Pete is widely regarded as one of the best crack climbers in the world, having made dozens of cuttingedge first ascents and hard repeats, including the first ascent of century crack 5. After coming back year after year, mason finally realized his. Croft would go on to make the first freesolo of the thin crack, a feat repeated many decades later by will stanhope. Favresse, who nabbed the second ascent of sonnie trotters cobra crack in squamish, calls it the hardest hes sent. Seems unlikely it is that exact move did it with ring finger. Crack climbing is a type of rock climbing in which the climber follows a crack in the rock and. In 2005, swiss crack climbing ace didier berthod, who had redpointed 5. Zangerl was the first to redpoint the route using the bolts at the end of march. This quest has obviously also taken the two brits to. James pearson and his wife, caroline ciavaldini have been travelling around many different parts of europe recently, sport climbing, bouldering and trad climbing.
If you can climb the grade and enjoy cracks then the cobra is or at least should be on your ticklist. Much of this equipment was designed specifically for use in crack systems. Hazel findlays first ascent of squamishs tainted love 5. Then in 1982, peter croft and tami knight added a new start. This is a novice asking so sorry if this is kind of a dumb question. The first ascent was in the 1980s by peter croft who aid climbed it. Wide boyz tom randall and pete whittaker slay the cobra. Dec 19, 2015 in squamish, british columbia, meanwhile, the belgian allarounder nicolas favresse has made the second ascent of the cobra crack 5. Wide boyz ii slender men the cobra crack the rv project. Oct 08, 20 wide boyz tom randall and pete whittaker slay the cobra, squamish epictv climbing daily, ep.
He specializes in traditional crack climbing and has climbed many lines of this style. Mason earle sends cobra crack in squamish gripped magazine. Dec 19, 2015 canadian sonnie trotter completed the first ascent of the muchtried overhanging finger crack in the summer of 2006. Wide boyz, have recently climbed the single pitch crack, the cobra. Sachi amma spotted in squamish projecting cobra crack. First ascent was done without the upside down mono jam. First ascent is the newest offering by the american company sender films, following a wide range of motivated climbers on their various quests to seek out, and conquer new lines from squamish to thailand. Whilst in turkey james made the first ascent of cobra crackinette, e8 7a, and caroline made the first ascent of. First ascent follows didiers efforts to make the first ascent of cobra crack in squamish, british columbia, canada.
The first ascent dvd by sender films and directorproducer peter mortimer, features some of todays top climbers as they go on their quest to be the first check out the first ascent dvd trailer below. Just recalling wideboyz i wonder if the gear was placed on the lead. Join swiss climber didier berthod as he attempts the impossible to become the first man ever to climb the insanely treacherous cobra crack. Canadian sonnie trotter has made the first ascent of what he believes to be the hardest pure crack climb in the world, cobra crack 5. Chad wiggle and jimmie dunn in front of dunns volkswagen bus the day before they climbed the first ascent of the cobra, fisher towers, utah. Whilst our chicken wings, pirate shuffles and arm bars had grown strong over 2 years, our fingers and forearms had withered away. The path and cobra crack repeated climbing magazine. Pete whittaker made a successful ascent last week, and tom managed to pull an. Cobra crack is an arching thinfinger crack splitting a steep wall at the cirque of the uncrackables on the chiefs backside. Is this the curse of the cobra striking into the heart of a european crack obsessive yet again. Traditional climbing gear is still required for the other parts. Sonnie also made squamish history in 2006 when he and his climbing partner matt segal connected the shadow 5. Logan barber makes 12th ascent of cobra crack gripped magazine. Product description first ascent, from sender films and directorproducer peter mortimer, features todays top climbers as they lay siege to steep faces and soaring alpine walls in pursuit of climbings pinnacle achievement the first ascent.
First ascent is a film that shows a lot of great climbing. Hazel findlay made the first ascent 2017, and sean villanueva odriscoll made the second ascent. Two climbers send switzerlands longstanding gondo crack. For more stories of desert rat climbers at their best, read the illusion of control, by chris van leuven. Ben harnden is the only climber to have sent cobra crack 5. In 2011, tom randall and pete whittaker completed the first free ascent of century crack 5. Mason earle has climbed squamishs pride and joy, cobra crack 5. Canadian sonnie trotter completed the first ascent of the muchtried overhanging finger crack in the summer of 2006.
In more recent years, trotter has gained notoriety for his support of clean trad routes over bolted routes, and his first ascent of the cobra crack in squamish, british columbia. The ascent was shown in the delightfully named sequel, wide boyz 2. First ascent was to be i hoped my biggest picture yet. It also documents his climbs in europe and his frugal lifestyle such as working in a. If he completes this maneuver, he will be the first to conquer the legendary cobra crack, a skinny, almost imperceptible seam on a whitish granite cirque in british. Featuring dean potter, timmy oneill, sonnie trotter, and the amazing didier berthod on his quest for the first ascent of the cobra crack. That movie really gave it its legendary reputation for me. Cobra is a pure power or power endurance problem 14 hard moves in the crack.
