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2 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

 CONTENTS

5 Ed Note
6 Basecamp
8 Talk of the Crag
12 Onsight
18 Tested
20 For the Love of Climbing
22 Grasping at Draws
24 The Place
26 Topo
28 Unsent
30 Skills
80 Rock Art

Claire Bukowski and Sara Dekker on

pitch two of Honeymooners (5.11c),
Windy Point, Mount Lemmon, Arizona.

FE ATURES

36
SONORAN GEM
44
PARADISE FOUND
54
LONG, HARD EASY ROUTES
68
FLOOD IN THE DESERT
PHOTO BY JIM THORNBURG

The 2,500 routes and endless Palm trees, blue seas, and brilliant Climbing America’s tallest How a tidal wave of
bouldering at the overlooked cragging limestone on the Caribbean bolted moderates, deep in climbers is reshaping
nirvana of Mount Lemmon, Arizona. island of Cayman Brac. Washington’s Cascades. Bishop, California.

Issue 371. Climbing (USPS No. 0919-220, ISSN No. 0045-7159) is published six times a year with combined issues in Aug/Sep and Dec/Jan for six issues (February/March, April/May, June/July, August/September, October/November, December/January) by Cruz Bay Publishing, an
Active Interest Media company. The known office of publication is at 5720 Flatiron Parkway, Boulder, CO 80301. Periodicals postage paid at Boulder, CO, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Climbing, PO Box 37274, Boone, IA 50037-0274.
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COVER: Nina Williams shaking out on Pirates of Penance (5.12b), Wave Wall, Cayman Brac. Photo: Andrew Burr CLIMBING.COM 3
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 ED NOTE

The Real Cost of Travel

BY MATT SAMET

T
his issue marks our annual Travel/Road Trip Issue, a celebration of
the climber-vagabond lifestyle and the incredible places we get to
visit. I’m excited about the destinations, including our cover feature
Cayman Brac (p.44), Mount Lemmon, Arizona (p.36), Bishop,
California (p.68), the epic-long sport climbs of Washington’s Cascades
(p.54), the granite of Cathedral Ledge, New Hampshire (p.26), and a
multi-pitch (!) crag in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (p.24).
It is almost impossible to extricate getting vertical from globetrot-
ting—even if your local area has thousands of routes, at some point you’ll
crave fresh terrain or a go at bucket-list climbs like the Hunchback Arête
on Mount Lemmon or High Planes Drifter at the Buttermilks or Fly-
Bottles and flip-flops litter the
boys in the North Cascades. We climbers have always traveled, stretching blowhole at Pollard Bay on Cayman
back to the Golden Age of Alpinism (1850s–1860s) when wealthy British Brac—“Great job, humanity!”
climbers would visit the Alps in a mad dash to claim virgin summits. It’s
as much in our DNA as any other aspect of the sport.
However, as we’ve come to realize after seeing how fossil-fuel emis- Of course, these are but a few examples, and I bet you can think of
sions—among many other out-of-balance aspects of modern life, includ- ways climate change/extreme weather has impacted your local areas, too.
ing industrial farming and the wanton overuse of plastics (see photo at I get that it’s hypocritical to talk about climate change out of one side of
right)—have reshaped our planet for the worse, that travel comes at a my mouth while promoting travel from the other. But with all problems
cost. And it’s a cost that we climbers, including the pro climbers who of such a massive scale, having the conversation is a good place to start.
jet-set between A-list crags, producing the media we all so voraciously So I’ll consider our own impacts in putting together the Cayman Brac
devour, often choose to ignore. Because, well, it’s a bit of a buzzkill. story. To fly six of us there released 7.9 metric tons of carbon. Meanwhile,
When I first heard about global warming, I was in middle school—my the estimated 600 miles we drove (two cars x 300 miles each) during
father read and shared with me a New York Times story about “green- our 10 days on the island released another 0.48 tons. Then there were
house gasses” like CO2 and methane heating the planet. When things other things with their own carbon cost: our climbing and photo gear,
might get catastrophic no one knew, but a consensus was emerging that the (imported) food we ate, the energy to heat water for showers and run
we could do real harm. It’s one that’s since been backed up by untold the air conditioners in our rooms, etc. I acknowledge that our trip creat-
studies and reports, including the Executive Summary of the U.S. Global ed carbon impact, and that if you choose to go to Cayman Brac—or any
Change Research Program Climate Science Special Report, which noted destination—you’ll be creating impact too. It’s inevitable.
that the earth’s annually averaged surface air temperature increased by But I also understand that there are things—purchasing offsets, car-
1.0 degrees C (1.8 degrees F) from 1901 through 2016. pooling to the cliffs, making the most of local climbing, driving a high-MPG
Now consider that in the relatively short span of 40 years since I vehicle, eating meat sparingly, etc.—I can do as an individual both to off-
first learned about global warming, I’ve seen these effects firsthand set this trip and to reduce my carbon footprint. And at Active Interest
at cliffs in the Southwest where climate-change-fueled drought and Media, Climbing’s parent company, we are making efforts, including re-
“global weirding” have wreaked havoc on the landscape. There’s Cochi- cycling 23,378 pounds of materials last year (comingled recycling, paper,
ti Mesa in my home state of New Mexico, which saw its monolithic tuff cardboard, electronics, etc.)—preventing 11.64 tons of greenhouse-gas
scarred, soot-stained, and spalled by the massive Las Conchas fire of emissions—and buying renewable energy for our building to the tune
2011, not to mention the loss of the towering ponderosas that shaded of about 3,500 kilowatt hours per month. Also, our building recently re-
the rock. There’s the Flatirons, Colorado, where a lightning-sparked ceived an EPA Energy Star certification, which means that energy-wise it
PHOTO BY ANDREW BURR

fire in the dry year of 2012 threatened to burn down all of Bear Peak. outperforms at least 75 percent of similar buildings in the States.
And there were the floods of September 2013, during which a freak I would truly hate to give up travel, but I also know that the days of $1/
cyclonic storm parked over the Front Range for five days and dropped gallon gas and pretending that global warming is a can we can keep kick-
18 inches of rain on Boulder, with raging creeks scouring the canyons ing down the road have passed. If we’re to limit our total temperature rise
where we climb, destroying roadbeds, approach gullies, and trails, and to the 1.5 degrees C beyond which scientists think human life becomes
in one case undermining one block so much (Black Ice in Fern Canyon) unsustainable, then we need to start taking these matters seriously—
that it tilted downhill, forever burying the problem. including take a cold, hard look at our impacts as climbers.

CLIMBING.COM 5
 BASECAMP

CLIMBING MAGAZINE TOP 10

INBOX
Resolutions We’ll Be

DECADE DANCE
Breaking in the New Year
1 Go to the gym at 6 a.m. before work to start a
training cycle instead of just hitting snooze seven
Regarding your Skills piece in No. 370: “Return to Sender: times then lying in bed watching YouTube videos
Comeback fitness in two weeks for climbers over 40” of Magnus Midtbø doing one-arms.
(climbing.com/returntosender): At 67 years old, I’ve been
in and out of shape a dozen times over the years, always 2 Construct beautiful, Pinterest-worthy gear-
storage pegboard to replace ugly, embarrassing
getting back into multi-pitch trad 5.10-to-5.12 shape bird’s nest of gear in laundry basket.
each time. Swimming has always been key for my return to
fitness. Also, my experience has been that there is a period 3 Lube cams (like, you know, actually do it).
of adjustment somewhere around the turn of each decade
4 Patiently explain best practices and etiquette to
that lasts 4 to 14 months, and then you’re good again for clueless newbie gym climbers who are screwing
the rest of the decade. I’ve always suspected that climbers up instead of taking surreptitious photos of
failing to persevere through these decadal adjustments is them to post, mockingly, on Instagram.
the reason for the high attrition rates at each successive
5 Stop making tinkle 20 feet from the base of the
decade mark. crag and actually walk out into the woods to do
JOSEPH HEALY, VIA FACEBOOK
our business.

DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK! 6 Focus on specific training drills in the gym

instead of just climbing easy problems that
Regarding your “Return to Sender” article from No. 370: I am 42, and while I make us feel good about ourselves or look
can still train to the same level as I did a decade ago, I’ve definitely noticed that “heroic” to other climbers.
I lose muscle and fitness more rapidly when there’s a hiatus. I am getting back
to the wall after being sick for 10 days and am so weak—so thanks for this plan! 7 Build that garage woody we’ve been talking
ANGELA DOYLE, VIA FACEBOOK about all these years—oh look, it's gonna be in
the 60s and sunny this weekend. Never mind …

THE TEACHES OF PEACHES? 8 Pack better, healthier crag snacks and not
just whatever jingus junk food we grabbed from
I just received my first delivery of Climbing Magazine, and read the Peaches the 7-Eleven en route to the rock.
Preaches article (No. 370: “The Perils of Recreational Outrage”; climbing
.com/outrage). Wow. James Lucas seems pretty angry and self-important. The 9 Stop referring to climbing partner as “Hey-
magazine had some good content, but I don’t want to pay to read this guy’s rants. you-dammit-take!”
Thanks, but no thanks! Subscription cancelled.
VICTORIA CLARK, VIA EMAIL 10 Finally tackle our fear of lead falls head-on
instead of kicking the can down the road
CORRECTION for another year and refusing to fall at all
(visit climbing.com/overcomefear if this
In Tested No. 370, we mistakenly identified The North Face Summit L5 LT resembles you).
Futurelight jacket as the Futurelight Summit L5 Vapor LT. Climbing apologizes
COMPILED BY THE EDITORS OF
for the error.
CLIMBING MAGAZINE

/climbingmagazine @climbingmagazine @climbingmag letters@climbing.com

6 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

 RE-GRA M

Crowded Crags

50 people waiting at the Ninja Boulder, which A somewhat busy day at Cannibal Crag in Red The Grotto, just west of Yosemite, sits
has three V11/12s, two V10s, and many V8/9s, Rock Canyon, Nevada. in a 30-foot-deep basalt pit with 22 routes
Mitake, Japan. You have to be very aggressive to ALEXANDER BARATSKOV around it. This April day saw over 40 climbers
climb here. KEN AOSHIMA there. LISA ELLERIN

Climbers crowd around the classic Solarium A crowd of topropers dangles at Rainy Copious amounts of people, gear, climbers, dogs,
(V4) at the Happy Boulders outside Wednesday Tower area, Devil’s Lake State Park, and even a hammock at the Amphitheater, Pilot
Bishop, California. SUE VONG Wisconsin. PHIL B. WATTS, PHD Mountain, North Carolina.
SHAUN WILLOUGHBY

METOLIUS is giving away a sweet prize to the On a hot afternoon in October 2018, climbers As the only dry crag in Washington some
best Re-Gram photo—check our social channels to filled nearly every line at Tung Lung Island’s weekends, Vantage can get very busy.
enter! This issue, Ken Aoshima wins the Upshot, the Technical Wall in Hong Kong. If you look Fortunately, every single person at the Sunshine
new standard for belay glasses. carefully, you can see the photographer’s belayer Wall was wearing a helmet at this chosspile.
petting a crag dog. EDWARD KWONG ASHLEY ANDERSON

CLIMBING.COM 7
 TALK OF THE CRAG

Why “Get ‘er Done” Doesn’t Work

Shift your focus into the present to manage fear—including your fear of falling
BY ARNO ILGNER

H
ave you ever experienced being above your protection, gripped
by hesitation and a fear of falling? Your friends “encourage” you
by telling you to “Go for it” or that “You’ve got it.” But part of you
knows better: It knows that your fear has meaning; it wants to
protect you from danger. So do you listen to your friends and go for it,
or do you listen to your fear and back off ?
Motivation drives how you climb. It reveals what you value and
impacts how you make decisions on the rock—and also informs the
consequences of those decisions. For example, if you’re motivated to
bypass your fear and avoid falling, then eventually, you’re likely to in-
jure or traumatize yourself. Everyone falls, and if you haven’t learned
to fall skillfully, a bad outcome might deepen your fear. This approach
reflects a “Get ‘er done” motivation, or more specific to our sport, the
old, misguided “Man up and go for it”—you try to move past your fear
in order not to have to deal with it anymore. But such all-or-nothing
thinking (all = “I send”; nothing = “I call for a take or don’t even try
the route because I’m afraid of falling”) shifts your attention out of the
present toward some imaginary future when you’ll no longer have to
face your fear. However, in rock climbing, since we are almost always
trying routes that are new to us—on which we might fall—this dilemma
will re-present itself time and time again.
With this thinking, you’ll soon begin to perceive falling as stressful
and fear inducing. Stress and fear are uncomfortable states, so we avoid
them. However, something seems wrong about being motivated this
way, about running away from what is integral to the sport. Instead, we
need to approach fear as a teacher that actually helps us understand
risk and manage stress. What’s needed is a shift in motivation, which
you can accomplish by addressing, in order, the following six questions:

Molly Mitchell takes the ride on the

1. Clarify your goal: Do you “get rid” of fear or embrace falling as
Roof Wall, Eldorado Canyon, Colorado.
a skill?
2. Identify when to seek comfort: The future or the present?
3. Clarify your relationship with stress and fear: Do you “get rid” of
them or honor them as teachers?
4. Decide how to engage: With all-or-nothing thinking or little steps?
Get Focused
Shift from the plateau-inducing “Get ‘er done” mindset into a more open,
PHOTO BY ALTON RICHARDSON

5. Address your ego: Do you tie your identity to the outcome, or do focused one by adhering to the following six steps:
you separate the two?
1. CLARIFY THE GOAL: Learn falling as a skill
6. Elucidate who makes decisions: Your friends or you?
2. WHEN TO SEEK COMFORT: In the present moment

As you go through the list, note your answers. Any time you select the 3. RELATIONSHIP WITH STRESS AND FEAR: Honor them as teachers
first option, you’re taking a “Get ‘er done” approach. Here, you react by 4. HOW TO ENGAGE: In small, manageable steps
switching into survival mode—fight-or-flight and all-or-nothing think- 5. EGO: Separate identity from outcome
ing. You’ll either fight through all of the risk and send without falling, 6. WHO MAKES DECISIONS: You do!
or flee and do nothing. Ego feeds this whole process: It hopes you’ll

8 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

succeed, which will prove that you’re a badass; or it’ll make excuses for learn. Instead, you are in the driver’s seat, incorporating falling as a skill
you doing nothing, for walking away from the climb. by identifying and taking small steps toward mastering it.
All that’s needed to take control of your fear and deal with the stress So don’t try to “Get ‘er done” when you’re above your protection,
is to answer each of these six questions skillfully—choosing the second pumped and hesitating; rather “Get focused.” It’ll help you value your
option in all six cases, which will switch you into a “Get focused” men- fear and make decisions with more manageable risk consequences. By
tality. This is how we move from misplaced, macho thinking toward a getting focused, you’ll be able to respond skillfully when the inevitable
healthier, more engaged approach. happens and you find yourself airborne. You’ll also enjoy the whole pro-
The goal of “Get focused” motivation is to learn falling as a skill— cess more, too—which, after all, is why we climb.
to engage your stress and fear with curiosity, which in turn lets you
take small, actionable steps, relying on how much fear and resistance To learn how to incorporate falling as an
you feel instead of feedback from your friends or ego. A small step into essential skill, take our new course Overcome
stress, such as taking incrementally larger falls off an intimidating crux, Your Fear of Falling taught by Arno Ilgner,
creates “some fear” and “some resistance,” which is fine. This resistance founder of The Warrior’s Way mental-training
indicates that you’re not in your comfort zone anymore; you’re edging program and author of The Rock Warrior’s Way.
into the stress zone where learning occurs. But you’re also not in your CLIMBING.COM/OVERCOMEFEAR
panic zone where the fear is so overwhelming that you can no longer

The Skinny on Fad Diets

Are they messing with your performance?
BY CHRISTINA MANIAN, RDN

A
s a climber of two years and registered, practicing dietitian- a metabolic mode called ketosis, which occurs when the body doesn’t
nutritionist (I studied nutrition education at the Mayo Clinic with have glucose or cellular sugar to use for energy from carb and protein
a focus on medical nutrition therapy), I’ve seen firsthand with sources, and so switches to burning fat.
both myself and my clients how nutrition can spell the difference While ketone production could save your life in a starvation situation,
between sending and yet another day of dogging. Much of how your it won’t necessarily allow you to climb hard. In fact, because carbs provide
body functions stems from its food sources. But with so many diets out the most energy in the shortest amount of time, your body uses carb stores
there based on seemingly contradictory principles, it’s tough to know as its first source of energy during exercise. A 2017 Nutrition & Metab-
what certain diets are doing for our climbing. While our bodies differ in olism study1 followed 42 competitive athletes, and found that six weeks
their needs, knowing how the diets currently getting the most buzz at of a keto diet had a mildly negative impact on performance in terms of
the cliffs—the ketogenic diet, the paleo diet, and intermittent fasting— endurance capacity, peak power, and quicker exhaustion. Meanwhile, a
generally affect performance can help you decide how to eat. (Also see review in the 2007 Journal of Applied Physiology2 found that high-fat
our Skills piece on optimizing body composition for sending on p.32.) diets could increase the perceived effort of training in endurance athletes.
Carbs are the only macronutriet that can provide energy for both
KETOGENIC DIET anaerobic and aerobic activity3, furnishing the quick bursts of energy
Pediatricians developed the ketogenic diet in the 1920s to alleviate sei- (power) we need to latch distant holds and the sustained endurance
zures in kids with epilepsy. While effective at its goal, the ketogenic diet needed for long climbs. Carbohydrate deprivation as seen in the keto-
remains little understood in its mechanism. It entails tweaking the diet genic diet could limit performance when working through a dynam-
to become low carb and high fat (think avocados, coconuts, olives, nuts, ic crux or powerful boulder problem, enduring long training days, or
and other high-fat foods and animal protein). This switches you into charging up a big wall. For all climbers trying hard, it’s best avoided.

