Boulder climber tackles hardest problem in the world (maybe)

Bouldering -- with its relentless focus towards pure climbing technique on rocks usually less than 15 feet off the ground -- can be maddening to watch. But it can serve as an amazing rock-climbing test piece for problems that would otherwise, y'know, kill you. So it is with "The Game"...

By Ted Alvarez

February 18, 2010

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "12017618",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "17242653",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261320",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "18838239",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "17261321",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        }
      ]

Bouldering -- with its relentless focus towards pure climbing technique on rocks usually less than 15 feet off the ground -- can be maddening to watch. But it can serve as an amazing rock-climbing test piece for problems that would otherwise, y'know, kill you.

So it is with "The Game" in Boulder Canyon, a particular problem touted as potentially the hardest in the world (it's rated V16, whatever that means). Boulder climber Daniel Woods just tackled it successfully, and fellow climber Cedar Wright was on hand to film it for The North Face.

Seeing Daniel actually climb it is sort of like watching someone with an antigravity pack on--at least until a hold breaks and he rips his finger open, making a super-hard problem even tougher. Check it:

The Game, World's Hardest Boulder Problem? from Cedar Wright on Vimeo.

This year's Reel Rock Film Tour will feature the full account of Woods' ascent. An admirable feat, but I think if I was there, I'd definitely be more like that guy out of the frame, smoking a doob and asking, "uh...you okay?"

KEEP WESTWORD FREE... Since we started Westword, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Denver, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.