Will Bosi

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Exactly 2 years after Stefano Ghisolfi made the first ascent!

The first go of the day everything went perfectly, I felt like I was floating through climb and arrived at my previous high point feeling strong. Setting up for the final hard move I was really confident but disaster struck and I just missed the hold and fell of I took an hour rest, warmed up and went again. This time I arrived at the rest feeling tired battling through the upper section but on the final crux I landed perfectly into the slot. Pumped out of my mind, I almost fell jumping to the jug but just about kept it together for the top out.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/DFsLqiGC1tc/

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2025/02/will_bosi_makes_the_second_ascent_of_excalibur_9b+-73894

[3] https://open.spotify.com/episode/1RjDH1oAZkr9epcy4LrA0l?

Second ascent of a 9b by a brit, and the first british repeat of an established 9b.

Three sessions just to work out the first sequence.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CM_596cjKLX/

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXcedGd3R78

[3] https://www.8a.nu/news/king-capella-9b+-fa-and-9b-fa-etc-by-will-bosi-hc28s

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CNLJim4DrRs/

[2] https://www.8a.nu/news/king-capella-9b+-fa-and-9b-fa-etc-by-will-bosi-hc28s

[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChKphgnQXGI

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wiolywrbf-g

The long awaited second ascent after 4 years and 40 sessions.

Finally! This was by far and away my longest project on a route and I am so happy to clip the chains. It is so typical of the redpointing game that the route went down on the last go of the day with little expectation that I would send it! Full credit to Steve McClure on an amazing first ascent and for establishing a climb with such amazing moves. [1]

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2021/11/first_repeat_of_mutation_9a_by_will_bosi_proposes_9a+-72918

[2] https://www.instagram.com/p/CVxr19WLZRL/

[3] https://www.instagram.com/p/CVxrF8ZoBB8/

[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBDqpUKgAyE

The climb is very similar to Hubble in a sense but the sequence of moves are a lot more complex and technically demanding. I was stuck for a while on the lower section but once I was able to unlock a sequence, the route came together really quickly for me. [2]

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqoVQxpYwlw

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2021/11/first_ascent_of_brandenburg_gate_project_by_will_bosi_proposes_9a+-72925

[3] https://www.instagram.com/p/CWAkBKEouWd/

Although there seems to be a lot of holds from the floor, almost everything is an undercut or a side pull. This makes the climbing very technical as the feet are tiny! The climbing is also very intense and powerful as you cannot relax. [2]

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CflFrCfIxHK/

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2022/07/first_ascent_of_scotlands_hardest_route_by_will_bosi_-_free_at_last_9a+-73090

References

[1] https://youtu.be/ZmmMbpCsSuA?t=280

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KU_mbM1zdI4

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2017/04/jungle_speed+a_muerte_by_will_bosi-71065

References

[1] https://www.8a.nu/news/king-capella-9b+-fa-and-9b-fa-etc-by-will-bosi-hc28s

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdJmmT8pt6A

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3EZhDtQcIY

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CP_Zh_QDgxd/

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlQ-iqu6K64

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfnkQC9k2ZU

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2017/04/jungle_speed+a_muerte_by_will_bosi-71065

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CPOUXPzjUOy/

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CWG0SrllYrI/

[2] https://youtu.be/XOHslN5rryg

References

[1] https://youtu.be/CJYfOrjj0uo?t=73

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXepDJnhkaI

Another crazy hard 8 grade route at the tor, maybe a hold broke?? [1]

References

[1] https://www.8a.nu/crags/sportclimbing/united-kingdom/peak-district/sectors/raven-tor/routes/seraphim

[2] https://youtu.be/CJYfOrjj0uo?t=220

References

[1] https://youtu.be/_FKYPMHJ_Jo?si=WvhOcglAl5-sWGoa&t=851

References

[1] https://youtu.be/_FKYPMHJ_Jo?t=618

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/will_bosi/reel/C7zGmITtDJP/?hl=en-gb

Before the first ascent Will had been playing on the boulder with Dave Graham and trying some of the moves. At the time the line seemed too futuristic so he didn't dedicate to it.

After Shawn Raboutou made the first ascent Will got psyched on the line again and headed out with Aidan Roberts, initially just to try the line and then, when he made quick progress, to send it.

In terms of a grade, I personally felt that Honey Badger was more of a challenge for me and proposing a grade for that at the time was daunting as it was my first 8C+. At the cutting edge of climbing, grading feels so much more difficult as the margins are that much finer and personal strengths and preferences really come into play.

