Dreamtime
Dreamtime boulder showing two routes; the Dreamtime (V15) route is the diagonal light green line, and Somnolence (V13) is the blue line
Map showing the location of Dreamtime
Map showing the location of Dreamtime
LocationTicino, Switzerland
Coordinates46°17′00″N 9°00′34″E / 46.283211°N 9.009392°E / 46.283211; 9.009392
Climbing AreaCresciano
Route TypeBouldering
Vertical Gain10 metres (33 ft) (length)[1]
Grade8B+ (V14) (pre hold-break); 8C (V15) (post hold-break)
First ascentFred Nicole, 28 October 2000.

Dreamtime is a 10-metre (33 ft) long gneiss bouldering route in a forest in Cresciano, Switzerland. When first solved in October 2000 by Swiss bouldering pioneer Fred Nicole, it was graded at 8C (V15), making it the world's first-ever boulder route at that grade. With subsequent repeat ascents, it was regraded to 8B+ (V14), but after the breaking of a key hold in 2009, its grade is now considered closer to 8C (V15). Dreamtime is the most notable bouldering route in climbing history along with Midnight Lightning, and is renowned for both its beauty and its challenge.

History

In early 2000, Swiss bouldering pioneer Fred Nicole began projecting Dreamtime, envisaging a 10-metre (33 ft) long right-to-left diagonal route from a sit-start that took about 21 movements.[2][3][4] After traveling to Australia and then to South Africa, Nicole returned to the route in the autumn and solved it on 28 October 2000.[2][3] Nicole felt it was the hardest route he had ever done and proposed a grade of V15 (8C),[2] which was the first-ever boulder route at that grade.[3] Nicole recounted: "We had been in Australia over the summer, so I felt that this name was a good fit. For the Aborigines, 'dreamtime' means a kind of half-dreaming trance, somewhere between dream and reality, or a dream that becomes reality. When I saw the line for the first time, I thought: Wow! Is that even possible? And then it finally happened. Dreamtime was a very special time for me, a highlight in my climbing life".[3]

In 2001, Austrian climber Bernd Zangerl made the first repeat and agreed with the V15 (8C) grading. In 2002, American climber Dave Graham made the third ascent but used a heel hook that he felt softened the grade to V14 (8B+). The following year, American climber Chris Sharma made the fourth ascent, and using Graham's new beta agreed with Graham's grading. There was concern that holds were "overcleaned" (or even chipped) since Zangerl's ascent,[5] which might have contributed to the softening of the grade.[6][7] In 2003, the situation was further complicated when Christian Core made the fifth ascent and said it was the hardest boulder he had ever climbed, supporting a V15 grade. Over the next 5 years, Dreamtime became one of the most desirable boulder routes for leading climbers and repeats by Dai Koyamada, Nalle Hukkataival, Daniel Woods, Kilian Fischhuber and Adam Ondra (who was only 15 and solved it in 4 hours), led to a consensus grade of V14 (8B+).[6][7]

In November 2009, Italian climber Michele Caminati discovered that the crux pinch hold had broken off, thus changing the route.[6] In December 2009, Nalle Hukkataival repeated the damaged route and logged on the climbing database, 8a.nu, that the "standing start" version was now 8B (V13), and that Nicole's "sit start" version was "a real 8C now".[8] After repeating the route a few days later, Ondra felt it was a "hard 8B+", but not 8C.[9] With further repeats, the consensus is that the grade is now closer to 8C, with Jan Hojer saying in 2013, "Much harder than any 8B+ (V14) I have ever tried".[10]

The Story of Two Worlds

In June 2005, Dave Graham created The Story of Two Worlds on the other side of the Dreamtime boulder, proposing a grade of 8C (V15).[11] After the heated debates on Dreamtime, Graham wanted to create a route that would be the "new standard for 8C".[11][12] The 21-move route is a sit-start that links up with Toni Lamprecht's The Dagger V14 (8B+). In 2010, Dai Koyamada made the first repeat but confusion over the start position led Dai to return in 2012 and make another repeat but from a much lower position than Graham, creating The Story of Two Worlds Low Start, and at V16 (8C+).[13]

With subsequent repeats by Paul Robinson, Jernej Kruder, and others, there was a consensus that the grade was at 8C (V15).[14] The Story of Two Worlds became the first boulder to have a "consensus" grade of 8C (V15),[11] although the actual first-ever at the grade is now regarded as Nicole's Monkey Wedding and Black Eagle SDS,[15] both solved in 2002 on a trip to Rocklands, South Africa.[7]

