Carlo Traversi Instagram – BD Athlete Carlo Traversi has put up the FA of The Dark Side (V16/8C ) in Yosemite, establishing what is now the hardest boulder in the valley.
“This past weekend I climbed one of my lifetime projects in Yosemite. I call it a lifetime project because when I started trying the line, it seemed so unfeasible that I imagined it taking a lifetime to finish. More importantly, it’s such an inspiring line that I accepted the fact that I’d keep trying it for the rest of my life regardless of the mounting failures.
It sits smack in the middle of Camp 4 on the left side of the Thriller boulder. It was there when Ron Kauk made the first ascent of Thriller in 1984 and when Jerry Moffatt made the first ascent of The Force in 1991. It was there in 2003 when I first saw the boulder, incapable of climbing either of those legendary lines. I couldn’t see it until 2013 on my first trip back to the Valley after a long stint away. Then it popped right out of the wall and I haven’t been able to take my eyes off it since.
Over the last 7 years I’ve put 50 sessions into making this dream into a reality. I’ve quit a few times, only to be dragged back in the following year. It’s definitely my most difficult climb and the most work I’ve put into anything in my personal climbing. It’s called “The Dark Side” and I’m suggesting V16 for the grade.” | Posted on 27/Dec/2023 21:36:04