CLIMBING.COM 9
 TALK OF THE CRAG

PALEO DIET
In the 1970s, Dr. Loren Cordain created the Paleolithic-based (paleo) Intermittment Fasting 101
diet to improve people’s alimentation and mimic what he thought hu- If you do try intermittent fasting, use these suggestions to mitigate any
mans 10,000 to 2.5 million years might have eaten. This boils down to impacts on your climbing:
eating fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, nuts, seeds, and oils while avoiding
1. STICK WITH A SHORTER FAST. If you fast 12 to 14 hours, you likely
grains, legumes, dairy, salt, potatoes, and any processed food, including
won’t see much difference in performance. Select a fasting schedule that
refined sugar. So essentially, it’s a very low-carb diet like the ketogenic
allows you to eat for most of your waking hours (8 p.m.–8 a.m., 6 p.m.–
diet but with a higher amount of protein versus fat. While this diet
8 a.m., etc.).
involves eating lots of produce and limits processed foods (both good
2. EAT THE SAME AMOUNT OF CALORIES AND PROTEIN AS
things!), it deprives the body of carbs, cutting off many sources of the
WHEN YOU AREN’T FASTING. This will ensure you have those energy
nutrients associated with them, such as the thiamin and folate found
stores available when it’s time to work.
in whole grains. You could compensate for this with supplements or
by diligently including larger amounts of specific allowed foods in the 3. FUEL BEFORE, AFTER, AND DURING (IF NECESSARY)
diet. But given the necessity of carbs in peak athletic performance, the WORKOUTS FOR PEAK PERFORMANCE. Save the fasting for the
paleo diet may, in any case, leave you feeling tired and less capable of hours when you aren’t climbing or training.
summoning power, making those options not worth the effort.
Looking further into the effects of carbohydrate deprivation on
performance, a February 2011 study published in Psychophysiology4
looked at six males performing high-intensity exercise after consuming THERE’S NO MAGIC BULLET …
both a high-carb and low-carb diet at separate times. Across the board, Above all, listen to your body and your internal wisdom. We climb-
the participants had a greater rating of perceived exertion after eating ers can choose from dozens of diets, from vegan, to Mediterranean, to
a low-carb diet than when on a high-carb diet. Out climbing, this can Whole30, to gluten-free, and more. To assess if a diet will maximize
translate into feeling like you’re working harder than if you were em- performance, take a holistic view: Is an entire food group being ex-
bracing healthy, complex carbohydrates. cluded, or just one type of food? While you can easily find the nutrients
in a single, excluded food elsewhere, an entire group can be hard to
INTERMITTENT FASTING replace—this type of dieting should generally be avoided. While sup-
Less about diet composition and more about meal timing, intermittent plementation can make some of these diets work, it certainly begs the
fasting (IF) entered the spotlight for its possible benefits on weight loss, question as to whether the diet is going to be as effective as simply
sleep, blood pressure, the gut microbiome, and metabolism. We all in- getting your nutrients from food.
termittently fast while sleeping, not eating for between 8 and 12 hours, Many popular diets shy away from carbs, as seen with the ketogenic
but IF extends that period to 16 hours or more daily. Some practice IF and paleo diets. While these diets may spark weight loss, they won’t
by eating the same amount of calories, and some end up eating less support muscle strength, muscle endurance, and quick response time
given the shorter period of food consumption. While this may result in (power). Climbing requires complex carbs to provide quick energy in
gradual weight loss through modification of metabolism and possible those dynamic moments (anaerobic effort) as well as sustained, efficient-
calorie restriction, exercising in a fasted state will force your body to burning fuel for endurance efforts (aerobic effort). As you probably al-
burn fat instead of carb stores; in some circumstances, you may even ready guessed, consistent, balanced eating will do more for your climb-
burn muscle. This can be detrimental to climbing performance, as the ing than adhering to a specific, restricted diet—there’s no magic bullet!
body won’t have available the quick energy from recently eaten food, re- For more clarity on specific diets and individual nutrition needs, consult
quiring a longer method of breaking down your body’s fat and valuable a registered dietitian.
muscle (versus ketosis, in which fat from food is burned while muscle
mass is preserved). Sources:
In 2004, 55 Algerian soccer players were studied during Ramadan, 1: Impact of a 6-week non-energy-restricted ketogenic diet on physical fitness, body
an Islamic tradition that entails fasting from sunrise to sunset—around composition and biochemical parameters in healthy adults.
Paul Urbain-Lena Strom-Lena Morawski-Anja Wehrle-Peter Deibert-Hartmut Bertz -
14 hours. With the addition of 6 to 8 hours of sleep, most of these play-
Nutrition & Metabolism - 2017
ers fasted around 20 hours daily. “The phase shift of food intake and
2: “Fat adaptation” for athletic performance: the nail in the coffin?
disruption of sleep patterns affect actual and perceived physical perfor-
Louise Burke-Bente Kiens - Journal of Applied Physiology - 2006
mance,” stated the results in the 2007 British Journal of Sports Medi-
3: Carbohydrate and fat utilization during rest and physical activity.
cine5. The study also showed that exercising in an extreme fasted state
Katarina Melzer - e-SPEN, the European e-Journal of Clinical Nutrition and
decreased speed, endurance, strength, and agility. Metabolism - 2011
However, intermittent fasting can be done in a way that will have
4: Low carbohydrate diet affects the oxygen uptake on-kinetics and rating of perceived
less, if any, impact on your climbing (see “Intermittent Fastsing 101” exertion in high intensity exercise.
sidebar). Given that the diet doesn’t modify actual diet composition, it Lima-Silva AE-Pires FO-Bertuzzi RC-Lira FS-Casarini D-Kiss MA - Psychophysiology - 2011
can still promote balanced eating and shouldn’t require supplementa- 5: Impact of Ramadan on physical performance in professional soccer players.
tion. While not performance enhancing per se, this diet can help with Yacine Zerguini-Donald Kirkendall-Astrid Junge-Jiri Dvorak - British Journal of Sports
weight loss and the associated health benefits. Medicine – 2007

10 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

 VELOCE
FORWARD PROGRESS
R E D E F I N I N G C O M F O R T F O R
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KATY, TEXAS PHOTOGRAPHER

MOMENTUM GYM GREG MIONSKE
ONSIGHT

“For me, China Doll was one of

the best traditional lines I had
seen on the Front Range—and
one of the best pitches I’ve
ever climbed,” says Mike Patz,
who made the first integral free
ascent of the Dream Canyon,
Colorado, granite testpiece by
first pinkpointing the extension
as an isolated second pitch in
2004 and then returning in
2007 to redpoint the entire
line, placing gear. The 40-meter
route starts with six bolts, a
fixed pin, and 45 feet of 5.13c,
the crux of which involves a V7
layback on a pinch loaf. After a
moderate rest, the climb tackles
22 feet of gear-protected tips
jamming along a flared crack. In
September 2019, the Boulder-
based climber Molly Mitchell
redpointed the integral line,
skipping the bolts on the first
pitch and placing her own gear.
At the upper crux, she used a
tiny cam—a Metolius 00—to
protect the V8/9 moves. On
the send, Mitchell had to dig
deep into her physical and
mental reserves—fitting, as
she’s also the model (read:
whipper victim) for our newest
online course with Arno Ilgner,
Overcome Your Fear of Falling
(climbing.com/overcomefear).

SCOTT CRADY
 From November 28 to
December 1, 2019, 44
competitors from around the
globe raced up a speed wall,
bouldered, and tackled lead
routes in Toulouse, France, all
vying to secure an Olympic
berth. The first Olympic
qualifier, held in August in
Hachioji, Japan, allowed eight
men and eight women to move
on to the Olympics. This second
qualifier allowed six men and
six women to advance to Tokyo
2020. Nathaniel Coleman, who
placed eighth in the combined,
became the first American male,
while Kyra Condie (shown here
in Toulouse; see climbing.com/
condie for more), who placed
seventh in the combined, joined
Brooke Raboutou as the second
American female to be headed to
the Olympics next summer. The
Olympians will be training in Salt
Lake City at USA Climbing’s
PHOTO BY TK

National Team Training Center.

DANIEL GAJDA
ONSIGHT
With sea spray crashing onto the
belay ledge, sea turtles swimming
past, and hard climbing above,
Jeff Elison and Lizz Grennard’s
route Freedom (5.12c) epitomizes
the experience on Cayman
Brac’s Northeast Point (see p. 44
for more). Elison equipped the
coastal limestone line in 1995
after rappelling, bolting, and
climbing the neighboring Throwin’
the Tortuga (5.11b), which
climbs crystal-filled huecos up
a brilliant-orange corner. These
days, Freedom sports corrosion-
resistant titanium glue-in bolts,
a much-needed upgrade you’ll
welcome at each of the route’s
three cruxes: the thin face
down low (here, climbed by
Nina Williams), the strenuous
bulge in the middle, and the
physical exit roof. Accessing
Freedom, which shares a belay
ledge with Throwin’, involves
rapping 100-plus feet down
the unbroken sea cliff to a
small stance above the water.
From there, your only path
back to freedom is to top out.

ANDREW BURR
ONSIGHT

In May 2012, Daniel Woods sent

Mission Impossible (5.14c) in
Clear Creek Canyon, Colorado,
freeing a line Jay Samuelson had
bolted at Wall of the 90s. The
10-bolt route climbs 75 feet of
vertical and slightly overhanging
gneiss. The slopey holds, tiny
crimps, and nonexistent smears
have made the half dozen
ascentionists speculate at the
grade, though it has settled at
a difficult 5.14c. “It’s hard to
say, since the moves aren’t too
bad, but the hands and feet
are really poor,” says Paige
Claassen, who redpointed the
line in spring 2018. “And it’s
kind of impossible until you
unlock the body positions, and
then it’s not too bad.” Her first
day on the route, Claassen did
less than half of the 50 or so
moves—but by her fifth day, she
had sent. “Thus is the nature
of body-position cruxes,” says
Claassen. “Once they click,
they stick.” For more technical
wisdom from Claassen—
namely how to upgrade your
footwork game—check out
her course Precision Footwork
(climbing.com/footwork).

TARA KERZHNER
Snow place
like home.

CLIMB.
THRIVE.
HELP
END
CANCER.
Photo by Kevin Smith

JOIN THE ADVENTURE TODAY!

fredhutch.org/climb | 206.667.1398
 TESTED

WINTER CRAG KIT Six new must-haves to help you

climb in comfort, safety, and style

1
4

1. Mystery Ranch Tower 47 $275, MYSTERYRANCH.COM

I’m not sure I’ll ever need (or want) another crag pack—the Tower 47 Couple all this with the Tower 47’s ingenious “splay-open access,”
is that good. First things first: Mystery Ranch gets sizing right. At 47 in which the pack essentially unzips into a giant tongue, and you’ll
liters, this cragging pack is big, which crag bags to date have rarely no longer need to yard-sale your stuff amongst everyone else’s sorry
been. And it uses that space well, with myriad pouches, interior pock- tangle of gear at the crag base. Your gear can stay in your pack where
ets, external pockets, etc. to stash—and keep track of—your sundries. it belongs, nice and organized.
I used the upper sleeve against the backing for my kneepads, the The Tower 47 has Mystery Ranch’s telescoping Alpine yoke system
zipper pocket below for first-aid and skin-care kits, the two internal to customize fit; it carries, as all their packs I’ve tested do, like a
racking loops for belay devices and the occasional trad piece, the big dream. Made of 1000D Cordura with aluminum buckles and weigh-
mesh side zipper pocket for rock shoes (two pairs), the two smaller ing 4.4 pounds, it’s a bear, but it’s also nearly indestructible—I used
side zipper pockets above for belay gloves and glasses and snacks, and the drag handles more than once to shuffle the Tower 47 along the
the pack body for my harness, chalk bag, clothes, and water bottles. cliff base, and it’s showing zero wear. To consider for future iterations:
And the pack was rarely full—only when I dropped in a rack, set of With a rope and stick clip lashed on, easy access to the side pocket
draws, and a drill and drill kit did I max out capacity. Meanwhile, and brain are impeded (like, for grabbing your car keys), though you
you also get a zipper pocket in the brain, a rope-lashing strap above can get into the pack body through a collar zip just below the brain.
that, and two compression straps on one side that hold a stick clip. The pack comes in two sizes: S/M and L/XL. MATT SAMET

18 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

 arms, addressing painful knots and problem areas, and “squeegeeing
2. Beal Birdie $75, LIBERTYMOUNTAIN.COM out” lactic acid between burns, this simple, portable tool has been
The first thing that caught my eye with Beal’s new assisted-braking a game-changer. With a cult following, the Armaid has gotten even
belay device was its steampunk aesthetic: The Birdie is all stainless better in its second iteration, which most notably moves the “load
steel, with a gleaming silver body and colored handle. It just looks spot” (massage point) closer to the fulcrum, letting you clamp down
cool. Weighing 7.4 ounces, the Birdie is 1.2 ounces heavier than its with greater ease and massage more deeply. (With the old model,
main competitor, the Petzl Grigri; however, the Birdie costs $34.95 I’d sometimes pump out whichever arm was holding the device, as I
less. Both devices use an internal cam to assist with braking and had to squeeze hard to get the desired effect.) Other improvements
have a similarly positioned lowering handle—if you’re fluent at include a heavier, more stable and ergonomic saddle-shaped base,
one, you’ll be good with the other. I tested while cragging and up a simpler, more intuitive system for switching out attachments, and
on multi-pitch routes. The Birdie feeds slack super well, catches a new medium-firm yellow roller. Weighing one-pound-plus and
falls perfectly, and gives a smooth lower, with minimal kinking or fashioned from super-bombproof polypro buffered with glass fibers,
jerking. I also appreciated how nicely the rope stayed in its channel the new Armaid is also 2.5” shorter, making for an easier carry to the
even under high-torque situations, as well as the metallic heft of crag—where, buddy, you’re gonna want it! MATT SAMET
the lowering handle. One note: On single-rope or simul-rappels, de-
scending can be a little jerky/slow and there’s potential for the metal
handle to get hot as heat translates from the body—bring gloves. 5. Black Diamond AirNet $160,
BLACKDIAMONDEQUIPMENT.COM
The Birdie has a rope range of 8.5 to 10.5 mm. MATT SAMET
Today’s savvy climber rocks a quiver of harnesses—there’s always
the right harness for the right job. The incredibly light AirNet
3. BlackYak Calvana Hoody $250, GLOBAL.BLACKYAK.COM (8.3 oz men’s size M; 8.0 oz for the women’s) may just be the new
As someone who grew up in the Upper Midwest where half the harness for limit sends where weight and mobility matter. I tested
year is winter, I’m not trying to spend any more time being cold. for months, and the AirNet quickly became my go-to redpointing
Which is why I was psyched to have the new BlackYak Calvana harness: There’s so little to it that you often forget you have it on—
Hoody given the snowy forecast the day we planned to climb the this is ergonomic, unintrusive tech at its finest. Yet the load-bearing
18-pitch Flyboys (5.9) near Mazama, Washington (p.54). Up waist belt and leg loops are remarkably broad—2.75” for the waist
on the route, I remained pleasantly warm and dry after pairing and 2.5” for the legs—which has made the AirNet plenty serviceable
the Calvana, as a midlayer, with a wind shell. The continuous for extended belays, dogging, and even semi-hanging belay stations.
airFLOW technology, meant to keep humidity out while keeping The technology—a Dynex net clad in hard-wearing mesh, sealed
heat in, was effective even on the last six pitches when the white with bonded edge tape—keeps things both airy and comfortable.
flakes started flying. Not only is there an insulated, helmet- Another big plus is the Infinity Loop belay loop, a streamlined,
compatible hood (thank you!), but the jacket’s Cordura cuffs are half-inch-diameter loop with no seams—that’s right, no janky bart-
tough and held tight when I slid up the sleeves to get in deep in ack—which makes for lurch-free belaying. Not surpisingly, the gear
a few cracks. Plus, the whole hoody is made up of Climashield loops are minimalist: The forward ones hold draws and a little gear,
Continuous Filament, making it more durable than a standard while the two in back are thinner than shoelaces and can hold a few
down. Meanwhile, the internal stuff pocket made swapping gloves more draws or trad slings. Although if you’re wearing the AirNet,
on and off convenient, and kept them toasty between belays. The the gear’s probably already hanging .… MATT SAMET
waist is fitted with an elastic, rubber-lined, 270° waistband, which
kept the Calvana close to my body and tucked under my har-
ness for almost the entire day—no, this isn’t the elusive miracle 6. Butora Acro Comp $160, HMHOUTDOORS.COM
piece that will stay put even during reachy moves, but it did play I’ve long been a fan of the Acro, a steep-rock/bouldering shoe with
nice during a time-consuming (read: timid) onsight of the steep a passionate following. The Comp builds on its low-profile last to
Mazama classic Beta Male (5.12b). BlackYak touts the Calvana create a much softer (hence “Comp”) offering with volume climbing
as the accumulation of 40 years of product development, and in mind—and that excels at its métier, in particular toe hooks, given
after many chilly days climbing around Washington, I’m inclined the enormous scumming patch, which had me glomming around
to agree. And yes, you read that right: 40 years. How come you arêtes and under Kilter stalactites as if I had a tail. The Comps have
haven’t heard of these folks? Only because you don’t live in South an almost “gummy,” slipper-/sock-like fit and feel, and close with a
Korea. There, BlackYak is the dominant mountain-wear brand. If high Velcro strap; coupled with the 4mm Fuse outsole, there’s just
the Calvana Hoody speaks for the whole line, then I suspect they’ll enough torque for mild edging and precision jib-smedging, though
soon be a staple in the States as well. DAKOTA WALZ given the shoes’ forefoot flexibility, smearing is their strong suit. The
new, 3D-molded heel deforms like Silly Putty onto big features to
suck you in—the perfect match for today’s volumes—but wasn’t as
4. Armaid $79 (1 ROLLER) / $129 (ALL ROLLERS), ARMAID.COM reliable on precision hooks. The Arco Comp comes in both regular
Without my Armaid, I’d be a goner, given my tendency to train to and narrow versions; Butora suggests coming down a half size off
the point of “perma-pump.” By letting me drill deep into my fore- your street shoes. MATT SAMET

