Ashima Shiraishi: A Climbing Prodigy
Contents
- Bio
- Stats
- Notable Climbs
- Jade (V14) – 2021
- Second V15 – Sleepy Rave in 2016
- First V15 Horizon – 2016
- Another V14 – Nuclear War
- Open Your Mind Direct (5.14d/5.15a) – 2015
- The Swarm (V13/14) – 2015
- First V14: Golden Shadow (V14) in 2014
- Digital System (5.14b) – 2014
- Two More 5.14c’s: 24-Karats & Fifty Words for Pump – 2013
- V13 in Magic Wood, Switzerland 2013
- 5.14b’s in Ceuse, France – 2013
- Southern Smoke and Lucifer (5.14c), God’s Own Stone (5.14a) in Kentucky – 2012
- 2nd and 3rd V13 – Fragile Steps in 2012
- Crown of Arragorn (V13) – 2012
- Red River Gorge in – 2011
- V11 and V12 in Hueco Tanks – 2011
- 8 Year Old Ashima & Power of Silence (V10) – 2010
- Sources
Bio
Ashima Shiraishi is a rock climbing and bouldering phenom that was born and raised in New York City. As a young child, she began climbing at Central Park’s Rat Rock with no equipment or climbing shoes. She soon started visiting a local climbing gym and quickly became one of the world’s most prolific female climbers and a well known name in the community.
She first made news in the climbing world in 2010, at age eight, when she sent Power of Silence (V10), a boulder problem in Hueco Tanks, Texas. A year later, she returned and sent Chablanke (V11/12) and several other difficult boulder problems. She climbed the Crown of Aragorn (V13) at age 10, very likely becoming the youngest person to tick the grade. Her most difficult grade to date is V15, and she has two under her belt with Horizon and Sleepy Rave. With Horizon in 2016, she became the youngest person and first female climber to send V15.
Table Of Contents
Stats
Height: 5’1″ DOB: 4/3/2001 Started Climbing: 2007 Highest Grade: V15
While she excels in bouldering, she is also excellent at lead climbing and became the youngest person to climb 5.14c when she sent Southern Smoke in 2012. Since then, she’s added several other 5.14’s to her ticklist, and even a couple 5.15’s. In March 2015, at age 13, she climbed Open Your Mind Direct and Ciudad de Dios in Spain, becoming the youngest person to climb at the 5.14d/5.15a level.
Ashima has also excelled at indoor competition, winning multiple IFSC Youth World Championship titles in lead and bouldering between 2015 and 2017. She also competed at USA Climbing’s open national championships and in the Climbing World Cup.
Outside of climbing, she works closely with All Rise Climbing, which is a project that gives back to local communities by making climbing more accessible for everyone.
You can follow Ashima on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube. She also has a great TEDx Talk that’s worth the 8 minute watch.
Notable Climbs
Jade (V14) – 2021
Ashima’s first V14 came back in 2014, and in 2021 she added another V14 to her ticklist. In August 2021, she sent the popular Jade (V14) boulder problem in Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. This boulder was flashed by Adam Ondra in 2015 and has seen many ascents by well known names and several women. According to her Instagram announcement, Ashima also climbed Riddles in the Park (V12), Golden Rows of Flows (V11), and Blood Money (V10) that day.
Second V15 – Sleepy Rave in 2016
Later in 2016, Ashima sent the endurance test piece Sleepy Rave in Grampians National Park, Australia. The route links Dead Can’t Dance (V11), Cave Man (V9), and Sleepy Hollow (V12) inside of Hollow Mountain Cave. The same day, she also climbed Mana (V13). At the same time, she was training for the Youth World Championships.
First V15 Horizon – 2016
At only fourteen years old, on March 22, 2016, Ashima Shiraishi sent her first V15 boulder problem, Horizon, which is located at Mount Hiei in Japan. The problem was first climbed by Dai Koyamada, and her second ascent made her the first female and the youngest person to have climbed V15. On her Instagram she posted: “My dream came true!!!!!!! I just sent Horizon V15 in Hiei, Japan! I can’t believe that I have become the 1st female to do a V15 and the youngest person ever!!!!“
Another V14 – Nuclear War
Ashima also conquered Nuclear War, which is located in the Master Bedroom area of New York’s Harriman State Park. It was the first female ascent of the problem, a sit start into War Cry (V11). In December 2015, she also climbed Phenomena (V14) in Japan, a problem established by Dai Koyamada.
Open Your Mind Direct (5.14d/5.15a) – 2015
In March of 2015, Ashima sent Open Your Mind Direct in Santa Linya, Spain. A broken hold had made the route harder, and it was regarded as 9a+ (5.15a), though the grade was debated. That made her widely reported as the first woman to climb 5.15a, at age 13; Josune Bereziartu had climbed the 9a/9a+ Bimbaluna in 2005. Later in the week, she also sent Ciudad de Dios, which was also split between a 5.14d and 5.15a rating.
