Bibliographie (climb)

Bibliographie is a circa 35-metre (115 ft) sport climbing route on a limestone cliff on the southern face of Céüse mountain, near Gap and Sigoyer, in France. The route was bolted in 2009 by Ethan Pringle, and was first ascended by Alexander Megos on 5 August 2020. Megos initially graded the route as 9c (5.15d), the highest difficulty at that time. The route was repeated on 24 August 2021 by Stefano Ghisolfi, who graded the route as 9b+ (5.15c), which has become the consensus grade for Bibliographie, making it only the fifth-ever climb in history at a grade of 9b+.

Bibliographie
Sector Biographie on the Corniche de Céûse cliff, which contains Realization and Bibliographie
Map showing the location of Bibliographie
Map showing the location of Bibliographie
Map showing the approximate location of Bibliographie
LocationHautes-Alpes, France
Coordinates44.49797°N 5.948°E / 44.49797; 5.948
Climbing AreaCéüse
Route Typesport climbing
Vertical Gain35-metre (115 ft)
Pitches1
Grade9b+ (5.15c)
Bolted byEthan Pringle, 2009
First ascentAlexander Megos, 5 August 2020

History

Bibliographie was bolted by the American climber Ethan Pringle in 2009, and it lies just a few metres to the right of Chris Sharma's famous 2001 Realization/Biography route.[1] Megos first started working on the route in June 2017, and was still unsuccessful after a four-week visit in September of that year.[2] In June 2018, after 16 days of work,[1] he freed the 9b+ (5.15c) route Perfecto Mundo, in Margalef, and decided to go straight to Céüse, but again without success.[3] In 2019, he concentrated primarily on climbing competitions and only spent around three days in Céüse.[3] During the COVID-19 pandemic, all climbing competitions were canceled, so Megos refocused on Bibliographie again.[3]

On the last day of a trip to the crag, and after having fallen lower down on the route,[4] Megos made the first free ascent of Bibliographie on 5 August 2020.[3][2][4]

Grade

Megos spent 60 days working on Bibliographie, which led him to suggest a grade of 9c (5.15d) (i.e. it had taken him much longer than the 16 days needed for Perfecto Mundo, which was by then a consensus 9b+ route),[5] making Bibliographie the second-ever route at the grade, after Adam Ondra's Silence.[2][6] At the time, Megos told Rock & Ice that grading such a route was particularly hard given he started with no beta, and had no other opinions to rely on; he added: "I am very curious about what the future of the route will look like, and grateful for other people’s opinions".[1]

Other climbers unsuccessfully attempted Bibliographie including Jakob Schubert, Stefano Ghisolfi and Dave Graham.[7] On 24 August 2021, Stefano Ghisolfi made the first repeat of Bibliographie but graded the route as 9b+ (5.15c);[8] Ghisolfi had previously repeated Megos' Perfecto Mundo, which was a consensus 9b+, and also Adam Ondra's Change, which was also considered a 9b+.[5] Megos consulted and publicly agreed with Ghisolfi,[9] making 9b+ (5.15c) the accepted grade for Bibliographie;[5] the fifth-ever climbing route to have such a grade.[6][10]

Ascents

Bibliographie has been ascended by:

See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Climbing in Céüse.

References
  1. Miller, Delaney (6 August 2020). "Alex Megos Sends World's Second 5.15d". Rock & Ice. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  2. Corrigan, Kevin (10 August 2020). "Interview: Alex Megos Discusses the First Ascent of Bibliographie (9c, 5.15d)". Climbing. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  3. Regel, Nadine (22 August 2020). "Der zweite Kletterer, der eine 9c bewältigt". Tages-Anzeiger (in German). Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  4. Corrigan, Kevin (6 August 2020). "Alex Megos Sends Multi-Year Project Bibliographie, Suggests 5.15d". Climbing. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  5. "Alex Megos Agrees With Bibliographie Downgrade to 5.15c". Gripped Magazine. 30 August 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  6. "Breaking News: Sean Bailey Sends Bibliographie 5.15c". Gripped Magazine. 30 September 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  7. "Stefano Ghisolfi wertet Bibliographie auf 9b+ ab". LACRUX Klettermagazin (in German). 26 August 2021.
  8. Clarke, Owen (8 September 2021). "Stefano Ghisolfi on Climbing the World's Hardest Grade… and Then Downgrading It". Climbing. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  9. "Ghisolfi and Megos downgrade Bibliographie to F9b+". Climber. 29 August 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  10. "Hardest Climbs In The World: Highest Climbing Grades + Routes". Climber. 14 December 2022. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  11. "Stefano Ghisolfi repeats Bibliographie, Alexander Megos' masterpiece at Céüse". PlanetMountain. 24 August 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  12. "Sean Bailey sends Bibliographie at Céüse". PlanetMountain. 30 September 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
  13. Potter, Stephen (7 June 2023). "Seb Bouin Gets His Crimp On and Sends Bibliographie (5.15c)". Climbing. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
  14. "Seb Bouin Climbs Bibliographie 5.15c". Gripped. 7 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
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