear loops with the frantic velocity of two people trying to win a carnival race. Pineau looks exhausted, but has time for one joke.

鈥淛ust one more wall!鈥� she says, then corrects herself: 鈥淭wo more walls!鈥� She shakes her head as if the thought is too heavy, and switches her focus back to the gear.

The duo has just returned from climbing the South Face of Mount Watkins. For most climbers, Watkins is a multi-day adventure in its own right, but for Kelleghan and Pineau, it鈥檚 the first of three routes in the Yosemite Triple Crown: a legendary, one-day linkup of Yosemite鈥檚 three largest formations.

Pineau, a crack climber, has never done more than one of those formations in a day, but Kelleghan, a former YOSAR member and speed veteran, has linked the other two: the Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome and the Nose on El Cap. Only ten pairs of men鈥攑lus Alex Honnold alone鈥攈ave completed the Triple Crown in the 24 years since Dean Potter and Timmy O鈥橬eill first established it.

Tonight, even though they鈥檝e shaved 40 minutes from their personal best on Watkins, Kelleghan and Pineau have zero minutes to spare in their pursuit of becoming the first women to achieve a Triple Crown. When Kelleghan鈥檚 head snaps up from arranging her harness, her former YOSAR teammate Katy Stockton wordlessly steps forward and opens her empty backpack. Both Pineau and Kelleghan stuff their harnesses into it and pull it closed.

Finally, Kelleghan flexes her fists toward the ground, takes a breath, and releases a single power scream. Twenty voices multiply it, adding yodels and monkey noises, the sheer volume making up for the pep talks the crowd doesn鈥檛 have time to give. By the time the cheer subsides, the two women and their volunteer porters are power-walking into the redwoods, barely holding themselves back from running.

Fifteen minutes later, two bright pinpricks appear on the bottom of El Capitan. For the past two weeks, Pineau has rehearsed the four-pitch sequence of the Nose in her head, move by move, every night before she went to sleep. But she鈥檚 never tried the sequence after another wall, let alone one as big as Mount Watkins. From the Meadow, the first little light can be seen beginning to wobble upward.

II. The Yosemite Triple Crown: 2001 to Present

The Yosemite Triple Crown is nearly as famous as its roster of victors. Before 2021, the list included Dean Potter and Timmy O鈥橬eill, and Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell鈥攚ho, incredibly, freed all 71 pitches. Just weeks after his free ascent with Caldwell, Honnold upped the ante by rope-soloing the Triple, which no climber has done since. The pre-2021 list also includes Dave Allfrey and Cheyne Lempe, as well as Brad Gobright and Jim Reynolds, who set the Triple speed record in 2018 of 18 hours 45 minutes.

As a 7,000-foot vertical test involving 18 miles of hiking in between formations, the Triple represents more than just an ultra-style event. It鈥檚 also a mental challenge that requires accepting the risk of massive falls under sleep-deprived conditions. Pitches in Yosemite average about 100 feet each; the average trad climber places 12-18 pieces of protection per pitch. Pineau estimates that, to save time, she leaves just two, which would leave regular trad climbers wide-eyed with shock.

From 2021 to 2023, the climbing community bagged a Triple a year, largely by the YOSAR team: Jordan Cannon and Scott Bennett in 2021; Danford Jooste and Nick Ehman in 2022; and Tyler Karow and Miles Fullman in 2023. In an Instagram post after his final topout, Fullman called it the 鈥渇inal exam for a Yosemite speed climber and a lifetime achievement,鈥� adding that five of the eight Triple triumphs (including Honnold鈥檚 solo) had included a YOSAR member.

But in the last two years, the speed game has increased in popularity. For some, it鈥檚 become almost casual. Two noteworthy partnerships rocked the Valley in 2024. In late June, Ima Amundarain and Cedar Christensen biked between the three formations for a 鈥渉uman-powered Triple,鈥� bringing along canteens of red wine for extra fun. Then, last October, Tanner Wanish and Michael Vaill at 17 hours 55 minutes, returning one week later to add a fourth wall, the South Face of the Washington Column. They .

This spring, a record three teams converged on the Valley with hopes of completing the Triple. Jacob Cook, who became the seventh person to send the route Golden Gate in a day last fall, teamed up with Brant Hysell, who holds the rope solo and team speed records on a route named Lurking Fear. Hans Beuttler and Noah Fox, who last year completed the Double鈥擡l Cap, plus Half Dome鈥攊n 22 hours and 49 minutes, also joined Kelleghan and Pineau in their single-minded quest. The 2025 Triple hopefuls formed a group chat called 鈥淭riple Triple Threat.鈥�

鈥淗onestly, the group chat was my favorite part of the season,鈥� Beuttler told me earlier this week. 鈥淎ll three teams were just all so supportive of each other.鈥� Throughout April and May, every time one of the teams did a training lap on a formation, they would text in their times, or 鈥渟plits,鈥� to the group chat, building off each other鈥檚 momentum.

According to Kelleghan, most prior Triple teams have made their attempt within three days of the summer solstice in late June, enduring oppressive heat in exchange for maximizing daylight. However, this year鈥檚 teams decided that late May and early June was hot enough. Last week, Beuttler and Fox鈥檚 attempt ended halfway through their second formation, the Nose, when Beuttler accidentally pulled out a #4 cam and took a 20-foot fall, spraining his ankle. Two days before, Cook and Hysell pulled off a 22-hour ascent that Cook noted was harder than he expected.

But with stormy weather on the horizon, Kelleghan and Pineau kept pushing off their ascent, hoping to avoid getting caught in a thunderstorm on Half Dome and Mount Watkins. Even a speed climber鈥檚 frugal rack contains enough metal to attract lightning. Finally, they set a start date and time when the weather looked clear: 4 P.M. on Saturday, June 7, 2025.

III. The Elusive Search for a Female Partner

Kelleghan has been meticulously plotting for this one 24-hour window for the past three years. In fact, ever since June 16, 2022, when she topped out Half Dome on the Double, Kelleghan鈥攏ow 32 years old鈥攈as been scouting for a female partner that could match her speed, stoke, and risk tolerance.

But in June 2022, that partner didn鈥檛 yet exist. Laura Pineau, then 22, was sleeping at Miguel鈥檚 Pizza in the Red River Gorge, Kentucky, and didn鈥檛 consider herself a trad climber. She鈥檇 gotten spooked on Yosemite鈥檚 Munginella (5.6) two years prior and sworn off trad. Then, in September, Pineau met Brittany Goris at a climbing festival and spent the next two months learning crack technique from her in Indian Creek. By the end of the season, Goris recommended that Pineau aim for Freerider on El Cap.