CLIMBING.COM 19
 FOR THE LOVE OF CLIMBING

Mentors Wanted
Remedying the teaching and leadership gap for women climbers
BY KATHY KARLO

B
ack in 2012 when I started climbing, a climber stood out a mile feels inspired. “I see this sentiment echoed by my clientele,” she says.
away if they were living in New York City—or any city for that “One woman said that her favorite part of a retreat was watching me
matter. She was even more noticeable if she were a woman, given climb. Learning from people who look like you allows you to believe
that there were fewer experienced female climbers in the sport. you’re capable.”
From my own observations, the gyms I frequented in NYC reflected Unfortunately, despite the recent influx of women into the sport, fe-
this. In 2014, Manhattan Plaza Health Club hosted a bouldering com- male leaders like VanPatten have been statistically rare—even today,
petition, but the women’s category remained empty until the competi- only 8 percent of mountain guides are women. (For more, see climbing
tion date. A few women eventually signed up, but this was only due to .com/womeninguiding.) Kitty Calhoun has been guiding for 39 years,
local women rallying to spread the word. Additionally, a girlfriend of and guiding exclusively with Chicks Climbing and Skiing events since
mine was awarded a huge cash prize at another competition hosted by 2000. When she started climbing in 1982, there weren’t many female
Chelsea Piers. Despite being a talented traditional and ice climber, she alpinists, let alone mentors—her first mentors were men. And male
placed first by default; no other women entered. My friend took the mentors have a different vibe. “The support is different. Men tend to
cash and flew to Yosemite to aid-solo the West Face of Leaning Tower. show, but women share,” says Calhoun. “Male partners and mentors
It’s hard to believe this was less than a decade ago. In that short were assertive, and if I wanted to swing leads, I had to be that much
time, we’ve come a long way from “Ladies Night” meaning half-price more aggressive to make sure I got my share.” In Calhoun’s experience,
gym passes for women to a massive uprising in women’s climbing coali- women tend to learn better in all-female environments because they are
tions, initiatives, and events, with shared goals like promoting women- less intimidated to ask questions. The good news is, Calhoun says she’s
focused mentorship programs and more-representative stories that up-
lift other women. Chicks Climbing and Skiing, She Moves Mountains,
Flash Foxy, and others are offering women’s-only climbing clinics. The
UK-based Women’s Climbing Symposium, now hosting its ninth an-
nual festival, was recognized in 2016 by the Women’s Sport Trust for
raising visibility and increasing the overall impact of women in the
sport, and has featured Lynn Hill and Hazel Findlay as speakers. The
inaugural Women’s Bouldering Festival, founded by Zofia Reych, was
held in Fontainebleau, France, in September 2018 with a mission of en-
couraging excellence in climbing and ethics through route-setting and
conservation workshops, bouldering clinics, and a strong mentorship
network. And Treeline Women’s Climbing Festival, based out of British
Columbia, hosted its third annual event in July 2019 to provide women
with the resources to grow their skills. When you consider that a 2018
report from the Outdoor Industry Association showed that 46 percent
of outdoor participants are now female, this is an understandable trend.
Lizzy VanPatten, the co-founder of She Moves Mountains, an outfit
that guides and teaches climbing exclusively to women, believes in the
importance of working with a mentor—regardless of gender. “There is
something to be said about working with a mentor in whom you can
see yourself, with whom you share similar life experiences and condi-
tioning, who you can ask questions beyond the technical aspects of the
sport,” says VanPatten. “Oftentimes for women, this means learning
PHOTOS (3) BY IRENE YEE

from other women.” As both an athlete and an AMGA Apprentice Rock

Guide, she has had to ask herself how she can gain respect as a profes-
sional when how she looks—a woman standing only 5’2”—is often not
what people imagine as a guide. “My climbing career has been defined
Kade Diakite and an unknown spotter
by people doubting and challenging my capabilities,” says VanPatten.
in Horse Pens 40, Alabama, during a
“[But] climbing with other women began to challenge what I believed clinic at the 2017 Color the Crag event.
my body was capable of.” When VanPatten sees other women climb, she

20 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

 Elaina Arenz, Rock Guide and SPI Provider
Trainer, teaches trad placements at the
Flash Foxy festival in Bishop, California. Boot Bananas are fragrant,
moisture-absorbing shoe deodorizers
now seeing more women getting into climbing—thus creating more
for climbing boots, approach shoes
such all-female environments. or any other ‘fruity’ footwear.
During my initial, hungry years in the sport, all three of my mentors
were older men. Eventually, through their thoughtful guidance, I be-
came well-versed in anchor building, gear placement, and rope man- Available at REI and Amazon
Find more info at bootbananas.com
agement. However, for several years, I didn’t feel any desire to take on
a mentorship role myself. For me, it was less about my level of techni-
cal experience than about my reluctance to assert leadership. Perhaps,
much like VanPatten, I was concerned about how other climbers—spe-
cifically male climbers—would receive mentorship from a woman who
stood only five feet tall. This preconceived message that a woman may
be subject to criticism, implicit bias, or even potential harassment is rea-
son enough not to step into a leadership position. But I’d like to argue
that it’s the very same reason we women should continue to do so—in
order to change the tired, old, sexist narrative.
As our sport continues to grow, it’s critical that we address the lack
of mentorship, regardless of gender labels or any gender imbalance.
Women are ready to lean into leadership roles with the understanding
that these positions aren’t solely about mentoring—they’re also about
creating powerful networks between climbers. While historically it was
challenging for women to connect with other female mentors, women
climbers are now spearheading a movement that says, “We are leaders.”
Back when I was learning to climb, my mentors were compassionate
and committed to helping me develop my skills—but they were men.
I was well aware of a space that needed to be filled. Back then, I used
to say, “If he can do it, then I can, too”—and I did. Today, I see women 6 Weeks to Stronger Fingers
everywhere ardently taking on more mentoring roles and supporting Climbing harder requires stronger fingers, and strengthening
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CLIMBING.COM 21
 GRASPING AT DRAWS

“Oh, but you already know, don’t you?”

she said, pulling a small teapot and five cups
from beneath the table. “You’re simply too
scared to believe. Let me show you.”

Part 1: The Alpinist

"What, you’re going to read our tea leaves,
trace lines in our palms, kill a chicken and
look at the guts?” the Alpinist ranted. Pink-
faced with anger, the Alpinist slammed the
ice screw on the table. “I’m outta here! I’ve
got better things to do.”
“That’s right, you do,” the seer responded.
“Never forget, Alpinist, your sport is dying
as we speak. Pick up a newspaper, turn on
the television, check @gretathunberg—the
warming climate is killing your sport. In a
decade, the Ouray Ice Festival will become a
summer festival for kayakers.”
The seer closed her eyes and picked up the
ice screw, turning it over in her hands. She
continued, “As for your big mountains, the
classic summits will benight even the most
accomplished alpinist. As the receding gla-
ciers and snows unveil either dangerous
death-routes with loose rock and calving ice
or only difficult, technical faces far beyond

BEWARE THE FUTURE!

your abilities, suffering as a skill will no lon-
ger suffice. Few will find favor in the alpine ….

Four Climbers Learn Their Fate

“Mark my words, Alpinist, your dogged
dismissal of other disciplines will be your
downfall. The Piolet D’or turns to a Piolet
D’rouille—‘rust,’ as you Americans call it—as
BY ANDREW TOWER
obscurity and repetition take the baton. You
shall be like Sisyphus, cursed to ascend only
the few hills that remain in season, eking out
Four figures spilled out of a Prius, followed The four climbers pushed through the every last possible variation before you re-
by the chemical aroma of pine-tree air fresh- door. Inside, velvet draped the walls, and in turn to the valley below, only to start again.”
ener. A Lyft sign lit up the car’s windshield, the middle of the room was a small, candle- The Alpinist shrank, shaken by the seer’s
casting a soft glow through the foggy alley- studded table surrounded by five chairs. As words as she said, “Now, Trad Climber, pour
way. Above a red door, a flickering light re- the climbers crossed the threshold, a gust everyone some tea.”
vealed peeling script: “Seer.” slammed the door shut, extinguishing the
Calling the four “friends” would be a flames, plunging the climbers into darkness. Part 2: The Trad Climber ILLUS TR ATIONS BY NOIRESOR/CRE ATIVE M ARKE T
stretch. They were barely acquaintances, “Sit,” said a sultry voice with a tinge of a Hands shaking as if at the base of a 5.11 X
sharing only swollen forearms, callused fin- French accent. One candle flickered back to squeeze chimney, the Trad Climber jerkily
gers, and a penchant for the vertical—they’d life then another as the fortune-teller leaned filled the cups, splashing liquid all over the
found each other through Meetup, or per- over to relight them. Covered in what ap- saucers. The psychic then instructed the Trad
haps it was Partner Finder. Nobody could re- peared to be old, tattered pof rags, she tow- Climber to use the mangled cam to stir the
call. Each arrived with their respective talis- ered over the climbers. tea clockwise five times, drink it until only a
man in hand: a freshly sharpened ice screw, a “Why have you come to me?” she intoned teaspoon of liquid remained, and place the
mangled yellow/red offset cam, a boar’s hair as they all took their seats. cam next to the saucer.
brush covered in $300 of fine-grained pre- “To find out what will happen to us, to “An uncomplicated future for an uncom-
mium chalk, and a 30-foot extendable stick our sport,” the trad climber said. “We want plicated people,” she said, peering into the
clip. They joined to find a common truth: to know what the future holds.” The others cup. The Trad Climber breathed a sigh of re-
what might become of their passions. nodded their assent. lief. “But not without its own travails.”

22 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

 Continued the seer, “Once upon a time, be-
ginning in the 1980s, uncivilized villains with
“And so it is that the Rock Gods shall smite you, and
Lycra tights and power drills scarred your
rock with bolts. They brought heathens to
those things you once held sacred fall into ruination.”
your crags, and made a mockery of the sport’s V16, or do you just not want to hurt the first The new school will fail to heed your back-
ethos. A decades-long war abated with a brief ascentionist’s feelings—or it simply ‘has’ to in-the-day ramblings and obscure kneescum
renaissance, with the killer elite establishing be V16 because you traveled such a long way beta for Living in Fear—their climbing coach
hard lines using removable protection. But to repeat it? No one will truly repeat your has created a perfect replica from a YouTube
are these routes truly ‘trad’ climbs? The gear climbs; instead, they’ll only create their own video to train on all winter so they can flash
placement involves more memory than ad- reality, their own standards. And it will dilute it come spring. Your days of spray are over.”
venture, and could ultimately be said to be as the experience until only one rubric remains:
basic as clipping a bolt. a problem’s goodness, its movement, its con- Epilogue
“Even big walls, once the pinnacle of free sistency, its delight. The seer scanned the four drawn faces at the
climbing, have felt the hammer-blow of mo- “And then what of the emotional commit- table, lingering on each climber as she ad-
dernity. Your crown jewel, El Capitan, has ment—the landing or the height? As Reel dressed them.
been free-soloed by a semi-homeless, atheist Rock pushes the ‘High Road,’ what separates Intoned the seer, “You’ve all contribut-
vegetarian. A Czech sport climber repeated the boulderer from the soloist? A mattress? ed to your own demise. You are the reason
the wall’s hardest route 2,500 days faster than By the time you’re no longer willing to fall off, the Olympics will feature three separate
its first ascent only to return to sport climbing. you’re no longer a boulderer but a glorified disciplines rolled into one, each the pin-
You must see the writing on the big wall. trad climber who doesn’t place pro. At which nacle of your specialty. Alpinist and Trad
“Trad climbing finds itself at a proverbi- point you might as well sport climb.” Climber, speed climbing captures the ve-
al fork in the road. To get more difficult, it Hearing this, the Trad Climber whimpered. locity necessary for multi-pitch climbs and
must either become so dangerous it’s just re- “But beware, Boulderer, the venom of alpinism. Boulderer, find yourself in the
hearsed free soloing with a rope or it must be comparison, a virulent path that may lead tactical strength and precision the athletes
bolted, in which case it’s just sport climbing. your climbing soul up, up, and away. Your must manifest on each problem. And, Sport
Join the Country Club Crack and ease into new altitude has no room for attitude.” Climber, see yourself every time the competi-
roadside retirement: The Hand Jammies tors rope up, seeking difficulty in endurance.
have come and they don’t care what you once Part 4: The Sport Climber “This Hydra is the culmination of your
were—only what you might become.” The seer then brought her gaze upon the hubris, of your disdainful dismissal of the
emaciated sport climber. other disciplines. You have all sealed your
Part 3: The Boulderer “And what should we do with you, Sport fate, with ecosystems damaged, crags bolted,
“Boulderer, give me your talisman,” the seer Climber? Even your talisman, the stick clip, is boulders overrun, and your cliffs of conve-
commanded. The climbers stared into their imbued with the same combination of inge- nience tapped out. And so it is that the Rock
laps, wondering why they’d come. They were nuity and laziness that has long infused your Gods shall smite you, and those things you
peeling off the topout, falling in slow motion, discipline—like the kneepad or hand warmer once held sacred fall into ruination.”
unable to avoid a groundfall. The Boulderer in your chalkbag, or rappel-bolting itself. But With that, the seer swiped her hand across
handed over the boar’s-hair brush. The seer even as you push yourself to the limits of hu- the table, extinguishing the candles. Through
stared at the Boulderer’s callused tips, and man endurance, your sport corrodes by the the inky darkness, a blinding flash dazed the
then brushed them in slow, clockwise circles. day. Convenience will be your downfall. Few climbers. When their eyes readjusted, they
“Well then, Boulderer,” she said. “It would venture beyond the cliffs of comfort, your found themselves in the alley next to the
appear your fate differs, but not how you may Rifles and your Reds. Once radical, sport same Prius that had delivered them there.
hope. Bouldering will gain popularity, more climbing is now middle-aged, a Boomer in “Call for a car?” the driver yelled into the fog.
than you can imagine. Its sheer accessibility a world of alphabet generations. The young- Sharing a glance, the four climbers piled
provides an opening for the masses. It is at sters make fast work of your legacy, doing in in, unsure what to make of what they’d just
once the most affordable and the most social one hour (‘second go; soft’) that which took heard. The Prius hurtled down the alley-
discipline—a veritable boon to the sport. you years of training and self-starvation. You way, pausing before turning onto a one-way
“But what becomes of your standards? are but drill dust to be blown away by the street. It pressed on into the night, toward
Your bouldering ratings rely on two factors: breeze of passing phenoms. the only illumination on the edge of town: a
physical difficulty and commitment. With “This is the curse of the Sport Climber: flickering neon sign advertising “Rock Gym,”
Shawn Raboutou trying to revert the V scale Your crowds grow while your developers welcoming all souls ready to come in from
back into a close-ended, 10-grade B scale, thin. The remaining Bosch owners will fade the darkness.
hearkening back to the simpler days of John into the periphery—why equip on your own
Gill, any leaps in difficulty will be soon so dime only to be the butt-end of 57 bomb rat- ANDREW TOWER lives in the mountain town of
personal they’ll border on a feeling. Is that ings on Mountain Project when you could Crested Butte on the Western Slope of Colorado—far
problem in Japan, Brazil, or RMNP really ‘put up’ routes in the gym for a paycheck? from people but close to rocks.

CLIMBING.COM 23
 THE PLACE

SILVER MOUNTAIN
Northern Michigan’s
Hidden Gem
BY BENNETT SLAVSKY

Bennett Slavsky and Emily Cabot

climbing Anal Dwelling Butt Monkeys
(5.11a), Silver Mountain, Michigan.

