Build My Own FeedBD athlete Nalle Hukkataival reports on sport-climbing trip to Spain and bouldering in Finland
Black Diamond athlete Nalle Hukkataival spent some time this spring sport climbing in northern Spain, where he managed a handful of enduro 8b+ and 8c’s. It seems as though he’s also found a crazy-hard new bouldering project in his native Finland. Nalle sent us the following report and photos of his recent travels and discoveries.
A couple weeks ago I left Spain, where I spent almost two months sport climbing. As a sworn boulderer, I did not expect this happening, but the extremely snowy winter didn't really leave many choices, so I figured it would be more fun than training in the gym or freezing in bouldering areas that are covered in snow.
Like I said I'm a boulderer and have been my whole climbing career, so getting endurance was my number one objective. It didn't come overnight, but after spending some days on the massive wall of Oliana, I was felt fit enough for even some of the longest routes and managed to climb routes like Identifacation y Placas (8c), China Crisis (8b+) and Full Equipe (8c). I'm particularly proud of these ones, because they are all very long which equals hard for me. I also climbed a shorter 8c+ called Duele de Realidad, but it was really bouldery, so I didn't have to work for it nearly as much as the longer routes. I figured since I was sport climbing, I might as well just try the longer routes that are hard for me, instead of just finding the short ones that I know I could do. My goal was not really to climb anything, but rather build up some endurance. And I did. There was one route, however, a project actually, that I wanted to try, but things didn't really work out and I never got to try it.
One negative thing, I have to say, that I noticed was how many of the routes are manufactured or heavily reinforced with sika. Sometimes you had to look far to find a natural route, which is really sad in my opinion. Luckily, you rarely come across these issues in bouldering, but this has definitely been a very eye-opening experience for me. Sometimes it seemed that the definition of a "natural route" was quite a lot different from mine. Anyway, it was a fun trip and a good change of pace for me, but bouldering will definitely always be my thing. 
Right now, I'm back in Finland working on this incredible new boulder project that my friend found last year. It is one of the most amazing lines I've ever seen on granite—anywhere. Not only is it very unique, it is also extremely hard. I've been working on it for a few days now and it is for sure the hardest thing that I've ever seriously tried. It's too early to even speculate on the difficulty—all I know is it might not even go. So far, I've managed to do only one move out of about 16 moves. It's not impossible, is what I keep telling myself. And that means that it's possible? I hope so. It's not a blank wall. The holds are there; they're just really small and very far apart. No matter what, this has already been a dream come true. For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to find an amazing and ridiculously hard (but not impossible) project near my home and here it is! I just cancelled my trip Switzerland, so I can stay here and work on this thing.
— Nalle
Great Britain / English 