Ironically, even The Story of Two Worlds became subject to downgrade speculation, particularly with the development of kneepads that can be used for extended knee bar rests; Graham himself told Climbing in 2017 that the route "might be V14 now".[12] Further repeats by some leading climbers such as Alex Megos have upheld the grade of 8C (V15), with Megos saying after his ascent of TSOTW in 2020, "I'd say 8C is about right".[16]

Variations

In February 2023, German climber Yannick Flohé create a direct finish that starts with Dreamtime, but at the crux goes right and directly up the boulder following the line of Jimmy Webb's Somnolence V13 (8B). He named this variation Return of the Dreamtime, and proposed a grade of V16 (8C+).[17][18]

Legacy

In a 2009 article on Dreamtime, PlanetMountain said: "So beautiful and important, the Dreamtime immediately did as its name suggests, it made everyone dream and, in doing so, it became a reference point for cutting-edge problems, one of the most famous boulders in the world, second perhaps only to Midnight Lightning, freed by Ron Kauk in 1978 at Camp Four in Yosemite.[3] Others have also labeled Dreamtime as being the world's most famous boulder route,[19] often along with Midnight Lightning, and credited it for promoting the development of the sport.[5]

In 2015, Climbing, listed Dreamtime and The Story of Two Worlds, in their "Climb of the Century" for the bouldering category, saying: "In 2000, Fred Nicole gave the world its first 8C (V15) boulder with Dreamtime—arguably the first internationally famous boulder problem since Midnight Lightning. The Story of Two Worlds (Dave Graham, 2005), on the same boulder, became the new standard for V15 after Dreamtime was broken and downgraded."[20]

In a later 2017 piece, PlanetMountain said: "But the one that more than any other captured the imagination of climbers at the beginning of the new millennium was most certainly Dreamtime..".[3] Repeating Dreamtime became a rite-of-passage for every major boulder climber.[3][5] In 2017, Outside listed the ascent of Dreamtime in its "12 Great Moments in Bouldering History".[7] In 2020, when leading German climber Alex Megos repeated Dreamtime, he wrote on his Instagram page: "This one has definitely been on the bucket list! DREAMTIME. Possibly the most famous boulder problem in the world!".[1]

Ascents

Dreamtime has been ascended by (and their proposed grade):[21]

Pre-hold break

Post-hold break

Broken hold of Dreamtime

Other notable post-break:

