It feels like spring is trying to show up, daylight savings just hit, the days are stretching out, and there's that familiar pull to get outside and stay outside.
Between everything moving at warp speed in the news cycle right now, I keep coming back to the same thought: the best reset is a simple one. Get outside. Move your body. Do it with people you respect. Whether it's a morning run, a weekend climb, or just a walk with no agenda, that's where the real conversations happen. No algorithm, no notifications, just fresh air and honest company.
What to know:
🧗 Adam Ondra flashes third V15 boulder, cementing bouldering's new frontier in Switzerland.
⛰️ Simon Gietl solos legendary 17-pitch Phantom der Zinne on Cima Grande in winter.
🏃 The Albons sweep Transgrancanaria as husband and wife both win the 78-mile ultra.
🧗🏻 Erwan Legrand, 17, makes first ascent of 35-year-old Buoux mega-project…barefoot.
Follow the Adventure Society on LinkedIn | Instagram
❄️ Current Snow Report
*Base depths reflect the lowest reported elevation. A dash (-) indicates data was not available
Czech climber continues rewriting the rules of what's possible on first try
Ondra flashed Celestite (V15) in Valle Bavona, Switzerland on February 28 — his third flash at the grade, a feat no other climber has achieved
Five-day blitz included flashing Flash Flood (V13), sending Captain Nemo (V15), and then topping it all off with the Celestite flash
Dave Graham established Celestite in 2023 and originally graded it V16; Ondra and recent repeater Pietro Vidi believe it's V15
Climbed on river-polished granite where afternoon humidity actually helped friction — a strategic move after earlier climbs
Nobody expected the send, including Ondra himself, who said the ultra-technical kneebar problem "doesn't look flashable at all" from video
Why it matters? Before July 2025, no one had ever flashed a V15. Now Ondra has done it three times in four months, suggesting that the ceiling of what's possible on a first attempt is being fundamentally redefined — and Ondra is the one holding the hammer.
South Tyrolean alpinist conquers one of the Dolomites' most committing routes — alone and in winter
Gietl completed the 550m, 17-pitch Das Phantom der Zinne in a two-day solo push on March 5–6, spending the night on a ledge high on the north face
Route grades up to 5.13a with 5.12 climbing mandatory — established by legends Kurt Astner and Christoph Hainz in 1995 and rarely repeated since
Third attempt over 15 years: Gietl first tried it in winter in 2010 with a partner and again solo in 2015, bailing both times before the top
Guidebook author Erik Svab noted the route had only been repeated two or three times by 2004, calling it "steeped in mystery" where "falling is simply not an option"
Continues Gietl's winter solo legacy in the Dolomites, following his Tre Cime traverse, Rosengarten skyline, and Geislerspitzen traverse in previous winters
Why it matters? At 41 years old, Gietl proves that the hardest Dolomite walls can still be climbed in the purest style — alone, in winter, with no safety net — and that patience and persistence across a career can unlock what raw talent alone cannot.
Jonathan and Henriette Albon dominate the 78-mile Classic across Gran Canaria's volcanic terrain
Photo: Transgrancanaria/Carlos Díaz-Recio
Husband-and-wife duo Jonathan Albon (U.K.) and Henriette Albon (Norway) both won the Transgrancanaria Classic 126k on Saturday — a rare sweep in major ultrarunning
Jonathan finished in 12:58:08, holding off Germany's Hannes Namberger (13:03:10) and Josh Wade (13:07:54) after running much of the final 23 miles alone at the front
Henriette defended her 2025 title in 15:16:33, overtaking early leader Katarzyna Dombrowska on the climb toward Roque Nublo and winning by more than 90 minutes
6,000 runners from 70+ countries started the 27th edition in midnight darkness on Las Canteras beach, climbing 22,000 feet across Gran Canaria's volcanic ridgelines
The race is a World Trail Majors event, making it one of the most competitive ultra-trail races on the global calendar
Why it matters? Married couples winning the same major ultra is nearly unheard of — and doing it at a World Trail Majors event makes it even more remarkable. The Albons aren't just partners in life; they're proving that the family that trains together really can dominate together.
Son of French climbing royalty sends the "Holy Grail" of sport climbing after 35 years of failed attempts by the world's best
Le Bombé Bleu was bolted in 1991 by child prodigy Marc Le Ménestrel and has defeated every major climber since — Ben Moon, Chris Sharma, Charles Albert, Alex Megos, and many more
Legrand sent it in 15 sessions, barefoot, forgoing climbing shoes to better feel the tiny pockets on the overhanging limestone
The 16-move crux sequence on micro pockets is so extreme that Ben Moon famously made tin foil molds of the holds and built a replica — and still couldn't do it
Son of François Legrand, five-time World Cup champion, Erwan has climbing in his DNA but has been quietly building a resume that now includes multiple 5.14c+ sends
Adam Ondra called it "incredible", Chris Sharma said "so epic," and Alex Megos simply wrote "LEGEND!!!"
Why it matters? Some climbs become mythical precisely because they resist every generation's strongest. Le Bombé Bleu held out for 35 years against the best the sport had to offer — and it took a 17-year-old, climbing barefoot, to finally crack the code. The future of climbing has arrived, and it isn't wearing shoes.
🗞️ Other Headlines
⛰️ Everest's spring 2026 climbing season is underway as Icefall Doctors begin fixing ropes, while Tibet's north side remains closed to international teams
🧗 Alex Megos makes the second ascent of Jules Marchaland's Le Bruit de l'Acid (9b) at Claret, France, one of the world's hardest sport climbs
🏔 Jost Kobusch meets winter Everest legend Krzysztof Wielicki as he prepares to return for his fourth solo winter attempt in December 2026
🧗🏻 France's Oriane Bertone and Scotland's Max Milne win the first-ever Pro Climbing League event in London
🏔 American Connor Herson makes the first ascent of Drifters Escape in Squamish, proposing 5.15a — the world's hardest trad climb
🏔 Charles Dubouloz completes his "winter trilogy" with a solo ascent of Pic d'Ossau in the French Pyrenees
🔜 Upcoming Events
On March 19th, we’re hosting our quarterly Fireside Chat at Patagonia in SoHo with Jonathan Retseck, CEO, Ben Ende, Partner at RXR Sports, for a behind-the-scenes look at the business of elite outdoor sport. We’ll explore how athlete representation has evolved, how brand partnerships fuel performance, and where the adventure industry is headed next.
🎟️ Adventure Society Members & Guests are invited to attend
⛷️ Backcountry Ski Trip
The Adventure Society is running a backcountry ski trip in the Selkirk Mountains, Canada, and 1 spot has become available! If you’d like to learn more about attending, please reach out directly at [email protected]
⛷️ Trip information can be found here.
⏱️ FKT Highlight: Mt. Washington (NH)
Mt Washington is New England's highest peak at 6,288 ft, notorious for some of the worst weather on earth, holding the world wind speed record of 231 mph for over 60 years. The out-and-back from Pinkham Notch via Tuckerman Ravine Trail is a classic sufferfest of sustained climbing and exposed alpine terrain. Alexandra Zvezdin just set the FKT on February 15th in 1h 58m 29s on skis!
Forwarded this message? Subscribe Here.
Subscribing is free.
What is the Adventure Society?
The Adventure Society is a private community for people who believe the outdoors is where growth happens. We bring together curious, active leaders for shared adventures, meaningful conversations, and unique experiences across NYC and beyond.
See how to get involved 👇🏼