New M12/13 in Montana
Kyle Vassilopoulos has established a new M12/13 mixed climb in Montana's Hyalite Canyon.
Unlock this article and more benefits with 50% off.
Already have an Outside Account? Sign in
40% Off Outside+.
$4.99/month $2.99/month*
Get the one subscription to fuel all your adventures.
- Map your next adventure with our premium GPS apps: Gaia GPS Premium and Trailforks Pro.
- Read unlimited digital content from 15+ brands, including Outside Magazine, Triathlete, Ski, Trail Runner, and VeloNews.
- Watch 600+ hours of endurance challenges, cycling and skiing action, and travel documentaries.
- Learn from the pros with expert-led online courses.
*Outside memberships are billed annually. Print subscriptions available to U.S. residents only. You may cancel your membership at anytime, but no refunds will be issued for payments already made. Upon cancellation, you will have access to your membership through the end of your paid year. More Details
Ben Herndon.” />Kyle Vassilopoulos has established House of Flying Daggers, a new M12/13 mixed climb in Montana’s Hyalite Canyon. The new addition to Hyalite Canyon could be a contender for one of the country’s hardest mixed climbs.
Vassilopoulos, a prolific Montana rock climber based in Bozeman, is currently enjoying his second season as an ice and mixed climber. Last year, he got off to a quick start by repeating another Hyalite Canyon testpiece—Inglorious Basterds (M12). Now Vassilopoulos has upped the ante with House of Flying Daggers, which he says is harder than Inglorious Basterds.
“The climbing style of this route is much different than Inglorious Basterds,” says Vassilopoulos. “It is much more bouldery, dynamic, and powerful. If my memory serves me right, it is harder than Inglorious by a healthy amount.”
House of Flying Daggers is located in Hyalite’s Bingo Cave, and the bolt line was started by Conrad Anker and then finished by Vassilopoulos. The route begins with 30 feet of vertical rock and then kicks back with a 35-foot horizontal roof that leads to a hanging ice dagger.
“The moves include full extension body lever reaches in a horizontal roof, one arm lock off swings and cuts, and dynamic deadpoints from figure four positions,” says Vassilopoulos. But House of Flying Daggers is not over once you reach the ice, according to Vassilopoulos. “The transition to the ice was very hard as the ice dagger is hanging 6 feet away from the lip of the cave instead of hanging right off the lip,” he says. “Also the first 30 feet of ice climbing once on the dagger was very overhanging, difficult, technical, scary, and hard.”
