Ethan Morf

CON TODO EL MUNDO, 10p 5.13 Ground Up FIRST ASCENT This February I linked up with the homies in Cochamó. Throughout the month, we made our way up Pared de la Paz in the La Paloma area. We had two beaks of differing sizes, a hand drill, and endless stoke. After a month of scrubbing, getting gripped, swinging hammers, and eating ludicrous amounts of mayonnaise, we topped out, freeing our route, now dubbed “Con Todo El Mundo.” It’s 420 meters, 10 pitches, 5.13, with one crux pitch; the rest is mostly 5.11–5.12 climbing. An absolute once-in-a-lifetime experience with the best crew we could’ve asked for. We started wide-eyed and underprepared, with no aid gear, 50 bolts, and a hand drill. We quickly realized we wouldn’t magically find a perfect splitter up the entire wall. Thankfully, kind folks in La Junta helped us gather just enough gear to squeak by. Our vision was to climb it ground up, placing minimal bolts on lead, then return to equip it for safe free climbing. The route follows seams, corners, and flakes. With only two beaks, we resorted to “bumping” them — leaving nothing behind until we found a solid piece or were gripped enough to place a bolt for the free ascent. Once on the summit, we finished scrubbing and bolting to make it fully free-climbable. Weather set us back, and when it finally cleared, we had four days to try it free. We got it done — and it turned out to be really good climbing. We filmed most of the process and I’ll be putting together a film, along with a deeper write-up soon. We’re incredibly grateful for the experience and hope many more get to enjoy the route. Thank you, Cochamó. @edelrid_sport @arcteryx @deadpointclimbingco @arizona_mountaineering_gear @kodiakcakes

Shortly after I got down from El Cap from my FRIAD, my friend—and someone I look up to greatly- @natgbailey reached out. He said he was interested in writing a profile piece on me for @climbingmagazine . I was taken aback at first by the offer, but I said yes instantly. I’ve been reading Nat’s writing for a long time. His blog is a constant source of stoke—full of thoughtful, beautifully written stories, reflections, and experiences. If you haven’t read any, you’re doing yourself a disservice. I knew he had started writing for Climbing, so when he asked to do a piece for them, that classic imposter syndrome kicked in. Part of it came from the weight of @climbingmagazine itself—it’s kind of the go-to source for climbing news these days. But mostly, I was just surprised Nat chose this story to tell. He’s incredibly intentional with his writing and, in my opinion, is one of the few people out there consistently putting out good, real, and relatable climbing content/writtings. I read the article for the first time when it was published yesterday. It was surreal. I got to relive my whole climbing journey through the words of someone I admire deeply, with quotes from many of my close friends woven in, and paired with the stunning photos taken by @victoriakohnerflanagan . It was overwhelming in the best way—a huge wave of love and support. I’m incredibly grateful for the people who’ve helped shape me into who I am today. This article feels like a gift—a memory I’ll carry with me forever. Thank you, Nat. I had some more to write so it continues in the comments! ⬇️⬇️

CONTACT! A United States Climbing Trip The full film is now out for everyone to watch—link in bio! Contact is an amateur climbing video of me and my homies on our U.S. trip this past fall. It follows us as we leave Canada to experience the classic climbs the United States has to offer. We hit Yosemite, Indian Creek, Zion, Bishop, and Joshua Tree. Everything was filmed on Mini DV tapes. This video means a lot to me—it feels like a turning point in both my climbing and ‘content’ production. I’ve dreamed of this trip for a long time, especially making a video about it. I remember watching The Power of Jam for the first time and thinking it was the sickest thing ever. This film is heavily inspired by that, along with classics like Rampage, Dosage, and others. I also got to complete many of my climbing dreams on this trip—things I once thought were unlikely to ever happen in my lifetime. It expanded my idea of what’s possible in such a huge way. Thank you so much to everyone who appeared in the film, helped shoot, and supported it. You all mean the world to me. I already have so many new ideas and things I’d do differently next time, and I’m stoked to go on more adventures and make more videos in the future. One of our homies, who was on the circuit at the same time as us, devastatingly passed away recently. He was one of the loveliest people I’ve ever had the chance to know—someone who lived life with more fire and passion than most. This video is dedicated to him. Long live Connor Knox—forever in our hearts, stories, and stoke. I hope you enjoy it! @deadpointclimbingco

Meet @thedirtbagfund grantee @ethanmorf who first came on our radar when he became the youngest person to free climb the Freerider in a day! Ethan used the 2k grant to FA rage in Cochamo Patagonia with an all time crew! HERE IS ETHAN’s REPORT!!! Getting gripped, scrubbing, hammering bolts, and a bit of free-climbing characterized our month-long odyssey at La Paloma in Cochamó, Chile. As a team of seven, @rach_bal @arlo_kast @toastedmellon @jessicaanaruk Tim Greenwood, Jon Holt and myself, Ethan Morf. We were able to successfully establish a new line dubbed “Con Todo El Mundo”. 5.13, 10 pitches, 420 meters. Wide-eyed and unprepared. We went ground up into the unknown. Learning how to aid climb, equipped with 2 beaks, a hand-drill, and a massive amount of stoke. It was a life-changing experience for all of us, and our first times establishing a route! We were helped out by the dirtbag fund. We wisely spent our cash on a ludicrous amount of mayonnaise, wine, and then some bolts. Thanks DBF! A dirtbag fund video is soon to follow 🦅🤩 Applications open 4-20. Go to TheDirtbagFund.com to apply, donate or cop some merch.

