Yannick Flohé has flashed Flow State (8C) in Val Daone, the granite valley in Trentino. It is his second flash of the grade, and he ranks it clearly above Foundation’s Edge, the 8C he flashed at Fionnay in July 2025, the first flash of the grade.

He had never climbed in Val Daone. He stopped for one day, just before Rock Master in Arco (2–4 October 2026), where he is due to defend his bouldering title, and he had picked Flow State as the flash. Gripped carried the news on 1 October.

Pietro Vidi made the first ascent on 17 April 2024 and proposed 8C+. Adam Ondra made the first repeat in August 2024 and did not quite agree with the grade: “8C+ if you’re short, for sure.” Consensus is now 8C. The line crosses a steep granite roof. The opening shares the crux of Grizzly (8A+), then links through Flow (8B+) across the whole roof.

Flohé spent about three hours on the beta, watching sequences and texting Adam Ondra about the options, what to focus on, and which shoes to wear. A friend worked the lower moves. When cloud came in and the air turned humid, he went. He climbed the 8A+ section to a good rest, chalked, shook out, and committed to the last long move to a sloping jug. The foot had to stay on a poor smear to control the swing. He barely kept it, missed the hold, readjusted, and still reached the final jug.

“My second flash of this grade and for sure my hardest one so far,” he said. The first 8C+ flash is still open. Most of the 8C+ problems in Switzerland he has already climbed or tried, but he says he has one in mind and will not name it. Rock Master comes first.

Photo: Martin Svec (@mrtn.svc) / Lacrux.

Sources: Lacrux, Lacrux (German), Gripped.