In 2023, both Kelleghan and Pineau spent extensive time in Yosemite, but they never crossed paths. Keeping her eyes out for a solid Triple partner, Kelleghan dialed her Nose beta in the spring by climbing the route multiple times, hitting her personal best at eight hours and 38 minutes with Danford Jooste.

At the same time, on El Cap, Pineau backed off Freerider, taught herself how to big wall, and attempted the Nose, bailing at the Great Roof due to weather. That summer, Pineau went to Squamish and launched an intensive training program to get in better free climbing shape. In August, Kelleghan got the call to fill an empty YOSAR roster spot. The two didn鈥檛 cross paths in the fall, either, but Pineau sent Freerider and started looking for a new goal.

Finally, in April 2024, Pineau fell into Kelleghan鈥檚 speed climbing world. Pineau was chilling in a van in Camp 4 with her then-boyfriend Michael Vaill and his speed partner Tanner Wanish鈥攖he same duo that would (and ) six months later. Wanish mentioned offhand that a female YOSAR member was looking for a female speed climbing partner. Pineau got curious and asked for her name.

鈥淲hen Laura messaged me, she was super nice,鈥� says Kelleghan. 鈥淚 told her, yes, I鈥檇 like to climb, but I鈥檓 only climbing three routes.鈥� She knew Pineau had climbed Freerider, but had never speed climbed鈥攏ot even the Nose in a day (NIAD).

But Kelleghan was running out of options. 鈥淚f I can鈥檛 find a woman next year who wants to train for the Triple, I鈥檓 just going to do it with a guy,鈥� she said at the time. 鈥淚鈥檇 rather do that than not do the Triple at all.鈥�

A few days later, Pineau went for her first Nose in a day with Vaill, completing it in 12 hours, 42 minutes. Kelleghan still wasn鈥檛 entirely convinced. 鈥淲hen Laura said she hadn鈥檛 led the first four pitches and had given up the lead at the wide crack, part of my brain was like, she鈥檚 not risky enough,鈥� she says. 鈥淏ut at least she was a personality fit.鈥� By this, Kelleghan meant that Pineau could at least be goofy鈥攁 must-have attribute in a partner for a 24-hour suffer fest.

In October 2024, Pineau finished up her hardest trad project, Greenspit, in Switzerland, then flew to Yosemite to meet Kelleghan. They warmed up on the North Face of the Rostrum, where Pineau sent the Alien Finish, then switched into speed climbing on the first eight pitches of the Nose to Dolt Tower, also known as a 鈥淒olt run.鈥� Kelleghan carefully evaluated Pineau鈥檚 ability. 鈥淚 was kind of metering her against my times to Dolt,鈥� said Kelleghan, who estimates someone鈥檚 鈥淒olt time鈥� to be one-fourth of their expected NIAD time. 鈥淲e were both at Dolt in two hours and 30 minutes. That鈥檚 decently fast, and it was only her third time leading it.鈥�

Kelleghan realized that Pineau, as the stronger free climber, could lead the first block of the Nose. 鈥淪he鈥檚 fast enough, and it鈥檚 November,鈥� she remembers thinking. Spring, the ideal time to send the Triple, was just a few short months away. She finally had a partner who could dedicate all her time to this goal. 鈥淚f we鈥檙e going to do it, the commitment time is now.鈥�

IV. 鈥淕et That 24鈥�

At 7:15 A.M. on June 8, Kelleghan and Pineau sprinted into the El Cap picnic area and dropped their harnesses outside the parked van. The gray light was slowly sharpening, but this time, there were only a handful of friends, rather than crowds. Both Pineau鈥檚 red leggings and Kelleghan鈥檚 pink ones were smeared with black dirt. With tousled braids and solemn faces, they knelt on the ground and tossed gear back and forth into piles. It was the start of their second and final transition.

They鈥檇 spent the entire night climbing the Nose. 鈥淭he spiders in the Great Roof were horrendous,鈥� Kelleghan said later. 鈥淵ou shine your headlamp up to see where to place your piece, and you see their eyes.鈥� Pineau raged through the first four pitches, but still, each climber had added 10 minutes to her block. The extra 40 minutes they鈥檇 earned from Watkins was now just 20. They were on track to finish before 24 hours, but only if they didn鈥檛 bonk.

Kelleghan looked openly worried. Pineau had stopped smiling, but hadn鈥檛 changed her tone. 鈥淵eah, girl, we鈥檙e going to get that 24 [hours],鈥� she said, throwing her newly racked harness back into the van. There was zero doubt in her voice, but the time pressure was palpable. Pineau passed Kelleghan, who was carefully putting in contacts, and shot her a reminder: 鈥淔ive minutes. We鈥檝e got to get going.鈥�

V. Like an Ultramarathon

The week before her Triple attempt, Kelleghan sits on a checkered kitchen table in her friend鈥檚 house near Yosemite Village. She hands me a spiral notebook full of topo drawings in ballpoint pen. Her notes could rival a private detective鈥檚. One page, which summarizes her and Pineau鈥檚 second training lap on Mount Watkins, lists seven data points about the weather, four remarks on clothing, and 12 additional conclusions, including: Only black totem on pitch three: fix rope over bush, Put oval carabiner on higher 11b bolt with tat, and Extend pitons on pitch five.

Compared to other Triple teams, Kelleghan says that she and Pineau are much more data-obsessed. From tracking their sleep quality with COROS watches to measuring out their electrolyte calories, they wanted to use any small optimization they could to be faster.

When the team arrived in the Valley around April 12, they had exactly two months to prepare for the Triple.聽 鈥淲e鈥檙e training for it like an ultramarathon,鈥� Kelleghan said, explaining that ultramarathon runners, apparently, don鈥檛 practice for ultras by running regular marathons, but instead prepare with shorter laps. Their favorite ultrarunner is Courtney Dauwalter, whose film they watched at the No Man鈥檚 Land Festival. 鈥淐ourtney says, every minute you spend in the pain cave, you鈥檙e making it more comfortable,鈥� Kelleghan observed. 鈥淲e鈥檙e joking that we鈥檙e adding couches to the pain cave.鈥�

The plan was to practice each formation until they could get their Watkins time to five hours, Nose time down to seven hours, and Half Dome time to six hours. Then, they鈥檇 take a full week of rest and go for all three at once. They鈥檇 skip the Double, opting to save energy and rely on the support of friends and family to keep energy levels high.

