Charles Albert Proposes World's Second V17 in Fontainebleau (Barefoot)
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According to the French climbing magazine Grimper, Charles Albert, a French climber known for hard barefoot ascents, has made the first ascent of a Fontainebleau problem and proposed 9a/V17 for the grade. He’s named the line, which is located on the back side of the graffiti-covered Rocher Brûlé boulder, No Kpote Only. Albert spent 20 days working on it. Like all of his hard ascents, he did not wear shoes.
Watch two early attempts below, the No Kpote Only section starts at 6:35.
Albert’s resume includes the FA of Fontainebleau problems La Révolutionnaire Extension, the area’s first 8c+/V16, and Hypothèse Assis, also 8c+/V16. Neither problem has been repeated. Albert has also climbed five V15 ascents (four Font problems and Monkey Wedding in Rocklands).
Nalle Hukkataival proposed the world’s first V17 in 2016 when he climbed Burden of Dreams in Lappnor, Finland. It has not been repeated. Watch Hukkataival, Chad Greedy, and Isabelle Faus climb a shorter version of No Kpote Only at 11:59 in the video below.