UKC

Trotter Climbs the World’s Hardest Crack

© Topher Donahue / Alpinecreative
The Canadian Sonnie Trotter has climbed the hardest crack line in the world, Squamish's (Canada) Cobra Crack giving it a grade of 5.14 b/c (Fr 8c/8c+). Cobra Crack is a flawless and steep finger crack, 30m in length, that has seen attempts from top climbers including a valient effort by Swiss crack master Didier Berthod. Trotter had been attempting the crack for the last 3 years. He placed all the gear on the lead during his successful attempt.

The climb was reported at the website of the Canadian climbing magazine Gripped, where Trotter had this to say, "“The rating seems to be falling in around the 5.14b/c mark. For some, the climb may feel like 5.14a/b, for others the climb may feel like 5.14c/d and on some rare occassions it could very well be impossible. So, for now, it's certainly the hardest pure crack climb in the world. Cobra is 30 m long, with the crux pulling over the lip around the 2/3 mark. It involves huge dynamic throws between one and two finger locks, pain is ever present and the mental crux is overlooking the pain move after move. The redpoint crux comes over the lip on a slippery side pull, the feet are next to nothing and it takes momentum and a huge throw to latch the final edge, at which point you're about 15-20 feet about your last piece of gear; it's really exciting."

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29 Jun, 2006
More about Trotter here: http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/product/patagonia.go?assetid=1882 Original news source here at Gripped magazine: http://www.gripped.com/index.html
29 Jun, 2006
By the way, I am easily influenced by endorsements from my climbing heroes and I need a present for the wife .. can you tell me what Katie Brown's favourite Patagonia item is, please?
29 Jun, 2006
I notice that you have accidentally deleted my post linking to the thread that has already been running on this news item for the last 24 hours ... http://www.ukc2.com/forums/t.php?n=189122
29 Jun, 2006
That's absolutely hilarious. Come on Mick, tell me you didn't get piqued and pull the other thread - there was no need to! J
29 Jun, 2006
Morning girls. We've posted it as a news item, as some who read UKC don't read the forums. Usually when we post a News item we link it in the forums. So you can both untwist your knickers. Mick
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