But it wasn鈥檛 only the encroaching summer weather constricting their timeline. Kelleghan had recently developed turf toe: a sprain of the main joint in the big toe, in her right foot. 鈥淚t鈥檚 getting worse every day because we鈥檙e not taking breaks,鈥� she said. 鈥淐limbing chimneys on Half Dome and hiking down are antagonizing it.鈥� If they couldn鈥檛 get ready for the Triple quickly, each extra week of training would hurt Kelleghan more.

The first few weeks were brutal. They started with the Nose, which Kelleghan had the most dialed from years of NIADs. 鈥淚 think I burned 1,000 calories just telling Laura Nose beta,鈥� says Kelleghan. Their first April 19 attempt took 12 hours 53 minutes and was freezing cold. Five days later, they got their time down to under nine hours, but Pineau got emotional trying to work a slippery groove on pitch three. Then, on April 30, Pineau got food poisoning for a full week.

By April 30, they鈥檇 only done two Nose runs together in one month, and were nowhere near ready for the Triple. 鈥淐ompared to the boys, they鈥檝e been hitting their goal times on the first and second attempt, and we haven鈥檛,鈥� said Pineau. On May 5, with heavy winds and a not-quite-recovered Pineau, the duo hit seven hours 39 minutes on the Nose鈥攃loser, but still not goal time.

They switched over to , heading up on May 8, Pineau鈥檚 birthday. After a nine-hour, three-minute scouting sesh, Kelleghan surprised Pineau by sneaking up a candle, which she stuck in a mini Scratch bar on the summit. After the second Watkins lap鈥攆ive hours 57 minutes鈥擪elleghan and Pineau celebrated being three hours faster, but realized they needed to try it again to get more dialed. A third attempt on May 15 resulted in Pineau鈥檚 first whipper: a 10-foot fall onto a black Totem cam that protected another 60 feet of airtime.

鈥淚 screamed a lot,鈥� said Pineau. 鈥淚t made this day really shaky to me. My mindset is to never fall.鈥� Kelleghan explains that Watkins is particularly slippery and glassy. Pineau fell at one of the safest places possible, but still whipped 10 feet with rope stretch. 鈥淚 knew it was bad because she took the whip and then the next pitch, a 5.10, she usually frees,鈥� says Kelleghan. 鈥淏ut this pitch, she was yelling curse words in French and not freeing it.鈥� But their time was still faster: five hours, 15 minutes, nearly within range.

Finally, the team tried Half Dome. The first lap on May 19 was 鈥渏ust sussing鈥� the moves, according to Kelleghan. They came in at nine hours, four minutes, but weren鈥檛 worried; it was a practice run. The second lap presented the real speed test. Pineau took a 鈥渄aisy whip,鈥� where she fell onto her own adjustable tethers before the rope caught her, after a .1/.2 offset cam popped out. Even so, the day was a success: the women climbed Half Dome in six hours, five minutes, just five minutes past their goal time. It was the closest they鈥檇 gotten to their target number on any formation yet.

To reduce their times on the Nose and Watkins, Kelleghan and Pineau took one more practice lap on each, eventually landing at seven hours, five minutes for the Nose (acceptable), and four hours, 47 minutes for Watkins (better than acceptable). Though they still hoped to shave off a bit more time on Watkins to get a buffer early in the 24-hour push. After the final Watkins practice lap, their COROS watches showed both women at 4 percent recovery. Kelleghan based her recovery schedule around those numbers. By the time they started their Triple attempt, she wanted the watch to show 100%.

Some Triple teams take 30-minute breaks between formations; others head up knowing they鈥檒l have plenty of time to spare. But if Kelleghan and Pineau could repeat their best performances on each formation in a single push, it would still barely be enough. 鈥淲e鈥檙e right at 24 hours if we have our current times and the transitions go perfectly with no rests,鈥� said Kelleghan. Both clarified that their main goal was to do the Triple in a single push, and getting sub-24 would be a secondary goal. But the idea of barely missing the 24-hour standard set by the speed climbers before them was too uncomfortable to dwell on.

VI. A Little Rain Won鈥檛 Stop Us

Thunder rolled through Yosemite as Kelleghan and Pineau had made their way up Mount Watkins. They had started at 3:58 p.m. on June 7, which meant that their 24-hour cut-off time would be 3:58 p.m. on June 8. The 28 members of the Triple Queens Support Team group chat wondered if thunder meant they鈥檇 bail, but a selfie from Pineau resolved all questions. 鈥淎 little rain won鈥檛 stop us,鈥� she messaged, then shut off her phone. By the summit, they鈥檇 beaten their personal best by 40 minutes, winning a critical buffer for the next two walls.

The thunder disappeared for the nighttime Nose ascent, but returned for Half Dome. By the time the team had made it up Half Dome鈥檚 Death Slabs approach, which took just one hour, 30 minutes, they鈥檇 each hiked nearly 18 miles and climbed 5,200 vertical feet.

Kelleghan was feeling beat鈥攁nd panicked. 鈥淚t was my worst nightmare,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to be really close to 24.鈥� Technically, it was only 9:40 a.m., and they still had six hours to summit Half Dome. They鈥檇 previously done it in six hours, five minutes, but that was when they were fresh, not after two consecutive walls and no sleep.

Kelleghan still felt nervous as they simul-climbed through the first block, but when she got through her section of aid pitches, Pineau told her, 鈥淭hat was the fastest you鈥檝e ever done them.鈥�

鈥淪weet! Cool!鈥� shouted Kelleghan, revitalized.

Later, Pineau admitted that she lied. 鈥淚 was definitely pumping [her] up a little bit,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 wasn鈥檛 actually tracking [her] time.鈥�

At the base of the next Half Dome checkpoint鈥攖he chimneys鈥擯ineau told Kelleghan, 鈥淚f you do your block in one and a half hours, and I do mine in one and a half hours, we鈥檒l make it.鈥� Kelleghan gave herself a stern pep talk: 鈥淚 was like, 鈥楢ny energy I have left now goes to the chimneys.鈥欌�� She channeled her focus, ignored her burning feet, and blazed up the rock.

When Pineau began to lead her final block to the summit, she asked Kelleghan to give her regular time checks at each pitch. By the last pitch, they had 30 minutes left, and Kelleghan realized something she hadn鈥檛 considered before: They were actually going to do it.

