Carlo Traversi Instagram – From Dirt Grows The Flowers V15 was established by @dave_graham_ in 2005 and along with The Story of Two Worlds was declared by Dave to be “the new standard” for V15 after many of the first of that grade had been downgraded. As a young climber both of those problems along with Dreamtime were always the top of my list for hard boulders. Turns out it would be the last one for me to complete.
Grade and history aside, I have always been drawn to “From Dirt” because of its uniqueness within the hard boulders of Ticino. The crystal band that forms the lower part of the climb is distinct and powerful and is probably around V13. Once at the sloping lip you reach the real test which is a frustratingly subtle V11 mantle to gain the exit slab. I absolutely love boulders that manage to encapsulate both high end power and tech. Not many manage to do it at an equally high level.
In early 2013, shortly after finishing Story and making the first ascent of The Kingdom V14/15, I fell off the mantle of From Dirt multiple times from the start on my final day in Swiss that year. It’s lingered in my mind ever since.
Returning this year, it was my highest priority. One promising session was followed by one terrible one, and it seemed unlikely that it was going to happen. I waited for a single cold day at the end of the trip and after feeling stiff and tired in my warm up, I pulled on and perfectly executed every move to the top. It was the most weightless I’ve ever felt on the wall and one of the most pure moments I’ve had in climbing. It reminded me of how much I love pushing myself in bouldering. Prop to Dave for being way ahead of the game when he made the first ascent of this one. It still stands as a perfect test piece of hard bouldering and one of my favorite boulders that I’ve climbed.
@blackdiamond @blackdiamond_climb @theboulderfield @frictionlabs | Posted on 18/Mar/2023 22:20:03
