Nalle Hukkataival and the Lappnor Project (V17?)

After four years, Nalle Hukkataival has finished the Lappnor Project. The name he’s decided upon is Burden of Dreams and his suggested grade is V17 (9A), which would make this the first V17 in the world.

With a handful of existing 8C+ boulders in the world, proposing 9A is the logical step.

Onbouldering.com calls this the “most awaited ascent in bouldering history,” regardless of whether or not the climb gets downgraded.  However, this grade is looking worthy in the eyes of many.  In an interview with Epic TV, (before Hukkataival sent the proj), Daniel Woods  said:

There’s even that, like, mystery 9A (V17) grade that can be thrown out, you know, with something like this…because when you take someone like Nalle, who has traveled the globe, he’s repeated a lot of the hardest test pieces in the world, he knows how hard something should feel, and when he found something that has taken him multiple years, and he’s done 8C’s in a few days sometimes, you have to kind of realize, ‘yeah this could be the next step because it’s challenging him that much. And the climb is his style, too. Once this project is completed, it’ll be that next step in bouldering.

Hukkataival wrote via his announcement on Instagram:

Walking up to the boulder with all the positivity I can muster, I still can’t ignore what the boulder has become to represent; failure of varying degrees.

For anyone to persevere in the face of failure is admirable. To have a vague idea of how many times Hukkataival tried, failed, but ultimately came out on top, is inspirational to the nth degree.  Thanks for the inspo, dude.

Photo Cred: Nalle Hukkataival Instagram @nalle_hukkataival

His full post via Instagram:

Yesterday I had another session on the Lappnor project. The routine that goes into it after all this time isn’t all that exciting; the same warm up, driving an hour on the same road, brushing the all too familiar holds, re-warming up, systematically trying the same sequences in the same order. Some days you feel strong and confident and get totally shut down. Other days you’re not feeling a 100 percent and it could be the best session you’ve had. All logic seems to have gone out the window a long time ago.

Many sessions I wish I could forget. Can’t do a move I’ve done countless of times before. Last highpoint was a year ago. Weeks and months turned into years of uncertainty and self-doubt. Trying to keep that little spark of hope in the back of your mind alive.

Walking up to the boulder with all the positivity I can muster, I still can’t ignore what the boulder has become to represent; failure of varying degrees.

Sitting under the boulder I can feel the weight of it. Pulling on always feels like a déjà vu, like the thousands of times before. It always starts the same way and ends the same way. Except this time. This time was different.
Snap to reality, I’m hanging on the lip of the boulder, disoriented, heart racing. Contain the panic. I’m on top of the boulder trying to grasp how I got there. Lots of feelings coinciding; surprise, relief, happiness, confusion. As reality hits that quickly turns into ecstatic happiness with a dash of disbelief.

Waking up today I can’t help but look at the world with different eyes. Having achieved the first ascent of Burden of Dreams marks a new level in my climbing. With a handful of existing 8C+ boulders in the world, proposing 9A is the logical step.

Huge thanks to my friend Marko Siivinen for showing me the line! What a journey it’s been!
Stay tuned for a film of the whole story with the boulder. It will be something extraordinary!