The giddiness set in. Lightning was flashing around her, but there was nothing she could do鈥攎entally or physically鈥攅xcept jug the final fixed line to her three-year dream.

When Kelleghan caught Pineau at the final anchor, Pineau pressed her stopwatch, and the timer froze at 23 hours and 36 minutes. The two collapsed into a hug, still tied in. Kelleghan found tears streaming down her face. They had made history together.

鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 feel real yet,鈥� said Kelleghan that night, back in Yosemite Village. She was lying cross-legged on a carpeted floor, while Pineau smiled at her from across the room. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been so many years in the making.鈥�

And the pain cave? She laughed. 鈥淚t鈥檚 like a mansion now.鈥�

The post Kate Kelleghan and Laura Pineau Became the First Women to Complete the Yosemite Triple Crown appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Yes, Girl Climber has an oversimplified title. But it鈥檚 also the complex, vulnerable, and deeply inspiring story that adventure-obsessed audiences deserve.

Directed by Jon Glassberg, this 83-minute documentary describes how Emily Harrington鈥檚 life and two-decade-long climbing career culminated in one audacious goal: to become the (5.13b) on El Capitan in a day. Stymied by exhaustion, hailstorms, rope burns, mental fortitude, and sometimes one single move, Harrington persists through four attempts on the route in 2019 and 2020.

Glassberg, owner of the production company and the man behind dozens of shorter climbing documentaries, says that he didn鈥檛 want his first feature-length film to feel like a beta video. With nearly ten years of footage, Glassberg is able to expand beyond the one or two side plots that typically decorate shorter adventure documentaries.

鈥淭his is a holistic look at an incredible woman鈥檚 life in the adventure world,鈥� he says, 鈥渇rom the top of Mount Everest to crazy expeditions in Myanmar and ultimately climbing Golden Gate in a day.鈥�

Harrington鈥檚 Dream Team

Braided within Harrington鈥檚 narrative are three pivotal, developing relationships: her mentor-mentee relationship with , who passed away in 2022; her friendship with ; and her relationship with her husband, high-altitude mountain guide . All three support her during her attempts on Golden Gate through constant belays (Honnold), gentle pep talks (Ballinger), or healthy debriefs (Nelson).

It鈥檚 through these close relationships that we learn so much more about Harrington than we would through just climbing footage and interviews. When Harrington falls on the Freeblast in November 2019, we experience it through Honnold, whose normal expression breaks into wide-eyed alarm.

Something we haven鈥檛 seen in other feature-length climbing films is the consistency of a female mentorship like the one Nelson extended toward Harrington. After every one of Harrington鈥檚 self-described failures, their text conversations fade into the screen. It鈥檚 almost like we鈥檙e living Harrington鈥檚 recollection through what she shares with Nelson.

The most powerful moment in the film comes when Harrington falls on her fourth attempt, smashes her un-helmeted head against the granite, and all but gives up. She sobs openly, looking up at the summit, and gathers her grief into one brave statement: 鈥淪omeday, I鈥檒l do it.鈥� Ballinger, however, is unfazed. He corrects her gently: 鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to do it today.鈥�

A Unique Addition to the El Cap Canon

With references to , a cameo from , and, of course, Honnold, Girl Climber adds Harrington鈥檚 story to the existing El Cap cinematic universe for mainstream audiences, which primarily consists of Valley Uprising, The Dawn Wall, and Free Solo. The film鈥檚 goal of building upon this oeuvre echoes Harrington鈥檚: to join the elite group of heroes who have sent Golden Gate in a day. At the time, that list only included Honnold, Caldwell, and the late Brad Gobright.

On each attempt, Glassberg captures Harrington鈥檚 failures, and the resurrection of her self-confidence, with unbelievable clarity. One of the most inspiring parts of the film, however, is rather mundane: watching Harrington鈥檚 discussions with Honnold about gear and supplies. Despite Honnold鈥檚 good-natured sandbagging, Harrington confidently prioritizes her own needs and comfort on the wall.

鈥淚 think it would be tough to make this more comfortable,鈥� he jokes before her final go, looking at everything she planned to haul up the wall.

鈥淵up, that鈥檚 the whole point,鈥� she replies, unbothered.

In another scene, she insists on bringing her extra chalk and breakable ice packs, even though Honnold thinks it鈥檚 too much. She鈥檚 sitting across from the most famous climber in the world, and instead of trying to impress him or apologizing for needing extra gear, she鈥檚 reminding him to bring up her extra things. Her goals and comfort matter so much more than his assumptions. And that鈥檚 something every female climber truly needs to see.

Girl Climber does have some misses. For example, the movie鈥檚 title suggests an arc about sexism that the plot doesn鈥檛 necessarily deliver. But ultimately, the authentic and vivid storytelling in Girl Climber creates several layers of inspiration for both a climbing and mainstream audience.

The Emotional Tension Stays High

From the start, Girl Climber does an incredible job building the stakes. Five minutes in, a montage of Harrington winning five National Championships and climbing Everest condenses into one powerful belief: 鈥淚鈥檓 really proud of my career so far, but if you want to call yourself a successful all-around climber, you鈥檝e got to be up on El Cap.鈥�

As a film,听Girl Climber聽skillfully avoids several climbing tropes and common pitfalls. While the plot inherently involves Honnold, Glassberg avoids overly relying on him for narration. Instead, the film deftly lets him provide side-character comic relief as Harrington bangs her head against the wall鈥攕ometimes, literally鈥攁s she rehearses the route.聽Girl Climber聽also does not shy away from vulnerability; Harrington grieves her failures openly and carries no air of defensiveness or overconfidence. And even though we know she eventually sends,听Golden Gate鈥榮 five cruxes act as one, shapeshifting villain and bring an unpredictable tension to each of Harrington鈥檚 attempts. At each sequence, we鈥檙e still looking for clues to whether she鈥檚 going to send聽right now. If she holds on through a crux sequence, the music crescendoes; if she falls, the music halts, like a dream popped.

A Closer Look at the Title

奥丑颈濒别听Girl Climber聽captures mainstream audiences with a plain and to-the-point description, its title hints at an insult that is never actually delivered. Harrington alludes to the mansplaining she experienced during her project, but doesn鈥檛 elaborate much beyond slightly condescending comments. Nor does this theme rise to the fore. Glassberg had good intentions and sharp marketing instincts, but having聽Girl Climber聽as the title overexaggerates the role of sexism in the film.

