The Mammut Reclimbing the classics - series has now come to a route that doesn't need much introduction: Ben Moon's Hubble, ~8c+, at Raven Tor.

Sean McColl had four days between the Innsbruck and Hamilton bouldering World Cups to try the route.

Hubble was first climbed by Ben Moon way back in June 1990 and has only seen a handful of ascents, all by British climbers, since. Some say it should be regarded the first 9a in the world.

I had a quick chat with Sean when he was trying it:

Hey, so Hubble is difficult? I guess there's a reason Ondra and Megos couldn't do it...
It's true...

Doesn't mean you can't though...
I've done all the moves, hardest for me is putting in a funny knee bar.

Yeah? Do you use a knee bar on the crux then?
Yeah I'm trying to...

Guess more or less the whole route is the crux as it's so short though...
That as well.

How much time do you have to do it? I mean Toronto is pretty soon.
Four days total, this was my second and I'll rest tomorrow, so one last day Friday, then leaving.
So not very long.

Let's hope for crisp conditions and a little bit of luck then!
Would be amazing if you could do it "on demand" so to speak.
Yeah i know...and also so I can kind of "Make fun" of Adam and Alex ;)

Hahaha, that would be a bonus for sure...
Well, good luck with that!
Thanks :)

In the end, four days wasn't enough for Sean, even if he was close. The conditions, pretty wet, weren't ideal either.