I thought it would be interesting to compile a list of hard (V14 and up) boulder problems that have not been repeated in North America. Thanks to everyone for help in compiling these problems (Most of these grades are pure speculation from outside observers):
- Nuclear War – V14 – Matt Bosley – Harriman State Park, NY
- Mandala Direct SDS – V14 – Paul Robinson – Buttermilks, CA
- Singularity – V14 – Tim Clifford – Squamish, BC
- Zazen – V14 – Harry Robertson – Squamish, BC
- The North Ridge – V14 – Georg Jost – Squamish, BC
- Release The Hundes – V14 – Daniel Woods – Moe’s Valley, UT
- Hypnotized Minds – V15 – Daniel Woods – RMNP, CO
- Misdirection – V14 – Dan Beall – Buttermilks, CA
- A Man Escaped – V14 – Ty Landman – Connecticut
- The Next Chapter – V15 – Paul Robinson – Ozark Mountains, AR
- The Ice Knife SDS – V15 – Daniel Woods – Guanella Pass, CO
- Trieste Sit – V14 – Daniel Woods, Red Rocks, NV
- The Gallows – V14 – Paul Robinson – Hueco Tanks, TX
- The Multiverse – V14 – Jimmy Webb – Wyoming
- The Process – V? – Daniel Woods – Bishop, CA
- Kintsugi – V15 – Nalle Hukkataival – Red Rock, NV
- L’ Étoile du Nord – V14 – Jim Merli – Sawmill, MN
This of course pales in comparison to the list of confirmed V14 and up problems that were established and repeated in the U.S. in just the past five years or so:
| Problem | Grade | Location | Ascents – FA listed first and then in no particular order |
| Ode to the Modern Man | V14 | Mt. Evans, CO | Woods, Landman, Robinson, Jorgeson, Lamiche, Cardwell, Hukkataival, Wilder, Schaal |
| Jade | V14 | RMNP, CO | Woods, Landman, Robinson, Hukkataival, Schaal, Traversi, Webb, Beall, Davis, Puccio |
| Witness the Fitness | V15? (Broken?) | Arkansas | Sharma, Nicole, Woods |
| Terre De Sienne | V13/14 | Hueco Tanks, TX | Nicole, Graham, Woods, Robinson, Cardwell, Wilder, Parton, Webb Parsons, Kassay, Hukkataival, McColl |
| Terremer | V15 | Hueco Tanks, TX | Nicole, Robinson, Woods, Beall |
| Aslan | V14 | RMNP, CO | Woods, Landman, McColl, Di Felice, Webb, Traversi, Litz, Cardwell, Graham, Verhoeven |
| Midnight Express | V14 | Boulder Canyon, CO | Landman, Woods, Graham, Allred, Robinson, Parady, Webb, Schaal |
| Mandala SDS | V13/14 | Buttermilks, CA | Lamiche, Graham, Woods, Robinson, McColl, Diamond, Birch, Moroni, Jorgeson, Wilder, French (V13 beta), Goicoechea, Barrett (V13 beta), Voges (V13), Hedrick (V13 beta), Verhoeven, Glairon-Mondet, Hukkataival, Pringle, Warren, Heal, Boyko, Megos, Amma |
| The Swarm | V13/14 | Buttermilks, CA | Birch, Wilder, Graham, Landman, Woods, Robinson, Jorgeson, Davis, Clifford, Diamond, Nicole, Beall, Hukkataival, Peirce, Hedrick, Pringle, Shiraishi, McRae, Puccio |
| Echale | V14 | Clear Creek Canyon, CO | Woods, Graham, Robinson, Schaal, Webb, Gravelle, Takeuchi, D’Anastasio, Hong |
| The Saddhu | V14 | Temple, NM | Fairfield, Cardwell, Woods, Di Felice |
| Goldfish Trombone | V14 | Happy Boulders, CA | Edwards, Sharma, Pringle, McColl, Woods, Nicole, Martin, Lander, Diamond |
| Esperanza | V14 | Hueco Tanks, TX | Nicole, Litz, Sharma, Woods, Graham, Robinson, Duttle, Pringle, Haynes, Webb Parsons, Wilde, Hamada, Kassay, Hong, Dory, Hukkataival, Webb, Voges, Davis, Verhoeven, Taylor, Muller |
| Book Of Bitter Aspects | V13/14 | Bradley, CT | Graham, Schaal, Zolotukhin (V13) |
| The Fly | 5.14d/V14 | Rumney, NH | Graham, Parady, Sharma, Lamiche, Kehl (no rope), Jorgeson (no rope), Robinson, Woods, Wilder, Megos, Maschelien (no rope) |
| Wood Grain Grippin’ | V14 | Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, AR | Graham, Woods, Robinson, Voges |
| The Beach | V14 | Moe’s Valley, UT | Woods, Graham, Whiteside (V13) |
| Chinese Arithmetic | V13/14? | Lilly Boulders, TN | Litz, Woods |
