Five Ten 2014 | Carlo Traversi | First Ascent of The Penrose Step V14

In Five Ten 2014 | Carlo Traversi | First Ascent of The Penrose Step V14, Carlo Traversi heads to Leavenworth, Washington with a single objective: the notorious “ladder project,” an immaculate roadside shield that had shut down attempts for nearly a decade. Over four focused days in the fall of 2013, he unpacks the sequences, battles conditions, and pushes into the unknown to claim the first ascent—naming the line The Penrose Step and proposing V14, the hardest boulder problem in Washington. What makes this short film so compelling is its pure, high-stakes simplicity: just an elite climber, a proud piece of stone, and the patient process of turning possibility into certainty. You’ll get the satisfying mix of tension and progression—micro-adjustments, mounting pressure, and that unmistakable moment when everything clicks—captured against the rugged beauty and crisp feel of Pacific Northwest bouldering. If you love hard boulders, first ascents, and the mindset required to stick with a dream line until it goes, this one’s a must-watch.

Five Ten · 4:28

In the fall of 2013, Five Ten Elite Athlete Carlo Traversi traveled to Leavenworth, Washington to attempt the longstanding "ladder project". Just minutes from the main road, this impeccable shield of rock had resisted attempts for nearly a decade. After 4 days of work, Carlo made the First Ascent of the line calling it "The Penrose Step" and giving it the grade of V14, making it the hardest boulder problem in the state of Washington.