Dave Graham Shares A Story of Two Worlds

When I established this boulder, it was at a time when there was not too many bloc's graded V15( 8c). There was Dreamtime, on the opposite side of the boulder, and some random Bernd problems I had never seen at that time and still never have, off in the high mountains, but in general, it’s not like there was a ton of things actually graded V15 (8c). I was actually climbing on many V14 (8b+) blocs at the time, along with a massive crew of strong people, who included Toni Lamprecth, the Tresch brothers, Markus Windisch and Markus Bock, and other visitors to Ticino.

I attempted to make a statement concerning grades when I did the first ascent of this problem, by giving it the grade of 8c, which was a rather honest effort at the time. I felt many boulders [grades] where "unconsolidated" and time would be needed for us to really get V14 (8b+) on lock, and thought that maybe jumping ahead to V16 (8c+), maybe a bit ambitious, especially considering that I wasn't even sure if the boulder I was using as a comparison for V15 (8c) was V15 (8c).

So, it was an unknown realm, and my problem I had worked on for ages seemed to be the hardest thing around in consensus, but what did that make the grade? The original break down of the boulder was V14 (8b+) directly into V14(8b+) with no rest. Which, I suppose is nearly correct if you use our current, grading standard. At the time, I thought that was a bit far-fetched, surely it must have been 8b-8b, with no rest, but as time has passed, then second half has a confirmed grade of V14 (8b+), the Dagger. The sit start into The Dagger, is rarely linked, and still looms at 8b/8b+....

Comparing this to other problems I have climbed, is interesting. I have done F.A's of three other 8c's, and they all feel to be a true step below this boulder in difficulty...Why didn’t I grade them all 8b+ then? Well, they were harder than all the 8b+'s out there I had climbed for sure, and they seemed one step above... Why did I not grade this boulder 8c+ then? Maybe all the V14’s (8b+) I was comparing these V15’s (8c) too where off. The point is, shit could be my style or I could have the wrong method. Why shoot higher?

The logic was, if I don't know better, I will rather wait and see what others say, and just view this as sort of an experiment, as typically in climbing, you are "urged" to raise the bar.

Coincidentally, people have mentioned the V16 (8c+) grade for years circling this problem. Friends who have tried it and onlookers who recollect the problem say it was "ahead of its time"...shit...I don’t know. It was an amazing experience to figure this climb out, and succeed on it in the period of time I did, and it was a special era for Ticino, truly the developing phase, so I have another place for it in my heart aside from its penultimate grade, but I think it’s an interesting example in the history if bouldering.

The newest problems being established are graded on a very different scale even. I have not been bouldering so much since I broke my ankle last spring, and am really looking forward to exploring some of the established things of recent, and continue to attempt repeats of more standard setting problems. We will see how I do, and what I think, but it may be interesting for people to remember, just because time goes on, we do not all get "better." We may get stronger, temporally, or fitter, conditionally, but improvement in comprehension and conception. . .for me this may also separate the levels of V14 (8b+), V15 (8c) and V16 (8c+). . .may be a standard of complicity, and a level of technique as well- for not judging the difficulty of the climbs we attempt based on face value or performance comparisons.

I am curious these days, to climb V16 (8c+) for myself...If this boulder I climbed years ago turns out to be that level currently, I wonder what that says about the level at the time...Did an inflation truly occur, or was it a miscomprehension...on my part? Well, If I climb V16 (8c+) this year, I feel it won't be for the "second" time, and further, I am not sure where I will find that problem, or if it has even been established yet...and as everybody interprets climbing differently, this is what keeps it all so fascinating, and defines how special a thing we are all trying to understand: climbing on rocks."