The first ascent of Vision Quest 9a/+ on December 16th 2024
Week of January 5, 2026
On December 16th 2024, Chris Sharma completed the first ascent of Vision Quest, a deep water solo graded 9a/+, instantly placing it among the most difficult routes ever climbed above open water. Sharma, the godfather of modern deep water soloing, adds another landmark achievement to a career already defined by impossible-seeming firsts. Vision Quest joins an elite handful of climbs — including Es Pontas, Alasha, Big Fish, and Black Pearl — considered the five hardest deep water solos on the planet. Watching Sharma commit to this route without a rope, high above the sea, is a masterclass in controlled aggression and trust: a 12-minute window into what the absolute frontier of human climbing looks like.
Sharma Channel · 12:27 · 59K views