Nico Favresse and Adam Pustelnik have repeated Orbayu, a big-wall route in Spain that was originally given the grade of 5.14c/d by its first ascentionists and subsequently dubbed the "hardest big-wall route in the world." Favresse and Pustelnik, however, believe the crux pitch might be closer to 5.14b or even 5.14a if you are on the tall side.

On the BD Blog, Favresse and Pustelnik jointly write: "First of all we would like to say that Orbayu is an exceptional route and we would like to thank the Pou brothers for their vision for this line and their effort to put it up. ... So since everybody ask us about the grade, we can’t avoid talking about it. Overall the route felt easier than its original grade.  The crux pitch felt definitely easier than 8c+/9a to both of us. We both think it’s no more than 8c… maybe 8b+ if you are not short."

In August 2009, the brothers Iker and Eneko Pou established the 1,500-foot Orbayu, located on Naranjo de Bulnes, Picos de Europa, Spain. At the time, they called it, "the most important route we've ever climbed." The route is run-out and hard, particularly the first four pitches, which are overhanging. The next six pitches share terrain with an old aid climb from 1980, and relay on the ancient protection from that era: wooden pitons, copperheads, micro-friends and nuts. The pitches break down like so: 5.13c, 5.13b, 5.11d, 5.14c/d, 5.13c, 5.10d, 5.10b, 5.8, 5.8, 5.9, 5.8, 5.8.

Favresse and Pustelnik also downgraded the other pitches by one or two letter grades. They took three and four days, respectively, to free the pitches before doing a ground up, in-a-day free ascent.

Sadly, two days after their ascent, on a new-route attempt also on the same wall, Pustelnik broke a hold, ripped three pieces of gear, and fell 60 feet before hitting the ground. He was air-lifted out and is staying at a hospital in Oviedo, in Northern Spain, where he is recovering from a broken sacrum, sternum and L1 vertebrae. He is expected to recover.