first female 5.15a

[Rad]

We should have a pool on what person and route will be the first female ascent of a confirmed 9a+ (5.15a).

 

Obvious contenders include women who've climbed 9a already:

Muriel Sarkany

Angela Eiter

Ashima Shiraishi (let's assume Open Your Mind settles at hard 9a)

Sasha DeGiulian

Josune Bereziartu

Charlotte Durif

 

I'll put my money on Ashima.

 

The next question is what route. La Rambla is probably too reachy. Some other routes too power-focused. Realization/Biographie might be the one, though it looks fairly reachy at the top as well and has proven quite hard for even the top men to climb.

 

Where are you placing your money?

 

 

[telemarker]

Lynn Hill, The Nose free in a day. The most significant female climbing accomplishment has been done. To free climb 5.14b at ~2,500', after climbing 26 pitches previously, one of them being 5.13c and a smattering of 5.12 and a lot of 5.11. All on her own without anyone's shoulders to stand on. This milestone to me makes one pitch of 5.15 just not really exciting.

 

To me I think the next big female milestone will be who will free solo Half Dome's RNWF.

 

That's my opinion from my armchair! Sorry, didn't mean to hijack your topic.

[Rad]

Yes, there's no question that was a remarkable achievement, but it was 22 years ago. Hard to get excited about news that old.

[Alex]

I was watching ancient videos of Catherine Destivelle soloing amazingly hard stuff on Youtube, I never realized how amazingly bold she was!

 

I personally don't care about the top grade, I'd rather see Hazel Findlay send the gnar with holds breaking all over the place.

[boadman]

I think that Ashima will probably do one this summer if she gets an extended trip to somewhere where she can project one that suits her. I think Sasha Digulian is out, it doesn't seem like she's done anything hard since she started college. Does Josune even climb any more? Murial & Angela have been crushing lately.

[frankstoneline]

Lynn Hill, The Nose free in a day. The most significant female climbing accomplishment has been done. To free climb 5.14b at ~2,500', after climbing 26 pitches previously, one of them being 5.13c and a smattering of 5.12 and a lot of 5.11. All on her own without anyone's shoulders to stand on. This milestone to me makes one pitch of 5.15 just not really exciting.

 

To me I think the next big female milestone will be who will free solo Half Dome's RNWF.

 

That's my opinion from my armchair! Sorry, didn't mean to hijack your topic.

 

Did the thread title get changed after this...?

 

I'd put money on Ashima, maybe something more local for the route, Jaws II in Rumney is probably a reasonable contender (doesnt require international travel, crimpy bouldering etc etc)

[StreetBoss]

I was watching ancient videos of Catherine Destivelle soloing amazingly hard stuff on Youtube, I never realized how amazingly bold she was!

 

I personally don't care about the top grade, I'd rather see Hazel Findlay send the gnar with holds breaking all over the place.

 

Catherine is pretty hot in some of those video's! Good golly.

 

My vote is for Paige Clausen - total hottie

[StreetBoss]

Have you ever met Lynn? One badass mutha

 

- if the 15a grade was in her sight back then she would have nailed it. To discount her ascent because it's a bit old....Ludacris

[JosephH]

All on her own without anyone's shoulders to stand on.

That's not exactly the case; Lynn joined in the game quite late and after Scott and Brooke had each put in significant effort over several years on the project...

[telemarker]

All on her own without anyone's shoulders to stand on.

That's not exactly the case; Lynn joined in the game quite late and after Scott and Brooke had each put in significant effort over several years on the project...

 

Pretty sure Brooke and Scott had penises, and decades of achievement of other male climbing peers to draw upon for inspiration.

[num1mc]

Way to go Bruce Jenner

[Buckaroo]

Lynn Hill did have a slight advantage on the Nose, having small fingers to send the great roof, it being size dependent.

 

Destivelle soloed the N Face of Eiger in winter and the Bonatti on the N face of the Matterhorn.

 

Let's not forget Edurne Pasaban, the first woman to climb all 14 8000M peaks, or Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner, the first woman to climb them all without supplemental oxygen.

 

Always thought that single pitch at the crags was just training for bigger things.

 

Let's see the first woman to free solo the NEB of Slesse, or climb it in winter.

[JosephH]

All on her own without anyone's shoulders to stand on.

That's not exactly the case; Lynn joined in the game quite late and after Scott and Brooke had each put in significant effort over several years on the project...

Pretty sure Brooke and Scott had penises, and decades of achievement of other male climbing peers to draw upon for inspiration.

Last I checked "anyone" includes people with penises.

[marc_leclerc]

 

Let's see the first woman to free solo the NEB of Slesse, or climb it in winter.

 

Been done, Brette onsight soloed the north rib as well. She also free soloed 'Chiaro di Luna', 20 pitch 10d in Patagonia which is way burlier than either of those two, especially with the much less trivial descent.

