Josune Bereziartu

If there is a magical year for Josune, it was 2002 when she made the first female ascent of a 9a/ 5.14d. The route, "Bain de Sang" (Blood Bath) is located in St. Loup, Switzerland and represented a new breakthrough in her climbing. Also in the spring of 2002, she climbed her hardest boulder problem, a difficult traverse in Balzola’s cave called "La travesia de Arriota", which weighed in at the traverse grade of 8c or V15.

That summer she began climbing multi-pitch routes, and her free ascent of an old aid line was documented by Spanish television. The classic route, called "El Pilar Del Cantabrico, was 550 meters long and demanded difficult free-climbing up to 8a+/ 5.13c with very old and questionable fixed protection.

Since that time Josune has been motivated by multi-pitch routes, and together with her husband Rikar Otegi they established the 300-metre "Yeah Man" 8b+/ 5.14a in Switzerland’s Gastlosen range.

More and more routes came after, and between all of them she made the fourth ascent of "Logical Progression" 9a/ 5.14d, in Yoyama, Japan, and the second ascent of Switzerland’s "Bimbaluna" 9a/a+, or 5.14d/5.15a.

In 2006, Josune began to look higher; discovering ice climbing and alpinism, as well as focusing on long traditional routes. She has made ascents of several Alp classics such as the Walker Spur on Grands Jorasses and the Cechinel-Nominé on the Grand Pillar De Angle on Mont Blanc. Josune and Rikar also opened the 400-metre route "El Ojo Critico", 8a/ 5.13b in Spain’s Ordesa National Parc, a difficult and traditionally protected route with only a few fixed pitons.

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