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‘Real Gem’ or Dirty Pile? Ondra Gets a 5.14d First Ascent in the ‘Leaky Cave’

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Adam Ondra deals with the ‘dirty job’ of climbing amid cobwebs and dirt while exploring new routes in a Slovakian cave.

The latest video on Adam Ondra’s YouTube channel combines his constant search for new routes with a bit of Slovakian climbing history.

Ondra travels to Derava Skala, or “The Leaky Rock,” a crag with decades of history and exciting potential for first ascents. He meets with local climbers before tackling “Hogo Fogo,” a 5.14d/9a route that looks as brutal as it sounds. Even Ondra, who climbs with little hesitation at crags others tend to avoid, felt some initial skepticism.

“I did not like it myself the first time I saw it 20 years ago,” Ondra says in the video description. “With a new perspective and much more experience, I could see much better that this cave is a real gem, and the best lines were still waiting for the first ascents!”

Runtime: 13.5 minutes

Ondra on Wonderland 5.15b_c (screenshot Adam Ondra Mammut YouTube)

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