 

I don't really see her climbing 5.15, not really her kinda thing. But she did lead the grand illusion, 13c crack, placing all the gear. So u never know

[keenwesh]

Completely different ballgame and genre of climbing, but I think Silvia Vidal has to be one of the toughest human beings to ever live. Spending that much time alone on super remote walls, with no outside communication, much respect. Aid climbing isn't anything like 5.15, so sorry for the derailment.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the NE butt of Slesse is all that difficult of a solo, at least in summer. There are lots of folks out there who could do it, many of them female. The more I climb the more I realize that things I initially perceive as really gnarly and extreme aren't actually that bad. N butt in winter, right now I think that's super full on, but maybe in a few years it'll be routine

[marc_leclerc]

Completely different ballgame and genre of climbing, but I think Silvia Vidal has to be one of the toughest human beings to ever live. Spending that much time alone on super remote walls, with no outside communication, much respect. Aid climbing isn't anything like 5.15, so sorry for the derailment.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the NE butt of Slesse is all that difficult of a solo, at least in summer. There are lots of folks out there who could do it, many of them female. The more I climb the more I realize that things I initially perceive as really gnarly and extreme aren't actually that bad. N butt in winter, right now I think that's super full on, but maybe in a few years it'll be routine

 

NEB of Slesse in summer is a way casual solo, you are totally correct there. Basically a bunch of low 5th with the occasional 5.9 in the gym sort of pitch. The north rib is a bit less casual, as it has more slabby type cruxes and trickier route finding, but if you asked Brette she'd say it was nothing more than a fun day out, 2/10 in seriousness in the grand scheme of what's been done. Many routes have a much fiercer reputation than they deserve.

 

That said, NEB in winter is infinitely more serious to free solo.

 

+1 vote for Silvia Vidal, proper badass. 5.15 sport is an indication of extreme athleticism, but not 'badass-ness'.

[boadman]

Seriously?

 

I know it's not cold and dangerous, but the level of dedication to training required to climb cutting edge free routes (i.e. sport or bouldering) is super inspiring to me. Way more inspiring than doing something dangerous way beneath your technical climbing ability. How can someone seriously discuss free-soloing a 5.9 in the same breath as sending 5.15? Any brave punter could go out and free solo the NEB this summer with vary little preparation. Only a few women in the world could realistically send a 15a.

[marc_leclerc]

How can someone seriously discuss free-soloing a 5.9 in the same breath as sending 5.15? Any brave punter could go out and free solo the NEB this summer with vary little preparation. Only a few women in the world could realistically send a 15a.

 

Basically what keenwesh and I both said. Sorry for drifting the thread.

 

As far as 5.15 goes as the list the OP suggests, it can't be far off. It would make most sense if a woman with VERY strong bouldering skills does it.

 

I've never been on a 5.15, but once the 9a grade is reached it seems that hard boulder moves are always involved, rather than the pure fitness that can often comprise low and mid 5.14's. By pure fitness, I mean there are consistent moves in the V7 to V8 range, maybe a bit harder, to V9 or V10 if it's a bouldery line, but routes 9a (and harder I would guess) usually have a crux or multiple cruxes in the V11 and above range.

 

There are many strong, badass and super inspiring women climbers around today, as well as in the past, in all areas of the game. It won't be long until a lady climbs 5.15.

 

Another question: when will we see 5.15 on gear from anyone at all?

 

 

[Rad]

Another question: when will we see 5.15 on gear from anyone at all?

 

So far, the hardest rock lines in the world are either limestone (Spain) or the bizarre granite of the Flatanger cave. This means super steep terrain with holds. In fact, none of these routes are redpointed. They are pink-pointed, where pre-placed draws are clipped (or skipped).

 

Marc, maybe you can find and lead the first 5.15 trad climb!

 

The hardest trad line I can think of without googling a bunch where gear was placed on lead on the FA is is Beth Rodden's Metldown in Yosemite. Awesome Dosage video of same.

 

Agree w others that risk and technical ability are different dimensions to the sport.

[boadman]

Most of the hardest trad lines are pink pointed too. Are you sure she placed gear on lead? I thought I remembered her clipping pre-placed pieces.

[Kimmo]

 

I've never been on a 5.15, but once the 9a grade is reached it seems that hard boulder moves are always involved, rather than the pure fitness that can often comprise low and mid 5.14's. By pure fitness, I mean there are consistent moves in the V7 to V8 range, maybe a bit harder, to V9 or V10 if it's a bouldery line, but routes 9a (and harder I would guess) usually have a crux or multiple cruxes in the V11 and above range.

 

Siegrist said Era Vella (9a, although controversial) didn't have anything harder than V7. And it sounds like it even has some rests. I have a vague memory of the big Austrian dude saying he thought Action Direct had V7 max individual moves.

 

 

I'd think Eiter would send a consensus 15a first, because of her free time and availability of such routes in her hood (and the fact that I think she's getting close on La Rambla??) But if Ashima does one any time now, I don't think anyone would be surprised.

[Rad]

Most of the hardest trad lines are pink pointed too. Are you sure she placed gear on lead? I thought I remembered her clipping pre-placed pieces.

 

Good question. I know there was footage of her placing pieces on lead, but maybe on the send she clipped the pre-placed gear. Will have to go back and watch it again tonight!

 

[JasonG]

Interesting. So are people claiming trad FAs if the gear is preplaced? Seems odd if so.

[tanstaafl]

From the Alpinist report:

 

She redpointed the climb on all natural gear, placing all protection—eight pieces in total; TCUs, small offsets and one nut—on lead.

 

 

http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web08s/newswire-rodden-yosemite-hard-trad

[stamati]

Yeah, the 5.15 trad thing is interesting. What about

Gondo Crack?

 

damn sorry to derail again