Alex Honnold is staying busy.

When he’s not announcing a Netflix special or completing a route on El Capitan, Honnold, 40, is hosting a conservation podcast, producing television shows, and still finding time to take his two kids into the great outdoors.

国产吃瓜黑料 recently caught up with Honnold to discuss his various media projects. His podcast, , launched its fifth season on October 28. We also chatted about his strategy for getting his kids outdoors, why he’s choosing to climb a skyscraper on Netflix, and how Hollywood can learn to do climbing right.

An excerpt of our interview is below.

5 Questions with Alex Honnold

OUTSIDE: The last time we spoke was before your 2024 show Arctic Ascent. We discussed the elements you look at when choosing a media project鈥攆rom the climbing, to the storytelling, to parts of the TV show or film that resonate with a mainstream audience. How did you assess this equation when deciding to pursue the Netflix event Skyscraper Live?

Alex Honnold:听For me, Skyscraper Live is less about the storytelling and audience. Basically, it’s a really fun thing to climb, and it’s really hard to get permission, so if someone gives you permission, you have to say yes. It’s something that I scouted maybe 12 years ago for a different TV thing that fell apart, so I never got the opportunity to actually climb it. But I knew I was capable, and the climbing is really fun. If you see the actual show, you’ll see that it is insane. So in some ways it’s not like听Arctic Ascent听where I’m asking what the climate story is. This is basically pure fun for me and the audience. There’s really no bigger angle to it. It’s just sheer entertainment, for me and for the masses. The building is beautiful, and it sticks out of the landscape.听I think that anybody who is watching听Skyscraper Live will be struck by how it dominates the landscape.

The other thing, when we talk about picking media projects, is that the whole Skyscraper Live project is only going to take two weeks of my life, between the scout trip and then the actual trip. A project like听Arctic Ascent is a six-week expedition in remote Greenland, and it takes a much bigger toll in terms of family and personal fitness and those kinds of things. So, the opportunity cost involved for something like听Skyscraper Live is almost zero. It’s super fun with no downside. Whereas some of these big expeditions to remote parts of the world have a big downside, in that I have to be away from my family.

We’re living in an era when topics like conservation, battling climate change, and the preservation of public lands are under attack. It can feel daunting to pursue these movements. What are your tips for staying engaged and energized with these movements?

One of the things I love about hosting the Planet Visionaries听podcast is that I get to hear a lot of very affirming personal stories around conservation. When you think of global environmental issues, it is very sobering. Plastic in the ocean, for example, is a very daunting and overwhelming issue that humanity is struggling with. I got to interview Dr. Sylvia Earle, who is a renowned ocean conservationist, and she is working with . I spoke to her about the restoration of these clam and oyster beds in the Hudson River, and how it has cleaned up a section of the river over the course of a few years. I love talking to guests about marine conservation because the ocean, if given the slightest opportunity, regenerates quite quickly. Life comes back. The water can clean up. It’s amazing. So, when you look at conservation locally, or on a small scale, and you hear about these specific projects, it’s actually quite inspiring because you can see that yes, you can have a real impact on a specific place.

Hollywood loves rock climbing in 2025. We had earlier this year, and another film called听 is coming. If you could advise Hollywood on how to make a climbing film where the actual climbing seems legit, what wisdom would you pass along?

It’s funny because I just did a cameo for a different Hollywood movie that was actually inspired by The Dawn Wall.听Basically it’s a buddy film where two buddies from high school go up on a wall together and discuss some of their old problems while on a portaledge. But basically, I think if Hollywood wants to do climbing right, they should involve a real climber in the process. Unfortunately, the person writing the film rarely knows anything about climbing.听颁濒颈蹿蹿丑补苍驳别谤,听at least, is so over the top that it’s entertaining.听The Eiger Sanction is probably the best example of climbing done right in a film. It actually looks legit. They are actually climbing on a wall. That works.

It’s the end of 2025. What are the feats of outdoor recreation or climbing that stand out in your mind?

Off the top of my head, within rock climbing, Brooke Raboutou climbing 15c is an obvious milestone. She’s America’s darling, and she climbed 15c; that was in the spring. is the hardest bouldering session. That is incredible. Even last week, Jim Morrison skiing a 12,000-foot line on the North Face of Everest. I know that he personally spent three seasons going over there and waiting for the weather. I have a lot of respect for people who can see through a project like that. To wait for conditions and to make it happen. The obvious thing is in 31 days. It’s insane. He was averaging 16 hours a day for 31 days. Can you imagine doing cardio for 16 hours a day every day for a month?

Would you ever want to bite off something like that?

I love doing big climbing link-ups like that, but not at that scale. Yesterday, I climbed a . I’ve been thinking of a cool idea to connect a few climbs in Yosemite, and have been beginning to piece together parts of it. But after doing just that segment yesterday, that felt like a lot. So we will see how it shakes up.

This interview was edited for clarity and length.听

The post What Are the Best Climbing Achievements of 2025? We Asked Alex Honnold. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

“It goes, boys,” Lynn Hill famously declared after becoming the first person in history to free climb Yosemite’s El Capitan in 1993. A year later, she became the first to free El Cap in a day. Three decades beyond, she’s still climbing鈥攁nd hard. At 64 years old, she continues to send 5.12s and 5.13s in her backyard in Boulder, Colorado, and around the world. Through building a historic career, living in a French farmhouse, enduring a near death experience, and becoming a mother, Hill possesses a sagacity as staggering as the walls she climbs.

