Mari Salvesen climbs 5.14 crack, Black Mamba
Mari Salvesen has made the fourth ascent, and second female ascent, of Black Mamba, 5.14b, in Canyonlands, Utah.
This week's Friday Night Video documents Mari Salvesen's first ascent of Tazlov, an 8b trad climb that she made the first ascent of in December 2022. Mari worked the route for a few years before she tried out an old shoe which unlocked the beta.
Mari had an exceptional 2022, her other stand-out ascent being a flash of Belly Full of Bad Berries, a 5.13b (8a) offwidth in Indian Creek.
Comments
This is the sort of female climbing news that I really love reading about: not a 'first female ascent' of an existing route (undoubtedly newsworthy and significant though they are) - not a story of a feminine success already cast within the structure of the male-dominated norms, but the actual cutting edge of climbing being pushed and massive, newsworthy new routes being put up - by someone who happens to be female.
Mari is an absolute beast.
She absolutely is, the film of her flash of Belly of the Bad Berries is incredible.
One of the best trad climbers in the world! And what a crux... Well done Mari! :)