Stefano Ghisolfi Climbs Sick New Line, Retains Grade Hush-Hush

In this episode of the Olympian’s ‘The Climbing Diaries’ series, he claims the first ascent of ‘Dedi Fredi’ — another idyllic Italian sport climb. It’s anyone’s guess how hard it is.

In a break from first-ascensionist tradition, Stefano Ghisolfi stopped short of publicly assigning a grade to his new sport climb. Instead, he stated that he wants to know what viewers think.

I’m no crusher, but if someone of Ghisolfi’s caliber has to put in more than a couple of burns to send, then the route’s probably near the bleeding edge of hard climbing. The kerfuffle over climbing grades has swept Ghisolfi up before; now, he’s taking a path far less traveled by opening up the discussion.

Care to weigh in? Throw your two cents in the ring and see what other folks are saying. Head to the YouTube comment thread to get in on the action.

Runtime: 20 minutes

Climbing Controversy: Behind the Decades-Long Conflict Roiling the Sport’s Elite

Clashes over climbing grades are as old as the sport itself. From Fred Rouhling to Adam Ondra, climbing has both vilified and lionized its icons. But why? Read more…