Velho Alerce 🌀🌀 When I arrived in Cochamó, my homies had already spent some time getting acquainted with the area. I hadn’t been climbing for a few months because of my foot, but I was eager to keep up with the crew. On my second day climbing, we tried a route called ‘Velho Alerce’ in the Trinidad Valley—an 8-pitch line stacked with beautiful splitters. It was a tough wake-up back into climbing, but it felt so good to try hard again. We got close on our first go and decided it was worth resting a day before giving it another push. Heading back up was magical—the weather was perfect and the stoke was high. The stone on this route is impeccable, and it ended up being the perfect way to get back into the multi-pitch redpoint headspace. These photos were taken a few days later on a photo-mission with Victoria and Calum. It turned out to be one of the coldest stretches of the trip—the moody weather made for an incredible atmosphere, and gave us some proper shiver bivys while waiting for the light, perched on micro ledges with the homies 💕💕 Ended up getting plenty of footage on the rip with the whole crew, so expect a vid on it in the future :) @edelrid_sport @arcteryx @deadpointclimbingco @arizona_mountaineering_gear

Big Sur Pancake Party! (I Fractured My Heel, Whoops) El Niño Attempt Video Link In Bio 🔗 This fall, I was walking through the orange and yellow leaves of Yosemite. It had been warm on El Cap lately, but I was getting antsy, festering on the ground. My partner, Tim Greenwood, and I had been planning to try El Niño all summer, and it was finally time to give it a rip. By early November, we had pre-hauled and were ready to go. There was one problem: a major storm was forecast to engulf El Cap for several days, right in the middle of our attempt. We had already pushed our timeline waiting for good conditions, had prior obligations at the end of the month, and this was our only window to be on the wall. We decided to go for it and try to weather the storm, giving ourselves the best chance possible. So, we packed 14 days’ worth of supplies. It felt outrageous—but we were psyched. A few days before starting, we learned that our (soon-to-be close) friends Cedar and Ima would be starting at the same time. I had heard of them many times before and had spent some time with Cedar in Australia earlier in the spring. I looked up to both of them greatly—not just for how strong they were, but for their style. In the @tylerkarow video of them climbing the South African Route in Torres del Paine, they’re cooking in mini cast irons and partying despite heinous weather. I was hoping to get a taste of that energy on El Cap. We started on the evening of November 9th—our “Day 0”—when I climbed the bottom three crux pitches. The next morning, Tim finished off the lower section, and we moved up to Big Sur that day. On November 11th, I gave the crux pitch a proper attempt. Dubbed La Niña, it’s a rad 13b/c face pitch established by @sonnietrotter in 2018 and the key to the free variation of El Niño. I started climbing once the shade hit the pitch. I moved through the crux fairly quickly and settled into the no-hands rest above it. I had mistakenly not brought enough slings, so I decided to conserve gear and placed just one nut at the rest. After a bit, I continued upward, fully convinced I was in “victory climbing” mode. — Continues In Comments*

Oliver Schmidt climbing the second ascent of Sneaky Snake, 33/8C. A long time coming! - Link in Bio! Last spring in Australia, I had the chance to film Oliver on the second ascent of Sneaky Snake on Taipan Wall in the Grampians. Oliver’s a pretty elusive character—arguably the best climber out there that most people have never heard of unless you’re deep in the scene. He’s been traveling from continent to continent, quietly ticking off the hardest routes each has to offer. After ending up in Australia last year, he’s nearly climbed out the entire country. I was stoked to link up with him again this spring, and when I heard he’d repeated Sneaky Snake, I knew I had to document it. Sneaky Snake is a beautiful orange-and-white streak on Taipan, established by the legend @leecossey , sitting right next to the infamous Groove Train. Most diehards know the film Smitten—and that iconic closing scene of @benjcossey on Groove Train. It’s become one of the most hyped clips in climbing history. We tried to capture a bit of that “Groove Train” vibe in this video. Filming out there was epic, especially collaborating with @sophie__sheppard to give the project some extra creative juice. It took me a loooonnng time to get around to finishing it, but with some downtime, I finally knew it was time to put it out into the world. Oliver doesn’t have social media, so I can’t tag him. This is one of the only pieces of media you’ll find of him online. Hope you enjoy!