In 2005, swiss crackclimbing ace didier berthod, who had redpointed 5. It was aided in 1960 by jim baldwin and ed cooper and repeated a number of times before crusher eric weinstein stepped up in 1976 to make the first free ascent. Trotter completed the first ascent of the muchtried crack in the summer of 2006. Cobra crack, located at the cirque of the unclimbables on the backside of the chief, squamish, was first climbed by sonnie trotter in 2006 who took. The recovery drink and the worlds hardest crack climbs. Its the lure of always knowing that theres something just round the corner, thats a smidge out of reach. This 35 meter megaline in jossingfjord, norway, took favresse two trips, and definitely ranks as one of the hardest crack climbs in the world. It is just that beta is famous from didiers attempts in first ascent. In squamish, british columbia, meanwhile, the belgian allarounder nicolas favresse has made the second ascent of the cobra crack 5. To date cobra crack is one of the hardest crack routes in the world. I was extra psyched because didier, my personal climbing hero, had set out to make the fa of the cobra crack, a climb as elegant as it is improbable. Five things to know about squamish trad climbing gripped.
My friend steve picked this climbing film up the other day and when i watched i must say i was impressed. The route, a pristine 30m fingercrack that neatly splits the smooth overhanging granite face, was in origin a peter croft aid route graded a2. Trotter is widely known for his first ascent of cobra crack, perhaps the worlds most coveted finger crack climb, but he enjoys mixing up all styles of climbing as much as possible from bouldering and sport climbing to traditional routes, big walls and even the occasional alpine route. T he gondo crack is a 17meter finger crack in switzerland, just a few minutes away from the italian border, that was bolted by the italian climber allesandro manini 15 years ago and repelled all wouldbe first ascensionists until barbara zangerl austria and jacopo larcher italy succeeded in early april.
Rock climb cobra crack, british columbia mountain project. Battling the cobraking of the cracks black diamond. Renowned crack climber, author and wide boyz pete whittaker shares his new guide the definitive guide to crack climbing. The himalayas is the setting for the next first ascent before the film returns to squamish, and the continued efforts of didier berthod on the cobra crack, after which attention shifts to the hardest crack climb in europe greenspit.
Didier berthod is a swiss rock climber who has been featured in many climbing films, notably first ascent. Last year, babsi zangerl and jacopo larcher projected the thin crack, but came up short during their brief visit. One of the things that keeps me really motivated, is having first ascent projects. But earlier this month, on a visit to squamish, the couple, married since 2015, found themselves focusing on the same line. First ascent is unlike any mountain climbing film youve ever seen. British climbers tom randall and pete whittaker have both repeated cobra crack at squamish, canada. One of the best rock climbs in the world without question. Tom randall and pete whittaker repeat cobra crack at squamish. Despite onehanging squamishs famed cobra crack several years in a row, earle couldnt quite seal the deal. Randall had climbed cobra crack and joined the ranks of other repeaters including nico favresse, yuji hirayama, and alex honnold, among others.
Didier berthod tries to become the first man to climb treacherous cobra crack. I must also say that a few scenes in the film are a waste of time and are probably included in an attempt to add humour i. First free ascent of ewbank route on tasmanias totem pole duration. The line is so difficult that it laid dormant for 22 years after the first free ascent by hidetaka suzuki, who climbed it on preplaced gear. Hazel findlay made the first ascent 2017, and sean villanueva odriscoll made the second ascent this past july. After conquering north americas hardest offwidths in their film wide boyz, tom randall and pete whittaker set their sites on the notorious thin line. It was a lot of fun, and not too different from filming friends at the boulders, except that everything is dialed up a notch. We did a load of lockoffs, bachar laddering, crackar laddering and trained on a wooden 6ft finger crack. Top japanese climber sachi amma has been spotted in squamish sending hard cracks and projecting cobra crack, canadas famous 5. It probably sounds horrible, but in fact the route is really fun and enjoyable to climb. Heres the video of the first ascent that was shown at the banff festival i. Join a global quest with worldclass climbers in pursuit of the ultimate goal. The first free ascent was a project for a number of climbers until sonnie trotter sent it. Since mason earle first tried cobra crack in 2009, the route has called him back to squamish, bc again and again.
Harnden began the year with the second ascent of family man 5. Cracking cobra mason earle tackles squamishs cobra crack. The route, a pristine 30m finger crack that neatly splits the smooth overhanging granite face, was in origin a peter croft aid route graded a2. This section is one of the best on the dvd, capturing a rare hard first ascent on film. Jack fills you in on the details of the climb from tom and pete, as well as giving you a bit of a background as to who the guys are. The first free ascent was a project for a number of climbers until sonnie trotter sent it in 2006. It was also featured in the movie first ascent which covered didier berthod and sonnie trotters competition to get the first free ascent. For better or for worse, the route has become a part of his history. Located on the overhung north side of joshua trees iguana dome, the 90foot stingray starts up a leftfacing corner before traversing left and entering the routes principle feature. Mason earle sends squamish testpiece cobra crack 5. This year, ive got 3 main crack projects on the books, which is probably a.
I first made it up to squamish on canada day of 2009. After spending years climbing the worlds hardest offwidth cracks and culminating in the first ascent of century crack, tom randall and pete whittaker have narrowed things down considerably and are now concentrating on hard thin finger cracks. Wide boyz tom randall and pete whittaker slay the cobra, squamish epictv climbing daily, ep. Canadian sonnie trotter completed the first ascent of the. If you can climb the grade and enjoy cracks then the cobra is or at least should. The wide boyz became famous when in 2012 they made the first ascent of utahs century crack 5. Since mason earle first tried cobra crack in 2009, the route has called. This route, which saw its first ascent in 2006 by sonnie trotter, is a stunning, 120. Here, tom randall shows how he trained for the brutal. More information and photos will be posted as they become available. Traditional or trad climbing, is a style of rock climbing in which a climber or group of climbers place all gear required to protect against falls, and remove it when a pitch is complete.
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