W
e rarely think of rock climbing when we think of Michigan. In- Rajdlel, along with a handful of other locals, put up 12 to 14 mixed
stead, “the Mitten” typically conjures images of lakes, potatoes, free/aid lines at Silver in the late 1990s—routes titled no further than
flat land, and Detroit. However, deep in the recesses of Michi- “That hard one over there.” They cut their teeth on these scary, ground-
gan’s Upper Peninsula (UP) is a hidden 140-foot cliff with 40- up traditional routes and practiced the aid skills they’d later take to big
plus stellar routes from 5.7 to 5.12d, including several two-pitch climbs. walls in Yosemite and elsewhere. According to Rajdlel, the ethic in the
Silver Mountain, cleaved from the hills of Ottowa National Forest by the UP at that time was clean—no bolts, no anchors, and minimal chalk.
last ice age, is a stark black and gray basalt wall, with pink, orange, and Enter Paul Peppin, a young, thirsty climber native to Marquette,
white mineral deposits splattered tie-dye throughout. Michigan, a few hours east of Silver Mountain. Peppin began climbing
Two hours west of Marquette and six hours northeast of Minneapolis, as a teenager and got strong on trips to the Red. There, he saw first-
Silver is hidden far out in the northern woods. The next tallest routes in hand how sport climbing could unlock an area’s potential. After hearing
the UP top out at 50 feet (AAA Wall), and in the Lower Peninsula there’s of the mysterious Silver Mountain, Peppin made the journey in 1998.
only Grand Ledge, a 30-foot toprope crag. Meanwhile, the next nearest “When I came around the corner and saw this thing go straight up and
sport destination is the Red River Gorge—a 12-hour drive. down, I almost had a heart attack,” Peppin says. “It was an epiphany.” In
There is a creed in UP climbing that no one claims a first ascent. that moment, Peppin saw what Rajdlel had seen just a few years before:
Climbers will often think they’re on an FA only to find a rusty piton or an awe-inducing 140 feet of sheer, featured rock—in Michigan.
weathered webbing. It is rumored that people climbed at Silver Moun- Peppin bought a power drill, and in summer 1999, he and another
PHOTO BY PAUL PEPPIN

tain in the late 1980s, but when Bryan Rajdlel first arrived in 1996, he Marquette climber, Aaron LaBelle, bolted five lines at Silver, some of
saw no evidence of passage. At the time, Rajdlel was a student at Michi- which unknowingly eclipsed existing trad lines. When Rajdlel caught
gan Technical University in the town of Houghton, about an hour away. wind—fearing access issues with the forest service and disgruntled that
“It was pristine, untouched, and the style me and my buddies did—we the original climbers at Silver had not had a chance to weigh in—he
were all trad climbers,” Rajdlel says. “It was scary. It was hard to protect. removed the bolts. Disheartened, Peppin would not return for five
It was thin. The cracks flare. It was, like, super adventure climbing.” years. In the meantime, Rajdlel started a family and took a hiatus from

24 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

 PROTECTING
AMERICA’S CLIMBING
climbing. During that time, Silver remained largely try to bury the hatchet. It was a long time ago. We
untouched—what Peppin calls “the lost years.” both really care about climbing here [in the UP], and
“I didn’t really intend to [go back],” Peppin says. I think we will work together moving forward.”
“But then I met [my future—now former—wife] Liz Today, any given fair-weather weekend at Silver
and I just wanted to show her the place.” In 2004, draws young climbers from across the Midwest. With
the two returned to Silver to find the rock overgrown. no buildings or facilities for miles, climbers camp
They toproped and trad-climbed at Silver for years, off a dirt road 100 yards from the cliff. They set up • AF, Western Massachusetts
all while quietly scoping and cleaning potential new tents amongst the trees, and in the evening hang out Climbers Coalition, and
Ragged Mountain Foundation
sport routes. around the campfire, occasionally donning a head-
bought Hanging Mountain, a
Paul concedes that he is second generation at Sil- lamp for night climbs. new area in Massachusetts.
ver Mountain, saying that Rajdlel and his crew were The off-vertical rock produces delightfully tech- This may be the biggest find in
pioneers and have “first rights.” However, for the Pep- nical, heady climbing. A quintessential Silver route, Northeast climbing in decades,
pins, developing Silver as a sport area became a mat- Between a Block and a Hard Place (5.10d), works offering 150–200 routes once
fully developed.
ter of accessibility: As Liz puts it, “90 percent of the up 90 feet of large stacked blocks through finger-
current bolted routes on trad would be rated R and jams, sidepulls, crimps, and precision footwork. The • In autumn 2019, thousands
X—they really are dangerous, and most people aren’t climb is captivating, each move a new puzzle to me- of climbers joined forces
with Native American tribes
going to climb them unless there are bolts.” thodically solve. For the strong, the 60-foot second
to save Oak Flat, Arizona,
In 2012, the Peppins began bolting again, spend- pitch of Golden Heart (5.12d) is a sustained beast which is in the crosshairs of a
ing almost every summer weekend for the next five with monster moves to miniscule holds. foreign mining company set to
years brushing, cleaning, drilling, and blowing lichen In mid-September 2018, Liz bolted what ended take ownership of this public
boogers. During that time, the Peppins, along with up being the Peppins’ final route at Silver, the sec- land and destroy the surface,
including its climbing and
help from various UP college students, established ond pitch of Anal Dwelling Butt Monkeys, a stun-
spiritually significant landmarks.
almost 40 sport routes at Silver. Meanwhile, as his ning 5.11a. Most of the crag’s potential has been un-
kids have grown, Rajdlel has taken up climbing again locked, and it’s time to pass the development torch to • The fight for America’s public
lands is evolving, but the one
and began guiding. He takes his children and clients a new generation. On the route, a heady start leads
constant is that the front line
to Silver because it provides a perfect training ground to back-to-back burly dihedral cruxes and a slabby is in Washington, DC, among
for young climbers to hone their skills, much like how finish. The climb is an interesting, multifaceted, in- our elected offi cials. Plug in
he practiced aid climbing there years ago. “I totally stant classic. As you top out high above the trees, a to AF’s 2020 Election Prep
get it … We’d rather more people climb it than not 180-degree panorama of the endless, rolling green series to learn how to vote
for climbing and public lands
climb it,” says Rajdlel 20 years after he removed the sea of the Upper Peninsula awaits you, spread out at
(accessfund.org).
first bolts at Silver. “[Paul and I are] gonna meet and the foot of Michigan’s finest crag.
PHOTO BY BENNE T T SL AVSK Y

Silver Mountain developer Paul

Peppin on the cliff’s upper headwall,
climbing Silver Sweetness (5.10d).

CLIMBING.COM 25
 TOPO

Life, The Universe,

and Everything
BY ANDREW BURR AND JAMES LUCAS | PHOTO BY ANDREW BURR

O
n October 14, 2018, Jay Conway, a math teacher at Plymouth
Regional High School, New Hampshire, stared up at the fourth
ropelength of what was poised to become a new, five-pitch 5.14a
on Cathedral Ledge. The route was Life, The Universe, and
Everything, on the cliff ’s forbidding Mordor Wall. Above him rose the
5.13c Edge of Bridge pitch, which tackled V8 refrigerator wrestling—
the climb’s most difficult moves. To get here, Conway had climbed
the 5.11+ first pitch of Cecile; a crux, 5.14a second pitch via his 2013
Difficulties be Damned that exited via a tough, new V4 mantel; and a
sparsely bolted 5.12b “enduro slab.” Conway, supported by his friend
Pete Arnold, had already put in five tries over three hours on the Edge
of Bridge and was exhausted. If he could make it past the 30 feet of 5.13
above, only a 5.10b section guarded the summit.
While Cathedral is known for its multi-pitch free classics like Thin
Air (5.6), Recompense (5.9), The Prow (5.11d), and Liquid Sky (5.13b),
the dark, roofy, and seemingly holdless Mordor Wall has mostly been
the domain of aid climbers. In years past, the hardest free climb there
was Tim Kemple Jr. and Sr.’s Highway 61, a three-pitch, zigzagging
5.13a. “With Rumney close by, most of the 5.13s at Cathedral see very
little traffic,” Conway says—with its mixed climbing and funky fixed pro,
Cathedral has kept its mantel as the traditional bastion of New England.
In 2013, Conway, now 39, looked between the fixed bashies and
old-school mank on the Mordor Wall to find Difficulties be Damned,
a mixed pitch with five bolts and five pieces of gear. In spring 2018, he
returned to scope a left exit to Difficulties. “That cliff is roadside and has
been climbed at since the 1920s,” Conway says. “It’s picked over. I was
shocked that I found stuff above that line”—including the 20 new feet off
of Difficulties that segue into the new, upper pitches. “All the routes just
seem so impossible at first,” Conway says of Cathedral Ledge’s smooth,
fine-grained granite, “but once you figure
out that almost everything is a foothold,
the routes seem to click.” LOCATION
After his fruitless battle on the Edge Mordor Wall,
of Bridge, Conway rested at the belay. Cathedral Ledge,
He queued up “Damn It Feels Good to New Hampshire
be a Gangsta” by the Geto Boys and got GRADE
psyched for a sixth attempt. This time, 5.14a
Conway fought through the second V8 LENGTH
boulder problem, with its balancey wind- 400 feet; five pitches
mill move, finally sticking the sequence. TYPE
“It was like my version of the Dawn Wall,” Mixed
he says. Elated, Conway romped up the
FIRST ASCENT
last ropelength at dusk, bringing two Jay Conway,
and a half pitches of new climbing and a October 2018
proud, new 5.14 to Cathedral Ledge.

26 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

Jay Conway, belayed by Michael Larson, above the arête crux on
the 5.13c Edge of Bridge pitch, Life, the Universe, and Everything
(5.14a; five pitches), Cathedral Ledge, New Hampshire.
 UNSENT

HERDING YOUR PARTNER:

The Selfish Climber’s Guide
BY KEVIN CORRIGAN

T
he relationship between climbing partners is sacred: We hold
each other’s lives in our hands; we trade belays, sharing success-
es and failures. Some might say that our time bonding is more
rewarding than any redpoint. But these people don’t care about
sending—any time spent helping your partner achieve his goals is time
not crushing your projects. However, by following the steps below,
you’ll never have to support another climber again—100 percent of the 4. Make him think it was his idea
day will be about you. If your partner is on board with your suggestion from step 3, great.
Sucker! However, should he resist, your contingency plan will be to
1. Feign graciousness make that idea look better by suggesting even worse ideas:
A reasonable person would take turns when choosing climbing plans,
or settle on a common goal. This is the unspoken social contract: “I • “What about Hip Stitches? It’s about time you learned to climb
choose the movie/restaurant/crag this time, you choose next time.” unprotected offwidths.”
Start by pretending that’s who you are. Insist that your partner choose • “My cousin’s university club will be at Five Onederland, and their
the crag. He earned it with that two-hour belay last week, when you Bluetooth speakers are so loud you’ll feel like you’re really at a
worked the crux of Extra-Spicy Chicken Wings 20 times in a row, Sublime concert.”
hanging for 10 minutes between attempts without going in direct. • “Could be cool to make the first repeat of Mancrush after all
that rockfall.”
2. Make excuses
Your partner is an independent being with his own wants, which After rejecting enough of these, your partner will revert to the only
is annoying. You just need him to hold the rope like a human auto- remaining viable idea: yours from step 3. Since he brought it up this
belay. So when he suggests ideas, you’ll need to find a reason- time, congratulate him on his excellent idea. Now all you have to do is
able excuse for why each is impossible. It’s not that you don’t want ask for a lap on your proj during the hike in, then turn that into the en-
to go to Wall of Monos; it’s just those damn outside circumstanc- tire day. E.g., “Let me just run back up real quick to work out the crux.”
es! Piggyback off the following to craft excuses of your own: “I’m sooo close—you don’t mind if I go for a redpoint burn, right?” “Ah!
I flubbed the beta. One more go?” Etc., until it’s time to go home.

PHOTO BY LE VI HARRELL / ILLUS TR ATION BY LINDSAY WESCOT T

• Oh, Hand Jamboree? That sounds fun—except that it goes in the
sun at noon and it’s supposed to get up to 65° today….
• Yeah Mouthful of Angry Bees looks sick, but I heard the crux bolt OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
was spinning and is about to blow.
• I’ve been on Smedge Maze. It’s good, but last time there was a bat Maintaining your partner pool
behind the crux flake. Yeah, that was a few years ago, but it looked People will only put up with your manipulative behavior for so long. Once
settled in. It’s prime bat real estate—my bat-guy friend said so. your partner wises up, he may throw your pack into the creek, threaten
you with a nut tool, or worst of all, refuse to belay. It’s best to switch
3. Suggest convenient alternatives partners before this happens, so get on Partner Finder early to have
Now selflessly suggest routes that would be perfect for your part- your next sub ready. It’s like a Ponzi scheme, but with climbing partners.
ner—right next to the route you want to climb (DO NOT MENTION
THIS PART). Remember: It’s all about him. At least, that’s what the In case of emergency
dumb rube is supposed to think. Try something like this: “What about Sooner or later, word will get around that you’re a sociopath (fair), and
Chim-Chimney-Charroo? You’re super-strong on chimneys. I bet you’ll become a pariah. You could move, but in this digital age, bad
you’d love it. Oh yeah, I guess it is next to Extra-Spicy Chicken Wings. reputations are hard to shake. It’s easier to start bouldering—then
I mean, I’d give Chicken Wings a burn if we had time, but no big deal you’ll never have to waste your time belaying someone again. Plus, if
if we don’t. I’m easy.” someone asks for a spot, you can just leave once they’re on the rock.

28 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

I N N O V A T I V E C L I M B I N G E Q U I P M E N T
 SKILLS

Avoid the
Newbie Syndrome
How to Prevent Gym-Bouldering Injuries
Early in Your Career
BY R. BRYAN SIMON

Sarah Filler demonstrating safe, controlled

bouldering at The Spot Denver.

After four months of gym climbing, Jane, a self-taught climber, feels muscles,” says Mark Pugeda, a climbing physical therapist based in
ready to push herself, eyeing an overhanging V3 at her local gym. Her the New River Gorge, West Virginia. Pugeda suggests 10 to 15 reps of
first try, she falls immediately. Her second try, she makes it through the the yoga pose Upward-Facing Dog, forward and side lunges, upper-
opening sequence to a dynamic move. Having seen other climbers dyno, and lower-trunk rotations, and forward/side leg swings (see “Bonus
Jane hucks for the jug, swings wildly, and loses her grip. She lands awk- Warm-Up” sidebar). Finally, warm up on roughly 8 to 12 easy prob-
wardly on her left ankle, fracturing it. lems, no more than a number grade or two below your onsight level, as
it takes the body approximately 120 moves to prepare the pulleys and

C
limbing-injury doctors and clinical researchers Volker Schöffl tendons for the demands of difficult bouldering.
and Christoph Lutter have dubbed accidents like Jane’s—a hypo-
thetical example that points to the recent trend of major injuries Strength and conditioning
due to minor falls at bouldering gyms—the “Newbie Syndrome.” Having an adequate level of strength, flexibility, balance, and joint
Until recently, indoor bouldering and climbing were considered rela- stability encourages the proper form and technique that stave off injury.
tively safe, with an acute-injury risk of 0.01–0.03 injuries per 1,000 Additionally, having a strong fitness base allows for a longer—and thus
hours of participation. In recent years, however, Schöffl and Lutter funner!—session.
recognized an uptick in indoor-bouldering injuries, attributing this to
the increase in problems with dynamic, parkour-like movement, cou- CORE
pled with a lack of general fitness—leading to poor technique—for new A stable, strong core helps you keep your body tight to the wall, allow-
climbers. Novices often get lulled into pushing themselves before they ing you to climb with greater control. Moreover, a strong core brings
understand the risks associated with dynamic movement and falls. stability to the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine to help prevent
However, through a proper warm-up, foundational fitness with back injury.
a focus on core strength, better flexibility, and an understand-
ing about climbing (and falling/landing) safely, we can overcome
Newbie Syndrome.
Bonus Warm-Up: Curls and Circles Circuit
INJURY PREVENTION This “curls and circles circuit” is a great way to warm the joints, moving
each through its full range of motion and physiologically prepping it for
Injury prevention begins with a good warm-up, which will elevate
rapid flexion and extension while climbing. Start at the fingers and work
your body temperature and improve joint mobility prior to climbing.
down to the ankles, doing 10 to 15 reps of each exercise both clockwise
Meanwhile, having a foundational level of cardio fitness and core and counterclockwise—except finger curls—for the entire circuit.
strength will improve your form, protecting against injury.
• FINGER CURLS: Alternate from straight fingers to making a fist.
PHOTO BY MIKE MILL S

Warm up • WRIST CIRCLES: Make a fist and then roll your hands.
Climbers often overlook the need to warm up, hopping right on prob- • ARM CIRCLES: With arms straight and to your sides, rotate your arms
lems and injuring themselves. However, taking the time to prep the in a circular motion.
body will reduce the chance of injury. So begin with 7 to 10 minutes of • HIP CIRCLES: Place your hands on your hips and roll your upper body.
jogging, cycling, or jumping rope. “Follow this with dynamic stretch- • KNEE AND ANKLE CIRCLES: Bend over with hands on slightly bent
es that target the trunk, thighs, calves, shoulders, and forearm/hand knees; move your knees in a circular motion (your ankles will follow).

