The top 10 first ascents in bouldering 2024

Tips & tricks for climbing? Checked. Training for climbing? Checked. The best climbing gear out there? Also checked. Today, our guide will focus solely on the Top 10 first bouldering ascents in 2024.

Are you curious about what the bouldering scene has in store for 2025? Let’s dive into these groundbreaking 10 first ascents that have pushed the limits in 2024.

First ascents are important in rock climbing history because they set the bar high in terms of performance.

A first ascent (FA) refers to the first time a climbing route, or a boulder problem was completed from start to finish by a climber without aid equipment for progression.

In 2024 new levels of difficulty were pushed through and many climbers have set new records proving the international bouldering scene still has some greatness to be witnessed.

1. Spots of Time (V17/9A) – UK’s Lake District

In February 2024, Aidan Roberts managed to unlock Spots of Time, by doing the FA of Britain’s first 9a/V17.

Roberts needed around 35 sessions to complete this boulder problem and approximately 10 sessions to check out the harder moves.

And that’s not all!

After sending Spots of Time, Roberts made the first ascent of another mind blowing boulder problem in Switzerland: Midnight Project.

The boulder is presently ungraded, but according to him, Midnight Project felt harder than both Alphavane and Spots of Time.

Therefore, it must be around 9a. However, no one has climbed it yet.

Who has done it since?

End of October 2024, Will Bosi became the only climber to repeat and confirm “Spots of Time” in terms of difficulty.

9A/V17 is currently the absolute maximum worldwide and Bosi’s has done four of them. Does that make him the strongest boulderer in the world? Most probably yes.

2. Arrival of the Birds (9A/V17) – Switzerland

Oops, he did it again! A few weeks after sending “Spots of Time” in Scotland, Aidan Roberts completed the FA of “Arrival of the Birds”.

The problem felt initially futuristic to the young Scottish climber. However, the pure climbing style and the unique set of holds that imposed huge finger strength captivated him.

Fueled by inspiration, he immediately started to work towards linking the moves.

Who has done it since?

We believe Aidan when he says Arrival of the Birds is the hardest line he has ever climbed – no other climber has managed to send it so far. You can hear all about it here.

3. Tsunami (V16/8C+) – Norway, Lofoten

Thilo Schröter is one of the strongest boulderers in Norway, who flashed Monkey Business, initially put up by Dave Graham as an 8B+ and climbed several famous lines such as Spray of Light (8C), Ninja Skills (8B+), and General Disarray (8B).

In 2024, the Norwegian climber made the first ascent of ‘Tsunami,’ proposing a grade of V16 (8C+). Does this mark ‘Tsunami’ as potentially the hardest boulder problem in Norway? Most likely yes.

Who has done it since?

This boulder problem was set in October 2024 so we are still waiting for a repetition. Meanwhile, check out the Lifetime Projects in Flatanger.

4. Double FA: Devilution (V16/8c+) and Shaolin (V17/9a) – Buttermilks, USA

In 2024 Sean Bailey struck double with two impressive first ascents: Devilution V16 at the start of the year and Shaolin V17/9a in November. How did he pull it off? Apart from the rigorous competitor training, many crash pads, and unwavering commitment, it’s likely that missing his Olympic ticket played a significant role as a motivator in it.

Located in the Buttermilks, a prime location for bouldering, Devilution is a unique combination of world-class difficulty, impressive height, and striking aesthetics.

Who has done it since?

Devilution: American climber Shawn Raboutou was the first to repeat this incredible 17-meter highball.

Shaolin: Being the world’s ninth 9A/V17 boulder, few boulders can rival this one.

Located in Red Rocks, Nevada, Shaolin was previously tried by some of the world’s strongest boulderers like Daniel Woods, Jimmy Webb, Drew Ruana, and Shawn Raboutou.

So far, only Bailey was able to put it down after more than four years of effort.

5. Fallen Angel (8C/V15) – Tahoe, California

Katie Lamb has ridden the sending wave in 2024! Through perseverance, she managed to overcome mental challenges and setbacks and ticked not one but 3 FFA (first female ascents). The cherry on top is Fallen Angel, a V15 located in Tahoe, California.

Video from Instagram @ktlambies

With Equanimity in her pocket, and after sending Fallen Angel, Lamb becomes the first woman to have climbed multiple boulders graded 8C.

Who has done it since?

Fallen Angel was first climbed by Jimmy Webb in 2021 (FA) and has 5 repetitions in total, one of which belongs to Shawn Raboutou.

