New 9A boulder for Charles Albert

According to grimper.com, the boulder is ten metres long and follows a crack through the roof of a cave on Mont Salève.

In 2019, Albert established Voyageur Face à la Mer de Nuage (Traveler Facing the Sea of Clouds), an 8B boulder which accounts for the final third of the roof crack. In late October this year, Albert was able to link the full ten metre line together for the first ascent, climbing the boulder in his preferred style - barefoot and without kneebars.

 

The report further suggests that Albert in fact regards the boulder as closer to 9A+ when climbed in his preferred style, but decided that because shoes and kneebars would undeniably make the route easier, he would grade the boulder 9A.

'Experienced in grading', grimper reported, 'he considers it unthinkable, even while scraping heel hooks and jamm[ing] knees, that this long ceiling is of comparable difficulty to the 8C+ that he knows'.

Source: https://www.ukclimbing.com/