Hill鈥檚 New Hobbies

Ashtanga yoga is one thing. And I’ve been skate skiing for, oh gosh, it’s been more than ten years now. One thing I want to try this winter is kiteboarding. My friend keeps inviting me to come down to Lantana [in Florida], and it’s been difficult to balance the time between going to Hueco [Tanks, in Texas] or other trips for work. So, I’m going to make the time and give it a try.

How Learning Shifts Her Mindset

When I’m learning something new, I appreciate all of the subtleties. It’s not just about strength, but knowing how to read the terrain and how to coordinate the exact force that you need to use in your ankles or your wrists, or some aspect of the balance and timing required.

On Staying Powerful

One of the newer things I’ve learned is how to generate power on the Kilter Board. I’ve been a rock climber most of my life and this kind of power is very different. It requires the coordination and the amount of power that you need to jump. That’s something I need because I’m more of an endurance climber than a power climber. As you get older, you lose power. So it’s important to maintain as much as you have and even build on it.

Her Favorite Recent Climb

I went to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison for the first time. Everyone’s like, “Oh, you’ve never climbed in the Black? That’s crazy.” I was always afraid of going because I heard that this pegmatite is really loose and I don’t like the idea of climbing on loose rock, but I was pleasantly surprised. There’s some loose rock, especially at the top, but you can easily avoid that or just be careful stepping around things. It’s really beautiful granite. We did a route called Journey Home and camped the night after our climb.

What She鈥檚 Most Stoked to Climb Next

I’m excited about climbing with Babsi Zangerl in the R盲tikon in Switzerland. She and her partner Jacopo [Larcher] live close enough that you can mountain bike to the base of this climb. It’s probably 7c, which translates to about 5.12d. It’s adventure climbing; you don’t need to use that much natural gear, but it’s old-school because the runouts are sometimes exciting.

What She Looks for in a Climbing Partner

When I was younger, I remember showing up in the [Yosemite] Valley and it was pretty common for people to put their name on the bulletin board and just hook up with people randomly, because what was important was getting out there and climbing. But now it’s more important to me to climb with people who I really enjoy being with. It’s obviously safer if you care about each other. You’re going to be watching each other more closely. But it’s really just more about the experience of being with somebody you like. To me, that’s more and more important as I get older.

How Climbing Helps Her Age Like a French wine

I’ve noticed people who stay engaged in life are not always trying to stay within their comfort range. It’s really important to stay adaptable. If you’re always doing things in a predictable way, you lose that creativity and adaptability.

What Climbing Gives Hill

At this point in my life, it’s just part of what I do and what makes me feel good on many different levels, from the physical to the problem solving. Some days you’re feeling energized and you have that excitement in your stomach before you start a climb. Other days, you’re kind of tired. It’s all about observing and being aware of how you’re reacting in that moment.

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We interrupt this eventful October to deliver an unexpected news story that appears to have been created in a laboratory specifically for 国产吃瓜黑料 readers.

Alex Honnold鈥攜es, Mr. Free Solo himself鈥攚ill star in a two-hour live TV show on Netflix in 2026, during which he will scale the tallest skyscraper in Taiwan (gulp) without any safety ropes.

Yep, Honnold will go on a very tall building on live TV, and he will do it while adhering to the risky climbing style that made him famous. According to a Skyscraper Live, and it will be staged on a building called Taipei 101, which stands 1,667 feet fall and has 101 floors.

In the release, Brandon Riegg, the vice president of nonfiction series and sports at Netflix, called the whole thing an “adrenaline inducing spectacle that you can’t look away from.”

I cannot argue with Riegg’s assessment.

I don’t know about you, but I am vibrating with enthusiasm and oh so many questions after learning of this strange stunt. I reached out to Honnold via email to ask and will update this story if and when he gets back to me.

Why the heck does this project exist is, of course, my primary inquiry. There’s a lot to unpack with Skyscraper Live鈥攂eyond the fact that I cannot wait for it and will absolutely watch it.

For Netflix, the stunt fits into its latest corporate goals around audience size and cash. Forgive me if discussion of a company鈥檚 revenue strategy makes your eyes glaze over鈥攁s a former business reporter, I love this stuff.

Most of us know Netflix as the company that ended our relationship with traditional television by making thousands of movies, cool TV shows, and documentaries available on demand鈥攕chedule be-damned. Well, in recent years the global streaming giant has reversed course, dipping its toes into programming that must be watched live. You know, like old-school TV.

You may have seen the 2024 comedy roast of NFL quarter Tom Brady, or the bizarre boxing match between YouTuber Jake Paul and 65-year-old former heavyweight champ Mike Tyson. Throughout 2025, Netflix has aired even more live events: a slew of WWE wrestling matches, two NFL games on Christmas Day, the recent welterweight match between boxers Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford, and the nightly comedy show Everybody’s Live with John 惭耻濒补苍别测.听

Skyscraper Live is the latest live event to fit into Netflix鈥檚 growing portfolio of live shows.

Why are these live shows so important? After a decade of rapid growth, Netflix鈥檚 global membership number leveled off a few years ago, causing the . The message was clear: Netflix needs to find ways to earn money other than those $17.99 payments that you and I fork over each month.

The answer? Advertising dollars. But selling ads for Netflix shows is tricky, because one of the appeals of live streaming is that you don鈥檛 have to endure commercials for soap or booze while watching an episode of Stranger Things.