One could argue that tiles are always reductive, especially short ones. But when a brief label embodies the heart of the story, such as聽Free Solo,听The Dawn Wall,听and聽The Alpinist, the glory of the accomplishment casts itself back onto the subject. Honnold鈥檚 free solo of聽Free Rider, Caldwell鈥檚聽Dawn Wall聽redpoint, and Marc-Andr茅 Leclerc鈥檚 bold alpinism each defined their legacies; their movies are appropriately named. But聽Girl Climber聽doesn鈥檛 add anything to Harrington鈥檚 legacy besides the most straightforward biographical info. It鈥檚 trivializing; it might as well be about a five-year-old in the gym instead of a world-class professional athlete in her thirties.

The movie鈥檚 title and its asterisked subtitle, 鈥淪tronger Than Stereotypes,鈥� remind us that female climbers face stereotypes. However, the film鈥檚 only example of this is the media鈥檚 treatment of Harrington as a 鈥渄amsel in distress鈥� after her viral accident in 2019.聽Good Morning America鈥榮 portrayal Harrington as reckless and lucky to be saved by Honnold is most definitely a combination of sexism and the post-Free Solo聽deification of Honnold. But it also represents a misunderstanding outside the climbing world of just how normal Harrington鈥檚 simul climbing really was. Overall, the flash of sexism in聽Girl Climber fades in comparison to the film鈥檚 real, dynamic antagonists: Harrington鈥檚 own expectations, gravity, slippery granite, and time.

For her part, Harrington says that she did not choose the title. 鈥淚 actually really hated it at first, and kind of laid into Jon about it when he told me,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 was like, 鈥榃hat is this? It鈥檚 diminishing. I don鈥檛 like it at all.鈥欌�� But after talking it out, Glassberg convinced her that the movie would turn the demeaning phrase 鈥済irl climber鈥� into something that means strength.

鈥淭he movie was pitched many, many times as flipping the script on the male-dominated climbing scene,鈥� says Glassberg. 鈥淲e really wanted to draw attention to the fact that Emily鈥檚 doing this remarkable achievement that very, very few people are capable of doing, and that she has this extra layer of stuff that she has to face because she鈥檚 a woman.鈥� To Glassberg, the extra burdens Harrington faces include her ticking biological clock and the additional scrutiny she faces as a woman on El Cap. 鈥淲e just kind of saw it from the way the media latched onto things, with the 鈥榙amsel in distress鈥� idea,鈥� he says. Calling attention to sexism, he explains, is the goal.

I don鈥檛 doubt that Harrington, like all female climbers, has faced misogyny and stereotypes in climbing. However, as a female climber myself, I cringe at seeing one of the most accomplished climbers of our generation summed up in this reductive phrase, especially a hypothetical one. If anyone has ever lobbed 鈥済irl climber鈥� as an insult at her, the film does not show it. Perhaps Glassberg intended that, but the discomfort is still there.

Harrington confirms that I鈥檓 not alone in feeling this way. 鈥淚 asked a lot of climbers what they thought of the title, and they had the same reaction as I did,鈥� she says. 鈥淎gain, this is the mainstream versus the core. I asked a lot of people who didn鈥檛 climb, and they were just like, 鈥淥h my god, that title鈥檚 amazing, I love it so much.鈥�

For that reason alone, even if a core audience of female climbers dislikes the name, calling the film聽Girl Climber聽was a smart business decision, and one that鈥檚 likely to pay off with millions of eyes on Harrington鈥檚 plot. In the long run, if a movie name disliked by a niche audience is what causes mainstream audiences to experience the story and know that women, too, climb El Cap, I understand why Glassberg would take it. After all, the general public has different understanding of rock climbing than climbers themselves. To someone whose only exposure to the sport is聽Free Solo, female climbers with Harrington鈥檚 grit and r茅sum茅 might as well not yet exist. What feels insultingly obvious to climbers like me might be, in fact, a necessity to break into the public鈥檚 collective consciousness. But if that鈥檚 true, let鈥檚 admit it right here鈥攁nd acknowledge that male climbers have never had to infantilize their story鈥檚 names in order to achieve broad recognition. In an ironic and meta way,听Girl Climber鈥�s title does more to prove that female climbers still face sexist barriers than the movie鈥檚 actual storyline.

Want to catch a screening of聽Girl Climber? The film is screening at the 国产吃瓜黑料 Festival in Denver, Colorado, May 31鈥揓une 1, followed by a Q&A with Emily Harrington and Jon Glassberg. Tickets available聽.

Catching Up with Harrington

The following interview has been lightly edited for clarity and length.

Climbing: What鈥檚 it like to watch this movie four and a half years after freeing Golden Gate in a day?

Emily Harrington: I didn鈥檛 anticipate it would take this long to create the film. I鈥檝e learned a lot in the process about how hard it is to create a documentary film, and honestly, it was really scary. I was pretty nervous to watch it. You鈥檙e your biggest critic, and I can barely listen to my voice message machine because I don鈥檛 like the sound of my voice. It was really stressful, actually, to watch it and see the story unfold. As human beings, we evolve and we change so much. In the last five years. I鈥檝e had a child and been through that transition, so it鈥檚 just an interesting experience to see who you were and what you cared about.

Climbing: When you announced the movie on Instagram, you wrote that your quiet moments of struggle, fear, and self-doubt gave way to stories of heroism and sensationalism that only the mainstream media could drum up, and none of it felt like your true experience. What aspects of your story do you feel were twisted into heroism and sensationalism?

Harrington: It was just the sensationalism of climbing up on El Cap. People think it鈥檚 this crazy, death-defying, adrenaline-fueled endeavor, and it鈥檚 just not that for me. I don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 like that for most climbers. It was putting someone on this superhero-level pedestal and making them seem like they鈥檙e not a human, and it made me feel a little bit sensitive about it all. It happens with any achievement, when you have the greatest, the hardest, the first鈥攁ll of these things.

Climbing: When Girl Climber was in production, did you have any other movies in mind that you hoped it would be similar to?

Harrington: I hoped it would be more of a female story on El Capitan, a little bit similar to The Dawn Wall, because they鈥檙e both free climbing. They鈥檙e both the kind of niche achievements that the mainstream doesn鈥檛 totally understand, but I thought that The Dawn Wall did a really good job of explaining what it was that those guys did, and how much effort and commitment it took. I just wanted it to be an inspiring female story on El Cap, because women also climb up there. And we don鈥檛 have that many female climbing stories, honestly.

