Japanese climber Makoto Yamauchi achieved the sixth ascent of Nalle Hukkataival's Burden of Dreams V17 on April 4 in Lappnor, Finland, marking his first successful climb at this grade. After previously coming very close during an unsuccessful attempt last October, he livestreamed his latest efforts alongside Ritsu Kayotani. Yamauchi reflected on the challenges, noting that the route differed greatly from his practice on a replica. His triumphant send was met with excitement as he described it as “the best day of my life.” This iconic climb was first ascended in 2016 and had seen limited repeats until recently.

By the Numbers
  • Burden of Dreams remained unrepeated for over six years after its first ascent in 2016.
  • Yamauchi's ascent is the sixth overall, following climbs by Will Bosi, Simon Lorenzi, Elias Iagnemma, and Sungsu Lee.
State of Play
  • The route has gained increased attention after recent ascents from top climbers.
  • Multiple climbers attempted the route before Yamauchi succeeded, including some of the best names in bouldering.
What's Next

With Yamauchi's rise in prominence, future competitions and climbs will likely put the spotlight on him, increasing interest in his upcoming projects, including efforts on other challenging routes like Floatin V16.

Bottom Line

Mako Yamauchi's ascent of Burden of Dreams underscores the growing trend of achieving difficult climbs in a livestream format, allowing global audiences to connect in real-time with the challenges faced by climbers.