6. Dreamtime (V15/8c) – Cresciano, Switzerland

Dreamtime is a dream line that holds a special place in climbing history as the world’s first 8c boulder problem.

It was first climbed by Fred Nicole in 2000 and over the years, climbers such as Dave Graham, Chris Sharma, and Adam Ondra have added their names to its legacy, sparking debate over its difficulty. Despite the opinions fluctuating between 8b+ and 8c, after a hold broke, the grade was reaffirmed as 8c.

In October 2024, Michaela Kiersch completed this iconic 10-meter boulder in just seven sessions, becoming the first woman to achieve both 5.15 and V15.

What makes this ascent even greater is the challenges Michaela faced earlier that year: 2 weeks before her trip to the Rocklands, she broke her pinky and had three screws put in during surgery.

However, despite this setback, during her trip to the legendary bouldering destination, Kiersch stunned us all by sending Amandla 8B+/v14, or Quintessential 8B/v13.

You can check out more of her bouldering performance here.

7. The Boss (8B+/V14) – Yarncliffe, England

Transitioning from competing for Team GB as an Olympian to embracing raw rock bouldering while juggling motherhood is certainly no small feat.

In 2024, however, stars aligned and hard training paid off as Shauna Coxsey completed the 8th ascent of The Boss, one of the hardest gritstone boulders in the U.K.

With it, Shauna became the first woman to climb this renowned boulder problem.

The first ascent of “The Boss” was made by Ned Fehally on March 9, 2020.

We believe it’s safe to say Coxsey came back to high-end bouldering even stronger by doing other several first female ascents: Hazel Grace V14, Wild Wild West V13, Pin y Pon V13, Fotofobia SDS V14.

8. Bügeleisen Sit V15/8C – Austria

In May 2024, just a few months before the Paris Olympics, Janja did the female first ascent of Bügeleisen Sit V15/8C.

This is her hardest boulder up to date and makes her the 7th woman to climb this grade.

Who has done it since?

Did you think Janja Garnbret can’t surprise you anymore? She sure can! Because she did not like the way the first video turned out, she decided to climb the boulder again, just after her FFA. So I guess the second ascent goes to Janja? (lol)

Bügeleisen Sit was Nalle Hukkataival longest-standing projects (FA), and right after sent by Stefan Scarperi, Nicolai Užnik, Florian Wientjes, and Jakob Schubert.

9. Kindred (V14/8B+) – Ashop Edge, UK

Jim Pope might be not the strongest boulderer out there but he is most surely an exceptional British climber. That’s why we wanted to include one of his bouldering performances in our Top 10 first ascents in 2024.

A beast in sport and trad climbing, as well as in competition climbing and bouldering, Pope does the FA of Kindred, a boulder located along Ashop Edge, in the Kinder Northern Edges.

This boulder is twenty-five moves long and according to Pope, in terms of difficulty is comparable with The Boss (8B+) and Supersize Pea (8A+), just slightly harder.

Who has done it since?

We don’t know. But what we do know is that other climbers like Rob Smith, Ben Bransby, Dave Parry, and Sam Lawson, tried it while Pope was projecting it.

10. Kaikien (V15/8c) – Japan

In 1996 Dai Koyamada won the Japanese National Championship and ever since has dedicated his life to climbing.

And despite him saying that at 48 years old he only gets a few good bouldering days a year, it seems that he makes a good use out of them all!

In December 2024 he completed the FA of Kaikien, a new V15 in Japan that Dai says is maybe the best problem in Mt. Kasagi.

Do you want to know more about bouldering? Check out our article on all V17 boulders climbers and our predictions for when the first V18 will be climbed.

What is sending a climbing project all about?

Success in climbing often requires repeated attempts over weeks, months, or even years. There is no doubt sending a project comes down to hard work, days of perfecting the climbing beta, specific training, and hours spent trying the same move over and over again.

What makes the magic happen when it does

When we send our biggest climbing projects it all comes down to giving it all and discovering we have yet to give.

We are so vividly in the present moment, so focused on details and so in tune with our bodies close to the rock.

Moves are flowing, we can’t hear anything but our breath, and everything else ceases to exist.

All elements are aligned in a weird but perfect way: We are so ready to win that we are willing to fail.

Those days when we send our climbing projects, regardless of how difficult these are, share one common thing: the mind and body align to unlock new possibilities.

Just like Stefano Ghisolfi said, climbing is like solving a Rubik cube.

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