Trotter Climbs the World?s Hardest Crack

by Mick Ryan The Canadian Sonnie Trotter has climbed the hardest crack line in the world, Squamish?s (Canada) Cobra Crack giving it a grade of 5.14 b/c (Fr 8c/8c+). Cobra Crack is a flawless and steep finger crack, 30m in length, that has seen attempts from top climbers including a valient effort by Swiss crack master Didier Berthod. Trotter had been attempting the crack for the last 3 years. He placed all the gear on the lead during his successful attempt. The climb was reported at the website of the Canadian climbing magazine Gripped, where Trotter had this to say, “?The rating seems to be falling in around the 5.14b/c mark. For some, the climb may feel like 5.14a/b, for others the climb may feel like 5.14c/d and on some rare occassions it could very well be impossible.So, for now, it´s certainly the hardest pure crack climb in the world. Cobra is 30 m long, with the crux pulling over the lip around the 2/3 mark. It involves huge dynamic throws between one and two finger locks, pain is ever present and the mental crux is overlooking the pain move after move.The redpoint crux comes over the lip on a slippery side pull, the feet are next to nothing and it takes momentum and a huge throw to latch the final edge, at which point you´re about 15-20 feet about your last piece of gear; it´s really exciting.”

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