Connor Herson from the USA has set a new standard in trad climbing by ascending the route Drifter’s Escape in Squamish, British Columbia. The route, which he graded 5.15a (9a+ in the European classification), is claiming the title of the world's most challenging trad route. The route follows meager cracks on https://summitx.info/ru/objects/peaks/17292453/about, a 700-meter granite monolith. It is a very popular wall with numerous multi-pitches. A key moment in Drifter’s Escape is a complex dynamic move called the "chase". "I didn't grade the route for several months after the ascent," Herson said. Herson announced the grade only in spring 2026 to draw media attention ahead of a film about his ascent and other notable achievements in 2025. The four-part series Born From the Climbing Life, filmed by Erik Bissell, will air next month on Black Diamond channels. Additionally, the director's cut of the first ascent of Drifter’s Escape will be featured as part of the Mellow Film Tour, starting February 27 in Boulder, Colorado. Source: ExplorersWeb, Angela Benavides

Passport

1. High-altitude technical class
2. Alaska, Alaska Range
3. Peak McKinley (Denali) 6194 m via West Counterforce
4. Proposed category of complexity — 5B
5. Elevation gain — 4000 m, length — 26 km, average steepness of main part — 20°
6. Ice screws used — 15 pcs., anchors — 2 pcs.
7. Team's travel days — 8 (ascent), 3 (descent)
8. Overnights (total) — 15 on snow-ice platforms
9. Team captain — Yanochkin V. I. (MSMK)

Passport

1. Rock climbing category.
2. Sierra-Nevada Mountains (Yosemite National Park, California, USA).
3. El Capitan peak, South-West wall (Wyoming Sheep Ranch route).
4. Proposed difficulty category 6B.
5. Height difference — 810 m, route length — 1012 m (wall), length of sections with 5–6 difficulty category — 1012 m, of which 6 category — 906 m, average steepness of the route — 95°
6. Used means for belaying and I.T.O. (in the denominator): | Rock Climbing Hooks | Placement Elements | Bolts for I.T.O. | Sky(cam)-hooks | |:--------------------|:--------------------|:-----------------|:---------------| | 73 / 73 | 433 + 16* / 430 | 31* / 31 | 169 |

Ascent Passport

To the summit of El Capitan, made by the team "Alpindustry" (Georgia, Rustavi) at the CIS Alpine Championship

1. Ascent class: rock climbing
2. Ascent region: Yosemite National Park, Sierra Nevada mountain range, USA
3. Peak, route: El Capitan, via the south wall (route "The Nose")
4. Expected difficulty category: 6B
5. Height difference: 1200 m

• of which wall part: 1200 m
• total route length: 1400 m
• wall part length: 1400 m

PASSPORT

1. Rock climbing category.
2. Sierra Nevada Mountains (Yosemite National Park, California, USA).
3. El Capitan peak, South-West wall (Atlantic Ocean Wall route).
4. Proposed category of complexity 6B cat. sl.
5. Height difference — 720 m, route length — 1007 m (wall), length of sections 5–6 cat. sl. — 907 m, including 6 cat. sl. — 707 m, average steepness of the route — 91°.
6. Used means for insurance and I. T. O. (in the denominator): rock placements 57+7*/60,

Ascent Record

1. Category — Technical.
2. Sierra Nevada, Yosemite Valley, USA.
3. Peak — "El Capitan", "Salathe" route.
4. Proposed — 6B cat. diff. (VI 5.13.A4).
5. Elevation gain: 870 m; length: 1060 m. Length of sections: 5 cat. diff. — 180 m; 6 cat. diff. — 880 m. Average steepness: 86°.
6. Pitons used: rock, nuts, bolt. | 8* | 420 | 36* |

Russian Alpine Federation

Moscow Alpine Championship 2012

Technical Class

Report

On the ascent of the CSKA team named after A.S. Demchenko to the summit of Cerberus Gendarme 1341 m

via the south wall, Touchstone Wall route Presumably 6A category. The ascent was made by a team of two:

• N.E. Prilepskaya
• M.A. Nechaeva

Passport

1. Class: rock climbing
2. USA, California, Sierra Nevada. Yosemite area.
3. Peak: El Capitan.
4. Route: Flight of the Albatros. 6B category of difficulty.
5. Elevation gain – 950 m. Route length – 1140 m. Average wall steepness 83 °.
6. Pitons driven: Rock chocks: Bolts: Sky hooks: 64/7* 280/9* 70*

Chelyabinsk Region Alpinism Federation High-Altitude Technical Climbing Category

Report

on the ascent to the summit of McKinley, 6196 m, via West Rib approximately 5B category of difficulty

Climbing Passport

1. Competition class: Russian Championship, high-altitude technical class
2. Region — Alaska, Alaska Range;
3. Summit — McKinley 6196 m;
4. Ascent route: via West Rib;

Passport

1. Technical class
2. North America, Sierra Nevada, Yosemite National Park.
3. El Capitan summit via Reticent Wall route. Southeastern part of the wall.
4. Approximate complexity category 6B (American classification VI, 5.9, A5)
5. Route length of walled part — 1085 m.
6. Length of sections with 6th category of complexity — 1015 m.
7. Heights: Height of the beginning of the walled part (above sea level) — 2120 m. Height of the end of the walled part (above sea level) — 2189 m. Height difference of the walled part — 909 m.
8. Average steepness — 90°.