Paul Robinson has made the first ascent of Meadowlark Lemon V15 from a sit start. This is probably now the hardest problem in the Red Rocks Park and only the second first ascent at the grade for the young American.

Robinson has recently returned to the US after a busy two months climbing in Fontainebleau and some of Switzerland’s best bouldering areas. Despite fighting off illness for a fortnight he managed three 8b+s, Somewhere in Between, Supertanker and the first ascent of The Traphouse, and numerous other hard problems.

Paul Robinson on Meadowlark Lemon V15 ©Alex Kahn

The first climbing stop was a trip to Nevada’s Gateway Canyon where there was some unfinished business from two years ago. After climbing a strong line on an untouched boulder from a standing start at 8b Robinson lacked the strength to climb the sit start but was sure that the full arete was just a matter of time.

On the back of a great run of form, it took just over a week to unlock the 8b sequence from the starting jug into the existing 8b problem to the finishing jug. He completed the route on 12th January, almost two years to the day after finishing the standing start. The problem is named after the ‘clown prince’ of the Harlem Globetrotters in tribute to the Hall of Famer, because of the ‘sweet name’ and also because of the slam dunk style final move.

This is the second V15 first ascent for Robinson after climbing Lucid Dreaming, the sit start to the Rastaman Vibrations extension on the Grandma Peadbody Boulder. Having originally given it V16, a lower grade was though to be more appropriate.

Sources
Climbing - Robinson Establishes V15 in Vegas
27crags - Nevada gets its first 8C/V15 with Paul Robinson's FA "Meadowlark Lemon"