Laura Pineau sends Wet Lycra Nightmare in Yosemite

In 2023, after spending two months in Squamish preparing for Free Rider, a film screening at the Arc’teryx festival completely shifted the direction of my season. Samuel Crossley’s film about the ascent of Wet Lycra Nightmare deeply moved me. I knew instantly that one day I, too, would try this iconic route, driven by the idea of doing that improbable “chicken wing” move suspended 600 meters above the void. It wasn’t just the exposure that attracted me, but the richness of the climbing itself: slabs, cracks, powerful bouldery sequences, and a highly exposed final chimney… a true granite sampler where I wanted to test my experience and push my limits.

But the preparation was far from ideal. A heavy bike crash in July left me with a shoulder injury and two months of disrupted training. Arriving in the Valley with so little strength could have discouraged me, but the desire to throw myself into a big project was stronger. During the first sessions, I climbed cautiously, giving my shoulder time to heal — and, almost miraculously, after 10 days, the pain had vanished. That’s when I started putting real attempts into the 8b and committed to working the route over six weeks, seventeen days in total. When I finally sent the 8b pitch on lead, I knew the full ascent was possible, even though the two 7c+ pitches ahead of me would still push my limits.

The final three-day push was an emotional whirlwind. The first day went smoothly, right up until five exhausting attempts on the 8b that convinced me to stop for the night on the comfortable Awahnee Ledge. My Coros watch showed me I had burned 4700 calories on that first day which is way more than I expected, so I made sure to have multiple dinners. Day two became a mental battle like few I’ve experienced: ten attempts on the 8b, including a heartbreaking slip on the seventh try that almost crushed me. It was only after putting on some upbeat music that I managed to calm my mind. On the tenth attempt, I finally sent the pitch, carried by an unexpected flow. With a few minutes of shade left, I jumped on the next pitch — and it went. From that moment on, I knew I would make it to the top.

The third day remains one of the most beautiful climbing days of my life. I sent the last 7c+ in a state of complete fatigue, balancing somewhere between determination and total pump. In the final chimney, I even thought I might get stuck — a full minute frozen between tension and pure willpower. When I finally managed to climb higher, everything clicked into place, and I savored every move up to the final anchor.

Clipping that last anchor filled me with immense pride and deep relief. Wet Lycra Nightmare is not only my first big wall sent on my own, but also the defining achievement of what I now call my “Yosemite year.” After seven months in the Valley, I’m leaving with memories, connections, and the feeling of having added my own small stone to this legendary place.

Next up: Europe. France, Italy, good food, and the southern cliffs I’ve missed so much.

Laura Pineau, Yosemite, USA

Pineau thanks: Coros, La Sportiva, Midnight Lightning Climbing