Freeing the Beast
For professional climber and Rab athlete Anna Hazlett (a.k.a. Anna Hazelnutt), a trip to El Salto, Mexico was about more than just pushing personal limits—it was a chance to reconnect with her heritage, build community, and rediscover the raw joy of adventure. Partnering with fellow Rab athlete Connor Runge—who had long been eyeing El Chamán Loco, Mexico’s hardest big wall climb—Hazlett spent months working the route’s 14 demanding pitches. Together, they became the first to free every pitch on the wall, including a mid-route 5.14b they named Belly of the Beast. Hazlett documented the journey in her film Freeing Mexico’s Hardest Big Wall, and now shares more of the story behind the send, the setting, and the personal growth that came with it.
Outside: What inspired you to climb in El Salto, Mexico?
Anna Hazlett: I’d heard a bit about the beautiful cliffs of El Salto, but what really inspired me was the chance to climb in Mexico—my mother’s home country. I was excited to reconnect with my roots as an adult while doing the thing I love. The opportunity to help open a new route with Connor, live in Mexico for a few months, improve my Spanish, and spend time with both new and old friends felt like a dream I couldn’t pass up.
Was this your first time teaming up with Connor Runge?
This wasn’t our first time teaming up. Before Mexico, we took our first climbing trip together in Colorado, where we both sent Third Millennium at the Monastery. On the same day, actually! There’s something so special about back to back sends, a good omen of sorts. I’d experienced the same with Tom Randall, who I climbed Prinzip Hoffnung in Austria with, on a few of our projects together, and it gave me confidence that Connor and I would be great climbing partners for a future, perhaps bigger, objective.
What was the climbing like on El Chamán Loco?
The climbing was incredibly inspiring. The route constantly changed character, so we were never bored! We encountered everything from technical, balancy slabs to 40-degree overhangs, and from crimps to slopers to tufas—each pitch demanded a well-rounded skill set to free. It was challenging the whole way up, but spending so much time on this wall helped me grow a lot, both as a climber and as a person. I came away more patient, confident, brave, collaborative, compassionate… and definitely better at rope systems!
How do you pack for a big wall project like this?
Since we worked it in sections (we never went for a continuous ascent), it was essentially like packing for a really (really) big day out climbing. Food was always my number one concern on the big days—I can get hangry! I would always have water, an electrolyte drink, snacks (like bars, nuts, and candy), and a proper lunch separated in two or three parts so I could eat them between climbs.
Staying warm was my second priority. Since we were out all day, layering was essential. I always wore some sort of light climbing shirt, bringing a long sleeve, vest, light jacket, puffy jacket, and puffy pants to pull on or off as needed. Other must-haves included a headlamp, hand warmers, music/airpods, puffy shoes, and, of course, all of our climbing gear.
What’s the story on naming Belly of the Beast?
The crux pitch sits smack in the middle of the wall, looming at a 40-degree overhang. The static line we fixed on this pitch bellied so dramatically off the wall that it was always the hardest to jug up. The first time I tried, I got stuck—like a total gumby. I’d rigged the haul bag on the fixed line since we decided not to bring the haul line that day (wrong choice!) and the micro had jammed up against my system. I shouted up to Connor, trying to explain why I was being slow and tell him I was still trying to jug the crux pitch: ‘I’M STUCK IN THE BELLY!’ It was a pretty comical scene. And the climb itself? An absolute beast.
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