Katie Lamb Smashes Hardest Female Ascent in Bouldering History

 “I was overcome with euphoria and felt the giddiness of liberation from the year-long process I’d undertaken,” she shared with AdventureOnSI “I wanted to do something that I knew would be hard — not because it would look good. Because it mattered to me.”

Starting in February 2024, the 27-year-old climber dedicated her spring and winter to learning the landscape of the rock and ticking off a slew of V15s in the training process. While V15 problems such as Equanimity, Fallen Angel and Box Therapy are considered career defining moments for most, they were all conquered by Lamb with little pageantry.

Climber Katie Lamb Crushes The Dark Side makes Bouldering History

While Box Therapy and others were major stepping stones for Lamb, they were downplayed by others’ success. However, Lamb is ready to step into the limelight to celebrate her victory with her friends and the rest of the climbing community. I had the opportunity to discuss the process and thoughts behind the success with Miss Lamb herself.

The process that led up to this defining moment for Lamb did not come without trepidation, as she faced rigorous training, trials in patience and lessons on criticism. 

For many a dedicated climber, training often means hours upon hours, months upon months outside and often alone. Because the conditions of nature are difficult to replicate in the gym, Lamb decided to spend a little more time outside building up her stamina in order to give The Dark Side the time and attention it deserved.

“This one is a climb that takes a lot more finesse than it does strength,” Lamb explained. “So I spent a lot of time in Lake Tahoe in the fall leading up to the Yosemite season, and I think that time climbing on rock is helpful for building skills that are hard to simulate in the gym.”

While obtaining the finesse needed to scale the V16 is obligatory, it does not come without building endurance and patience. The affair took up most of the spring of 2024 and the whole winter season of 2024-25.

When asked how she combats self-doubt and impatience while trying to solve the problem, Lamb remarks, “Sometimes when I am frustrated on a project, I feel like it’s good to take account of all the things that I would rather be doing. And I always come back to the conclusion that I wouldn’t rather be anywhere else. I’m choosing to be here.”

While fortitude is a valuable trait for climbers, so is tolerance. Opening up to the public about anything doesn’t come without criticism or dismissals. For Lamb, it came when her personal best, Box Therapy, was downgraded by being subsequently accomplished by other climbers.

This brought a certain measure of anxiety for Lamb concerning the sharing of her successes online. When asked how she has been able to overcome those opinions and be proud of herself, Lamb shared, “I think it’s helpful to put forth something without being afraid of getting feedback, and knowing whose opinion you hold in high regard versus the ones that you don’t.”

Despite the setbacks, this chapter in Lamb’s career gave her confidence and the ability to recognize her personal strengths. Her success sets an example for women across the climbing community and the globe to take risks, embrace personal growth, and break societal molds.

“It was a lesson in being bold enough to take on something that was potentially too ambitious, being tenacious enough to overcome the noise on a session-to-session basis, and blindly believing that I would see it through.”