| Big Worm | V14 | Mt. Evans, CO | Graham, Schulte, Robinson, Woods, Voges, Draughn, Nakajima, Wetmore, McNeil, Kuckovich, Betterton |
| Lost In The Hood | V14 | Cowell, AR | Graham, Robinson, Voges, Hukkataival, Dory, Woods (V13), Webb (V13) |
| Evil Backwards | V14 | Mt. Evans, CO | Woods, Graham, Cardwell, Emerson, Hukkataival, Webb (V13), Voges (V13), Weaver (V13), Antheunisse (V13), Lerner (V13), Robinson (V13) |
| Let The Right One In | V14 | Mt. Evans, CO | Woods, Graham, Hong, Webb |
| Warrior Up | V15 | Mt. Evans, CO | Woods, Graham, Webb (V14), Hong (V14), Robinson, O’Rourke |
| We Can Build You | V14 | Mt. Evans, CO | Graham, Woods, Webb, Voges, Nakajima, Robinson |
| Resolve | V14 | Gunks, NY | Diamond, Bosley |
| Direct North | V14 | Buttermilks – Bishop, CA | Diamond, Glairon-Mondet, Beall, Traversi, Zolotukhin, G. Traversi, Megos, McRae, Amma |
| Crook By The Book | V14 | Hueco Tanks , TX | Woods, Graham, Webb |
| The Game | V15 | Boulder Canyon, CO | Woods, Traversi, Cardwell |
| Warpath | V14 | City of Rocks, ID | Litz, Woods, Fultz, Robinson, Webb |
| Vanilla Sky | V14 | Mt. Evans, CO | Graham, Webb (V13), Voges (V13) |
| Memory Is Parallax | V14 | Estes Park, CO | Graham, Woods, Hong, Traversi, Robinson, Lerner |
| Desperanza | V15 | Hueco Tanks, TX | Woods, Webb Parsons, Davis |
| Mirror Reality | V14 | RMNP, CO | Woods, Webb, Robinson, O’Rourke, Landman |
| Paint It Black | V15 | RMNP, CO | Woods, Robinson, Graham, Dory |
| White Noise | V15 | RMNP, CO | Woods, Hong (V14), Graham, Robinson |
| Mind To Motion | V14 | Nicky’s Boulders, CO | Woods, Hong, Graham, Dory |
| The Grey | V14 | Wild Basin – RMNP, CO | Graham, Hong, Woods, Traversi (V12), Robinson |
| Blood of a Young Wolf | V14 | Hueco Tanks, TX | Graham, Davis, Hukkataival, Robinson, Webb |
| Aggravated Assault | V14 | Griffin Falls, AL | Woods, Webb, Robinson |
| Meadowlark Lemon | V14 | Red Rock, NV | Robinson, Graham, Traversi, Takeuchi, Woods (V14), Webb (V14), Hukkataival (V14), Ceria, Whiteside, McColl, Schubert, Caballero, Feehally, Glairon-Mondet |
| Loved By Few, Hated By Many (Low) | V14 | Horseshoe Canyon Ranch, AR | Webb, Woods, Robinson |
| Neon Desert | V14 | Hueco Tanks, TX | Graham, Davis, Webb, Robinson |
| Bridge Of Ashes | V15 | Elkland, CO | Graham, Woods, Webb (V14) |
| The Insurgency | V14 | Joe’s Valley, UT | Litz, Robinson |
| The Ice Knife | V15 | Guanella Pass, CO | Graham, Woods, Robinson, Webb (V14), Nakajima |
| The Wheel Of Chaos | V14 | RMNP, CO | Woods, Hukkataival, Hong, Graham, Robinson, D’Anastasio, Cardwell, Verhoeven, Puccio, Landman |
| The 1%er | V14 | Mt. Evans, CO | Schulte, Webb (V13) |
| The Wheel Of Wolvo | V15 | Mt. Evans, CO | Webb, Woods, Graham |
| Delirium | V15 | Mt. Evans, CO | Webb, Woods |
| The Right | V14 | Boulder Canyon, CO | Schulte, Woods (V13) |
| The Penrose Step | V14 | Leavenworth, WA | Traversi, Webb |
| The Purge | V14 | Elkland, CO | Woods, Robinson, Graham |
| Force Of Nature | V14 | Moe’s Valley, UT | Caldiero, Fultz (V13), Whiteside (V13), McRae |
| The Reckoning | V14 | Squamish, BC | T Doyle, McRae, Webb |
| Lucid Dreaming | V15 | Buttermilks, CA | Robinson, Woods, Megos |
| Spirit Walker | V14 | 27th St. Boulders, Ogden, UT | Chertudi, Whiteside (V13) |
| The Nest | V15 | Red Rock, NV | Woods, Webb, Robinson, Hukkataival |
| Too Many Martinis | V14 | Hueco Tanks, TX | Sharma, Litz, McColl |
| Trieste | V14 | Red Rock, NV | Robinson, Woods |
| The Phoenix | V14 | RMNP, CO | O’Rourke (V13), Woods, Webb (V13), Graham, Traversi, Robinson |
| Strangers from Within | V14 | Secret Garden, CO | Robinson, Graham |
| Bossin’ Up | V14 | Secret Garden, CO | Robinson, Graham, Woods |
