Adam Ondra was in Israel for a few days and became the country's first 9a in the heavily overhanging Nezer Cave area.
“Israeli trip was a blast! Besides sightseeing and tasting one of the best food I have ever had, we climbed a lot in Israeli's hardest crag Nezer Cave, ”enthuses the Czech climber. The area is usually closed to climbing between November and March. The local climbing community campaigned for an exception to be made for Adam's visit.
Much resistance from local authorities
The efforts have been worthwhile, because Adam opened Israel's first 9a route with the “Climb Free” route. The aim of the trip was to make climbing better known in Israel and to increase the understanding of local authorities. Obviously, Israeli climbers often encounter resistance when opening up new areas.
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Credits: picture Adam Ondra