Is it 9A? Honestly, I do not know and as I gain more experience of climbing around this grade range I may have a better view, but it is a fantastic line established by Shawn [Raboutou] and I look forward to seeing more experienced climbers comment on where the grade sits. [2]

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CkdgyVDDNAZ/

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2022/11/will_bosi_claims_the_third_ascent_of_alphane-73186

[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uBS9OYa2P8

[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEUdY5otiqM

The long-awaited second ascent after 24 days of work, with 10 sessions on a replica created using 3d scans of the holds and then 14 sessions on the real thing.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CrAtt4YtyXc/

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2023/04/first_repeat_of_burden_of_dreams_9a_by_will_bosi-73279

[3] https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/will-bosi-repeats-burden-of-dreams-9a-in-finland.html

[4] https://open.spotify.com/episode/4F0rw3OCCtjOTO9pPCREGg

[5] https://www.instagram.com/p/CrGeNBatv6G/

[6] https://youtu.be/SlUw8X7xuq0

12 sessions in total, including 3 spent on the stand start Sleepwalker, completed during a single trip to try the boulder.

In the last session before the send, everything just clicked. I was feeling confident, but as the weather forecast looked bleak with a storm closing in, I was only able to take one rest day before heading back out for another session. I still felt quite tired from the previous session so I was unsure about even trying it.

However, after warming up, the moves were feeling great and I decided to give it a go. The first attempt went perfectly up to the sloper but then I really messed up the next move through to the slot and almost dropped it. Somehow, I recovered and hit the last hard move perfectly. Pulling onto the slab was incredible and I had to take a minute to get my breath back before heading up to the top. [1]

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2024/02/return_of_the_sleepwalker_9a_for_will_bosi-73602

[2] https://www.instagram.com/p/C3nLKdJrZCC/?img_index=1

[3] https://open.spotify.com/episode/3PwOTtkyJJ3IM0A8MxUemD?

[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8awesjyAGTg

One of the best hard boulders in the world. Aidan did an incredible job with the first ascent...A Perfect pure line. [3]

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/DBY4dyjtLCn/?img_index=1

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2024/10/will_bosi_repeats_spots_of_time_9a-73826

[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cg5G1rZGyx0

[4] https://open.spotify.com/episode/7nCV4T3tL2t6rbKgIW1yw4?

Matt Bird: So Will, what grade is it then?

WB: I have been thinking so much about the grade ever since I started work on the project. I find it so hard to grade short, powerful boulders as so much of the grade weighs on fewer individual moves and the grade can shift dramatically around based on small changes in beta and whatever style suits the climber.

However, providing a grade based on my own experience of other hard boulders as well as boulders on Raven Tor and Peak Lime, I am pretty confident in suggesting that this sits as a low-end 9A boulder.

MB: Ok, let’s break it down then - why is it not 8C+?

On Raven Tor itself, to the left of Realm, are two boulders which are essentially one-move 8A+’s. The crux move on Realm is at least one to two grades harder and is comparable to the first move on Burden of Dreams. Stitching the crux move and the last move took so many sessions. Even matching the final hold is a real effort!

Looking at other hard single-move boulders I have done elsewhere, the crux move is significantly harder than other lines such as Forgotten Gem (8C/V15, Chironico, Switzerland) and Silent Singer (Bowderstone, Lake District, 8C/V15).

Comparing the whole boulder to other short, powerful 8C+ boulders, it feels harder than Brain Rot (8C+/V16 Magic Wood) and Ephyra (8C+/V16 Brione).

It is incomparable to 8C+ like Honey Badger (Badger Cove established by Bosi in 2022) as it is 20 minutes down the road but feels like a totally different boulder problem. Honey Badger has way more moves making it difficult to compare with Realm as they were different styles. However, I put in way more time on this boulder than I did on Honey Badger, which consciously or subconsciously made me think this was a harder overall problem.

MB: So, how does it compare to 9A’s you have done?

Straight away, we can discount Return of the Sleepwalker and Alphane as comparisons because they are such different boulders in terms of style compared to Realm.

So the comparisons from my own experience come to Burden of Dreams and Spots of Time. I think Spots is the best comparator as it is in the UK. I did it recently [Winter 2024], and it is a short boulder similar to Realm.