30 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

 Remember, core strengthening means working the entire trunk. Varied ex-
ercises include supine leg lifts with a bent knee, V-ups, bicycles, side crunches,
and isometric flexor chin tucks. As a general rule, you should barely be able to
Quick Clips
complete the reps on the final set of each exercise. You can do core training up Fixes for common climber problems
to five times a week, but also take rest days. COMPILED BY MATT SAMET

STRETCHING
Incorporate static and dynamic stretching multiple times a week and before A green, heavy-duty dish-scrubbing pad is great for
climbing, to cultivate flexibility throughout the body and stability in the quickly cleaning your climbing shoes before starting
joints, especially the knee and ankle. Static stretches that target “climbing up a route. I keep a couple in my pack, and always stick
muscles” include wrist flexor/extensor stretch, hamstring stretch, and hip one in my pants pocket in case I encounter unexpected
flexor stretch; dynamic stretches include arm scissors, windmills, and gunk midway up a pitch.
side-to-side lunges. Generally, static stretches should be three sets of 15- JASON MOORE
to 30-second holds, while dynamic stretches are one set of 15 to 30 reps.
Use this “Rock and Roll Climber’s
RISK ASSESSMENT Hack” to restring a broken cam-
To avoid injury, you need to understand the forces exerted on the body during trigger wire: Either solder a guitar
falls and landings, and become fluent at assessing risk string through the cam lobe or
tie it off with an overhand knot
(janky-looking but effective). As
Consider the entire problem you can see here, the eye ring
Examine the problem’s angle, length, and hazards: How steep is it and what from the guitar string stays well
sorts of features does it climb—arête, corner, slab, or cave—and what does that anchored through the blue lobe.
mean for falling/landing? Will nearby climbers create a hazard? Where does Sure, this isn’t as low profile as
the problem top out? What’s the likelihood of a fall from the top, and what the traditional method, but it’s
would the landing be like? hard to beat the math: used guitar
string + 5 minutes = fixed trigger.
Examine the individual sections WESTON HAMILTON
Now consider individual movements—the unique climbing positions. Will any
single move expose your body to injury? For example, falling onto a stuck heel- When living in a panel van or dirtbagging out of your
toe cam can shred your knee, and micro-crimps can cause finger injuries. Ask car, a cheap plant sprayer helps with cleaning, washing
yourself what existing injuries you may have and if you’re putting yourself at up, and even getting chalk off your hands—without
greater risk. Also consider dynamic moves and what would happen if you don’t using much water.
stick them. Is there the potential for a swing or a face-down fall—and if so, do JAMIE STANDBRIDGE
you want a spot?
I’ve started tucking a
Climb safely rectangular box-cutter
Climbing in a controlled manner, with good body tension and a focus on precise blade inside my phone
movement, can limit your risk of injury. Move from hold to hold deliberately, case or taping it to the
focusing on each step of the process. Continually assess and back off if needed. inside of my helmet
instead of carrying a
If you feel uncomfortable with the fall, downclimb to a better position. Not only
belay knife. It doesn’t
will this move you back to greater safety, but it also improves your footwork.
add weight or bulk,
and slices through
Stick the landing webbing, rope, and
In bouldering, where every fall is a groundfall, anticipate and control Dyneema with ease.
your fall, hitting the mat with your legs slightly bent and feet beneath MAT T HANRAHAN
you shoulder-width apart. In a well-executed landing, your ankles and
knees should flex within their normal range of motion to absorb the
impact, while your core tightens to protect your spine, and your chin
tucks to protect your head. Also, rolling in the direction of the fall after Got an amazing quick clip?
impact lessens the shock—think “stunt roll.” However, don’t throw an Send it to letters@climbing.com. The top tip
arm out to “catch” your fall, as this is a common avenue to a sprain, strain, in this issue—Weston Hamilton’s—won a new
or fracture. 70-meter Boa Eco rope from Edelrid.

R. BRYAN SIMON is the managing editor for the American Alpine Club's Accidents in North
American Climbing and is co-author of Vertical Aid: Essential Wilderness Medicine for Climbers,
Trekkers, and Mountaineers.
 SKILLS

Rapid Weight Loss vs.

Slower Body-Composition Changes
Is there a superior way to change our bodies for climbing performance?
BY ALYSSA NEILL, RDN

Y
ou wouldn’t be wrong if you believed a little more energy. This occurs because ex- unsustainable, but can lead to diminished
it’s advantageous to be light for treme caloric restriction slows your metabo- power and a higher chance of injury.
performance rock climbing—we all lism—the body, in an energy deficit, now has
know it’s helpful to feel like you’ve fewer calories to use (as well as less mass to Unsustainable weight loss: Upsetting the
slipped through gravity’s fingers. But is fuel), and so reacts accordingly by conserving metabolic scales
there a hidden cost to rapidly losing weight? energy. This is basic metabolic balance. BOB
Moreover, is there a more advantageous and Aside from rapid weight loss making you Age: 26
PHOTO BY FOX YS/CRE ATIVE M ARKE T

sustainable way to change body composition? feel lethargic, another way the body decreas- Height: 5’8”
es energy output is by metabolizing metabol- Weight: 160 pounds
Physiological effects of rapid weight loss ically demanding tissue—i.e., muscle. This Build: Fit, healthy balance of muscle and body fat
When you lose weight, you lose mass. And typically occurs to some extent regardless
when you lose weight rapidly (more than 1 to of weight loss; however, in times of fasting, Bob has been climbing for six years, and hit a grade
2 pounds per week), you’re more likely to lose when glucose and glycogen have been used plateau at about year four around V7/V8. Rocky
both main types of body mass: fat, aka adi- up, the body will turn to amino acids (protein Mountain National Park bouldering season ramps
pose tissue, which is hormonally active but building blocks from the muscles) to make up in about two months, so Bob decides to lose 15
doesn’t require as much energy to sustain; glucose in a process called gluconeogenesis. pounds in hopes of sending harder. Each day, he’ll
and muscle, aka lean mass, which requires This muscle loss not only makes weight loss eat: 1 low-calorie protein shake + 1 low-carb, low-fat

32 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

 We saw this with Bob, as his hunger cues grew composition—losing body fat while main-
The Protein Connection stronger than he could resist past eight weeks. taining lean body mass. Rather than being
A 2018 review in the journal Nutrients This is the body trying to balance the metabolic a starvation slog, the process can instead
demonstrated that compared to other calorically scales. In fact, a commonly accepted statistic is be enjoyable, and yields performance gains,
restricted diets, a “high-protein diet” (at least that 80 percent of people who lose 10 percent more energy, (often) increased power, and
25–35 percent of your daily calories coming of their body weight will regain that weight. less chance of an injury. The only “problem”
from protein) catered to losing more fat mass Moreover, many people’s hunger cues become is that prioritizing the maintenance of lean
and preserving more lean mass than all of the aggressive after bouts of rapid weight loss, and it’s body mass while losing weight, which really
other fat-loss macro ratios. This is no surprise, not uncommon to experience cravings to eat in ends up being fat, requires longer-term com-
as muscle requires amino acids from dietary quantities surpassing your intake while dieting. mitment. It requires changes around pat-
proteins to be synthesized. Likewise, protein is
terns and habits, which doesn’t cater to the
the most thermogenic macronutrient, which
means proteins (aka amino acids) require
Sustainable weight loss: Balancing the typical American get-fast-results mindset.
energy to digest and absorb. Moreover, research
metabolic scales So, how and why does focusing on body
has established that people with higher- SARAH composition actually work? Well, first off,
protein diets trend toward consuming fewer Age: 35 this nourishment pathway supports metabo-
calories, likely because protein consumption Height: 5’5” lism, as it leaves you with more energy-
stimulates the “I’m full” hormone, leptin. Weight: 130 pounds requiring muscle. (Note: Muscle only
Build: Fit, healthy balance of muscle and body fat requires slightly more calories to maintain
protein bar + a big, strictly vegetable salad with than fat, but longitudinally, those extra cal-
4 ounces of lean chicken, dressed with lemon juice. Sarah has been climbing for 15 years and has a trip ories are beneficial.) As we saw with Sarah,
He starts a 4x per week climbing, 3x per week to the Red River Gorge six months out during which this was best accomplished with a high-
running, and 2x per week lifting regimen with the she wants to climb her first 5.13a. Psyche is high, protein, whole-food-based diet (see sidebar
goal of amplifying his caloric deficit. but Sarah realizes that she’s in it for the long haul, at left, as well as climbing.com/protein). In
After 8 weeks on this regimen, Bob hits his target and wants to dial in the many aspects of her lifestyle addition to getting adequate lean protein,
weight. Throughout, he experiences drastic hunger, that will support getting into better shape. there are other dietary pillars that sustain-
but remains committed. He notices more frequent Sarah started by cutting out alcohol and ably shift body composition: consuming
muscle cramping and interrupted sleep, but he’s processed carbs, while oscillating between 3 to 4 fiber-rich carbs, eating plenty of greens,
seeing gains at the gym, and so persists. After week light, lean-protein-containing, whole-foods-based fresh fruits, and vegetables, avoiding
eight, Bob heads into the alpine to try a V9, which meals per day. She also began to focus more on processed foods, and staying hydrated.
goes down after a few weeks. He feels light, but not nutrient timing, ensuring that most of the high-carb, Meanwhile, factors like age, hormone domi-
particularly energized; he can muster up power, but whole foods she consumes are within 30 minutes of nance (sex hormones impact many biolog-
not always at optimal capacity. After sending, he training sessions. She also cut back on bars and high- ical functions, many of which impact body
tries another V9. In the meantime, Bob resumes sugar sports drinks, while adding in more electrolyte- composition), elevation and geography, food
eating the same foods and quantities as before his infused water and pre-made, lean-protein-centric preferences, activity levels, health condi-
regimen—about double the calories per day. His low- meals with ample vegetables. Protein shakes are used tions, sleep status, work, social, and cultural
calorie diet was leaving him too hungry to perform as needed after training. While precise about her environments, genetics, and even your goals
on the boulders, and he was bonking on the hike. eating, she is not restricting calories. factor in as well.
Over the next four months, Bob gains back about Sarah prioritizes getting 6 to 8 hours of sleep, Long story, short: If you want your body-
17 pounds despite eating healthily and staying active. especially around intense training days. Each week, mass reduction to be sustainable, then it’s
He’s happy to have sent V9, but feels frustrated that she climbs at least 3 days, with a focus on endurance more about the type of mass you lose than the
he’s now heavier than his original starting weight, on one day and fingers the other two. As she goes, amount. To be clear, I’m not encouraging you
and that he feels less powerful. she listens to her body’s feedback and modifies to go out and gain tons of muscle so that your
As Bob quickly learned, you not only get accordingly. Over this six-month period of precise metabolism gets faster. Nor am I suggest-
hungrier when eating less and exercising more, fat loss with muscle-maintenance nourishment, ing that we could all stand to lose weight.
but your metabolism also slows. So, sure, Bob Sarah loses 11 pounds, most of which is fat. She However, because weight loss is a frequent
got down to “V9 sending weight,” but his sending feels powerful and light, and sends her goal routes conversation amongst climbers, let’s make
window only lasted a couple of weeks—because, at the Red. Sarah is able to sustain these changes sure we’re nourishing to optimize our climb-
as discussed, rapid weight loss with no emphasis throughout the year, and because many of them are ing goals, fitness, and overall resilience.
on losing fat while retaining muscle is often not lifestyle based, continues to see subtle improvements
metabolically sustainable. in body composition and performance, even as she ALYSSA NEILL, registered dietitian and owner of
Indeed, weight regain after weight loss is so become slightly less precise in her eating. Nourishment Nutrition, lives, works, and plays in
common that research has quantified the body’s Colorado. Find her online @nourishment_nutrition or
@alyssa_neill.
drive for more food, estimating that for every How focusing on body composition works
Reference
two pounds of weight loss, hormonal signaling As Sarah learned, the way to sustainably 1. Goodman, B. (2016, October 14). Research Sheds Light
prompts us to eat 100 more calories per day1. reduce body weight is by focusing on body on Why People Who Lose Weight Gain It Back.

CLIMBING.COM 33
 SKILLS

The Allfreefi
Maximize Big-Wall Efficiency with an Adjustable Fifi Hook
BY DAVID ALLFREY

I
cursed my puny biceps as I gripped a carabiner with one hand While the fifi system—keeping a small hook on your harness that
and, feet in aiders, crawled up Southern Man (V 5.10 A2) on you place in your daisy chain to snug up to a high piece—has long been
Washington Column in Yosemite. Using my other hand, I fran- a staple of aid climbing, I knew there had to be a better way. So I be-
tically stabbed a fifi hook toward my daisy chain; it missed twice gan experimenting. Adjustable daisies were OK, but I ended up having
before finally catching in a loop, leaving me gasping from exertion. to tinker with and loosen them only to tighten and tinker again. And
I sagged onto my daisy and prepared to repeat this grueling, ineffi- when I ditched the daisies altogether and just went in direct to my high
cient process another thousand times. piece with the fifi, I couldn’t top-step (stand in the highest ladder rung
to place the next piece). After devising and tossing out dozens of home-
made systems, in 2009 I finally came up with a crude but useful tool.
Eventually dubbed the “Allfreefi” by my friends, it comprised a cam
buckle (a one-way metal buckle you can cinch and release by depress-
ing a small button) and an attached fifi hook.
This new tool let me simplify my movements. With each placement,
it only had to go one place—onto the carabiner holding my aid ladders.
This prevents the need to stand up, hold on tight, and move the fifi, re-
ducing several strenuous steps. After over 50 ascents of El Capitan and
15 or more speed records using the Allfreefi, I can confidently say that
this simple device revolutionizes aid climbing.

THE STEPS
Aid climbing is a slow, methodical, repetitive process. Being efficient
at each step eases and speeds ascents. It starts with standing on your
top piece.

Place the piece

Start by placing your piece as high as possible, standing tall in the
rungs of your wall ladders. From what I’ve found, the second rung
down is often the sweet spot—the highest step lets you reach farther,

Transitioning to Free Climbing

With all of the excess gear and “tentacles” everywhere, stepping
out of the ladders and moving into free-climbing mode is one
of the more difficult aspects of wall climbing. As I’ve learned,
it’s often best to ditch the ladders first. To do so:
PHOTO BY G ABRIEL M ANGE

1. Free your daisy chain from the ladder then climb to the top of it.
2. Climb right off the end of the ladder, leaving it behind for your
partner to clean.
The author using his hook on the Grey Circle 3. As you free climb, drape your daisy chain, Allfreefi, and ladders (if
pitch (A2+) of Zodiac in 2015, when he and you bring them) over your shoulder. Here, they can hang from your
Alex Honnold sent 7 El Cap routes in 7 days. harness up onto your back, remaining easily accessible without getting
caught in your feet while you climb.

34 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

 but will force a strenuous body position, especially on steep terrain. weight onto it, bouncing up and down a few times to seat and fully test
Meanwhile, if you place gear while standing below the middle step, the piece.
you are losing easy and valuable reach—though you should be pre-
pared to use these lower steps based on the terrain. BOUNCE-TESTING THROUGH THE HIPS
After placing and clipping into your high piece, step back down into
Bounce-test the piece your lower aid ladder until the daisy on your new piece tightens. Now,
Avoid airtime by bounce-testing your gear, either via your legs or hips. with feet in the lower ladder, slam your hips and harness onto the piece.
Hip/body testing will apply more force, but requires descending to the
BOUNCE-TESTING THROUGH THE LEGS end of your daisy chain, making it a less efficient movement. However,
Once you’ve placed and clipped into your high piece, step into the low- this method is also more secure—if the upper piece blows, you’re closer
est ladder rung; now, shift your weight onto that leg and apply cautious to and more securely positioned on the lower piece.
(read: not full) weight. The piece holds? Great! Now hop all of your
Weight the piece: Moving the adjustable fifi
After you’ve tested and confirmed the reliability of the piece, it’s time
to snug up to it using your Alfreefi. By using this adjustable fifi, you
won’t have to fiddle with flossing the fifi into your daisy chain as you
climb the ladder. Instead, you can just pull yourself up. Here’s how:
1. Shift your weight onto your new, high piece.
2. Holding tight to the piece’s carabiner, use your other hand to grab your
Allfreefi. Depress the trigger and pull it to full arm’s length; as you do so,
place the fifi on the carabiner of your highest ladder.
3. As soon as you’ve hooked this biner, sit down and save your arms.
4. Breathe, and then repeat the process with your next piece.

THE TRICKS
Top stepping
While essential to efficient aid climbing, top stepping is often strenu-
ous—especially on overhanging terrain where it may actually be un-
necessary. The trick is to find the right balance between the difficulty
of placing gear and the distance between pieces.
Using an Allfreefi allows you to crank the buckle tight to your waist
and easily sit or stand around your ladder’s third step down. This will be
the sweet spot most of the time. As you climb into the second step from
the top and then the top step, you can carefully release tension on your
adjustable fifi and climb up. As your waist travels above the piece, crank
the buckle tight, pulling downwards hard from your harness to the
piece. Lock your knees, drive your hips into the wall, and embrace the
discomfort of the harness pulling down on your hips. Place your next
piece, get it clipped, and then get out of this uncomfortable position!