But sporting events do have breaks for commercials, and Netflix has learned that audiences turning in for a live spectacles will sit and watch the ads advertisements. After all, you can’t fast forward! My prediction is that Skyscraper Live will feature plenty of programming breaks to bring us all a word from the event鈥檚 sponsors.

What鈥檚 in it for Honnold? The Netflix release made sure to include a reference to his nonprofit, the Alex Honnold Foundation, which supports solar energy access in underserved areas.

Aside from that, Honnold will get introduced to an even broader audience on Netflix than he did with Free Solo. His in current and Hollywood movies听about climbing is a sign that yes, even Alex Honnold is interested in reaching normies.

There鈥檚 a good chance that millions of people across the globe will tune in to Skyscraper Live, and a certain amount of them will become stoked on climbing and Honnold.

Last year I interviewed Honnold ahead of his three-part docuseries on National Geographic titled Arctic Ascent, and I asked him what he looks for when deciding on a film or docuseries to pursue. He told me that the actual climbing involved in film isn’t atop the list.

“If I want to do a pure climbing challenge, I’ll do it for myself, I don’t need to make a film project out of it,” he told me. “You know, I’ve done a lot of frickin’ climbing projects now. And I’ve come to the conclusion that I don’t need to make a mainstream film project or TV out of every one.”

Rather, Honnold told me he chooses his media projects based on a variety of factors: the story he wants to tell, the people involved, and whether or not the idea can reach a mainstream audience.

Honnold also said that free soloing鈥攃limbing a cliff or mountain or, yes, a skyscraper without ropes鈥攊s inherently easy for casual audiences to understand. Even my mom can understand what’s at stake: one fall, one slip, and you’re dead. Roped climbing, Honnold told me, is more complicated, and may turn away some casual viewers.

Honnold also told me that he doubted he’d ever reach an audience as big as he did with听Free Solo. “No project I do will ever have the breadth or scope or scale like that,” he said.

Well, Skyscraper Live may prove him wrong. I don’t expect the thing to bring home an Academy Award. But I am willing to bet that millions of people will watch it.

The post Alex Honnold Will Free Solo a Skyscraper in 2026 for a Live Netflix Special appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

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.听 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.

On April 8, just a day before her 24th birthday, American rock climber Brooke Raboutou made history by climbing one of the hardest routes in the world.

颁补濒濒别诲听贰虫肠补濒颈产耻谤,听the 40-foot route in Northern Italy is steep and notorious for its difficulty. Over the years this pitch has defied some of rock climbing’s strongest athletes. But Raboutou鈥檚 climb wasn鈥檛 just a big deal because the route was hard. Within the world of rock climbing, Excalibur is graded 9b+/5.15c. Raboutou has now become the first woman, ever, to ascend a climb at that grade.

鈥淔rom the start, I was drawn to you,鈥� Raboutou . 鈥淪ome days felt like effortless harmony; on others, we fought, our voices raised 鈥� You forced me to confront my fears, detach from expectation, and feed every flicker of belief I could find. You taught me to argue with doubt until it began to doubt itself. You asked for everything, but gave me even more in return.鈥�

Here’s what to know about her historic feat:

Who Is Brooke Raboutou?

Raboutou hails from climbing royalty. Her parents, French climber Didier Raboutou and American Robyn Erbesfield, were both world champion competitive climbers. Her older brother, Shawn, is one of the world鈥檚 strongest boulderers鈥攁 subset of climbing focused on short, powerful moves close to the ground.

With her听superhuman family, Brooke Raboutou has been making waves in the world of hard climbing since she was a child. She climbed a boulder graded V10 when she was just nine years old, and at age ten and then 11, became the youngest women to climb routes graded 5.13d and 5.14b, respectively. Long story short: Even before she hit high school, Raboutou was stronger than 99 percent of climbers on the planet.

Raboutou has also had an illustrious competitive career. She attended both the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2024 Paris Olympics. In Paris, she earned a silver medal, becoming the first American woman to medal in Olympic sport climbing. I interviewed Brooke right before her Olympic success.

What Does the Grade 5.15c Mean?

In the United States, roped rock climbs are graded on a scale called the Yosemite Decimal System (YDS), which used to run from 5.0 to 5.10, with the latter rating reserved for the toughest routes. In recent decades, as climbs have become harder, new levels (5.11, 5.12, etc.) have been introduced, with letters (a, b, c, d) tacked onto the end of the number to denote different arrays of difficulty within each number grade.

Today, 5.15c is the second-highest grade thus far.听The first-ever 5.15c was ascended by Czech climber Adam Ondra 2012鈥攖he route, called Change, is in a cave in Flatanger,听Norway. In the 13 years since then, only ten people (Raboutou included) have climbed routes at that grade. Less than a dozen routes graded 5.15c exist in the world.

But not all 5.15 routes are alike鈥攖he rating does not specify a rock’s angle or hold-size. Some 5.15c routes, like Excalibur, are short and steep, and require a climber to pinch microscopic holds up an essentially blank wall. Others 5.15c routes, like La Dura Dura in Spain, are four times as long, but require a climber to perform dynamic movements and diverse techniques to get to the top鈥攁 climbing style that favorites endurance over raw power.

One higher level (5.15d) technically exists, but there are only three routes in the world that have been proposed听to be that grade, and none has been repeated. This is noteworthy because climbing routes receive their grades by consensus. For example: if I am the first person to climb a route, I will tell everyone how hard I think it is, but then other climbers who climb the same route will听chime in with their respective opinions, and so-on. As time goes on, a general opinion within the climbing community emerges about the route鈥檚 grade. Perhaps my initial grading wasn’t entirely accurate鈥攖he climbers who repeat my route will set the story straight.

