Every 5.12

So I have just started a blog, and I already have too many updates for one entry. Climbing over the last few weeks has truly been an adventure to say the least. Shortly after redpointing The Abyss 5.12c/d, (felt more like 5.13a) I took a trip out to Lander Wyoming for the International Climber's Festival. I was invited by my good friend George Bruce Wilson, (the man who is making the Every 5.12 series), to come out with him to help film on another project he has going called "The Send Bros" which is a film documenting The Hörst Family, specifically Cameron and Jonathan Hörst. These two boys are 2 of the youngest kids in the world to climb the coveted grade of 5.14. Filming with this family was a real pleasure, and a special treat for me. I was very inspired by the family's approach to climbing and how efficient they were.

Our first day in Lander, we went out with the family to the Rodeo Wave wall, and I got my first taste of how awesome this family is, as I witnessed Cameron Hörst crush Rodeo Free Europe 5.14a on his 3rd try! The rest of the trip was just as awesome, and I invite everyone to checkout The Send Bros Film on facebook, and Three Peak Films for more details.

On the trip, I didn't get a ton of time to climb, but I did have 2 pretty good days. The 3rd to last day and the last day of the trip. We went to Ten Sleep Wyoming, and I have to say, that I am in love with that Canyon. With a little encouragement from Eric Hörst I tried to onsight a 5.12d called Pussy Toes. Well... I didn't onsight it, but I did better than I thought I would, falling on the last move of the crux on my onsight attempt. I rested for about 15 minutes and then dispatched it, to my surprise, quite easily on my 2nd go. When I got to the bottom, I didn't even feel pumped, and part of me thought I must have done the wrong route. After consulting the guidebook however, I realized that I had climbed better than I realized. Later that day, with a little more encouragement from Eric, I decided to try a 13a as well called Burden of Immortality. Perhaps it was the miles of hiking, sleeping on the ground for 10 days straight, etc. but I felt awful on my first 2 attempts on the route. It was probably all in my mind that I was tired, but I just didn't feel good. I was grateful that those first 2 attempts were followed by a full rest day.

After the rest day, I found myself back at the same crag filming Jonathan. Between burns I decided to hop on a 12a to warm up and give Burden of Immortality another burn. Well, I goofed a foot on literally the last move of the warm up and fell on my onsight attempt haha. It was not an encouraging omen, but I decided to give Burden of Immortality another go all the same. To my surprise, the moves that felt terribly hard the day before, (including a dyno off a good mono to a small positive edge), all felt surprisingly easy. I was elated to find that the only move that felt really hard, was the move that I could not even do off the hang the previous attempt, but even that took only momentary effort, and a good yell. After that it was smooth sailing until I found myself clipping the chains of Burden of Immortality. I was stoked to have redpointed a 13a in 3 goes, and my first 13a since returning home from my mission.

Sticking the Dyno on the Redpoint of Burden of Immortality 5.13a

So why did I share that here? Because after this trip I felt confidence come into me that I was lacking. I felt much more sure that I was going to be able to complete this goal, and climb Every 5.12 in American Fork Canyon. Since coming home I have ticked a number of 5.12's, including a few onsights. The grades in AF are definitely a lot stiffer than those of Ten Sleep, and they are still hard for me, but I am feeling momentum and excitement. I am really grateful I got to climb with Team Hörst and have this positive experience.