Continue with onX Maps
Sign in with Facebook
Project Big: World’s Hardest Sport Route?
|
If you haven’t seen the livestream video of Jakob Schubert on Project Big (6th attempt), avail yourself of the opportunity. It’s an incredible bit of footage. If it’s a given that Silence is the hardest previous sport climb and that Ondra initially chose to work Silence and postponed Project Big because it was too intimidating, is there a credible case to be made for a new world’s hardest climb? Does it ultimately matter? Probably not. Just idle armchair speculation. Props to Schubert, though. Project Big is no misnomer. |
|
I refuse to believe this is the world’s hardest sport climb if he got it on his sixth attempt. I am also uninspired by routes that feature crazy long no hands rests. I felt like I was watching a video on shaking out and chalking technique. |
|
I find it unlikely that Project Big is the hardest sport route in the world, based purely on the time it took Jakob to finish it. While Jakob is crazy strong, he does not have a lot of long-term projecting experience on the cutting edge and Big only took him 2 trips IIRC (granted he and Adam shared a lot of beta). Compare this to Adam's journey on Silence and his deep experience on long-term projects. I wouldn't be surprised if it got the grade of 9b+ or even 9c but from my arm chair I'd still be surprised if Adam/Seb/Stefano/Jakob called it harder than Silence. Idle speculation can be fun but comparing routes, especially ones with funky beta like Silence, is incredibly subjective and us mere mortals can only dream of having an opinion worth a damn about these routes :) Edit to clarify: Jason Kim wrote: It was his sixth attempt this trip, he had some attempts during his last trip but he and Adam got hosed by bad conditions. |
|
At the end of the video, he said he had been projecting it for 2 months. It wasn't his 6th try, but his 6th live stream attempt. I too wonder if it's actually harder than Silence. |
|
Ah that makes a lot more sense, it was surprising to me that it went after only six tries. These sorta ambiguous cave routes just don’t do it for me, I’m always drawn to those hard climbs that follow an aesthetic, natural line. Not that I can even wrap my head around the difference between a hard 14+ crack and a 15+ in Flatanger. |
Jason Kim wrote: Ondra sent Silence on his 2nd attempt. I guess that means this is harder. |
Austin Donisan wrote: Hey come on now don’t gaslight me. I heard he tried it at least three times! |
|
Anyone remember that DNA exists and Jakob couldn’t even really do links on it….? |
Jason Kim wrote: https://youtu.be/gc7AYGzlxJY?t=362 |
|
Wow. Pretty cool video. Thanks for posting. That little dramatic occurrence at the end was sweet. |
J W wrote: Sport climbing has really relied on grade chasing for it’s relevance and peak occurred long ago now, probably with Sharma. Grades are subjective and at the tippy top they exist only in the ether. Sure the muggles will always stare wide eyed at the new 5.x but populism was never an attractive look. I pity Ondra and Shubert. |
|
I just think it’s crazy that one can livestream from such a seemingly remote spot. I can’t get a cell signal at many crags in NC |
|
Nah, y’all trippin’ this clearly just proves Ondra is washed and Schubert is the GOAT. Hardest climb in the world in 6 goes? GOAT for sure, and not the Fitz kind |
Brie Abram wrote: Starlink bro |
Austin Donisan wrote:
lol yes pros are better at the redpointing process but saying Ondra sent Silence on his “second attempt” is wildly misleading. He spent over 70 hours on just the first crux. So yes, technically, even if he did send Silence on his 2nd redpoint attempt (cannot confirm if that’s true or not) that is not an accurate depiction or description of how the process of sending went for him. That would be equivalent to working the crux of a climb in isolation, for weeks, until you have it dialed and then climb it from the start and claim you flashed it. |
|
I watched all of the live stream attempts as they were posted. It was pretty cool on attempt 6 as I was truly surprised when he made it past the crux and then still did not know if he was going to make it. I liked the 'this could be it/he might never do it' dichotomy of the streaming. I certainly did not expect to see the FA when I sat down to watch that installment. |
|
The stream with Stefano commentating was crazy. Imagine watching Wolfgang Güllich climb Actione Direct with commentary from Kurt Albert. Insane that we get to see this stuff. |
Camdon Kay wrote: I wouldn’t understand a single word they were saying…. |
Go Back to Super Topo wrote: Just the idea of basing a grade on how many attempts it took is absurd, there’s too many variables. |
Not Not MP Admin wrote: Starlink is supposedly spotty at best that far north. I’m pretty interested to hear about the logistics of the stream. |
|
This was very inspirational and caused me to buy another new set of draws, some cams plus shoes. All in all it had a great effect on my climbing. Not. |