Steep terrain
Steep terrain tends to be safer because there’s nothing but net below.
However, it is also the most difficult/time-consuming for aiding, with
MAKING AN ALLFREEFI the rock’s angle forcing you to place gear closer together than on ver-
tical or slabby ground. Stand higher and more easily on steep terrain
1. Buy a cam buckle from the hardware store or reappropriate an by using your legs to press down into your ladder. Tighten your core,
adjustable daisy chain. squeeze your glutes, and drive your hips toward the wall, and then
PHOTO BY DAVID ALLFRE Y

2. Tie a fifi hook on the end of the buckle using 1” webbing and a tension the Allfreefi into your stiff body. Now you can reach overhead
water knot. Use pliers to tension the knot, making it and the with both hands to place cams and pound pitons.
sling length as small as possible.
3. Wrap the knot and fifi bottom with tape to create a stiff hook.
This helps with holding the buckle and placing the fifi on biners. DAVID ALLFREY, a longtime wall climber, is currently stepping into his next
(Note: You can buy a premade “Alfifi” at skotswallgear.com.) big adventure as a father. In between changing diapers and squeezing in some
MoonBoarding, he’ll undoubtedly be on the walls of Yosemite, Red Rock, or Zion.

CLIMBING.COM 35
 Story by William Butierez || Photos by Jim Thornburg

sonoran
gem
T H E O V E R L O O K E D C R A G G I N G PA R A D I S E
OF MOUNT LEMMON, ARIZONA
Claire Bukowski on Holey Moley (5.11d), New
Wave Wall, Windy Point. The route features
powerful, elegant sequences on small but
positive crimps—classic Lemmon climbing.
 William Butierez on (or rather, off ) Orifice
Politics (5.12c), a wildly exposed king line at
the Orifice, the Fortress, Summit Crags.
 hat if I told you that deep in the Desert reintroduce the often-overlooked Mount Lemmon

W Southwest, a 28-mile road winds up

through five ecosystems and provides
access to more than 2,500 routes,
year-round, on steep, featured granite? Would you
be able to set aside your stereotypical image of the
with the respect and recognition it merits.
The drive begins in the Sonoran desert at 2,000
feet on the northwest side of town and ends at just
over 9,000 feet near the summit. In the late 1800s,
Sarah Lemmon became the first known non-
Southwest as desolate, flat, hot, and devoid of any- native woman to summit the Santa Catalinas’ high-
thing to do besides watch tumbleweeds roll by? Nes- est peak. So impressed was her guide that he sug-
tled in Southern Arizona, amongst the towering sa- gested the mountain take her name, making it one
guaros, blistering heat, and creepy crawlies, lies just of the few North American peaks named for a wom-
such a gem: Mount Lemmon (9,159 feet), just north an. On April 28, 1995, Catalina Highway became a
of Tucson and flush with routes and boulder prob- National Scenic Byway, and today an estimated 1
lems both new-school and historical alike. million visitors per year drive to the summit. The
When I was growing up in Tucson, Mount Lem- journey has been compared to driving from Baja,
mon always served as an oasis, an escape from city Mexico, up to the Canadian Rockies, but with all
life and Arizona’s oppressive heat. I spent sweet sum- this landscape diversity compressed into a 28-mile
mer nights camping up there as a child, and took stretch of tarmac encompassing three major sectors:
countless classic teenage drives with friends up the lower, mid, and high. (Squeezing the Lemmon—the
Catalina Highway to where it ends near the summit. area’s climbing guidebook—breaks these down into
I even learned how to ski and fish on the mountain. sub-sectors, including Bear Canyon, Windy Point,
However, when I turned 18 and discovered climbing Windy Ridge, Upper Highway, and the Summit.)
at the local gym, my appreciation for just how special Mount Lemmon’s granite varies in texture and style
Mount Lemmon is would forever solidify. My hands between its lower, middle, and upper canyons. The
met its fine-grained granite; I learned to use my feet, primary rock type is banded gneiss, aptly named for
and experienced dangling in space and seeing the its alternating darker- and lighter-colored bands
ground from differing, addictive perspectives. As my broken by wide vertical joints. As you travel higher,
knowledge of climbing expanded through various the texture shifts from smooth to sharp to blocky.
trips, jobs, and relationships, I grew to understand Yet while you can find a bit of every style, crimping
the treasure at my doorstep. It is now my pleasure to remains the primary name of the game.

CLIMBING.COM 39
CLIMBING IN THE CATALINAS HAS It wasn’t until the early 1970s that Mount of another bold FA from the McEwen/Bak-
a rich history dating back to the 1960s, in- Lemmon experienced its “Golden Age.” It was er duo: Helms Deep (5.10+) on Rappel Rock,
cluding some of the earliest recorded ascents then that a ragtag group of friends led by Dave climbed in 1971. As Grossman recalled,
from the local pioneers Jon and Ila Rupley. Baker peppered the mountain with lines. Born “[…] The second pitch is pretty much a flat,
The Rupleys climbed for climbing’s sake and raised in Tucson, Baker had spent a lot of steep face. Mike climbed up and drilled the
alone. When Jon was considering moving to time exploring the Catalinas. While inspired first bolt. It was sticking kind of halfway
Tucson for work, access to Mount Lemmon to climb, he found himself stymied by the lack out. A typical kind of thing, he says, ‘Aw, I
became the deciding factor: He saw it as an of available gear. In 1970/’71, a friend joking- can’t screw around with this anymore. I am
opportune training ground for bigger moun- ly suggested they open a shop, and thus the just going to go climb it.’” Wearing what
taineering objectives in Canada. The Rupleys Summit Hut was born. (Today, it has two loca- Grossman figured were the blue, hard-soled
put up some of the mountain’s first routes, tions.) “The Hut” at last outfitted local climb- Royal Robbins shoes, McEwen cast off into
following aesthetic cracks at now-notable ers, who took to the hills with gusto to cherry- 5.10 above his iff y bolt; higher, the climb of-
areas including the Fortress, the Ravens, pick the Lemmon’s endless granite lines. fered continuous 5.9 slab. Continued Gross-
Rappel Rock, and Windy Point. They neither Many routes established then were bold, man, “Rather than stop and put another bolt
named nor graded many of their FAs, though ground-up affairs. Consider the 5.9+ R Cha- in, he just did what Mike always did, which
future climbers would inevitably do that for boni, put up by Mike McEwen and Dave is run it out. At that point, he just kept run-
them—e.g., The Rupley Route, Lost Rup- Baker in 1971 with just one pin and two ning it out and running it out and running it
ley Route, and so on. The Rupleys generally bolts to protect 90 feet of tenuous friction. out. Dave, sitting at the belay, kept looking
sought out the longest objectives (up to 450 In an interview from 2002 on the website down, wondering whether he was going to
feet) they could find, with most of the climbs climbaz.com with the local legend Steve end up on the ground if [McEwen] fell and
being 5.7 to 5.9. Grossman, Grossman recounted the story pulled the first bolt out [.…] ”

ABOVE Bukowski roses through on Honker (5.12+), an

old Hidetaka Suzuki/Ray Ringle route at Windy Point.
RIGHT Kim Pfabe climbs The Golden Egg (5.9) on the
Goosehead, Windy Point. Bolts and perfect patina
edges get you up this short but airy spire.

40 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

 Pfabe on Hydroponics (5.11c), Milagrosa Canyon,
lower Mount Lemmon. The route starts from the
bank of a deep pool that’s a great spot to swim
and climb when the rest of Milagrosa is too hot.

Mount Lemmon was also one of Ameri- highest concentrations of difficult sport west in the early 1980s from Delaware, and
ca’s early sport areas. As rappel-bolted cliffs climbs at crags including the famed Beaver would go on to establish untold fierce prob-
emerged in the States, so too did the ethical Wall, stacked with crimpy 5.12s and 5.13s— lems at Lemmon, Hueco Tanks, and around
debates, including at Lemmon where bolts and itself a victim of bolt wars, after its rap- Albuquerque, New Mexico. “Murray prob-
were chopped, reinstalled, and chopped bolted climbs were chopped then reinstalled. lems” like The Matterhorn (V9) on Lemmon’s
again. But as the area drew more interest, Mount Lemmon quickly earned a repu- Windy Ridge still remain testpieces. Tall,
change was inevitable. In 1981, Devils Tower tation as a place of try-hard, crimp-tastic, lanky, and steel fingered, Murray approached
crack-master Eric Fazio-Rhicard (EFR) left technical face movement—though the reali- his climbs with an equal balance of finesse
his previous stomping grounds for Arizona. ty is that 5.13 and 5.12 face climbs are rare and power. The Matterhorn exemplifies this
He initially characterized the Catalinas as compared to the more plentiful 5.11 terrain, style, inviting climbers in with nail-biting
a runout trad chosspile, but in 1986, EFR which has earned Mount Lemmon the nick- crimps and then demanding a huge move to
received his first Bosch drill as a Christmas name “5.11 heaven,” with must-dos at the the lip, followed frequently by surprise at the
present from his wife, and his perspective grade including Steve’s Arête (5.11b), Arizona miserly size of the target grip. The bloc did
shifted. With this new tool and a fresh eye, Flyways (5.11+), Just Do It (5.11a), and Histo- not see a second ascent until decades after its
EFR suddenly saw the mountain’s sport po- plasmosis (5.11+). EFR continues to be active early 1980s FA.
tential. He and others pushed development, in local development and has remained a fi x- While the boulders have somehow never
and opened hundreds of bolted routes. Be- ture in the Tucson scene. He recently released gained the reputation that the cliffs have,
yond being on the lookout for interesting his latest edition of the guidebook, Squeezing in the last decade bouldering development
features, EFR has brought an eye for con- the Lemmon III, which includes 2,500 routes on Mount Lemmon has skyrocketed thanks
nections and lithic subtext. Arizona Flyways within 30 minutes of the highway, more than to local diehards. Classics can be found dis-
(5.11+) and Raven Maniac (5.12-) are classics 600 of which EFR helped author himself. persed across the Catalinas’ foothills, but the
of the style—crimpy, complex, sustained. Summit offers the highest concentration and
Despite traditional pushback, as the dust BOULDERING HAS BEEN AROUND quality lines. (Check oldpueblobouldering
settled amongst the sport-trad debates, the Mount Lemmon for about as long as sport .com for the latest—some 1,900-plus prob-
bolts remained—and proliferated. Munch- climbing thanks to Bob Murray, the retreat- lems around Tucson, most V0–V7.)
kinland was one of the first fully bolted cliffs, ing legend who pushed Southwest boul- Wilderness of Rocks and Aspen Trail Boul-
and today houses over 100 routes. For a pe- dering—and who often climbed solo and ders are the prime summit areas. If time is
riod, the Lemmon boasted one of the West’s barefoot, leaving little trace. Murray moved short, hit up the Gulch and classics like The

CLIMBING.COM 41
Brute (V6), Civil War (V6), Odin’s Revenge
(V6 stand or V10 sit), or Lucky Goes for a Walk
(V9). Bear Down SDS (V12), FA’ed by Matt
Fowls in October 2014, is likely the moun-
tain’s hardest problem. Wilderness of Rocks
is out of the same parking lot but takes more
effort to reach—imagine a playground of free-
standing boulders, thousands of them. While
not all are featured, the ones that are have
problems tackling huecos, quartz veins, and
slap moves up blank eggs. You’ll encounter the
first boulders 45 minutes in, and they contin-
ue until you’re two hours deep—many folks
hike out and bivy in order to boulder for two
days. The potential, especially in the double-
digit range, is staggering. Wilderness of
Rocks is under constant development, with
room for more. Bring a brush and an open
mind if you’d like to add to the ever-growing
list of new problems.

SO WHY, GIVEN ALL THIS, HAS

Mount Lemmon not made your list of
must-visit areas? The routes are many, the
access is free or nearly so (the mountain is
owned by the USFS, with no entrance fee and
free camping toward the summit—though
some designated campgrounds and picnic ar-
eas have a day-use fee), and crowds are often
minimal. But something seems to be keeping
the masses away. Maybe it’s Mount Lemmon’s
location in the desert and the temperature ex-
tremes: highs that swing to 120°F and lows
that plummet to single digits. Yet with the
elevation gain and the way most crags are Bukowski romps up the Eric Fazio-
orientated (both north and south facing), you Rhicard, Scott Ayers, and Mike Head
can comfortably climb year-round. masterpiece Arizona Flyways (5.11+),
Enter the lower canyons, and climbers can Anduriel Tower, Windy Point.
expect less-than-vertical to vertical walls
across all disciplines. With flora including
palo verdes, mesquite trees, saguaros, grass, nita, juniper, and scrub oak. Now 5,000 to (5.12+), Lessons in Yorkshire (5.13-), and the
and scrub brush, this is still very much the 6,500 feet above the desert floor, the crags seldom-repeated Hebe (5.13+). Mid-mountain
desert—with polished, sometimes chossy offer dramatic views of the lower canyons and is also home to some of Mount Lemmon’s
rock, and bees and snakes. Still, the climbing Tucson Mountains. Here is the classic Windy headiest trad climbs, including Lizard Mar-
can be excellent, techy, and edgy, as found Point, which was a big draw in the 1980s malade (5.10+), Credibility Gap (5.10+), Mean
on must-climbs like Triangulate (5.10), Go and is thin and crimpy in the “classic” old- Mistreater (5.10+), and Cripple Creek (5.10-).
Speed Racer (5.10+), Armed Robbery (5.11), school way. Unfortunately, as was often the The gear-protected routes aren’t like split-
Solar E-clips (5.11b/c), and Sentenced to Hang case in the era, many developers employed ters at the Creek. Instead, they necessitate
(5.12b). However, come summer, you’d be tools like chipping and gluing, with oddi- bold climbing above small cams and wires,
a fool to find yourself climbing in the lower ties like drilled pockets appearing up blank runouts between weaknesses, and fussy
third unless motivation is high and you like headwalls and arêtes. Nonetheless, there are placements—bring offset cams.
climbing by headlamp. plenty of natural or “natural enough” classics Farther up the winding road, past Windy
The mid-mountain brings a shift to more to cut your teeth on, including the perpetu- Point and through Windy Ridge, a big, sweep-
vertical to gently overhanging, consolidated ally photographed Steve’s Arête (5.11-), Arizo- ing left turn brings you into forest. Now pine
granite. Here, the foliage cedes to manza- na Flyways (5.11+), Tsunami (5.12), Honker trees and aspens line the road, and the rock

42 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

becomes blockier and more featured. In this classic sandbagged, multi-pitch trad routes Whether you’re after sport climbing, trad
author’s opinion, the upper third of Mount from the 1970s heading up Rappel Rock. If climbing, or bouldering, Mount Lemmon
Lemmon hosts the crème de la crème of crags bolts are what you seek, adjacent formations has it all—and is under constant new devel-
known collectively as the Upper Mountain, the Ravens and the Fortress host multi-pitch opment. The local climbing organization,
home to the widest range of climbing, from sport climbing, but the main bolted attrac- Climbers Association of Southern Arizona,
sport cragging to adventure trad. Multiple, tion, located in the middle of the Fortress and has made incredible efforts in fostering and
new single-pitch sport crags have popped up 100-plus feet off the ground, is the Orifice. maintaining a healthy relationship with the
over the last decade—some radically over- The Orifice is Tucson’s steepest ven- forest service through their cleanups and
hanging like Raycreation, Mariposita, the ue—you’ve probably seen the epic photos trail work, and the Catalinas remain the big-
Steep, Southpark, and the Orifice, allowing on Mountain Project. The dizzying expo- gest recreational area for Tucson, hosting
for athletic climbing amongst a lush forest. sure is ameliorated by pillow-soft falls into mountain bikers, runners, fishers, hikers,
Finally, the last stop on the tour is the space. Here, the stylistic Lemmon edginess skiers, canyoneers, lake-goers, and, of course,
Summit Crags; at nearly 9,000 feet, these breaks and the holds get … bigger, with 20 climbers. This oasis has hidden in plain sight
cliffs offer traditional multi- and single-pitch routes ranging from 5.11- to 5.13-. The classic for long enough: Her doors are open, she left
routes as well as sport climbing. Shortly after Orifice Politics (5.12c), better known as OP, you the key, and it’s time to plan a visit.
the Mount Lemmon Ski Valley (the United is the glory line, featuring 105 feet of enduro
States’ southernmost ski resort), you encoun- jug-hauling with boulder problems broken up
WILLIAM BUTIEREZ, a Tucson native, moved away
ter a small pullout for the aptly named Reef by kneebars and scums. Fight the pump or
in 2012 and has since climbed at over 50 venues in
of Rocks, with its splitter cracks, routes up to enjoy the ride. If the grade is out of reach or the States. He frequently returns home to visit family,
six pitches, and hard sport climbing. Farther you need a cool-down, Murray Wall (en route friends—and Mount Lemmon. Every trip up the
up the road is the summit. Here, you’ll find to the Orifice) hosts 5.10s and 5.11s. mountain leaves him wide-eyed and drooling.

LEF T Butierez on Lizard Marmalade Direct (5.10+),

Punch & Judy Towers, Windy Point. The line
combines tricky placements with cerebral, insecure
moves. BELOW Pfabe sampling the perfect incuts
of The Golden Egg (5.9), the Goosehead.