Of course, this means that assigning grades to the hardest routes is difficult, since only the very best climbers can complete them and then offer their respective opinions. The fewer climbers who are actually able to climb a route, the more weight each individual opinion carries.听For routes like Excalibur, which are among hardest in the world, this number is slim. Only two other climbers鈥擲tefano Ghisolf听and Will Bosi鈥攈ave been able to complete the route.

So, while 5.15c is technically the second-hardest grade in the world, it’s the hardest grade that multiple climbers have been able to complete and then verify.

What Do We Know About听Excalibur?

I鈥檝e reported on Excalibur by Ghisolfi, who hails from the town Arco where the route is located, in 2023. The route鈥攚hich is named for a sculpture of a sword-in-an-anvil placed near its base鈥攊s shorter than most other 5.15c climbs. However, it is steeper, and as a result, each move is individually harder.

The wall Excalibur ascends is overhanging at an angle of 40 degrees. Imagine climbing up a pyramid, but from the inside. The route is only 40 feet long and entails approximately 18 individual movements. To the layperson, this wall would appear essentially blank and completely devoid of hand or footholds. In truth, there are holds, but they are scarcely bigger than the cracks in the surface of听a brick wall.听Climbers have ascended听Excalibur using tiny pinches and 鈥渃rimps鈥濃�攃redit card-like edges in the rock that are sometimes only a few millimeters deep鈥攁nd shallow pockets, which can be grabbed using only a couple of fingers.

To get an idea of what Excalibur entails, I suggest of Ghisolfi making the first ascent.

In outdoor climbing, Raboutou has specialized in bouldering, like her brother Shawn, which also makes her ascent of Excalibur noteworthy. She has never climbed a route in the 5.15 zone, so her jump to a 5.15c is extremely impressive.听Excalibur, although it is a roped climb, is right up Raboutou鈥檚 alley.

What Did Brooke Raboutou Have to Say?

Raboutou said her ascent of听Excalibur听was different from those of the men who have previous ascended it. Raboutou is just 5 foot 3 inches tall.

“I knew a lot of the general beta used by Stefano and others when I first started trying听Excalibur, but I had to find my own methods and strategies that fit me,” she said. “My dimensions and climbing style are very different from theirs.”

Raboutout also said the climb required patience. Early in her attempts on the rock she made quick progress and she felt strong. But the variables that come with outdoor climbing鈥攁nd not in a rock gym鈥攎ade the going slow. “When I first started trying this climmb I felt really good on it really fast and kind of surprised myself. With that came an expectation that I could come it and fast,” she said. “That wasn’t the case. I had to detach from that expectation and be patient for things to line up: good weather, my skin to heal, my muscles to recover, and work toward a mental state that allowed me to execute physically.”

All of that focus didn’t prevent Raboutou from having some fun with the sword sculpture at听Excalibur’s base.

Where听Excalibur Places Brooke Raboutou in Climbing History

In 1993, American climber Lynn Hill made the first free ascent of The Nose on El Capitan in Yosemite. This 3,300-foot route, graded 5.14a, is the world鈥檚 most famous rock climb. Prior to Hill, it had never been climbed by anyone, male or female, without using artificial aids to get around some of the more difficult, blank sections.

Throughout much of rock climbing’s early decades, the sport was male-dominated. In recent years, that has changed. In 2024, Austrian climber Barbara 鈥淏absi鈥� Zangerl to 鈥渇lash鈥� a route on El Capitan鈥攖his means she climbed the route on her first try, without a single fall.

The first woman to ascend a route rated 5.15 was , who scaled a 5.15a route in Spain called La Rambla in 2017. The same year, Austrian climber Angela 鈥淎ngy鈥� Eiter became the first woman to climb 5.15b by ascending a route in Spain called La Planta de Shiva.

In the eight years since then, other women have climbed routes graded 5.15a and 5.15b, but none have completed a 5.15c. With her Olympic medal last year, Raboutou proved herself one of the world鈥檚 leading indoor climbers. With Excalibur, she now stands at the pinnacle of outdoor climbing as well.

The post American Climber Brooke Raboutou Just Made History. Here鈥檚 What to Know. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Back before climbing went mainstream (Olympics, gyms, Hollywood documentaries, , yippee!), we climbers were known for our social awkwardness and unapologetic penury. The community was an eclectic mix of rule-following problem-solvers (e.g., mathematicians and engineers) and barely functioning societal dropouts who survived on peanut butter and ramen while sleeping in caves, stripped-down cargo vans, or passenger cars with plywood 鈥渂ox springs鈥� in lieu of seats.

So perhaps a good joke, playing off the classic riff about engineers, might have been:

Q: How do you know when a climber likes you?

A: She stares at your rock shoes instead of her own when she鈥檚 talking to you.

With such an oddball crew, there were (and remain) Yet the good news鈥擨 guess?鈥攚ith the sport鈥檚 recent boom is that there are more of us than ever, expanding the pool of eligible single climbers.

This also means that there are now at least 10 reasons why dating a climber might possibly be a good idea.

