Burden of Dreams (climb)

Burden of Dreams is a 4-metre (13 ft) red granite grade 9A (V17) bouldering problem at Lappnor near Loviisa, in Finland. It was first climbed by Finnish climber Nalle Hukkataival on 23 October 2016, who spent four years projecting the boulder,^[3] and features in the 2017 climbing film, The Lappnor Project.^[4][5]

With the hardest bouldering grade previously considered 8C+ (V16), Burden of Dreams was the world's first to be graded a 9A (V17).^[6] Climbing magazine awarded Hukkataival a Golden Piton award for having the courage to propose this grade.^[7]

After resisting further attempts by the world's strongest climbers for many years, including Shawn Raboutou and Stefano Ghisolfi,^[8] it was finally repeated by Scottish climber Will Bosi on 12 April 2023.^[9] Bosi practiced on a 3D-printed replica of the key holds and movements of the route in the United Kingdom, before attempting the actual boulder in Finland.^[10][11] Bosi also confirmed the grade of 9A (V17).^[12]

After Bosi's repeat, climbing hold manufacturers began to offer highly accurate 3D-scanned replicas of the holds on Burden of Dreams to the public. By altering the gradient to vertical, instead of the 45-degree overhang on the real route, it was estimated that the grade of difficulty is softened to almost 5+ (V2).^[13]