CLIMBING.COM 43
 PHOTO BY TK

James Lucas sticks the finishing jug on

Pirates of Pissants (5.12d), Wave Wall,
Cayman Brac, in the fading evening light.
 The palm trees,
blue seas, and
brilliant limestone
of Cayman Brac
STORY BY MATT SAMET
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDREW BURR
 The wind had
followed us from
Colorado. As we
walked across
the “ironstone”—
limestone weathered
into razor spines,
The Northeast Point of Cayman Brac. Long
shark-mouthed Beach and Spot Bay are visible at right.

sinkholes, and fluted

daggers—atop the

O
Northeast Point ur crew had come to wee (12 miles long by 1 mile wide) Cayman Brac
in 2018, leaving Colorado on a blustery December morning. It was
on the Caribbean me, Senior Associate Editor James Lucas, the pro climber Nina Wil-
liams, Climbing’s Digital Editor Kevin Corrigan, Senior Contribut-
island of Cayman ing Photographer Andrew Burr, and Burr’s life and business partner, Juanita Ah
Quin. We’d all come to the Point on a stormy afternoon to shoot Angel Robledo, a
Brac, an invisible Brazilian transplant who has co-run the Cayman Islands’ Rock Iguana guiding
service since 2017. Angel and her friend Armin Gooden wanted to climb Throwin’
hand pushed us back the Tortuga, a classic 5.11b up an orange dihedral to a crux roof high over the waves.
The Point is one of the Brac’s 17 unique crags, which comprise 100-plus single-
from the sea 140 feet pitch sport routes up to 5.13 on limestone ranging from black, vertical, and
below. We staggered, spiny to wildly overhanging tufa, pocket, and colonette climbing. The 18 5.9 to
5.12c climbs at the Point are approached via hair-raising rappel to precarious
taking slow, tentative stances above wave-battered hollows. The cliff sits at the isle’s northeast tip, amidst
rock, sea, and jungle. Were you to fall into the drink, you’d need to swim for miles
steps. A fall on this along the unbroken cliff line to find egress. And then, the “beach” would be iron-
stone and the waves would pummel you skinless. The commitment is palpable,
serrated landscape especially when wind-driven swells boom against the rock.
In autumn 1996 on a similar high-wind day, Jeff Elison and Lizz Grenard, part
would tear you to of the early, northern Colorado crew who began bolting on the Brac, rapped in to
make the first ascent of Wholy Huecos Batwoman (5.10c). Below the route, a hook-
ribbons; if the wind shaped rock creates a “whirlpool” that sends waves shooting straight up the wall.
shifted and pushed At the belay, wrote Elison in a trip report, “a large wave came right up to head level
and soaked us both.” Elison led off post-haste. As he climbed above the fourth
you over the lip— bolt, some 40 feet up, a second wave broke, he wrote, “within two feet of my heels.”
So, what of his poor belayer? Grenard, immersed, had been lifted off her feet,
curtains. flipped over, then slammed back onto the belay upside-down, hitting her head.
“When the water cleared she looked up at me with terror dripping from her face
and requested that I get her the hell out of there,” wrote Elison. He climbed quick-
ly to the fifth bolt, equalized it with a horn, and brought her up to this improvised
anchor. From there, the two “shivered and cowered their way to the top.”

46 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

 As I helped with rigging for the photo shoot, I wondered about the though it was already 4:30—one hour shy of sunset—Armin, Angel,
wisdom of dropping in on this unsettled day. Still, Burr, with his life- and Burr disappeared over the edge. After some fussing with the de-
time in the mountains, fierce blue eyes, and bushy Forty-Niner beard, scent ropes and situating the belay, Armin led out in the gloom.
loves “sketchy shit,” and Angel and Armin seemed game. While they I crab-crawled to the edge. “Can you see them?” I asked Burr, who
climbed and shot, I walked along the 2.5-mile Lighthouse Footpath, hung 30 feet below. “Like, are these photos going to come out?”
which hugs the cliff edge west toward the more habitable lowlands of “Yeah, he’s heading up,” Burr said laconically. “I’m just keeping the
Spot Bay, home to much of the island’s best climbing. The trail began shutter open to work with the light.”
in the early 1900s as a way for locals to access the bluff to collect booby A half hour later, Armin topped out, clipping the belay in the gloam-
eggs and look out for ships. Beginning in the late 1920s, it became ing. He sported a massive grin, having onsighted a dream route.
an access route for lighthouse keepers, who dragged handcarts full of “Good job,” I shouted, reaching down to pass him my headlamp as
gas cylinders out to power the lighthouse. As I wended through small, the wind tore the words from my mouth. “You might want this.”
grassy valleys and clusters of silver thatch palms, and past massive As Armin belayed, the rope crept through his device. When Angel
agave plants, birds cried and flapped at the plateau’s edge. There, emerged onto the headwall, he shone the light for her—she hadn’t had a
brown boobies roosted in the rocks, and I passed by quickly, going headlamp. I was glad when we were all on top. If you get into trouble on
around these reclusive mini-pterodactyls with their inscrutable dino- the Brac, there is no mountain rescue, nobody with the equipment or
saur eyes and long, pointy bills that resemble plague masks. skills to reach you. There’s just you, the rocks, and the ocean.
An hour later, back at the Point, the crew prepared to drop down “Oh, my god,” said Angel, coiling the rope. “I got hit by a wave, my
Throwin’ the Tortuga. In an odd micro-phenomenon, the cliff itself, shoes got wet, my chalkbag was soaked, and I’m freezing. And I had to
they said, was calm—it was just where the warm air met the lip that climb mostly in the dark! I’m never going down there without a head-
the wind was howling. This close to the equator, night falls fast, and lamp again. I should have known .… ”

Nina Williams flashing the first

ascent of the dynamic In Vino 1. Kevin Corrigan crimping next to a swath of
Veritas (5.13a/b), Dixon’s Wall. caymanite, Orange Cave. 2. Angel Robledo, of Rock
Iguana guides, getting ready to drop in at the Point.

2
Cayman Brac Logistics
GETTING THERE: Fly into Grand ROUTE BETA: Find an up-to-date guide
Cayman (direct flights available from Denver and island beta at climbcaymanbrac.com. If
via Cayman Airways—caymanairways.com) you decide to establish new climbs, you must
then take a Cayman Airways flight to the use titanium glue-in bolts or your hardware
Brac ($160 round-trip). will rot; do not trust any existing bolts that
aren’t titanium!
GETTING AROUND: You’ll want a rental
car, as the crags are all grouped on the GUIDE SERVICE: Rock Iguana
island’s unpopulated eastern tip. We got ours (climb.ky) offers guided climbing all
through CB Rent-A-Car (cbrentacar.com). over the island, including rappelling/caving/
multi-pitch tours on the Point and yoga +
LODGING: Climbers typically stay at John
Byrnes’s Bluff View (climbcaymanbrac.com), climbing at the Yogi Wall.
with many crags in walking distance. There is MUST-HAVES:
also the amazing, all-inclusive Cayman Brac • Sturdy approach shoes
Beach Resort (caymanbracbeachresort • Sunblock
.com), with its pool, sandy beach, buffet, and • Sunhat
seaside hammocks. • Belay gloves/leather gloves
SEASON: Late November through April; • Snorkeling gear (or rent it at the Beach
early spring has the advantage of fewer hours Resort)
of sun on the south side, making it possible • For rapping in/escape at the Point: static
to spend more time at the Love Shack, Wave line/extra rope, rope protectors, and
Wall, Orange Cave, etc. Tiblocs or other lightweight ascenders

Juanita Ah Quin and Corrigan on the

hyper-scenic What’s the Point? (5.9), which
climbs an exposed pillar where the north
and east sides of the island converge.
 But then: “That was the best route of my life!” gushed Armin, obliv- “Caymanes” from the Carib caimán—or marine crocodile—though
ious to Angel’s frustration, still awash in his post-send buzz. the name may also have been spurred by iguana sightings. Cayman
“That was the worst climb I’ve ever had,” continued Angel, a former Brac was not permanently settled until 1830, and, with its seaside
mountaineer. “Not even in the mountains have I been so miserable.” caves and rough terrain, was a sometime hideaway for pirates includ-
ing Captain Morgan and Blackbeard, with accompanying lore about
Cayman Brac is the easternmost of the Cayman Islands, hidden gold. On the day we climbed at Neptune’s Lair, a seaside scarp
a string of three isles (Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, Cayman Brac) on the north side of the island with a rock that looks, in profile, like
200 miles south of Cuba. Unlike Grand Cayman, with its resorts, the Roman sea god, two treasure hunters scrambled by, telling us they
cruise ships parked in the harbor, and constant hum of tourist ac- believed they’d find gold in a cave “because of the face.” The men later
tivity, the Brac is a relative backwater. There are only two thousand returned empty-handed, their metal detector zipped back into its bag.
full-time “Brackers” and very few sandy beaches, with scuba diving Climbing began on the Brac in 1994 thanks to the northern Col-
being the main tourist lure, especially at the renowned MV Captain orado climber Skip Harper, who, as he wrote in “Hidden Treasure”
Keith Tibbetts, a 330-foot-long Russian frigate deliberately sunk to (Rock & Ice No. 69), had been visiting the islands for years to dive.
create an artificial reef. The Cayman Islands are autonomous British As Harper was celebrating a night dive off Grand Cayman with a lo-
overseas territories, but given their proximity to the States have been cal, he “remarked that I wanted to boulder on the coral-rock façade at
sufficiently Americanized; other than driving on the left side of the the airport.” The local mentioned the Brac—namely the Point—and
road, you might as well be in Florida. Many inhabitants are of mixed Harper, intrigued, chartered a seaplane. “A view from the air reveals
English and African descent, a result of England’s importation of en- an endless patchwork of dark-blue and fluorescent aquamarine, an
slaved Africans beginning in the 1700s as the UK colonized the region. endless aquarium of sharks, dolphins, turtles, and other sea life,”
Brac is Gaelic for “bluff ” and refers to the limestone escarpment that wrote Harper. “It also reveals beautiful multicolored cliffs rising from
forms the island’s backbone, gradually rising from cute, bouldering- the sea.” That same year, Harper returned with Ernie Johnson to put
height swells and blocs near the western end to its apex at the Point. up the island’s first climb, Chum Buckets (5.10b), at the Orange Cave
All three Cayman islands are summits on the Cayman Ridge, which on the south coast. The route was named for how the sharp upper
rises above the 25,000-foot deep (shudder) Cayman Trough—when stone—“edges covered with spicules reminiscent of hypodermic nee-
you climb here, you’re essentially on the summit of a giant undersea dles,” wrote Harper—savaged the climbers’ hands.
mountain. Unique to the east end of Grand Cayman and to Cayman Back in the States, Harper rallied fellow Coloradans, including Eli-
Brac is the mineral caymanite, which, with its bands of pastel tans, son, Grenard, and the late Craig Luebben. In March 1995, the climb-
grays, oranges, and reds reminiscent of Jupiter’s clouds, can be found ers established a few more routes at the unassuming Orange Cave.
embedded on the climbs—and is used to make local jewelry. Elison, who would go on to establish many of the island’s testpieces,
Christopher Columbus discovered the then-uninhabited Cayman including the bouldery Get It Together (5.12d/13a) on the Wave Wall,
Brac and Little Cayman in 1503, naming the twin islands “Las Tortu- recalls his initial impression. “Skip had drilled two pretty crappy
gas” for the sea turtles; later that century, the isles took the name the routes out by the Orange Cave—Shark Attack and Chum Buckets,” he
says. “The guy’s just a sprayer—‘It’s the best climbing; it’s
unbelievable.’” But when the climbers got out to this sun-
ny cliff, they were, says Elison, underwhelmed by the “hot,
slimy” venue; Elison even recalls thinking, “What a waste
of money coming down here.” Visiting the Point, however,
quickly changed his mind.
Here, the climbers opened Shiver Me Timbers (5.10b)
and Throwin’ the Tortuga (5.11b), selecting these and later
lines based on a chartered boat tour Harper had taken
and also just throwing their ropes down to have a look at
the walls. On that trip, they established 16 routes at the
Point, and on that and two later visits (1996 and 1997),
Elison and Grenard would bring their Brac FA total to 43
climbs. Today a professor of psychology at Adams State
University in southern Colorado, Elison recalls these
being some of the “best climbing days of my life” for the
sense of freedom and exploration. In 1996, when he spent
32 days on the island, Elison was so psyched to bolt that
he couldn’t bring down all the metal himself, and had
friends help carry it in their luggage.
Matt Samet amidst the jungle on In January 1997, John Byrnes, another northern Col-
Anansi (5.13a/b), Heritage Wall. orado climber and a now-retired engineer, made his first
visit. He’s since become the island’s unofficial climb-

CLIMBING.COM 49
ing mayor, and runs the Bluff View house (climbcaymanbrac.com), thicker metal, for anchors, and Eternas for the lead clips. In 2011,
a serene rental property on the south side. Tall, lanky, and sport- Byrnes organized a major rebolting effort, and in 2013 he and former
climber fit, Byrnes spends six weeks each year on the Brac. Without Climbing editor Jeff Achey began to establish new climbs. Byrnes has
his new-routing, and his and others’ bolt-upgrading efforts, there since put up three-dozen new routes on the Brac, including the seven
would be no climbing here. In fact, the hardware would be rust. clean, vertical routes on the high-quality Valentines Wall in 2017.
Back in the mid-1990s, climbers bolted using whatever hodgepodge
of bolts and hangers they could find, and concepts like galvanic cor- “How hard do you think that dyno was?” I asked Nina,
rosion and stress-corrosion cracking had yet to enter the climbing who had just sauntered up the Byrnes open project In Vino Veritas
parlance. And so, the early climbers on the Brac used stainless steel. (5.13a/b) on Dixon’s Wall, flashing its first ascent, smoothly linking
However, the bolts began to fail by 1999. A couple of visiting climbers its deep pockets, monster leap to a sidepull hueco, tufa cranks out a
decked due to hardware failure, and Byrnes snapped off an 18-month- bulge, and finishing headwall on crimpy blue stone.
old bolt while cleaning draws off Reef on This (5.10d) at the Wave Wall. “I dunno. V4?” she said, then burst out laughing.
In February 1999, Byrnes published an article in Rock & Ice telling “Feck,” I said. James and I had each put in a burn and failed to do
climbers to stay away until a solution could be found—though he had the dyno, though I’d at least figured out the setup beta—left-hand un-
no idea, in this pre-titanium era, what that solution was. dercling pocket, right-hand jizzly sloper, feet on barnacles, leap!
In May 1999, Mike Shelton, a climber and welding metallurgist, “Nina’s kind of a sandbagger,” James said. “Watch out for her.”
called Byrnes to chat, having just returned from Thailand, which was The trip went pretty much like that. One of us would go first, chalk-
experiencing similar issues. Byrnes sent Shelton a broken Brac bolt, ing, hanging the draws, working out the sequences, brushing off accu-
and Shelton confirmed it had failed due to stress-corrosion crack- mulated sea salt and other smeg. Then the others would try it—which
ing—the steel corroding from the outside in via small, often invisi- usually seemed to involve Nina flashing whatever climb the rest of
ble fissures. Shelton, Byrnes, and Harper reached out to Jim Bowes, us had been toiling on, except for one route, the open project Anansi
another northern Colorado climber, who was a founder and general (5.13a/b) at Heritage Wall, that I managed to scoop her on. This day,
manager of the US-Russian outfit Ushba and had a few concept tita- our second at Dixon’s, conditions were “tropical dreamy,” meaning a
nium bolts. As the men gathered at CooperSmith’s pub in Fort Collins, trade wind was blowing, it was only in the 70s, and humidity was sub-
they refined their design and came up with a production schedule and 50-percent, unlike our first day, which had been in the high 80s with
a name—the “Tortuga.” Eighteen months later, in November 2000, no wind and palpably moist air. And which had seen us spend half
they had a product in hand and began to upgrade routes at the Brac. our time on our backs, jet-lagged, lethargic, sweating, heat-stunned,
“From 2000 to 2002, we mainly just rebolted,” recalls Byrnes. looking numbly up at the web of bulges, tufas, flowstone, and stalac-
(At this point, the island had nearly 80 climbs.) Installing glue-ins tites overhead while roosters crowed in the background.
is time-consuming work, not to mention that titanium is expen- From a purely visual standpoint, tropical limestone is dreamy, with
sive—for example, $13 today for a single Eterna bolt. The climbers blue-gray swells rising above palm trees and sandy beaches. But on a
had re-equipped 44 routes before Ushba tanked in 2002, leaving tactile level, it’s punishing, with your feet swelling in the heat and salt
them without a supplier. Then, in 2011, thanks to the grassroots “The air, your skin growing mushy, every hold feeling like it’s been coated
Thaitanium Project,” founded by the Boulder, Colorado, climber Josh in butter, and the term “good conditions” involving some serious reca-
Lyons, climbers who bolted in maritime environments were able to libration. On an island like the Brac, where the average temperature
get titanium bolts again by making bulk orders (the minimum order during the coldest month, January, is 77°F, the one certainty is that
was $20,000) from United Titanium in Ohio. Eventually wanting a you never climb in the sun. (Though in January 1996, Elison recalls a
more official solution, the UK climber Martin Roberts started Titan freak cold snap that let the climbers put up routes in the direct sun, at
Climbing, which today produces the Eterna. As Byrnes continues to the Love Shack on the south side of the island.) Fortunately, Dixon’s
establish new routes on the Brac, he uses leftover Tortugas, with their Wall, on the north side, is in the shade all day in winter.
Dixon’s, the island’s best wall, would be a top-shelf venue any-
where, with its impeccable rock and 19 climbs from 5.10 to 5.13 on a
Two driving forces behind Brac climbing: 1. John Byrnes on Spiral tufa-laced, 90-foot-high panel that crests overhead. It takes its name FROM LEF T: L ARRY HA MILTON; JOE R AWLINGS
Staircase (5.10a), Edd’s Place; and 2. Jeff Elison, climbing Stateside. from the Dixon family and their patriarch, Hindenburg Dixon, whose
land you must cross—the cliff is literally in the Dixons’ backyard. For-
tunately, like all of the Brackers we met, the incredibly friendly Dixons
are psyched to see climbers. Simply walk up to the house, knock, ask
to climb, and off you go. Cayman Brac’s cliffs are considered “crown
land”—themselves and land 10 feet to either side are owned by the
government and hence open to the public.
Climbing started at Dixon’s in 1996 with Elison and crew. “We had
been driving past these [north walls] and sneaking through the locals’
yards for several weeks without taking that big first step,” wrote Elison
1 2 in a trip report. Then, with a local’s permission, they began working
the first route here, Elison going ground-up on Lizzard the Gizzard

50 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

 1

2 4

5 7

3 6 8

1. An unsafe, corroded, original bolt next to a bomber titanium glue-in on Freedom (5.12c), the Point. 2. Palm trees + sunset + tropical
island = paradise at the Cayman Brac Beach Resort. 3. Lucas on the powerful Anemone (5.13a), Sector Seahorse—clip the anchors
from above for full send points. 4. Robledo on the second route established at Dixon’s Wall, the impeccable Dixon’s Delight (5.11b).
5. A brown booby on Long Beach. 6. Ah Quin at Dixon’s Wall. 7. The lonely road to the Northeast Point, slick with rain after a passing
squall. 8. A fishing boat and epic tree in the Dixons’ backyard, which you must pass through (ask permission!) to access the climbing.

