Drew Ruana: 8c + Boulder Insomniac first climbed

Drew Ruana manages the first ascent of an old project near Lincoln Lake. He rates the Insomniac line with an 8c +.

It was an epic day for the American Drew Ruana. During his trip to Lincoln Lake, he got caught in a violent thunderstorm, only to take advantage of a time window with perfect weather for his bouldering project.

I slowly but surely approached the ascent of this large line - and it feels good to have climbed the most difficult line for me so far.

Drew Ruana
Drew Ruana on the first ascent of the Boulder Insomniac (8c +). (Photo Alton Richardson)

The Boulder Insomniac starts at Wheel of Wolvo / Delirium and runs along an 8-move sequence in the area 8b + up to a good handle. Then it goes to the We Can Build You line with its endurance climbing, again in the 8b + area.

The first part of the boulder is the most physically demanding and sucks a lot of energy. The second half of Insomniac is an absolute strength endurance nightmare.

Drew Ruana

The entire line stretches over around 30 trains with a "moment of horror" just before disembarking. In total, Drew invested around 10 days in Insomniac and fell around 20 times just before the end of the boulder.

Young talent from the United States

21-year-old Drew Ruana is one of the strongest climbers in the United States. Last year alone, he climbed a large number of the most difficult boulders in North America. The year started for Drew with the inspections of The Sleepwalker (8c +) and The Nest (8c).

Another difficult line fell in February: Pegasus (8c). In the summer months, the young American drove to Rocky Mountain National Park and cracked The Box Therapy (8c +).

Drew Ruana inspecting The Box Therapy

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Credits: Cover picture Alton Richardson

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