1. Climbers Are Low-Cost/Low-Maintenance

Climbers have traditionally been non-materialistic; the thinking was that we鈥檇 rather be poor and have the free time to climb than labor away earning enough cheddar to slurp consomm茅 alongside tiny-fork bluebloods at some Michelin-starred snob-hole. On the one hand, this is great news. Our low-overhead minimalism makes us cheap dates. Want to stage a 鈥渞omantic鈥� 鈥減icnic鈥� with a moldy loaf of French bread, spray-can cheese, and gooey tomatoes harvested from a dumpster听 (鈥渋t鈥檚 caprese!鈥�) while watching pirated Netflix on a phone using the free Wi-Fi in the McDonald鈥檚 parking lot? We鈥檙e all-in鈥攁nd easily impressed鈥攁s long as it doesn鈥檛 overlap with good condies.

The con? Any money we do have鈥攐r that we siphon off you鈥攗sually goes right back into the sport: These days, most climbers easily drop a few thousand bucks a year on gym memberships, shoes, chalk, pants, cams, ropes, pads, fingerboards, fans, travel, and skin care.

2. We Like to Travel (To Rocks)

Another thing traditionally associated with climbers: wanderlust. And since travel is the glue that binds many a relationship, we鈥檙e a catch. The only caveat is that there needs to be rock (or a gym) at our destination or we go full 鈥淭orrance,鈥� like Jack Nicholson in The Shining. For instance, if you told me I had a once-in-a-lifetime, all-expenses-paid trip to Fiji, where I鈥檇 be taught surfing by Laird Hamilton, my first question would be, 鈥淚s there any rock in Fiji?鈥� And my second would be, 鈥淥r at least a doorjamb in the bungalow for my hangboard?鈥�

As a further example: years ago, after a month of Eurail touristing around Europe, I landed on the Greek isle of Paros (where the Euros gaily tan and windsurf during their August holidays). At that point, I was so hard up to touch rock that I did pointless traverses in a crumbly beachside cave right where everyone takes a dump鈥� in the 100-degree heat. Talk about a 鈥渟hitty鈥� landing鈥攁nd a near-psychotic desperation to clamber.

3. We鈥檙e Fit

Climbers must be some of the most training-obsessed athletes around, even at the amateur level where literally nothing is at stake. Witness the endless training ateliers, podcasts, apps and tools, and our obsession with etc. We end up with toned, attractive, eminently datable physiques, even if all we鈥檙e doing is eking out sad, expensive, barely noticeable one-percent gains after months of self-flagellation. The downside: We are so rigid about our workouts that we do weird things like fingerboard while riding as passengers in cars, or even 鈥渃ar-king鈥�: ARC endurance training by squeezing a grip ring while driving.

4. We Know How to Do Proper Pull-ups

Unlike CrossFitters, whose half-assed 鈥減ull-ups鈥� make them look like fish death-flopping in a dinghy (see video below) and will never get them stronger, our rizz us up with sexy, well-defined shoulders and backs (see reason No. 3).

Also, I may be biased (I probably am), but I feel like our sport is smarter than CrossFit: We need to execute complex, choreographed beta under the pressure and duress of facing a fall, whereas all CrossFitters need to do is figure out how to roll a tractor tire around an office-industrial parking lot without getting rhabdo.

5. We鈥檙e Good at Communicating

At least on a rope, since we need to be clear with our belay commands in a life-or-death situation. How well we express our needs off the rock will vary. Everyone鈥檚 different! Plus we tend to forget that the non-climbing public won鈥檛 always understand our lingo. So if your climber boo says, 鈥淢y feelings for you are deeper than the anchor jug on 厂颈濒别苍肠别,鈥� they love you. But if they say, 鈥淗anging out with you is worse than a front-team double split on a greasy Bishop afternoon,鈥� they hate your stupid face.

6. We鈥檙e Really into Skin Care

Other than models, actors, and perfectly complected skinfluencers, climbers might be than anyone on Earth. If you date a climber, you鈥檒l never need to buy balm, salve, lotion, ointment, emery boards, nail files, tape, Band-Aids, or nail clippers again. We have all that stuff stashed in multiple spots鈥攎edicine cabinet, cragging pack, gym pack, and cars. It鈥檚 not all designed for making your face radiant and free of age lines, but you will most definitely have the best finger and palm skin in town.

7. You鈥檒l Be Plugged into an Instant Community

Just as , , usually from our apparel, veiny forearms, and chalky, hands. In this way, we tend to bond quickly, forming communities and networks both large and small. So if you pair up with a climber, you will be plugged in to a big family, which is great if you are a social person, but perhaps not so great if you鈥檇 rather not see your guest room turned into a hostel for a rotating cast of aromatic vagabonds who range from lost skatepunk bouldering kids, to dreadlocked Germans chain-smoking Drum cigarettes, to penny-pinching bro-grammers soaking up all your Wi-Fi while they work on rest days.

8. We鈥檙e Youthful and Free-Spirited

Climbers are often accused of hiding from real life by being out at the rock all day, which is 100 percent true. But this carefree lifestyle also keeps us young at heart and fun to be around. Thus, while some might call us immature, I prefer to think of climbers as youthful.听

Take it from me. At age 53, I can spend all day bolting choss, stop in at the gym to train, come home and pop in a frozen pizza and wash off some baby carrots for the kids like the 鈥淲orld鈥檚 Greatest Dad鈥� that I am. Then trade wiener, butt, and fart jokes with my boys at the dinner table much to my wife鈥檚 chagrin. And still wake up the next morning with enough energy to put in a two-hour workday and then MoonBoard. I mean, if I were single, I鈥檇 be a major catch!