| Irreversible | V14 | RMNP, CO | Woods, Graham |
| Defying Gravity | V15 | South Platte, CO | Woods, Webb |
| Komodo | V14 | Neverland, WY | Webb, Graham, Woods, Robinson |
| Bling | V13/14 | Little Cottonwood Canyon, UT | Caldiero, Fultz |
Any other problems for either list?? Additions/Corrections?? Leave a comment below.
Graham did Loved by few hated by many, not sure at what point in time but he has certainly done it. The footage is in one of the dosage videos…
That version was from a higher start which is “only” V13 hence not eligible for this list
The Reckoning
(V14) *** This incredible problem climbs the overhanging face left of
Chicken Lips and
Assholes
. It follows the line labelled “super project” in the guidebook and starts seated with opposing
sidepulls. This is one of Squamish’s hardest lines and is unrepeated. The grade needs confirmation. Stand
up start is V10. (FA: Tim Doyle, 2010)
Brian Boyko sent Mandala SDS just before the break in February or March 2012
Dave Wetmore did Big Worm this past fall
John Glassberg sent The Right and suggested v13
Dave Graham and Jon Glassberg both did The Right via Freedom–a different start and actually a different method for the finish as well. Also looks like an incredible line. Chris’ version of The Right starts at the farthest left side of the boulder and climbs to the right prow and up. The Right via Freedom starts in the middle of the boulder and cuts out to the prow, then right. The original lines on the boulder, The Amendment and Freedom, have the same finish but these different starts and have different grades.
Joel Zerr did The Mandala Sit (V13 beta?) this March – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLYuNRQruCg&feature=youtu.be
Carlo just threw the downgrade gauntlet on The Grey.
nalle repeated wheel of chaos
Already noted
Dave Wetmore did Big Worm as well: https://vimeo.com/54675825
Didn’t see he was on the list already. My bad, everyone.
Nalle and Dave repeated wheel of chaos
Does that not show in the list for you? I added those names last week but this isn’t the first time someone has mentioned not seeing a name I already added.
It’s on here twice, once as unrepeated and once with the repeats
Ahh, I see now. I’ll fix that, thanks.
According to 8a, Christophe Maschelein sent the fly, ropeless, in 2007.
Somebody had mentioned him previously but then dismissed him as not being a real person. I’m not sure why, so until otherwise proven I’ll add his ascent to the list.
I don’t think Maschelein should be on the list. Some people have claimed that he is fake and if you google that name you get 7 results. Seems suspicious to me. If he’s allowed on the list you should also put him as a repeater of Chinese Arithmetic (V13) which he apparently sent after 1 hour for its 2nd ascent.
I didn’t read all comments so I hope no one has pointed this out yet.
It is said that both Zazen and North Ridge (Squamish) had a hold break after the first ascent. They were thought to be V13 before the break and no one has done them since. This doesn’t mean they are V14 at all – they might not even be possible. The guidebook author put V14 as a wild guess to the new difficulty. I just thought this was pretty different from a problem that was climbed and never done again in the same state.
The Singularity and The Reckoning are the only V14’s in Squamish that have been climbed (only once each) in their current state.
I heard d woods threw down and eventually sent a hard climb called the thunder project. He was working it with jimmy web who didnt flash it so it must be hard as hell. I havent heard anything about the grade however.
Looks like P. Robinson sent the Purge according to 8a.
Ice Knife SDS for the unrepeated list?
