A 5.14 at 13,000 feet? These lunatics actually climbed that high to make you feel lazy.
ABYSS, the latest viral film from Louder Than Eleven, provides an insider’s look at rock climbing development. Exploration of secret, alpine climbing terrain high above Colorado’s Front Range has created a flurry of debate regarding the philosophy, secrecy and ethics of development. Culminating in Ben Spannuth’s FA of one of the world’s highest elevation 5.14s, ABYSS opens the floodgates of passionate debate within the climbing community. The scandal unfolds in this 48-minute piece, featuring such climbing talents as Paige Claassen, Matty Hong, Chris Schulte, Mayan Smith-Gobat, Ben Spannuth, David Wetmore, and Matt Wilder and narrated by Jon Glassberg. Additional commentary from the insightful minds of Peter Beal, Herman Feissner, Joe Kinder, Brady Robinson, Ben Scott, Chris Sharma, John Sherman, and Clark Shelk.
Cinematography
Stunning alpine exposure that'll give you altitude sickness through a screen.
Writing
Narration digs into climbing's messy ethics without picking easy sides.
Practical Effects
Real FA footage—no stunt doubles, just frozen fingers and ego.
Director
Rich Crowder
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Abyss sparked real ongoing debates in climbing about 'area openness'—some developers still won't speak to Glassberg.
The 5.14 grade at that elevation is basically climbing with 40% less oxygen; most pros train at sea level.
US