Climbing: Jon told us that he saw a renewed psych in you during COVID. How did your thinking about Golden Gate change throughout early 2020?聽

Harrington: There were multiple reasons. I had this bad fall, and I knew immediately that I could go back. I remember Jon being like, 鈥淣o pressure, you could be done with this project.鈥� And I was like, 鈥淣o, I know that I made a mistake.鈥� It wasn鈥檛 this random occurrence that I can鈥檛 control. I felt really grateful that I was okay and I walked away from it. It took a while to mentally recover, but I immediately knew that I could go back and I could be better. Then COVID was helpful, because a lot of us during COVID felt a little bit aimless. This was this thing that I could hold onto and be like, 鈥淲hen Yosemite opens back up again, I鈥檓 gonna go back.鈥� Right now, I have nothing better to do than really think about how to prepare for it and how to train for it. Thankfully, climbing is such a complicated sport. You can really creatively train for rock climbing in your house.

Climbing: What kind of advice or support does the sports therapist give you? And do you talk with them through every major project, or was this specific to Golden Gate?

Harrington: I work with a sports therapist, like a mental health coach, and I have since 2019. It鈥檚 been wildly helpful for me. It wasn鈥檛 just for that project; I still talk to her probably twice a month. It鈥檚 really about leading into your feelings, validating your feelings, and understanding that body-mind connection. A lot of athletes can neglect that mental side. In the past few years, I鈥檝e really learned how important it is to train that side of things. It鈥檚 work. It鈥檚 training, and you have to think about it like that. It is something that we have to train, like a muscle, and it is very intimately connected to our physical bodies and our performance, as well as, our well-being and happiness. So, that鈥檚 another reason why I think it鈥檚 super important. But a lot of what we do is about how I鈥檓 feeling鈥攆ear, anxiety, failure, and motivation. It鈥檚 just a lot of letting those things come up and not judging them, but being really aware of them, and of how to work through them and move forward.

Climbing: What advice do you have for people who want to free climb El Cap in a day?

Watch the video below for Harrington鈥檚 response.

Climbing: What鈥檚 your current focus in climbing right now?

Harrington: All of it. I trained really hard this year, probably harder than I have since Golden Gate. I wanted to climb 14c, and I went to Spain with that specific objective. I fell short of my goal, but it鈥檚 okay. I ended up climbing a 14a that I was really excited about and really proud of. It was kind of my first big thing away, with Adrian gone, and bringing our son with us, and having the chaos of single parenting and trying to do a big trip. I succeeded in that, and it made me more motivated and excited to keep going and see what else I can do. Now that I have a kid, I鈥檓 a little more deliberate and focused. I actually think that鈥檚 helped me a lot in my climbing, so I鈥檇 love to climb harder sport routes. I鈥檇 love to climb my hardest grade. I think that鈥檇 be really cool.

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On January 4, 2025, President Biden signed the bipartisan into U.S. law, ending a year-long panic over a in national parks. The new legislation evoked a 鈥� celebration by the American climbing community.

One of the lesser-known changes to the law, however, was , the Federal Interior Land Media (鈥淔ILM鈥�) Act, which the North American Nature Photography Association and several other photography organizations lobbied for two years to include. This section wipes out the existing film and photography permit requirements in national parks and replaces them with significantly more lenient rules.

鈥淭his is going to make a huge difference for creatives, filmmakers, independent contractors, photographers, and athletes,鈥� says , a professional climber who has starred in two films in Canyonlands National Park. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to open up a lot of different opportunities for people to share their stories and do creative projects.鈥�

Prior to January 4, required permit applications for any footage or photos that advertised a product and any film taken 鈥渨ith the intent of generating income.鈥� These guidelines were initially created to prevent film sets from taking over national parks. But until this year, it also applied to professional athletes. This included climbers, who might, for example, tag their sponsor in climbing footage that features the sponsor鈥檚 product. It also applied to casual climbers, who might post a route recap vlog on their monetized YouTube channel. Under the old rules, both actions required permits. A violation could result in fines or even jail time.

In my experience as a Yosemite Climber Steward, most climbers didn鈥檛 know about the rules. Last year, I saw many inexperienced photographers ignore the permit requirements鈥攕ometimes because they couldn鈥檛 afford to pay $200-$300 in non-refundable application fees. More often, however, they simply didn鈥檛 know they were supposed to acquire a permit. But more established filmmakers and athletes were careful to observe the rules, even if it meant shooting less climbing content.

Now that the EXPLORE Act has passed, the new requirements for photography and filmmaking in national parks are much simpler. For now, climbers who want to film their own adventures can breathe a sigh of relief.

The New National Park Rules for Photography and Filmmaking

Starting in January 2025, permits are no longer required if the filming or photography:

• Involves a maximum of five people,
• Takes place in a location where the public is allowed,
• Doesn鈥檛 require exclusive use of the area,
• Doesn鈥檛 take place in federally-designated wilderness,
• Doesn鈥檛 use any staging equipment beyond a tripod or handheld lighting equipment, and
• Doesn鈥檛 take place in an area typically crowded with visitors.

This covers the vast majority of climbing photography and film, which often involves just one or two people behind the camera and one or two climbers. If you鈥檙e directing a larger movie, for example, and absolutely need that sixth crew member, you may need to apply for a free 鈥渄e minimis use authorization鈥� (similar to a permit) for crews of six to eight people鈥攂ut some national parks, such as Yosemite, have chosen to waive permits for these groups up to eight people.

Any film or photography project that doesn鈥檛 fulfill the above requirements will have to apply for a regular permit and will be assessed the same fees that existed pre-EXPLORE Act.

Small Changes, Big Impacts for Climbing Filmmakers

Previously, dealing with national park permits could be a time-intensive and costly affair for filmmakers. Jon Glassberg, owner of adventure production company Louder Than Eleven and director of dozens of climbing documentaries, says that he鈥檚 paid thousands of dollars in NPS film permit fees for past projects. He usually reserves four to five weeks of lead time to get permits and estimates that he鈥檚 cancelled shoots up to 5% of the time because of permit issues. Now that the EXPLORE Act has revamped the permit system, Glassberg says he would likely 鈥渂e okay鈥� with not having a permit for small, non-commercial shoots in national parks鈥攂ut will still err on the side of caution.

