Microbeta
Behind the scenes of our ambassadors' trickiest and most meaningful ascents.
Microbeta is all about the details. It’s the sneaky weight shift, the precise finger position or the subtle mental unlock that takes a project from “impossible” to “doable.” And it’s our celebration of the weird, obsessive specificity of rock climbing. Our new short film series, “Microbeta,” takes you into the minutiae of our ambassadors’ processes, celebrating the unique creativity they bring to their trickiest and most meaningful ascents.
Aidan Roberts | The Dark Side (V16) | Microbeta #1
On January 5, 2025, Patagonia Climb Ambassador Aidan Roberts made the second ascent of The Dark Side (V16), Yosemite’s hardest boulder problem. In episode 1, he goes deep into the details that made his ascent possible.
Katie Lamb | The Rookery (V14) | Microbeta #2
On December 21, 2024, Patagonia Climb Ambassador Katie Lamb made the third ascent and first female ascent of The Rookery (V14) in Yosemite Valley. In episode 2, Katie describes how she dialed in her technique to send.
Pete Whittaker | Crown Royale (5.14d) | Microbeta #3
In late September 2023, Patagonia Climb Ambassador Pete Whittaker put up Crown Royale (5.14d) on Profilveggen in Jøssingfjord, Norway, a nearly 330-foot monster pitch that is one of the hardest trad routes in the world. Pete describes some of the aspects of the climb that make it uniquely difficult in episode 3.
Lor Sabourin | Green Mojave (5.13) | Microbeta #4
Some of the climbs that stick with you are the ones that have it all, and according to Patagonia Climb Ambassador Lor Sabourin, Green Mojave (5.13) in Northern Arizona is one of them. In episode 4, Lor describes some of the mental tactics they used to figure out how to send this intricate corner crack.
Tommy Caldwell | Empath | Microbeta #5
Patagonia Climb Ambassador Tommy Caldwell, fellow Climb ambassador Sonnie Trotter and their good friend Alex Honnold created a friendly competition to see who could climb 9a (5.14d) first, as they’d all had a long hiatus from climbing at that level. Tommy chose to project Empath (5.14d), a granite test-piece in Kirkwood, California, but after sending it on May 17, 2025, he’s not sure if it counts. Watch episode 5 to see for yourself.
