UKC

Megos adds Australia's Hardest Boulder Route

© Dorothea Karalus

Alexander Megos on Sultans of swing, 8B, Grampians, Australia  © Dorothea Karalus
Alexander Megos on Sultans of swing, 8B, Grampians, Australia
© Dorothea Karalus

During his time down under, Alexander Megos didn't "only" repeat The wheel of life, make the first ascent of the hardest route in the country, R.E.D, 9a, and repeat just about all the hard problems and routes in the Grampians. He also made a few new link-ups of his own in the Hollow Mountain Cave.

One of these link-ups could very well be the hardest boulder problem there, if it were a boulder problem that is. Or is it?

Talking to Vertical Life mag, Alex explains:

'Wheelchair' (9a+/36) starts as for the WOL [Wheel of life], but halfway through 'Sleepy Hollow' traverses into 'Stimulation' and climbs the whole of 'Stimulation' (with the exception of the first move) till its end, which is also the finish of 'Silverchair' – hence 'Wheelchair'.

Of the grade Alex says: It's hard to give it a grade. I think it's not possible to give it a boulder grade, although it's more a boulder than 'The Wheel of Life' because it has no rest. Everyone calls 'The Wheel...' 9a and I think 'Wheelchair' is harder than 'The Wheel...', I would call it 9a+. But it would be nice to see someone repeating it to give his opinion on the grade.

Alexander also made a second link-up, Stimulating Cartwheel, which he thinks is about equally difficult as The wheel..., plus a new 8B, Sultans of swing.

Full story on Vertical Life mag

Alexander Megos is sponsored by: Tenaya, Patagonia and DMM


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26 Aug, 2013
well done Alex.
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