鈥淓ven if it was five people or less, I think I would still get a permit or go through the channels to at least try,鈥� Glassberg says. According to the new law, filmmakers and photographers who don鈥檛 need a permit can still request one at no charge. 鈥淣obody鈥檚 tested the EXPLORE Act. If, for some reason, whoever is currently running the back of house [at the NPS] litigating these permits decides their interpretation of the EXPLORE Act is different than mine, they might want to take me to court over it.鈥�

He adds that he鈥檚 eager to see a filmmaker test the new system鈥攂ut he doesn鈥檛 want to be that person. 鈥淚鈥檓 going to keep shooting in national parks, keep making movies, and keep working in this industry forever,鈥� he explains. 鈥淚f I have a strike against me in a national park, it鈥檚 just not worth it.鈥�

More Opportunities for Professional Climbers

Smaller independent filmmakers and climbers who frequent national parks will likely benefit most from the EXPLORE Act鈥檚 new permit rules.

In 2022 and 2023, professional climber Mary Eden made back-to-back first female ascents of Necronomicon (5.13d/5.14a) and (5.14b), which are both .

鈥淚nitially, when I reached out about filming Necronomicon, the Park Service told me no, and to not hold my breath,鈥� says Eden. But she kept asking questions, and eventually the Park Service was willing to work with her.

To get film permits, Eden spent up to eight months for each film negotiating with the Park Service. 鈥淚 had the advantage of being local and having volunteered with the NPS for a year in 2015, so the process was easier for me to navigate,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t would be a lot harder for other people coming from out of town or who had not interacted with the Park Service before.鈥� Ultimately, Eden paid $300 for film permits for Necronomicon and $500 for Black Mamba.

Just before the EXPLORE Act became law, Eden once again asked the Park Service for a film permit to record her attempts on another Canyonlands roof crack: (5.14b). This time, the Park Service told her that she鈥檇 have to pay several thousand dollars for a Nature Impact study before her permit application would be considered. 鈥淓ven if I managed to raise the money, I was told straight-up that it was not likely I鈥檇 get the permit,鈥� she says. Faced with this scenario, Eden decided against posting any photos or videos about her project.

Once the EXPLORE Act passed, however, Eden was thrilled. Now, she can take photos on the route and post about it on social media without needing a permit. 鈥淚t gives me a lot more peace of mind that I鈥檓 allowed to share my experience without doing anything illegal,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 going to be better in the long run for small filmmakers.鈥�

Eden still plans to let the Park Service know about her Century Crack project to seek their input on best practices and communicate them to other climbers. 鈥淲e can work together to share the love of a place and preserve the wilderness while also being reasonable,鈥� she says. 鈥淪omebody with a camera is a lot different than a 20-person film crew.鈥�

The post Filming in National Parks Just Got Easier鈥擡xpect More Climbing Content appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Update: On May 27, 2025, the Supreme Court denied Apache Stronghold鈥檚 appeal, allowing the land transfer to proceed as scheduled.聽This is a developing story and will be updated as more details are announced.

When Jack Colavita, a high school English teacher in Scottsdale, Arizona, gets out of school at 3 p.m., he typically heads straight for the boulders.

Specifically, he drives 65 miles east to Queen Creek Canyon, drags his crashpads out to classic Oak Flat problems such as聽Scatterbrain聽(V6-7) or聽贰惫辞濒耻迟颈辞苍听(V7-), and works powerful moves on the volcanic, pocketed rock that Tommy Caldwell聽聽to 鈥渢he mouths of tiny piranhas.鈥�

Oak Flat, a sub-area of Queen Creek Canyon, is a world-class climbing area with more than 2,500 routes and boulders within easy access of the fifth-largest American city. From 1989 to 2004, it hosted the聽聽(PBC, eventually renamed the Phoenix Boulder Blast), which attracted up to 600 competitors each year, including teenage prodigies Caldwell, Beth Rodden, Katie Brown, and Chris Sharma.

Erik Murdock, PhD, who now works as the deputy director of policy and government affairs for Access Fund, remembers one particularly exciting PBC in 1996: 鈥淚 spotted Chris Sharma on a warm up. Then, he spent the entire comp trying the open project because if he sent it, he won.鈥� That afternoon, Sharma, who was 14 years old at the time, sent the problem and took first place.

Today, Oak Flat is still a go-to spot for Phoenix locals looking to squeeze in a few hours of climbing after school or work. 鈥淔or a local area less than two hours away, Oak Flat is the only place where you can really spend a day and not break a hold,鈥� says Colavita, who leads climbing trips through his school鈥檚 outdoors program. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the place where kids are able to go for a day with parents鈥� permission.鈥�

However, after a two-decade-long legal battle, Arizona climbers are steeling themselves for the potential destruction of most of the boulders and hundreds of routes in Oak Flat area.

On April 17, the U.S. Forest Service released a 60-day advance聽聽of its publication of the Final Environmental Impact Statement for Oak Flat鈥攁 document that will trigger the transfer of 2,422 acres of the Oak Flat area to Resolution Copper,听聽by the British-Australian company Rio Tinto and Australian company BHP. While Resolution Copper currently operates around many Oak Flat crags, if this land transfer occurs, it intends to expand its mining operation to include 鈥減anel caving鈥� which would eventually result in a ground crater up to 1.8 miles wide and 1,115 feet deep, according to the聽. This mining technique is considered a cost-effective way to access targeted copper reserves, but it will cause,听, the 鈥渓argest-ever loss of climbing on America鈥檚 public lands.鈥� One 2017聽聽concluded that 1,114 boulders鈥攎ore than 97% of the boulders in the greater Queen Creek area鈥攁s well as 149 sport routes and 38 trad routes will be affected by permanent closures in three crags: Euro Dog Valley, The Mine, and Oak Flat itself.

Climbers have long been engaged in the聽聽over Oak Flat, but the growing immediacy of the Forest Service鈥檚 land transfer has hit hard.

鈥淭he litigation has looked pretty pessimistic since about two years ago,鈥� says Colavita. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a weird vibe. People are pulling out their investments with their time and their energy in the area. We can always see the mine looming above us like the Eye of Sauron or something.鈥�

A Two-Decade Battle Comes to a Head

This 60-day warning from the federal government represents the culmination of a long, well-documented legal and public relations battle for control of Oak Flat.

For nearly 20 years, Resolution Copper has sought permission to mine an estimated 40 billion pounds of copper beneath Queen Creek Canyon, which sits squarely within Arizona鈥檚 鈥淐opper Triangle鈥� east of Phoenix.

