Connor Herson climbs Drifters Escape, 9a+ trad at Squamish

Connor Herson has made the first ascent of Drifters Escape, suggesting 5.15a/9a+ for the climb at Squamish in Canada. If confirmed, the route would herald a new level of difficulty for trad climbing worldwide.

Located high up on the Stawamus Chief, the route follows parallel granite splitter cracks and is protected mainly by thin cams, apart from 2 bolts at the start that protect an otherwise nasty fall onto the ledge. The Californian climber spent about 20 sessions spread out over two summers working route before his successful ascent, which came about on 14 July 2025 but was reported about only now.

After his ascent Herson stated "Over the past two summers, I’ve had the gift of climbing on Drifter’s Escape, a striking line of seams up a beautiful panel of granite halfway up Squamish’s Stawamus Chief. It’s rare to find a line so special, offering the best (and most unique — the crux move is a pogo!) movement I’ve tried over gear, at just the perfect difficulty. Although it’s true that Drifter’s is definitively the most difficult a gear-protected route has felt, it’s equally true that I’ve yet to try as high-quality a gear-protected pitch anywhere."

He added "Undoubtedly, a lot of media attention will be given to the proposed grade. However, I didn’t even grade it for a few months after climbing it, and I’m confident the number won’t be a defining part of this process when I look back on this moment one, five, or ten years from now. My time on this route was remarkably fun and positive, no small part because of the people I shared those moments with. I’ve got so much more to say, but for now I’ll leave it here: to everyone who’s supported or worked the route with me, thank you. I wouldn’t trade those days for the world."

Herson's talent is undisputed. He first made headline news in 2018 when, aged a mere 15, he completed a rare free ascent of The Nose on El Capitan. Since then he has rapidly worked his way up through the grades, culminating in repeats of routes such as Meltdown and Magic Line in Yosemite, Cobra Crack and Crack of Destiny at Squamish. In 2022 he astounded the American climbing scene with his trad ascent of the 9a sport climb Empath, while last year big walling in Yosemite he climbed Golden Gate (5.13a), El Corazon (5.13b), Pre-Muir (5.13c/d), before making the first free ascent of Triple Direct (a 30-pitch, 5.14a linkup of Salathé Wall, Muir Wall and The Nose). Three days later he made a 9.5 hour, no-falls ascent of The Nose.

 

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Connor Herson (@connor.herson)