9. We Always Know the Weather

No one is as obsessed with the weather as rock climbers, who schedule our lives around when it鈥檚 ideal to climb. Condies are king, and we stay up to date鈥攙ia multiple apps and websites鈥攁t least a week out on the weather, including wind, humidity, chances of precipitation, etc. So, if you never want to have to check the forecast again, date a climber.

10. Lots of Us Are Secret Trust-Funders

Despite our and our apparent poverty (worn, soiled clothing; blown-out rock shoes; guerilla camping; etc.), many of us are actually secret trust-funders. I mean, how else do you think that buddy of yours who never works somehow manages to spend three months a year in Spain and three months at Rocklands while also basing out of a high-end condo in an expensive mountain town and shopping exclusively at Whole Foods? It鈥檚 because he has a secret income he might be ashamed to talk about, e.g., a trust fund. If you play your cards right, you, too, can share in that bounty, trading the stress and tedium of work for the delicious apathy of鈥� 鈥渘ot work.鈥�

Matt Samet is a freelance writer and editor based in Boulder, Colorado. He is the author of the and the memoir Death Grip.听

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Austrian powerhouse Barbara 鈥淏absi鈥� Zangerl has stunned the climbing world, becoming the first person in history to successfully flash a route on El Capitan. Zangerl blitzed the 3,300-foot granite monolith via the iconic Free Rider听route over a four-day ground-up push from November 19 to 22, all without falling. Zangerl was supported by her longtime partner鈥攐n and off the wall鈥擩acopo Larcher, who was attempting a flash as well, but had a single fall.

Free Rider, a Huber-brothers variation to the Salath茅 Wall, is one of the most famous routes in Yosemite Valley. It鈥檚 perhaps best known as the route Alex Honnold climbed in the film Free Solo.

For years, 36-year-old Zangerl has proven to be one of the most versatile climbers in the game. She鈥檚 bouldered V13, , and has made rare free ascents of both high altitude climbs like the Nameless Tower鈥檚 , the Eiger鈥檚 Odyssee, and iconic Yosemite lines like The Nose, El Ni帽o, Zodiac, and . Zangerl was also the fourth person (and still only woman) to complete the 鈥�,鈥� entailing three 5.14 multi-pitch routes in the Alps: Des Kaisers neue Kleider, Silbergeier, and End of Silence.

There are few climbers with such an appetite for long, big, bad routes, and Zangerl鈥檚 eyes aren鈥檛 bigger than her stomach. She puts it down. Now she鈥檚 become the first person to flash a route on the Big Stone.

Zangerl said for her friend Kolin Powick had spent years trying to convince her and Larcher that they should have a go at Free Rider, but she didn鈥檛 really believe a flash was possible. 鈥淚 had really low expectations,鈥� she said.

It鈥檚 worth noting that in 2014 Pete Whittaker also , but with two caveats. First, after he and partner Tom Randall鈥檚 first day on the wall, they descended to the ground to escape heavy traffic, so the ascent was not completed in a continuous, ground-up push. Second, he fell on the 鈥淏oulder Problem鈥� and then pivoted to the alternate 鈥淭eflon Corner,鈥� which he sent without falling. C茅dric Lachat 鈥渇lashed鈥� the route under similar circumstances in 2009. And Adam Ondra attempted to鈥攂ut he fell above the Boulder Problem, on the Salath茅鈥檚 鈥淗eadwall鈥� pitch.

Zangerl took us through her climb. 鈥淭he Freeblast was quite tricky,鈥� she said, speaking of Free Rider鈥檚 initial 10 pitches, which go at 5.11 and are often completed as a route on their own. The climbing isn鈥檛 as physically demanding as some pitches higher on the route, but it鈥檚 techy, footwork-intensive climbing that demands full concentration. 鈥淭here are a lot of pitches where you don鈥檛 have good handholds, and you鈥檙e standing on quite bad feet. It鈥檚 a lot of insecure climbing, smearing on slippery holds, there are so many chances to make a mistake and fall.鈥�

 

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Another crux sequence, for Zangerl, was the 鈥淢onster Offwidth,鈥� which she led first. As the name suggests, this is a sustained offwidth crack, requiring an arsenal of jams. 鈥淭he Monster was a real fight for me,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not really good at offwidth climbing.鈥� She wore two shoes (one La Sportiva TC Pro inside another TC Pro) on her right foot during this pitch to lengthen her feet while heel-toe-camming.

A last-minute meeting with Alex Honnold just before they climbed may have saved the day. 鈥淎lex told me when it鈥檚 getting super exhausting on the Monster, I should lean out to the right, jamming my left leg, so I can rest,鈥� Zangerl explained. 鈥淭his was really helpful for me. There was a moment when I felt I couldn鈥檛 go any further, I was so exhausted, and then I leaned out of the crack like [Alex] told me, and it worked.鈥�

The infamous 鈥淏oulder Problem鈥� was the overwhelming crux, Zangerl said. Larcher took the first lead on this sequence, a tenuous, friction-based pitch that ends with a desperate 鈥渘inja kick鈥� out to a dihedral, and this is where he took his fall, ending his flash attempt.

