Didier Berthod finally climbs Cobra Crack at Squamish, Canada

43-year-old Swiss climber Didier Berthod has finally closed a loop he nearly concluded almost 20 years ago, with his inspirational repeat yesterday of Cobra Crack at Squamish in Canada.

Located on the backside of the Chief, this thin 30m overhanging crack was originally ascended in the 1980’s with A2 aid by Squamish local Peter Croft and Tami Knight and then courted intensely in the early 2000's by Berthod who, at the time, was one of the foremost crack climbers in the world.

On a roll after hard first ascents including Greenspit in Italy's Valle dell'Orco, Berthod got extremely close to the first free ascent but then, at the height of his powers and aged only 25, following a knee injury he quit climbing altogether in 2006 and retreated to a monastery in Switzerland to become a Franciscan monk. The route was freed by Sonnie Trotter after a monumental effort in 2006, hailed as one of the hardest pure crack climbs in the world, and over the last two decades the climb's call has attracted the best of the best.

Including Berthod. As was widely reported, in 2020 the Swissman returned to climbing and immediately left his mark, returning to the apex of crack climbing in no time at all. In June last year he made the first ascent of The Crack of Destiny, a stunning splitter crack located on The Chief above Squamish he graded 8c. Talking to planetmountain after that ascent, he indicated that he'd love to send the Cobra, explaining that "it would be so cool for my climbing journey." Yesterday was finally the cool day.

He explained on his Instagram handle "I don’t know if it’s a chapter closing or a chapter opening But what is certain is that what I experienced yesterday will mark a major turning point in the course of my existence. I (finally) sent Cobra Crack. After many trials and doubts of all kinds. But yesterday it went, and this day will remain engraved forever in my history. My deepest and most sincere thanks to all those who have supported me in this adventure, starting with my two loves, Thomasina Pidgeon and Cedar. And a very special thought for Mason Earl, to whom I dedicate this climb. Never stop dreaming big. Against all odds."