The Swarm (V13/14) – 2015
On the morning of January 1st, 2015, Ashima made an Instagram post that saluted 2014 and made hints that The Swarm was her 2015 goal. Just a few hours later, she posted again, this time saying “Sending has never felt this GOOD!!!!” with confirmation that she had indeed sent The Swarm. She claimed the youngest ascent of this boulder problem. The climb couldn’t tire her out too much because the next day she flashed Swordfish Trombone (V12).
First V14: Golden Shadow (V14) in 2014
In July 2014 in Rocklands, South Africa, 13-year-old Ashima sent Golden Shadow, claiming her first V14. It was also the first female ascent of this problem, and it made her the second woman to climb V14, after Tomoko Ogawa.
Digital System (5.14b) – 2014
Ashima is known for her bouldering but she has also completed some significant sport climbs over the years. While on vacation in Spain in 2014, she sent Digital System (5.14b). This route could be added to her impressive 5.14 ticklist even though she was only 12 or 13 years old at the time.
Two More 5.14c’s: 24-Karats & Fifty Words for Pump – 2013
Almost one year after her previous visit to Red River Gorge, Ashima returned and sent 24-Karats at the Gold Coast and Fifty Words for Pump at the Bob Marley crag (both 5.14c). These two routes brought her 5.14c list to a total of four, all of which are located in the Red.
V13 in Magic Wood, Switzerland 2013
While on a European summer vacation, Ashima spent some time in Magic Wood, Switzerland, where she climbed several hard problems that were on her to-do list. This included One Summer in Paradise (V13), which is one of many climbs of that grade on her ticklist. She also sent The Left Hand of Darkness (V12), Pura Vida (V12), The Right Hand of Darkness (V12), and Super Supernova (V11).
5.14b’s in Ceuse, France – 2013
As part of her 2013 summer European trip, she spent three weeks in Céüse. Not surprisingly, Ashima took advantage of her time there and flashed Dolce Vita (5.13c), sent Slow Food (5.14a) on her second try, and also sent Dures Limites (5.14b) on her second try.
Southern Smoke and Lucifer (5.14c), God’s Own Stone (5.14a) in Kentucky – 2012
In 2012, Ashima Shiraishi climbed Southern Smoke (5.14c) and became the youngest climber ever to tick the grade. It took her only two days of work and seven tries, and she sent it in the last hour of a six day long rip through Red River Gorge. During this trip, she climbed her first 5.14a second try (God’s Own Stone), flashed another 5.14a (Omaha Beach), then spent days working two 5.14+ routes (Lucifer and Southern Smoke). Just one day after Southern Smoke, Ashima sent Lucifer as well, claiming her second 5.14c ever in just 24 hours. You can watch a video of her RRG trip here.
Ashima sending Southern Smoke
2nd and 3rd V13 – Fragile Steps in 2012
For her third V13, Ashima sent Fragile Steps in South Africa. Just a few weeks prior, she claimed her second V13 with Steady Plums Direct, and a few months prior she got her first V13. She had become very likely the youngest person to tick the grade when she climbed Crown of Aragorn in Hueco Tanks, Texas.
Crown of Arragorn (V13) – 2012
In March 2012, almost exactly one year after her previous Hueco trip, Ashima very likely became the youngest person to climb V13 with her ascent of the Crown of Aragorn in Hueco Tanks. It was her first V13 and she was only 10 years old!
Red River Gorge in – 2011
At the Dark Side Crag at the Red, 10-year-old Ashima sent Swingline (5.13d) and Table of Colors Direct (5.13b), and she also onsighted The Return of Darth Moll (5.13b). According to Mountain Project, to this day Swing Line is rated 5.13d and is the ultimate “power endurance” route – crazy to think that a ten year old sent it back in 2011! She was quoted saying she’d like to come back for God’s Own Stone, which she did end up doing almost exactly a year later.
V11 and V12 in Hueco Tanks – 2011
Only two days into a trip to Hueco, young Ashima Shiraishi sent both Chbalanke (V12) and Roger in the Shower (V11). She still had four days left on this trip and was out filming a segment for the Reel Rock Tour with coach Obe Carrion. It was during this trip that she really started sending boulder problems and shocking the climbing community with her young success.
8 Year Old Ashima & Power of Silence (V10) – 2010
At only eight years old, Ashima sent Power of Silence (V10) in Hueco Tanks, Texas. It was her second V10 behind The Wave, and she had just won ABS Junior Nationals for Girls D (under 11).
References:
- New York Magazine
- Climbing.com
- National Geographic
- Cover photo by Parker Alec Crossfrom Ashima’s Facebook page