Will Bosi is an unassuming Scot with a polite and gentile demeanor. But, on the blocs and cliffs, he’s a total rager. His now-expected ability to dispatch the world’s most difficult climbs in short order makes me want to cast him as the Superman of rock climbing. And he does look and act Clark-Kentish.
Nalle Hukkataival established “Burden of Dreams” in 2016. The random boulder in a random forest in Finland sits at an iconic 45-degree angle, and the sequence has only five moves. It’s a “pure” boulder problem; there is no “trickery” in the form of knee bars, heel hooks, or toe hooks, nor does it have a traverse to add to its 13-foot tall stance. “Burden of Dreams” simply requires power, the most power, applied to painfully small crimps and impossibly small footholds.
Despite its relatively straightforward sequence, “Burden of Dreams” has thwarted all attempts by the sport’s best. Bosi applied a methodical approach, which included training on a replica problem built with matching 3D-printed holds. Maybe Bosi has started a new approach to tackling the planet’s hardest climbing moves.
Watch as Bosi goes through the process of gaining the first repeat of “Burden of Dreams.” Both his attitude and presentation are refreshing in a way. No beanie, screaming, or shoe chucking, and only utters two cuss words during countless failures. His most disgusted utterance: “So annoying.”
Bosi is calm and efficient — dare I say, tame? But I couldn’t help letting out a scream when he hit the lip and stuck, startling my sleeping dog. After all, it is the “world’s hardest boulder problem” — congrats, Superman.
Runtime: 19 minutes