When Zangerl set off on lead, she quickly realized she was too short to use the same footholds as Larcher. She downclimbed to a rest and weighed her options. 鈥淲hen I found my own way, and got to the ninja kick, it was just completely out of control,鈥� she explained. At the same time as Zangerl kicked her foot out, her left hand peeled off. 鈥淚 thought I was falling,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut at the very last moment, I stuck the foot on the other side,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was extremely insecure. I was really lucky.鈥�

鈥淭he further up we got, there was more and more tension,鈥� she explained, 鈥渁s I began to think maybe it was possible.鈥� Zangerl said that topping out with a flash left her with an incredible feeling. It was a feat she hadn鈥檛 really believed she could accomplish. But it was also tainted by the fact that her partner came up short by just a single move. 鈥淚 was sad for Jacopo,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd, really, this was a team effort. We did this together. I could not have done this without Jacopo.鈥� The duo has been climbing together for 11 years, and most of her hardest climbs, like Eternal Flame, have been completed with him on the other end of the rope. Zangerl admitted she also had an advantage over Larcher on the Boulder Problem, as he led the pitch first and provided real-time beta for her to consider.

Larcher offered some insight into his own experience . 鈥淚 briefly felt relieved [after falling,] as now I could just climb the rest without pressure鈥� but after topping out, feelings changed. I won鈥檛 lie. This one meant a lot to me and failure is, and will be, hard to accept. We had an amazing time up there and I couldn鈥檛 be more proud of Babsi and her achievement!鈥�

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Sasha DiGiulian is busy. When she鈥檚 not training at the gym, traveling around the world to climb, or walking her good boy, Moose, near her home in Boulder, Colorado, she鈥檚 working as the CEO of , her plant-based nutrition bar company that she co-founded in 2022.

Because of her packed schedule, DiGiulian, a three-time U.S. National champion with more than 30 first female ascents under her belt, looks for convenience in the products she uses. Think: creams that moisturize and protect her skin听from the sun at the same time or face wipes that hydrate and clean.

Even her company鈥檚 bars fall into this category. DiGiulian wanted a convenient food to grab on the go that also fulfilled her health needs.

鈥淪end Bars are how I get my greens and fuel when I鈥檓 at the crag, biking, or hiking,鈥� she says. 鈥淭here is so much health washing on the market, and I just want clean, real food with no refined sugars, preservatives, or unnatural flavorings鈥攖hat tastes really good.鈥� It doesn鈥檛 hurt that she can throw one in a bag on the way to the airport, either.

国产吃瓜黑料 of her tried-and-true bars, here are the products this busy climber swears by.

Ursa Major Essential Face Wipes

Ursa Major’s 4-in-1 Essential Face Tonic is made with superfood-sounding ingredients, like radish root ferment, rosemary, and willow bark extract. It also features witch hazel, green tea, and aloe vera, to name a few, for a formula meant to clean, exfoliate, soothe, and hydrate. These individually-wrapped wipes are easy to toss in a pocket or bag for a quick way to freshen up on any adventure. “I like to keep these bamboo face wipes in my pack to clean and hydrate my skin after a sweaty and dirty day out climbing,” says DiGiulian.

They’re sold in packs of 5, 20, or 40 wipes.

Sun Bum Lip Balm

DiGiulian relies on this 30 SPF lip balm to protect her lips from wind and sun when she’s getting after it outside. The product features eight percent zinc oxide for sun protection and shea butter and vitamin E, which, she says, soothe and repair her lips.

Suntegrity 5-in-1 Tinted Sunscreen Moisturizer

The climber applies this tinted sunscreen moisturizer before spending any time outdoors or even just running errands. It’s made to protect skin听from the sun with 30 SPF, as well as hydrate and add a hint of color as it goes on. With ingredients like aloe vera, cucumber extract, and sunflower seed oil, it’s also free of fragrance, cruelty-free, and vegan. “I鈥檓 big on sunscreen, and I find that this is also a nice tinted one to smooth out blemishes and bring a little color to my face,” she says.

Love from Yours Sunny Side Up SPF 30 Mist

DiGiulian uses this mist as a way to re-up her sunscreen on big outings. “Normally, my days are pretty long outside,” she says. “So I like keeping a mist like this with me to maintain the protection.”

She also loves that it doesn’t go on oily or shiny and can be applied over her makeup without feeling caked on or like it’s clogging her pores. Plus, it鈥檚 cruelty-free.

Olive and June Nail Polish

Just because she covers her hands in climbing chalk for a living doesn’t mean DiGiulian doesn’t like a good manicure. She uses Olive and June’s tab press-ons when she’s going from the crag to dinner, she says. She appreciates that the tab variety doesn’t require glue, which saves her from the strong scent鈥攏ot to mention everyone else听around her when she’s applying them on a plane or in a car.

“They go on and pop off so easily that they鈥檙e perfect for post-adventure meetups where you want fun nails,” says DiGiulian.

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Outdoor adventures haven鈥檛 come easy for James Lawless, a career firefighter who discovers that being a Ford Bronco owner provides free access to the action-packed Bronco Off-Roadeo experiences located across the country. So a trip to provides a timely escape. Lawless tackles the rugged terrain outside of Las Vegas, then teams up with Bronco Ambassador , who leads him up his first rock climbing route. Watch the rest of 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 three-part series with Ford, profiling unique, overworked individuals who find outdoor adventures as the antidote for their unhealthy work lives.

is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company鈥檚 Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty.听

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If fans were craving more heart-pounding tension after yesterday鈥檚 nail-biting , they got it this morning as the women鈥檚 of the Combined discipline funneled into the Lead climax. Slovenia鈥檚 Janja Garnbret was leading the field, but just barely鈥� some struggles from Garnbret on the last boulder (and, worrisomely, a potential finger injury) meant that other competitors were within striking distance on the scorecards. Team USA鈥檚 Brooke Raboutou, for example, was only trailing Garnbret by 0.4 points after the Boulder portion; the quartet of Australia鈥檚 Oceana Mackenzie, France鈥檚 Oriane Bertone, Great Britain鈥檚 Erin McNeice, and Austria鈥檚 Jessica Pilz were all hovering around 59 points apiece and still in the mix too. Such close scores set a story in motion for a that will be remembered and revered for years to come.