For me, the crux of Realm is slightly harder than the crux of Spots simply because the key hold is flat, slippy limestone, but when you put all of the moves of each boulder together, they come out around the same grade. I do think Spots and Realm are a step above the 8C+ boulders I have done to date, so that is why I am proposing a low-end 9A boulder grade. As always, I am excited to hear what others think as they try the problem as it is at Raven Tor, so I am hoping it will get a lot of attention! [1]

References

[1] Press release /file/e85dc179-1c14-6a29-c466-81f955348780/PRESS RELEASE_BOSI_9A FIRST ASCENT_PEAK DISTRICT.pdf

[2] https://www.instagram.com/p/DJ4S7KMoLpV/

[3] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2025/05/will_bosi_establishes_realm_of_torment_9a-73972

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtSeQ8Xm3mw

[2] https://www.patreon.com/posts/mastery-extras-80893007

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck06Xf0D5cI/

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoMkeCPznDw

I did one at Raven Tor, Wild South, which I tried a crazy amount of days, but I was ignoring a kneebar for a long time because I didn’t want there to be a kneebar there. Then one day, I tried a kneepad, and it worked really well. I gave that climb 8C because when I started trying the knee, it only took two sessions, and it didn’t feel as bad, but looking back I’m thinking it didn’t feel so bad because I’d spent so much time on the rest of the boulder. So I think that’s probably an 8C+. [2]

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zf16iiXqOT8

[2] https://www.climbing.com/people/interview-will-bosi-spots-of-time/

Will used different beta to Aidan (keeping the right heel in to match the left hand in) which he felt was more 8C than the 8C+ that Aidan proposed.

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcB7xINW-ek

Will was close to climbing the problem on his second session, dropping it with his right hand in the slot and left hand on the sloper. He then did it on the first go of his third session.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/C2Xf6BpreZ5/?img_index=1

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z44acjCBPMA

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJCRrikIK51/

References

[1] https://youtu.be/OWDud_bE7G8?t=468

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CNFiXTTj0Je/

[2] https://youtu.be/QiwECbDf_rI

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZH_muHrn8s

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Sk6ZIp14do

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7r-5RIdtYU

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90Rq0rmPqTE

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTbtj2MB6Hc

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohD1vwdOYNs

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwCBBay_xZM

References

[1] https://youtu.be/YFy0RRpYNf0

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CkvvuH6D4hR/

[2] https://youtu.be/DEUdY5otiqM?t=514

Will was close on the flash, slipping off after the crux! He finished the problem off on his fourth try.

https://youtu.be/dP5AD_M2dE4?t=236

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-Ypz75UUHA

Super happy to send this! Now onto the full line of Terranova :) Grade wise it felt like the hardest or joint hardest boulder ive done in the Czech so i think it deserves the C but time will tell

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CzWTqA3NED0/?img_index=1

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIxlU0Boplc

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/DCRxq9JNA5B/

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/DDUZkyiynmL/

[2] https://youtu.be/0pyp7jB3l2g?t=262

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/DHeAYrQtFDI/

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2025/03/will_bosi_makes_first_ascent_of_sintras_hardest_boulder-73930

References

[1] /file/fd0bb5f2-deed-3018-6bc4-3f39cb5d797a/PRESS RELEASE_BOSI_SWISS FIRST ASCENTS_TRIP ROUNDUP.pdf

[2] https://www.instagram.com/p/DJrecfOIeiV/

References

[1] /file/fd0bb5f2-deed-3018-6bc4-3f39cb5d797a/PRESS RELEASE_BOSI_SWISS FIRST ASCENTS_TRIP ROUNDUP.pdf

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hwMZTTFcAE

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QlE_TVnIKtI

References

[1] https://youtu.be/OWDud_bE7G8?t=84

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CB5XTRcDZOi/

[2] https://youtu.be/OWDud_bE7G8?t=295

References

[1] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2020/07/superman_sit_start_font_8b+_for_will_bosi-72380

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWDud_bE7G8

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CVPqV0LDp8-/

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7xsEiOEXt0

References

[1] https://youtu.be/0HDFumCiROo?t=73

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MY8TMwavbaI

Desperate!!! was a proper battle reckon it could be 8B+ now

References

[1] https://youtu.be/Y7AoI8zN6cA?t=436

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CYzRlNnIbMB/

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vw_xEj9IlI

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oC9oaFJrbk

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2sQKM7CfcKE

Will broke a foothold on his first go which made the sit unfeasible. However he then did the problem from a crouch start and suggested 8B+ for this.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CiFZugbjmly/

