9b+
July 04, 2003
9b+
3 years. The ascent has been questioned.
The day that I redpointed , I rated the route as a 9b+ as it seemed to me, not a bit harder of what I had done up to the date, but so much more, and not because it would be the first 9b+ in the world but because it was the sensation that I had of rate with respect to it, even so I expressed my doubts whether it was a 9b or a 9b+ and perphaps the innovative of the route was what made me opt to it upwards.
Named after an ancient Mayan story, Chilam-Balam is a traversing, 270-foot super-pitch of overhanging stamina climbing on tufas and colonettes with several bouldering cruxes. Fernández spent three years working the 22-bolt line, using static lines and three-foot-long quickdraws to reduce rope drag and fall potential from the radically overhanging route.
April 13, 2011
9b
9b low end. 5 tries over 3 days
May 27, 2015
9a+/9b
10 days
Seb Bouin has made third ascent of Barnabé Fernandez' Chilam balam, 9b, at Villanueva del Rosario near Malaga, Spain. The route is around 80m and 400 moves long, with the redpoint crux, some delicate slab moves at the very top.
It is clear that 9b+ was a mega joke! I do not think it's a real 9b. For Adam Ondra it is a low end 9b. For Dani Andrada who tried it with me it is 9a+. Edu Marin says 9a+/9b. After reflection I propose 9a+/9b. I think there are 9b's that are much harder...
November 14, 2015
9a+/9b
9a+/9b or 9a+ hard. 20-25 attempts
La vía es buenísima. Es posiblemente la vía mas guapa que he hecho y de las mejores del mundo. En cuanto al grado ni idea porque es un estilo muy largo y de luchar mucho… 9b no creo que sea. Creo que puede ser, como opinó Seb Bouin (segundo repetidor), 9a+/9b o 9a+ duro. Para 9b tendría que tener menos reposo, tiene demasiado reposo. Pero aunque tenga reposo hay que luchar porque hay que hacer mucha fuerza corporal, utilizar las rodillas, al final es otro estilo de escalada, un poco diferente. No hay muchas vías así en todo el mundo.
November 19, 2015
9a+/9b
En cuanto al grado, está de acuerdo en que se trata de un 9a+/b.