Starting in 2005, U.S. Senators for Arizona John McCain and Jeff Flake, who supported the copper mine鈥檚 expansion, attempted to pass a land swap that would give 2,422 acres of Tonto National Forest land, including the entire Oak Flat area, to Resolution Copper. In exchange, the U.S. Forest Service would receive 5,459 acres of the mining company鈥檚 private land in Arizona. McCain predicted that the mining project would create as many as 4,000 jobs and contribute 鈥渢ens of billions of dollars鈥� in economic activity over the life of the mine.

For centuries, the San Carlos Apache tribe, which calls the area Chi鈥檆hil Bi艂dagoteel, has used it as a sacred site for conducting religious rituals, such as coming-of-age ceremonies, as well as gathering water and medicinal plants. A former historic preservation officer for the neighboring White Mountain Apache Tribe,听 John Welch, has called the area 鈥渢he best set of Apache archaeological sites ever documented, full stop,鈥� and in 2016 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 鈥淚鈥檝e been out there [to climb] and driven around the corner and seen an Indigenous ceremony happening,鈥� says Colavita. 鈥淓ven without any of the copper mine stuff going on, there would still be a deference: This is sacred Indigenous land before this is climbing land.鈥�

After trying and failing for years to pass the land swap as its own bill, in December 2014, McCain and Flake performed a legislative sleight of hand that, while common in Congress, was widely criticized as undemocratic. In a last-minute 鈥渕idnight rider,鈥� the pair slipped the聽聽into a 1,600-page, must-pass聽聽that President Obama signed that month. The new federal law required the U.S. Forest Service to perform a three-step process: (1) publishing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the land transfer, (2) collecting public comments to incorporate the final version, and (3) officially handing the land titles to Resolution Copper within 60 days of publishing the Final EIS, whatever it may contain.

The first step occurred in August 2019, when the Forest Service released a 1,400-page聽. The following 90-day public comment period鈥攕tep two鈥攗ltimately received more than 29,000 comments by hand, mail, email, web form, or verbally at public meetings. On January 15, 2021, five days before an administration turnover, the Forest Service triggered the third step by releasing the聽. But on March 1, the Biden administration ordered the Forest Service to withdraw its statement on the grounds that more time was needed to understand the concerns raised by the Apache tribe and other stakeholders.

In an explicit change of policy, on March 20, 2025, the Trump administration released an聽聽titled 鈥淚mmediate Measures to Increase American Mineral Production鈥� that directed all heads of agencies involved in mineral production to expedite approvals for projects awaiting permits. Shortly afterward, on April 17, the Forest Service announced their intention to re-publish the Final Resolution Copper EIS鈥攖he new step three鈥攁s early as June 16. When that happens, unless an organization such as Access Fund聽聽the Final EIS for inadequately addressing concerns with the Draft EIS, Oak Flat would officially belong to Resolution Copper within two months. After the land transfer, everyday Arizonans would only have access to the area until the mining company deems it unsafe for the public.

On May 9, a federal district judge in Phoenix halted the land transfer until the Supreme Court made a decision on whether to take on聽Apache Stronghold v. United States, which challenged the Forest Service鈥檚 right to destroy sacred land in Oak Flat.聽聽is a nonprofit advocacy organization that represents the San Carlos Apache. However, on May 27, the Supreme Court聽聽Apache Stronghold鈥檚 appeal, with Justices Gorsuch and Thomas聽.

Without further legal challenges, the Final EIS will be released as early as June 16. The land swap will occur within two months after its release.

Oak Flat: Turning Comp Climbers Into Outdoor Crushers

If the land swap proceeds, Phoenix鈥檚 growing climbing community will have hundreds fewer routes and boulders to help indoor climbers transition to the outdoors.

Before Sierra Blair was a Team USA climber, a World Cup competitor, or a Pan American Bouldering Champion, she was a nine-year-old kid who followed her climbing coach and teammates to Oak Flat. It was there, in the desert riparian hills just an hour-and-a-half drive from her gym, that Blair learned how to lead climb. 鈥淚 remember walking by聽The Hulk聽as a kid,鈥� she says, referencing the V11 boulder. 鈥淭hat thing looked crazy. The holds were so small, but it was somehow in my head on a list of boulders I wanted to do at some point.鈥�

After focusing on indoor competition climbing for 14 years, Blair decided in 2023 to switch up her focus to the outdoors. At Oak Flat, she stumbled into another classic,听Pyramid聽(V10), and nearly flashed it. 鈥淎t the time, I was recovering from an injury and didn鈥檛 know how hard I could climb, so it was this cool confidence boost for me,鈥� she said. Next on her list:聽The Hulk, from her childhood tick list, which she put down in two quick weekends.

Over the next two years, Blair鈥檚 interest in climbing the volcanic rock formations would connect her directly to the legacy of the Phoenix Bouldering Contest. During the 2002 or 2003 competition, Chris Sharma first sent a 14-foot overhang called聽Captain Hook聽(V12), but since then, a crucial hold had broken off. In spite of the broken hold, Blair made the second ascent in March 2024, opting to keep the original grade. 鈥淚 thought it was impossible, especially with the break, and I was excited to get the boulder done in a few sessions,鈥� she told聽. 鈥淚t鈥檚 definitely a very proud line at Oak Flat.鈥�

Watch Blair send Double D Low, another V12 at Oak Flat:

Sharp pockets and comp-style moves make Oak Flat 鈥渁 moonboarder鈥檚 dream,鈥� says Blair. 鈥淭he grades are a little sandbagged, but you get used to the sandbag and then your skin just becomes indestructible anywhere else,鈥� she says. 鈥淎fter I鈥檝e been climbing all season [at Oak Flat], you could stab me in the skin and nothing would happen. My skin could take it.鈥� She says that she鈥檚 done the majority of her outdoor climbing there and emphasizes that Oak Flat has something for all ability levels.

Colavita thinks that Oak Flat has the potential to turn even more indoor competition climbers into outdoor crushers. 鈥淚鈥檝e seen firsthand how these kids can go out there and crush, especially in a place like Oak Flat, which has savage but straightforward movement,鈥� says the schoolteacher.

He adds that he鈥檚 seen many kids in Phoenix getting into climbing through indoor competition, and doesn鈥檛 want them to lose out on the beauty of the outdoors. 鈥淚f Oak Flat doesn鈥檛 exist and it keeps getting hotter in this city, it鈥檚 going to go from being a great outdoor climbing location to one where it鈥檚 nearly impossible.鈥�

Protecting the popular gym-to-crag area from the mine, he argues, is 鈥渉ow you keep the tradition of [Phoenix] climbing about being outside鈥攁bout respect and reverence for the planet.鈥�

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