Toru Nakajima has made a rapid ascent of Sleepwalker (f8C+), in Black Velvet Canyon, Nevada, climbing the boulder on just his second session.

The boulder, established in 2018, was first attempted by Nalle Hukkataival, before Jimmy Webb and Daniel Woods joined him in trying the boulder. Webb went on to make the first ascent of the boulder in December - almost exactly six years ago - before Woods made the second ascent just a month later, with Hukkataival making the third ascent shortly after.

Woods then went on to make the first ascent of the low start - Return of the Sleepwalker (f9A) - in 2021, after investing more than fifty sessions into it, with Will Bosi making the second ascent earlier this year after twelve sessions in total, having spent just three on the stand.

With sixteen ascents in total, Sleepwalker is the most repeated 8C+ boulder in the world, followed by Creature from the Black Lagoon, with a total of twelve ascents, and Off the Wagon SDS (V16), which has eleven.

Of Sleepwalker's ascensionists, a number have proposed downgrades, with Zander Waller offering a personal grade of soft 8C, and Will Bosi suggesting a grade of 8C. Nakajima, it appears, agrees with this potential downgrade, reporting his ascent on social media as follows:

'Sleepwalker V16 (15?)'

'I'm in the middle of a short trip to Red Rock Canyon, Nevada. I'm very psyched by incredible rocks here. Fortunately, I sent this iconic line on my second session. My goal of this trip has been achieved, but I have some more days to spend here. Please guess the next I will try'.

Having spent more than twenty sessions on Burden of Dreams since 2019, and having climbed Sleepwalker a session quicker than Bosi, it would be no surprise if Nakajima chose to spend the rest of his trip on the low start, Return of the Sleepwalker, 9A.

If he does choose to invest more time into the low start, the support of Nate Williams - who took one of the photos that Nakajima shared on social media - will be invaluable. Whilst Williams is yet to climb Return of the Sleepwalker, he is likely the most experienced climber when it comes to the boulder's individual moves, having spent over one hundred sessions working the boulder.

Whilst there remains discussion as to the grade of the stand, Bosi stated that whilst he believes that the stand is 8C, he thinks that 'the sit start adds enough for it to remain 9A/V17', albeit one that 'comes in around the bottom end of the grade'.

In addition to making quick work of Sleepwalker, Nakajima made his hardest first ascent to date - Regret, 8C+ - earlier this year. You can read about his ascent of the three-move V16 below: