Cracking Cobra

Cracking Cobra drops you into Squamish, BC, where the legendary Cobra Crack looms like a dare: a steep sweep of granite split by a razor seam that’s barely there for your fingers. Follow trad climber Mason Earle as he returns to the route that’s been pulling him back since 2009—part obsession, part unfinished story—as he once again steps up to confront the Cobra. What makes this short film hit is the mix of myth and reality: the clean lines, the physical puzzle of overhanging crack climbing, and the quiet head game of committing above gear on a “kingline.” It’s a fast, atmospheric watch that captures why certain climbs become personal—equal parts beauty, struggle, and the stubborn drive to come back one more time.

Eddie Bauer · 8:32

Cobra Crack is the de facto kingline of North American trad climbing. A stunning wall of overhanging granite split by a singular seam, barely wide enough to get your fingers into; it's a crack climber's dream. Since Mason Earle first tried Cobra Crack in 2009, the route has called him back to Squamish, BC again and again. For better or for worse, the route has become a part of his history. Take a look as Mason goes back to confront the Cobra this past summer. This is Cracking Cobra.