Chris Sharma is projecting a new climbing route just beyond the dam that marks the end of Congost de Mont-Rebei—a gorge along the Noguera Ribagorzana River, between Aragón and Catalonia, in Spain—that even he’s not sure he can complete. If he does, it could be the hardest in the world.
Among the route’s rigors is a set of caves with a long, sloped ceiling (at least 60 degrees, more than 60 meters long). The backdrop is impossibly idyllic: Greenery and wildflowers crown the small river beyond the dam, and the warbling song of swallows reverberates off the limestone walls.
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Hanging 40 meters off the ground, Barcelona photographer Helena Clancy captured Sharma on the final movement needed to clear the “infinite wall” on a Canon EOS R5. The shot is actually a composition of five images, she says, stitched together to showcase the full breadth of the landscape.
To get her vantage point, she climbed six meters, then launched herself into the air to jumar the remaining distance with an ascender (hand-held clamp).
“Climbing is a very personal and intimate sport,” she says. “When I’m hooked up there, I feel like the climber shares their nerves and power with me. Being able to feel their adrenaline at the same time I try to transmit the least amount of disturbance to capture those emotions is mind-blowing.”
Clancy also worked with Sharma during his ascent of Mallorca’s Black Pearl, considered the hardest deep-water solo route.
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“I truly believe he’s capable of making this new ascent in the near future. This route promises to be a huge new step in [his] climbing legacy.”
Related: The Training Secret Behind Chris Sharma’s Legendary Climbing Career
Chris Sharma Is Projecting One of the Hardest Climbs in the World. Here’s How His Photographer Keeps Up first appeared on Men’s Journal on Jul 28, 2025