The Hard Truths of Return Of The Sleepwalker

In this week’s podcast, join Lattice Training coach, Josh Hadley, as he is joined by pro climber, Nate Williams, who has been projecting ‘Return of the Sleepwalker’ (V17/9A) in Las Vegas, USA, which recently saw its second ascent, by Will Bosi in February 2024. Nate’s been working on this well-known climb for over 2 seasons, since sending the stand-start version ‘Sleepwalker’ (V16/8C+) back in December 2020. In this episode, we delve into Nate's climbing journey, understanding the intricacies of this famous V17/9A boulder problem and how this recent ascent changes what he will do next.

Nate discusses his past, growing up and being mentored by Jimmy Webb, his conversations with Daniel Woods discussing a new boulder that later became Sleepwalker, and how he went from competing nationally to being a fully outdoors climber. Josh delves into his remarkable journey and learns what it takes to project at your limit and unlock new potential.

Other topics include:

• Who is Nathan Williams?
• How Jimmy Webb influenced Nate’s style of climbing
• The commitment to the process of projecting and how what to think about when choosing a boulder at your limit
• Differences between the stand (Sleepwalker, V16/8C+) and the sit (Return of the Sleepwalker V17/9A)
• How to  build friction and how holds differ in their texture
• Supporting Will Bosi with his recent ascent and differences in their approach
• What is next for Nate after ROTS?

And much more!

Tune in for this captivating episode as we discuss the ripple effect of Will Bosi's recent ascent of "Return of the Sleepwalker" and its implications for Nate's own journey. 

The Lattice jingle is brought to you by Devin Dabney, music producer of the outdoor industry who also hosts the American Climbing Project.