Flatanger Cave

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References

[1] https://vimeo.com/45194834#t=8m32s

Adam initially said 9a+ but later suggested 9a was more appropriate after new beta and some kneebars were found.

FA Without kneepads

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0uesTSgMys

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WuJI8S16JR4

Notably Adam climbed the route without knee pads. While there are not many knee bars on the route, there is an important one through the crux which takes it from 8A+ to 7C.

9b standard for me? I wish! No, 9b is still a really hard route, certainly not something I would do in an afternoon without too much effort. To tell the truth with Iron Curtain I thought the process would be quite easy and quick. I felt super strong, on the way to Flatanger I had just fired a 9a project called Purgatory at Hell (an area close to Trondheim) on my 2nd go, and the first day on Iron Curtain felt good. But how wrong I was!

Bad conditions arrived and I discovered that the crux holds were completely wet due to condensation. Conditions improved, but were far from perfect and it's hard to climb a route this hard in bad conditions, there is no margin for mistakes and I kept making them... In the end, after some days trying, an extremely strong wind made me go up into the cave yet again despite wanting to take the afternoon off and I sent this perfect line.

References

[1] https://www.planetmountain.com/en/news/climbing/adam-ondra-frees-new-9b-at-flatanger-in-norway.html

[2] https://www.instagram.com/p/-JGf-oAumJ/

[3] https://www.instagram.com/p/7AJU5ugugO/

9b/b+ or just HARD 9b. Took me 2 weeks and half, while feeling strong and with bomber conditions. This route was hard for me, one my hardest, though Change is probably harder to repeat, as it fits my style WAY MORE. [1]

Adam climbed the route without knee pads, however he had been climbing extensively in Flatanger for the month beforehand and had built up tough skin on his knees and so was able to use some of the knees that people now use with pads. [3]

References

[1] https://www.8a.nu/crags/sportclimbing/norway/flatanger/sectors/hanshallaren/routes/move

[2] https://vimeo.com/73040942

[3] https://open.spotify.com/episode/62lG1t7uRMy3AGHDnriSng?%0A

"Suprisingly good addition to the cave. Start like Elden Inuti, before the last bolt of the first pitch keep going right and low. Then join Halibut. With the anchor at the first pitch of Elden Inuti 8c+/9a."

The first 9c in the world and a new benchmark in sport climbing. Adam spent a lot of time training specifically for the route, going as far as to strengthen his calves so he could get a better rest out of the kneebars.

References

[1] Send Film https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRTNHDd0gL8

[2] Photo by Keith Sharples https://www.instagram.com/p/C8fK3MPB7eH/?img_index=1

Because the route is so long Seb was only able to have one good attempt every 2 days!

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/CgcR2Z4DhN3/

[2] https://fanatic-climbing.com/seb-bouin-ouvre-nordic-marathon-9b-seb-bouin-frees-nordic-marathon-9b/

[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nW36nE-EIwQ

After climbing through the crux Jakob snapped a jug off in the relatively easy upper section. Fortunately it wedged in to a crack long enough for him to move to some other holds, narrowly avoiding heartbreak.

On the grade:

To me it felt a whole step beyond Perfecto Mundo which seems confirmed at 9b+. This alongside reflections with Adam [Ondra] made me propose 9c for B.I.G. While in my eyes the range for grades up to 9b seem to have settled due to the total amount of routes and ascents, this doesn’t yet seem the case for 9b+ and 9c, where the possibilities for comparison are still very limited. There are not even 10 climbers that claim to have sent 9b+, and the total of routes graded 9b+ or harder is still below 15, most of which are yet to see repeats. This makes it obvious that confines for both 9b+ and 9c are still blurry and will develop over time and through ascents and shared opinions. I hope they will come soon! [3]

References

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jBavqTama8

[2] https://www.instagram.com/p/CxtCl5Lo58g/=

[3] https://www.thecrag.com/en/climbing/norway/mid-norway/route/8356255512

[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNxnUbW-3u4

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/DNV9dmVCmAy/?img_index=1

Trad gear was preplaced to circumvent the bolting ban and protect the route beyond Brunhilde.

References

[1] https://www.instagram.com/p/DZ0WhvnApcn/

[2] https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZ8NPQOxlrC

[3] https://www.instagram.com/reel/DaIxzF0Bz2-

[4] https://www.instagram.com/reel/DaN7c__B9in

[5] https://www.instagram.com/p/Daivh85AuJj

[6] https://www.climbing.com/news/longest-5-15a-in-norway/