V18 predictions

V17 has been around for 5 years already, borinnggggg

OK nerds, who’s going to do the next step? How soon? Where?

Will it be a big enduro line? Heinous sit start to an existing prob? Already done but unconfirmed in Japan?

No wrong answers. Post your predictions and when the time comes we’ll roast each other on just how off we all were!

If anyone gets reasonably close, Black Totem on da house!

Prediction: it will be a long, steep enduro boulder in Switzerland originally discovered by Dave Graham in the mid-2000s. It'll be at least 5 years - I think V17 will need to consolidate before anyone feels bold enough to propose V18.

Antarctica: sub-zero friction slab. 

JCMwrote:

Prediction: it will be a long, steep enduro boulder in Switzerland originally discovered by Dave Graham in the mid-2000s. It'll be at least 5 years - I think V17 will need to consolidate before anyone feels bold enough to propose V18.

Adding onto this it’ll definitely be a sit start to an existing V16/17 line. I feel like that’s a pretty good way to establish a more difficult grade is just by adding an extension. 

Here's the mega proj: start from the top of Wet Dream v12, downclimb it, then traverse left into Return of the Sleepwalker v17. v20 for sure bruh

Chronically Injuredwrote:

Adding onto this it’ll definitely be a sit start to an existing V16/17 line. I feel like that’s a pretty good way to establish a more difficult grade is just by adding an extension. 

Agree. Or an alternate exit (such as the right exit to Alphane).

Hot Take:

Burden of dreams is probably v18. It only took daniel a couple months on ROTSW and he was able to completely dial half the problem, while it took Nalle almost 4 years (granted the season in Finland is short, but he claims he was training specifically for the boulder even in the off seasons.) It took him almost 2 years just to stick the moves in isolation.

Only time will tell. Maybe Aydin will do it soon and prove me wrong, but i think every single move is probably harder than any single move on both Alphane or ROTSW. But im climbing 10 grades below them so  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ what do i know. I could see Drew putting down a v17 in the next 2 years, his resume of 15 and 16 FAs is constantly growing, wouldn’t be surprised if  he had something in the works. I can’t wait to see what kids like Bayes Wilder, Gianluca, and Théo Blass can do in 5-10 years. Strong kids with good mental will take the game to another level.

B Swrote:

I could see Drew putting down a v17 in the next 2 years, his resume of 15 and 16 FAs is constantly growing, wouldn’t be surprised if  he had something in the works. 

According to recent Nugget interview, last winter he put in 70 (!) sessions on Megatron, the unannounced V17 in Eldo. His high point was falling off the V8 outro. Seems likely he'll send this winter.

https://www.mountainproject.com/forum/103989409/bouldering

B Swrote:

Hot Take:

Burden of dreams is probably v18. It only took daniel a couple months on ROTSW and he was able to completely dial half the problem, while it took Nalle almost 4 years (granted the season in Finland is short, but he claims he was training specifically for the boulder even in the off seasons.) It took him almost 2 years just to stick the moves in isolation.

ROTSW was an extension of an existing boulder problem, so you’d have to also include the time it took him to send SW as well. Which still was only a few months, but needs to be included imo. It’s also not like Nalle was trying Burden every day for 4 years like DWoods was doing for most the time trying ROTSW so I don’t think time is a fair comparison. I’d be curious to know the amount of days/attempts each climber put into each climb though.

DWoods has mentioned numerous times the level of difficulty Burden is so it’s conceivable that it could be even more next level than other V17’s, but considering it’s the same amount of moves as ROTSW (roughly 6 including two matches) I would be a little shocked if every move was harder than any move of other V17’s. Time may tell. Someone strong enough has gotta get stoked on it though and I don’t see that happening. Has anyone notable spend much time on Burden within the last few years?

My guess is a V18 will be done in the next 5-7 years as an extension of an existing granitic climb in either France, Switzerland, or USA (California or Colorado) with Italy being my dark horse. I can see Sean, Drew, Ondra, Aiden, and Giuliano being top candidates.

There's a line to the left of Megatron that is supposed to be V18+, and that thing is basically roadside, and close to where most of the strongest boulderers in the world reside... so that's my guess. I'll put one doll hair on it.

My prediction - Dark Horse Martin Keller representing for the old guys has a secret 20 year project, only sendable with 3+ industrial sized fans blowing full capacity at 4am in some dark cave in Swizzy after soaking his hands in HGH and wearing three different shoes (mid-climb shoe switch....tearaways - one under the other).  Proposed grade = V18.  Feel free to send over that Totem now :)

T Dwrote:

There's a line to the left of Megatron that is supposed to be V18+, and that thing is basically roadside, and close to where most of the strongest boulderers in the world reside... so that's my guess. I'll put one doll hair on it.

Is anyone actively trying it?

There are bound to be more holds below the ROTSW sit start. Get an excavator back in black velvet canyon and unearth the next mega Proj!!!

Jack Langewrote:

There are bound to be more holds below the ROTSW sit start. Get an excavator back in black velvet canyon and unearth the next mega Proj!!!

Big Brain

My big brain play is we relocate famous boulders on a truck and travel them around the country, maybe stack sleepwalker on top of midnight lighting. I’m serious.

I agree with everyone that it has to be an extension.

What's Nalle doing these days? Seems he pulled V17 and just kinda peaced out a little while after. 

Adam blocwrote:

Will it be a big enduro line? 

When does a big enduro line just kinda become... a route? Even Alphane looked kinda like a big traverse - more horizontal than vertical.

Long Rangerwrote:

What's Nalle doing these days? Seems he pulled V17 and just kinda peaced out a little while after. 

I mean he did find sleepwalker and sent it fairly recently. I’ve also seen on media he spent some time exploring for boulders in South America. I’m with you though. Someone did ask Daniel Woods a similar question a while back and I think the answer was that he was just kinda laying low doing his own thing….maybe he’s like all the other past-their-prime-pros and getting into the gym business 

Princess Puppy Lovrwrote:

My big brain play is we relocate famous boulders on a truck and travel them around the country, maybe stack sleepwalker on top of midnight lighting. I’m serious.

I agree with everyone that it has to be an extension.

World class sandstone on top of world class granite. I’m for it, but with one stipulation; boulder problem additions must always be within 2 V-grades of existing problem. No V3 into V12 bullshit or vice versa.