On September 27, Daniel Woods made the first ascent of Mount Evans' now hardest boulder problem, Ode to the Modern Man (V14). Woods worked the line over eight days this summer, and is reluctant to give the V15 mark, but feels this line is harder than anything he's done in the past -- including the Hueco Tanks testpiece Esperanza (V14), a line he did in two days at the end of December, 2005.
Woods ascent of this long-standing Evans project is a testament to youthful vision, determination, and wickedly-strong fingers. The twenty-foot tall Ode to the Modern Man climbs left-of-center on the Dali Boulder, starting with heinous crimping on non-existent holds leading into a big throw to a sloper. The problem then finishes on the crux of Super Gui (V11). Comment on this story