Update on the thunder project. Daniel called it defying gravity and gave it v15
Landman did Wood Grain Grippin in one of the Dosage movies no?
Think Ty put up another 8b+ at Bradley as well that is unnamed?
Elan Jonas Mcrae has done his first 8B+, The Reckoning Sit in Squamish. “So psyched to finally send this thing, singularity is next! 2nd ascent?” The 18 year old did his first 8B in 2011 and his first 8c route in 2010.
sourced from 8a.nu
Griffin Whiteside did The Beach and Force of Nature grading both V13.
The Nest (V15) Still needs to be added http://climbingnarc.com/2013/12/the-nest-v15-red-rock-daniel-woods-jimmy-webb/
Good call!
House of doom?
V13?
Webb did Litz’s Warpath I believe as well…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VCXhkUbIRE
hypnotized minds? Or am I blind?
yep. I’m fuggin’ blind…
a lifetime of projects
no additives sit and insurgency sit are both V14s in joes right????
Kevin Cuckovich did Big Worm too.
Thomas Betterton has also climbed big worm
Resolve in the Gunks just got repeated this weekend by Bryce Viola
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wdDCWHcmHPY
two many martinis Sharma. Litz
Tim Doyle did the FA of The Reckoning in Squamish BC…
Might be worth noting the problems that have broken and may now be impossible at the original grade (obv. a great deal of conjecture in that statement). Eg. Zazen and witness the fitness.
Will Anglin did Evil Backwards he is strong and deserving of a place on this list. Also is was there ever a verdict on “the machinist” minute 1:15 in the “76 points in hueco” vid?
I haven’t been updating that problem for a while now since it is not V14 any longer. Will is a beast though!
It is definitely not V14 anymore. And Nalle is a beast. Comparatively, I am a tiny kitten with weak little paws…maybe one day!
What about D-Woods Defying Gravity v15 in Colorado. From the film the Huntsmen.
It’s on the list!
Not anymore =D lol
House of Doom v14 in Hueco and is there a verdict on the Machinist v14 in Hueco Shown in Daniel Woods’ Rock Rodeo Videos 2014 and 2012 respectively.
Both originally proposed to be V13 and still graded V13 by 100% of ascentionists.
Top Sirloin V14, Hueco Tanks, FA: Sean McColl
http://sendage.com/climb/top-sirloin-east-spur-hueco-tanks-tx-usa
Webb also did The Reckoning
Love this. Thanks, Brian. What about ‘Misdirection’ V14 on the Grandma Peabody? FA The Real Deal Dan Beall. Unrepeated. Maybe a candidate for Hard Unrepeated Boulders?
Also I put up this v3 in Burst Rock that still goes unrepeated. Possibly a candidate too?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
It’s hidden in the middle of the list, but it’s there. Your v3 is still being reviewed by the Hard Boulder Board of Directors!
“Nuclear War – V14 – Matt Bosley – Harriman State Park, NYdi” What does the “di” Stand for?
I think that was just a typo on my part
What about Kehl’s Seventh Circle? I don’t think that’s been repeated?
Not enough information to really gauge how hard it might be is there?
True. Its an *incredible* line (was looking at it last week hence the out-of-the-blue comment). I am very surprised it hasn’t attracted more interested from the near-constant flow of world class climbers who hit up hueco every season. An atypical kehl problem – it has one of the best landings in hueco and not even that tall!
It was listed as V14 on the Rock Rodeo problem list for 2014. See 1:15 here: https://vimeo.com/87524788
Are we including Squamish problems in this list because of their proximity to the U.S.? Because if so we should also include all of the Peñoles sends too.
What about L’ Étoile du Nord? Jim wont grade it but there is little doubt it is at least V14 and there is legitmate speculation that it could be harder. Nonetheless, it is one of the purest and beautiful lines I have ever seen.
Just curious… Is there a reason you’re not adding L’ Étoile du Nord?
Mostly just that I keep forgetting. I’ll add it today.
Awesome. Now get some of those Colorado folks to come out and see how hard it is. Not sure if you ever made it up to Sawmill during your time in the Midwest but you should come too. It is the land of the only grade that matters (v7).
I’ve never been, but I’ve always wanted to. I moved back to WI so maybe the time is right?
Megos did Lucid Dreaming
Elan Jonas Mcrae has climbed The Swarm, Direct North, and Force of Nature (calling it “hard 13 or easy 14”) as well as The Reckoning. All are on sendage.com
Thanks!
Notcied J Webb’s name isn’t on the list for a repeat on ‘The Reckoning’…
It is now, thanks!