Here are the highlights.

Chaehyun Seo Sets an Early High Point

Someone had to set the early standard on the lead route of black boomerangs, white hexagons, and blue half-sphere volumes, and South Korea鈥檚 Chaehyun Seo did so with aplomb. In fact, even before she set the high point, she confidently cut feet several times to cheers from the crowd. She eventually cruised onto the headwall and fell with a route score of 76.1 (out of 100); it would stand as the mark to beat on the wall for several subsequent competitors鈥� attempts.

The Combined Scores Come into Play

Great Britain鈥檚 Erin McNeice was not able to reach Seo鈥檚 robust high point鈥擬cNeice fell significantly lower on the wall while attempting a right-hand cross-move. But McNeice鈥檚 attempt, even if inferior to Seo鈥檚, gave everyone a reality check, of sorts; it reminded us all of the unique scoring of the Combined event, since McNeice surged to first place on the scorecards when her 68.1 Lead mark was added to her Boulder points (59.5). It鈥檚 unlikely we will see this unique Boulder and Lead Combined format ever again, but McNeice鈥檚 performance throughout the finals was a perfect example of why it鈥檚 an exhilarating way to structure a competition.

The Crowd Provided a Big Home-Court Advantage

It鈥檚 worth acknowledging how much the crowd of 6,000 spectators added to the vibe, which was also evident in the men鈥檚 final yesterday. Take, for example, the way the crowd clapped rhythmically in support of Oceana Mackenzie, or the way they chanted in unison for Oriane Bertone鈥斺�淥r-i-ane! Or-i-ane! Or-i-ane!鈥� Sure, both Mackenzie and Bertone probably would have liked to crank a little higher on the lead route (each fell below the headwall), but a highlight for each of their performances was the vociferous support from the audience. It鈥檚 not something normally heard at World Cups鈥攁t least not to such a loud and unified degree鈥攑erhaps because the Olympic crowd was comprised of just as many 鈥渃asual鈥� climbing fans as hardcore fans. Whatever the reason and impetus for such enthusiastic crowd noise, it was really cool.

Japan鈥檚 Ai Mori Proved Her Lead-Climbing Prowess

It鈥檚 hard to pick a single highlight for Japan鈥檚 Ai Mori. At a pure entertainment level, she fell while launching for the top hold鈥攖he closest that any finalist would come to sending the route. But by the numbers, such a jaw-dropping performance (a) established a new high point on the route by a significant margin and (b) gave Mori the lead on the Combined scorecards. It鈥檚 probably best to package all of that together and say that Mori鈥檚 attempt on the lead route was one of the most memorable parts of the women鈥檚 final. And it鈥檚 worth noting that if Lead was it鈥檚 own medal event鈥攚hich it may well be soon鈥攕he would have taken Gold.

The Final Showdown

One could make an argument that the last 20 minutes of the final鈥攚ith the successive attempts of Brooke Raboutou, Jessica Pilz, and Janja Garnbret鈥攚ere among the most thrilling and intense moments in the history of the sport. That鈥檚 not a statement that should be made lightly, but consider how everything transpired:

First, Brooke Raboutou took a commanding lead on the Combined scores, her attempt on the lead route only coming to an end when she tried to stabilize and match on a hold in order to clip on the headwall.

Second, Jessica Pilz, in electrifying comparison, was able to make that tricky clip on the headwall, but was not able to overtake Raboutou in the Combined鈥檚 arithmetic of points.

Finally, Janja Garnbret came out and climbed masterfully鈥攈er finger, perhaps tweaked, seemed fine, and her nerves, perhaps rattled by some bouldering woes, seemed as calm as ever. She did not quite send the route; she fell when her fingertips sloughed off the edge of a hold a few moves shy of the top. But her Combined score resulted in a gold medal鈥攎aking Garnbret the sport鈥檚 first back-to-back Olympic gold medalist. Raboutou and Pilz earned silver and bronze, respectively.

It felt like a storybook ending after a long week of toil and drama, highs and lows, happiness and heartbreak for so many competitors. And for the three women atop the podium at the end, it was a surefire passage into comp climbing鈥檚 storied history.

Women鈥檚 Combined Boulder & Lead Sport Climbing final results

1. Janja Garnbret (SLO): 168.5 (Boulder: 84.4, Lead: 84.1)
2. Brooke Raboutou (USA) 156.0 (Boulder: 84.0, Lead 72.0)
3. Jessica Pilz (AUT) 147.4 (Boulder 59.3, Lead 88.1)
4. Ai Mori (JPN) 135.1 (Boulder 39.0, Lead 96.1)
5. Erin McNeice (GBR) 127.6 (Boulder 59.5, Lead 68.1)
6. Chaehyun Seo (KOR) 105.0 (Boulder 28.9, Lead 76.1)
7. Oceana Mackenzie (AUS) 104.8 (Boulder 59.7, Lead 45.1)
8. Oriane Bertone (FRA) 104.5 (Boulder 59.5, Lead 45.0)

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