Of the many rewarding days behind the lens this summer, shooting @ethanmorf on the classic odub Pipeline was up there as a favourite! If you don’t know the story of the FFA, it’s a great one. Greg Cameron, made an onsight free solo of this rig, in 1979! Hard to imagine. I recently learned Greg suffered life-threatening injuries in a fall in Eldorado Canyon. If you have the means to contribute, a Go Fund Me has been set up for medical expenses - link in bio.

A warm welcome to our newest athlete, @ethanmorf from Canada 🇨🇦— great to have you on Team EDELRID! “My climbing journey started when I was 16, exploring the small bluffs around my home. I’ve always loved ski touring and just being in the mountains, but climbing quickly became the way I most love to move through the hills. I feel most myself when I’m out on the rock—pushing, learning, and sharing adventures with friends. I’m incredibly grateful to keep exploring and pushing with EDELRID by my side. Their commitment to responsible manufacturing really stands out in a world where that often feels like an afterthought. And being welcomed into a team of people I’ve long looked up to is seriously inspiring. I couldn’t be more stoked to join the crew.” 📷 Slide 1&4: @eliaslikeprius 📷 Slide 3: @benjamin.homer EDELRID #TeamEDELRID #ClimbGreen #ClimbingLife #ClimbingCulture

King Air ✔️ Yesterday, Rich and I both sent King Air in one of the most magical bouldering sessions I’ve ever had. King Air is a historic highball established by Dean Potter, and it’s considered one of the best and boldest boulders in the park. I watched the Prana video of Dean on it a few years ago, and it’s been one of my dream climbs ever since. I’ve often stopped to look at it when I’m in the area, but I was always too intimidated to try. Rich suggested we go check it out and throw a rope on it. I figured I could at least start the process and see if it was in the wheelhouse. Yesterday morning, I fixed my static line to a single rusty quarter-inch bolt at the top. After playing around on the upper section for a bit, I worked out some beta I thought I’d be comfortable committing to twenty-something feet off the deck. Then I rapped down and started giving it some ground attempts. After a few hours of effort, I managed to climb to the top—ankles intact. Definitely the best boulder I’ve ever climbed. I came to the Valley with more in mind than just playing around on boulders, though. I’ve been spending the last few weeks preparing to get back up on El Cap with my good homie Tim. Ever since Freerider last fall, I’ve been frothing for another adventure—and to spend more time existing in the vertical realm. I’m filled with emotions, mostly some mix of extreme nervousness and excitement; it’s hard to tell which is which sometimes. The wall last year pushed me to my physical and emotional limits. Through it, I learned a lot about myself—how I handle success, failure, and what kinds of experiences leave me feeling truly fulfilled. I’m hoping for more of that this time around. As for the grade of King Air, I’d say it’s on the softer end of V10, maybe a bit less. It definitely has some highball grading to it, but it’s still an incredible line that you need to climb. Cheers Photos taken by @rogontheproj @edelrid_sport @deadpointclimbingco @arizona_mountaineering_gear @arcteryx

One of my first days in Squamish this season was helping Ethan put up a rope on this line so he could see what it was all about. After seeing it in person and trying the route I told him "I need to shoot photos of you on this when you put it down!". After weeks of the route being closed for falcon nesting he sent the notorious pitch and topped out the route. On my last morning in squamish we headed up one last time before the rains started to take some photos of the stunning line. Stoked for more photography and climbing adventures with my little brother to come! Heavy Fuel 5.13 R - Squamish, BC

Heavy Fuel 5.13 R, 10 pitches ✔️ Earlier this summer I spent some time playing around on this climb. After a few sessions I felt ready to give it a go, but that plan got shut down by a falcon closure in the dihedrals. A few months later, once the birds had flown off, I came back and managed to finish it off before the season closed out. This climb meant a lot to me. It’s one I’ve had my eye on for a while. @willstanhope established it a few years back, and I couldn’t ignore its beauty. Since then it’s been repeated by legends and people I really look up to. That’s something I love about climbing—you get to stand in the same places as your heroes and live your own inspired version of the experience. I had the first three pitches fixed, and being up there alone working out the nuances felt almost meditative. When it came time for the send, I went up with my homie @enricobittelli . I punted off the crux twice, but stuck it on the third try. I hadn’t been on anything past it before, and it took a hell of a fight to push through the next two 5.12s. It turned into a wonderful day—a little taste of what a Yosemite fall season might feel like. And yes, as you’ll see in the photos, I wore a knee pad. Some past repeaters haven’t, but it just made sense for me on this pitch. Definitely helps a bit. Grading climbs like this is tricky, but I’ll call it 5.13—maybe similar to Air Sweden? Maybe a touch harder for me. Either way, it’s a damn good climb. And thank you to my homie @eliaslikeprius for coming and shooting!!! Footie coming sometime in the future from @goretex_jockstrap 👀 @edelrid_sport @deadpointclimbingco @arizona_mountaineering_gear