Will used some different beta which he found a little easier than the original sequence.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/Chr-yz5jPdn/

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cih2vUzj35L/

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CmJ3j2rtNgY/

[2] https://youtu.be/dP5AD_M2dE4?t=170

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/Cocqw_OtMz8/

[2] https://www.instagram.com/reel/Coh1wfxj5vL/

References

[1] https://youtu.be/X5jz_6fYIFA?t=290

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46-isqI-has

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/C5v8idQt4w-/

[2] https://youtu.be/Pcu3JOo7UD0?si=-qgHO8qXDYm9dgEw&t=748

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QS2DGbvRjZk

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/C9hzanKNcfX/?img_index=1

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mov8qcTDJ_8

First go after warming up on the moves.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9AcJ_QNGa1/

Some of the holds have broken/deteriorated since Jana Švecová made the first ascent which is why Will suggested an upgrade.

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjMyQjd4lig

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/DB1cSwCttBn/?img_index=1

[2] https://www.8a.nu/news/will-bosi-flashes-janja-sd-8b%2B

[3] https://youtu.be/VwH0jE8uBQM?t=63

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/DDHqOLDStE-/

[2] https://youtu.be/9KkkRNH42GE?t=205

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDcY_Q-S9mU/

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/DHLdAbjtk9Y/

References

[1] /file/fd0bb5f2-deed-3018-6bc4-3f39cb5d797a/PRESS RELEASE_BOSI_SWISS FIRST ASCENTS_TRIP ROUNDUP.pdf

References

[1] /file/fd0bb5f2-deed-3018-6bc4-3f39cb5d797a/PRESS RELEASE_BOSI_SWISS FIRST ASCENTS_TRIP ROUNDUP.pdf

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/DI6XqcIIqvz/

References

[1] /file/fd0bb5f2-deed-3018-6bc4-3f39cb5d797a/PRESS RELEASE_BOSI_SWISS FIRST ASCENTS_TRIP ROUNDUP.pdf

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CFUyD9lDCn7/

[2] https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2020/09/will_bosi_flashes_isla_de_encanta_font_8b-72493

[3] https://youtu.be/OWDud_bE7G8?t=238

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_mv9CkgufE

Will was the first to repeat it post break and suggested the boulder was more on the 8B+ side now.

Yeah, it’s such a good problem! Learning the move took a while, but in the end, I didn’t quite hit the right hand. Still, I felt solid in the position and was able to sketch through to the top. Instead of using four fingers, I had to go with three, and when I hit that crimp, I fully crimped on it. At that point, I was just praying it wouldn’t rip and hoping for the best up there. I think it’s been three years since the hold broke, and I don’t think anyone has done that move until today. It’s a hard one—people have tried it, and from those I’ve spoken to who attempted it before and after the break, they say it’s a lot harder now. I never tried it before, so I can’t compare, but it definitely felt hard for the grade. With grit, when you finally send the climb, the sequence always seems to work out better and feels a bit easier. But to be honest, this one still felt pretty tough at the top. There aren’t many moves, and I suppose with a lot of good days and good skin, you could learn it quite well. Still, it felt hard. I was pulling really hard through the top. I definitely think it’s more than likely on the 8B+ side.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CZCx-QfINLd/

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xgXpMRj1HY

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CZH6xuyIszd/

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X11inbUaB5U

Third go after getting tantalisingly close on the flash.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/Caz4gd1N67f/

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUXlT20BcMo

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/Caz4gd1N67f/

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P5QWf7JpZ9w

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/Caz4gd1N67f/

[2] https://youtu.be/WUXlT20BcMo?t=188

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca-I8QAFAMv/

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVvYDZ5sHAg

References

[1] https://youtu.be/r2Xaz-vfrtw

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/Ckqk3sdDVjY/

[2] https://youtu.be/DEUdY5otiqM?t=637

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_cMHaAvGS-Y

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CmCKTHaj6P2/

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP5AD_M2dE4&t=43

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTDo92I_8I0

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/reel/DCHYiyctB0l/

[2] https://youtu.be/VwH0jE8uBQM?t=84

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/DG0wDz6toMy/

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HDFumCiROo

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/C-SxqZiNqCF/

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/BXKjb9tg7IU/

Will dropped the crux on first go then fired it off next effort. His first trad fall!