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Pardy, Aaron (30 December 2020). "Watch Alex Megos Send Dreamtime V15 and Two Worlds V15". Gripped Magazine. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Fioravanti, Roberto (24 November 2000). "Fred Nicole sends Dreamtime 8c at Cresciano, Switzerland". PlanetMountain. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Dreamtime at Cresciano, the boulder problem by Fred Nicole between dream and reality". PlanetMountain. 6 July 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  4. 1 2 Pardy, Aaron (8 July 2017). "Fred Nicole Talks Dreamtime, First V15 Ever". Gripped Magazine. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 Climbing Desk (2020). "The Classics - Dreamtime in Cresciano: The biggest bang since Midnight Lightning: Fred Nicole's Dreamtime in Cresciano was not only the first 8C, but the initial spark for the bouldering boom in Ticino and worldwide". Klettermagazin. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 "Dreamtime, a dream which vanished for a second only". PlanetMountain. 16 November 2009. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Cote, Matt (28 September 2017). "12 Great Moments in Bouldering History". Outside. Retrieved 1 July 2022.
  8. 1 2 Larssen, Jens (12 December 2009). "Dreamtime standing, 8B etc by Nalle Hukkataival". 8a.nu. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  9. 1 2 3 Pohl, Bjorn (24 March 2010). "Dreamtime 8C again after all?". UKClimbing. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  10. 1 2 "Hojer Sends Dreamtime (V15)". Rock & Ice. 2010. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  11. 1 2 3 McDonald, Dougald (24 January 2005). "Graham's hardest yet". Climbing. Retrieved 12 August 2023. Throwing down the gauntlet, Graham added, "I think this is the hardest bloc (boulder) yet, and I think it can change the malprogression we can see when we are seeing millions of 8b+ and 8c blocs climbed everywhere. Now it's just about comparison."
  12. 1 2 Lucas, James (9 February 2017). "Inflating Grades and Egos: A Climbing Difficulty Discussion". Climbing. Retrieved 12 August 2023. Dave Graham suggested that The Story of Two Worlds, a problem he put up in Cresciano, be the benchmark for V15
  13. ↑ "Dai Koyamada and The Story of Two Worlds at Cresciano". PlanetMountain. 25 June 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  14. ↑ Fox, Amanda (26 March 2023). "Traversi Climbs The Story of Two Worlds (V15)". Climbing. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  15. ↑ Oviglia, Maurizio (23 December 2012). "The evolution of free climbing". PlanetMountain.com. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  16. ↑ "Alex Megos Sends Story of Two Worlds V15: And talks about the ethics behind using knee pads on hard climbs". Gripped Magazine. 26 December 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  17. ↑ Pardy, Aaron (23 February 2023). "Famous Boulder Problem Gets New V16 Exit: 23 years after Dreamtime was climbed, a new direct exit was added". Gripped Magazine. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  18. ↑ "Yannick Flohé powers up Return of the Dreamtime, new 8C+ at Cresciano". PlanetMountain. 2 February 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  19. 1 2 "Alexander Megos climbs the Ticino classic Dreamtime and The Story of two Worlds". LACrux. 28 December 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2023. It was on his to-do list for a long time, probably the most famous boulder in the world: Dreamtime in Cresciano.
  20. ↑ McDonald, Dougald (2 February 2015). "Climb of the Century? 7 Groundbreaking Ascents (Besides the Dawn Wall)". Climbing. Retrieved 12 August 2023. In 2000, Fred Nicole gave the world its first 8c (V15) boulder with Dreamtime—arguably the first internationally famous boulder problem since Midnight Lightning. The Story of Two Worlds (Dave Graham, 2005), on the same boulder, became the new standard for V15 after Dreamtime was broken and downgraded. And, yes, we're aware that 2000 actually was the final year of the 20th century
  21. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 "Broken grip in "Dreamtime"" [de]. Klettermagazin (in German). 14 November 2019. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  22. ↑ Kammerlander, Beat (15 June 2001). "Bernd Zangerl and Dreamtime at Cresciano". PlanetMountain. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  23. ↑ "Dave Graham repeats Dreamtime" [es]. Desnivel (in Spanish). 31 January 2002. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  24. ↑ "Chris Sharma repeats Dreamtime" [es]. Desnivel (in Spanish). 6 November 2002. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  25. ↑ Stefanello, Vinicio (14 March 2003). "Christian Core and Dreamtime at Cresciano". PlanetMountain. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  26. ↑ "Malcolm Smith repeats Dreamtime..." [es]. Desnivel (in Spanish). 11 February 2004. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  27. ↑ "Ben Moon, Tyler Landman and Andy Earl bouldering hard". PlanetMountain. 12 December 2006. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  28. 1 2 "Dreamtime repeats by Kilian Fischhuber and Jon Cardwell". PlanetMountain. 5 January 2008. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  29. ↑ Geldhard, Jack (25 March 2008). "Ondra - Dreamtime V14 - Aged 15 - With Video". UKClimbing. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  30. ↑ Pohl, Bjorn (25 November 2010). "Dreamtime for Robinson". UKClimbing. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  31. ↑ "Fabian Buhl repeats 'Dreamtime' and Daniel Woods 'The bridge of ashes', both 8C" [es]. Desnivel (in Spanish). 20 March 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  32. ↑ "Giuliano Cameroni repeats Dreamtime at Cresiano". PlanetMountain. 8 January 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  33. ↑ "Jimmy Webb Sends Dreamtime V15 in Switzerland". Gripped Magazine. 12 February 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  34. ↑ "Jimmy Webb boulders Fred Nicole classic Dreamtime". LACrux. 15 February 2018.
  35. ↑ Larssen, Jens (February 2018). "Dreamtime 8B+ (C) by Jakob Schubert". 8a.nu. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  36. ↑ "Jernej Kruder climbs childhood dream, Dreamtime at Cresciano". PlanetMountain. 21 November 2019. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  37. 1 2 "Alex Megos at Cresciano sends Dreamtime, Story of Two Worlds, The Dagger". PlanetMountain. 30 December 2020. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  38. ↑ "Dreamtime and Dagger: More Swiss blocs for Will Bosi including Font 8B/+ flash". Climbr. 10 December 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  39. ↑ "Will Bosi flashes The Dagger and dispatches Dreamtime in a day". PlanetMountain. 8 December 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2023.

Further reading

  • Cameroni, Claudio; Grizzi, Roberto; Lodi, Renzo (December 2013). Cresciano Boulder (4th ed.). Progetto Graphico.
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