CLIMBING.COM 51
 T O P 10

Recommended Routes
The bulk of the Brac’s climbs are in the 5.10-to-5.12 range. On
lower-angled, more moderate terrain, the rock is often so sharp
as to preclude development.

OLD SCHOOL (5.8), Wave Wall: Bucket-hauling up classic

Brac huecos on choice white rock (the 5.10s around it are
killer, too).
WHAT’S THE POINT? (5.9), Northeast Point: Sharp rock
and spicy runouts, but an amazing position on the prow.
DIXON’S DELIGHT (5.11b), Dixon’s Wall: It’s hard to believe
this king line goes at 5.11, but it does—unless you stray left at
the crux (all the 5.12s around it are four stars as well).
THROWIN’ THE TORTUGA (5.11b), Northeast Point: Long,
physical, and perplexing on dreamy white stone.
FLYING THE COLORS (5.11c/d), Sector Seahorse: Fun,
roamy climbing leads to an exposed nose with big cranks to
miracle buckets.
THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (5.12a), Neptune’s Lair:
A commanding position hard over the waves on incut huecos.
CARPE STALACTITE (5.12b), Dixon’s Wall: Steep, punchy,
and go-ey. You will never forget the step-across move!
FREEDOM (5.12c), Northeast Point: A long pitch with three
distinct cruxes and loads of 5.11 in between. Full value!
PIRATES OF PISSANTS (5.12d), Wave Wall: Physical
pocket-tugging on a smooth, intimidating panel tilted over
the sea.
POLE DANCER (5.13a), Dixon’s Wall: A power-endurance
Williams on the wild-but-fortunately-
masterpiece on incut, tufa-tastic holds.
juggy Flying the Colors (5.11c/d), Sector
Seahorse on the south side of the island.
 delicious buffet that sent everyone but me home with
Lucas rounds the roof—crux three “buffet belly,” as I wisely swapped salad for dessert.
of three—on Freedom (5.12c), the Point. Each morning, we’d pile into our rental cars and
drive east, almost invariably finding the crags empty,
synching up with Angel when she wasn’t guiding or
doing construction work on her open-air yoga studio
below the Yogi Wall, a new sector on her property on
the island’s south side. The Brac has two main east-
west roads, the north road being the most developed,
with all the stores, schools, hospital, etc. The south
road is beach, jungle, and big aqua sky—and, like, 10
million wandering chickens, a non-native species that
far outnumbers Brackers and is said to have eaten up
most of the iguanas. James wanted a photo of a chick-
en crossing the road for Instagram, but every time we
stopped the car and he ran toward the birds they’d
evaporate back into the jungle.
“Goddamn chickens,” James would grumble. “I’ll
never know why they’re crossing the road.”
(5.11d/12a), using hooks and threads between bolt placements. While Rest days were divine, spent riding bikes, exploring caves, snor-
the lower stretch of the route is vertical, the headwall tilts out into a keling, and playing in the waves at the picture-perfect, always-
steep stalactite maze. Climbing onsight, Elison reached a stance. “Bail empty “Public Beach.” This is the Brac’s allure: It really is an unpopu-
or go for it?” he wondered. By proving to himself that he could let go lated paradise, and if you want rocks and sea but hate logistical has-
with either hand and shake out for 45 seconds, Elison built the confi- sles (ugh) and humans (barf ), then there’s no better venue. Maybe it’s
dence to pull up the drill. “Several minutes later the bolt was in, I was the paucity of sandy beaches or the hostility of the terrain—sinkhole-
hanging, and my stomach was about to heave,” he wrote. riddle ironstone overlaid with jungle so thick Byrnes was nearly be-
The next day the climbers returned and finished the route, then be- nighted in a hungry, exhausted, and dehydrated state, lost in the tangle
gan work on a similar four-star line just to its right. As they drilled, atop Dixon’s Wall while going around to drill anchors. Or maybe it’s the
the Dixons came up with fresh water and cups, then moved the wire island’s size, which can provoke a frisson of angst as you realize “I’m
fence behind their property and used a machete to cut an access trail. just one small person on this tiny hunk of rock” Or maybe it’s just how
At 5 p.m., as the climbers knocked off for the day, the Dixons invited far the Brac is from everything—the sense of isolation. But to my mind,
them for rum punch. “Three generations of Dixons watched, cheered, all these things make Cayman Brac a wonderful destination.
questioned, and welcomed us,” wrote Elison. In honor of their hosts’ As our trip wound down, we made a final foray to the Wave Wall,
hospitality, they named the second route Dixon’s Delight; at a physi- a Buoux-like swell of pocketed limestone hard over the sea, reached
cal, complex 5.11b, it is one of the best 5.11 sport pitches I’ve done. via a scramble that’s suicide at high tide or with big seas. This day, the
Like many walls on the Brac, Dixon’s has a preponderance of rowdy waves slapped up in sets over the white-dark border of the high-
5.11s and 5.12s, with other standouts being Out of Africa (5.11d), water line. We wanted to try Pirates of Pissants, a six-bolt 5.12d Elison
Boom! (5.12a), and Carpe Stalactite (5.12b). Lying on the continu- route up a smooth white face. I went first, brushing holds, hanging
ously overhanging right side are In Vino Veritas and its companion draws, blowing out crystals of sea salt, chalking the best grips as the
Pole Dancer (5.13a), a six-bolt power-endurance sprint up a vague- waves crashed what felt like inches behind my head. When I had a
ly extruded tufa. Small pockets and incipient colonettes color the workable sequence that involved a mega-drop-knee and drive-by
gray limestone in between the routes, and we wondered whether move to a recessed pocket, I lowered off, back to our little pedestal. We
these unbolted lines would go. The Brac has potential for more dif- could see a boat on the horizon, but otherwise there was no sign of hu-
ficult climbs, including an open project at Neptune’s Lair and un- manity, the only sounds the waves and the clicking of Burr’s camera.
tapped terrain at the Wave Wall and at Dixon’s. The question, how- James went next, then it was Nina’s turn. Fresh off taking a
ever, becomes how hard can you climb in the heat? As we surveyed pro-climber selfie, she shoed up, took a breath, pulled on—and flashed.
the virgin grips, I wondered if even Adam Ondra would hit his limit “Nice, Nina!” James and I hooted as she clipped the anchors. I low-
at 5.13d, or what sort of meteorological fluke—a freak cold front or ered her, James threw her rope to pull herself back into the belay, and
maybe the winds out ahead of a hurricane—you’d need to climb 5.14. then it was my turn again. It was 4:30 now—only an hour till dark, the
equatorial sky bruising deep indigo. I’d have to climb quickly. We still
Our days on the Brac took on a certain rhythm, a simplic- needed to collect our gear and get back across the slabs. It was time to
ity and laidback pace. Thanks to the Cayman Islands Department of get going. On Cayman Brac, the night waits for no one.
Tourism, we were staying at the Cayman Brac Beach Resort, a valet
diving resort (like, they take you out on a boat from the resort) with a MATT SAMET, the editor of Climbing, is still scheming how he’ll get “back to the
pool, hot tub, sandy beach and hammocks, and—most perilously—a Brac” in the near future.

CLIMBING.COM 53
Long,
Easy
Routes
Climbing the States’ tallest
bolted moderates, in Washington
STORY BY KEVIN CORRIGAN | PHOTOS BY ANDREW BURR
 Cole Osborne traverses onto the face of P4 of
Flyboys (5.9; 18 pitches), Mazama, Washington,
with the Methow River below and the snowy peaks
of the North Cascades to the northwest.
 og fills the valley below. I’m freezing. We’d been told it’s not plaisir climb in the Alps—a long moderate with closely spaced bolts

F uncommon to see 12 cars parked for Flyboys, an 18-pitch 5.9

sport climb on the Goat Wall in Mazama, Washington. To-
day, we have the wall to ourselves. It’s no longer raining, but
the rock is soaked. As I start up pitch one, seconding my friend Cole
Osborne’s lead, my feet slip off the wet stone. I hold myself on jugs, re-
that is meant to be enjoyable. Just 16 quickdraws will get you to the
top. The Cascades’ unique, rugged topology lends itself to these mas-
sive routes—bolted lines up to seven pitches have even popped up in
the trad bastion of Index—but Goat Wall is the only place with a con-
centration of them. The lines here have become popular, but are tall
set, and continue toward a short face where Cole French-freed across enough to support multiple parties.
smears. My chalkbag contains four hand warmers, and I give my digits Joining me on the trip were Andrew Burr, Dakota Walz, and Cole.
a quick toasting before moving up toward the wet friction. The chalk Andrew is Climbing’s senior contributing photographer. Dakota is an
disappears from my skin as soon as it hits the water. Before long I’m in EMT and author in Golden, Colorado, as well as a 5.13 trad climber who
the Pacific Northwest fog. I can’t see how far the wall extends above or focuses on first ascents. He’d serve as Andrew’s ropegun, fixing lines so
below. It’s just me and the rock in a void. From the road, the wall looked Andrew could shoot. Cole, a paramedic who works with Dakota, would
to be a dark, monochromatic gray. Now up close, I see flecks of orange be my partner. I’d met Cole when he joined Dakota and I at the Fisher
and green lichen among white, black, and gray crystals. I grab an edge Towers. Dakota and I climbed Ancient Art, while Cole attempted to
of the funfetti rock and step up. We’ll only succeed if we keep moving. rope-solo Kingfisher. He bailed after aiding the first pitch of drooping,
I’ve always fantasized about climbing something big, and would rusted bolts, but only seemed upset that he’d left his gummy bears in
love—like most of us—to top out El Capitan. But I’ve focused on sport his pack on the ground. That was the kind of partner I wanted.
climbing the past few years, and I’ve also had a difficult time progress-
ing into higher grades. However, I’m solid on moderates. With 18 bolt- “It’s pretty darn obvious,” says Bryan Burdo when I ask
ed pitches, none harder than 5.9, Flyboys was a route where I could how he discovered Goat Wall. “It’s hard to miss something that obvi-
have a real adventure at my current level—and top out something big. ous that’s that close to the road.” Goat Wall is a 2,000-foot-tall piece
Completed by Bryan Burdo and Jerry Daniels in 2017, Flyboys is of glacially carved, meta-pyroclastic rock off Lost River Road in Ma-
the tallest bolted 5.9 in the United States. It’s what would be called a zama, deep in the heart of the North Cascades. Mazama is the gate-

BELOW Climbers are asked to sign in at the Goat Wall

trailheads. Increased use in recent years has prompted
the Forest Service to assign a climbing ranger to the
area. RIGHT Goat Wall, as seen from the Methow River.
Flyboys follows the rib right of the promiment V at center,
while Prime Rib moves up the formation to its left.

56 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

Multi-Pitch Tips
When climbing long routes, wasted minutes add up to
hours throughout the day. To speed things up:
• Use a pre-tied quad for bolted anchors. Wrap the
quad around your back and clip it across your chest
with two lockers ready to go, and additional lockers
in place for going in direct.
• Belay from above with a Grigri. While a guide-
mode tube-style device will do the job, a Grigri
provides less friction when pulling in slack, which
will spare you shoulder fatigue. (Note: Petzl doesn’t
necessarily recommend this practice—check their
literature for more.)
• Avoid downtime. Eat, drink, etc. while belaying your
partner from above, and then rack any extra draws
on the anchor so they’re ready to go when your
partner arrives.
• You don’t have to climb like you’re in a race, but you
should climb at a consistent pace. Hesitation saps
time. Keep moving and don’t overthink it.

Dakota Walz taking in the air on the 15-bolt ninth

pitch of Flyboys. While the route climbs above a ledge
system, it still offers opportunities for wild exposure.
 Leavenworth local Jessica Campbell shaking out
on the sustained second pitch of Walking Legend
(5.10c), Index, Washington, on a perfect, sunny day.
 LEFT The author preparing to pull through the
chockstone-flake crux on P14 of Flyboys. The developers
were thrilled to find the block wedged in the crack,
saying it was key to keeping the route 5.9. ABOVE Fog
seeping through the Methow Valley, as seen from the
base of Goat Wall on a cold Pacific Northwest morning.

way to Washington Pass and its granite alpine climbing. Fred Beckey, he says. “I was always like, ‘It’s too bad the rock’s all crap up there [on
Jerry O’Neil, and Charles Welsh reached the summit of the iconic Goat Wall] and it doesn’t take gear.’” Indeed, Goat Wall lacks contin-
Liberty Bell as far back as 1946. But it wasn’t until the late 1980s that uous cracks; the rock seems more like it’s been heavily broken then
Goat Wall received any attention. It also happens to be 1.5 miles wide smoothed over with concrete. The features are there to climb, but
and part of a greater 6-mile massif—it’s impossible, as Burdo says, not there aren’t many gaps between them for pro.
to see it. Burdo’s first foray onto the larger Goat Wall lines came in the late
Burdo, 63, summers in Mazama and winters in Seattle, and has 1980s with Promised Land, a 12-pitch 5.11a/A1. Recalls Burdo, “I
made his living through construction, coaching runners, and writing climbed the central buttress, which is mostly face climbing, and it was
guidebooks. He first visited the area with his family in 1971, and they all ground-up, bolting on lead with runouts on questionable rock.”
owned several cabins there over the years. With a wall so expansive The first three pitches have been retrobolted, but Burdo speculates
sitting in plain view, the question wasn’t “How did you find it?” It was, that the full, original line hasn’t had a second ascent. It wasn’t until
“Why didn’t anyone climb it sooner?” Burdo, who’s been climbing since 2000 that the wall’s first modern mega-moderate went up with Burdo
1977, is the primary force behind Goat Wall and Mazama new-routing and Scott Johnston’s Prime Rib (5.9; 11 pitches).
in general. CB Thomas, the owner of Goat’s Beard Mountain Supplies,
Mazama’s gear shop, estimates that Burdo has put up 96 percent of Andrew, Dakota, and I landed at SEA-TAC in Septem-
the rock routes in the area. Burdo doesn’t dispute this number, and a ber—allegedly one of Washington’s warmer, drier months—to a dis-
quick flip through the guide (which Burdo wrote) confirms it. mal forecast. Goat Wall was our main objective, but we’d planned to
Burdo has been a prolific Washington developer for decades, with hit Index and Leavenworth along the way, tagging a few other bolted
hundreds of FAs. He’s largely responsible for the popular Seattle areas moderate, multi-pitch routes to warm up. We’d have to make the best
Exit 32 and Exit 38. He’s put up alpine routes in the Cascades. Perhaps of it.
his proudest line is the 18-pitch Vanishing Point (VI 5.12b) on Mount Our first two days in Index were soaked. At the Toxic–Tang Area,
Baring near Index, ascending a 1,300-foot overhanging prow on the routes may as well have been waterfalls. Jamming the opening
Dolomite Tower. Burdo started focusing on Mazama around 2000. parallel cracks of Toxic Shock (5.9), it felt like I was trying to plug holes
“When I first got into climbing, all anyone climbed in Washington in a dam as the water streamed down my arm and into my jacket.
was granite, so that meant that I’d have to drive from right past Goat On our first sunny day of the trip, we made the hike out to Low-
Wall up to Washington Pass to climb—like a 30-minute commute,” er Lump wall to climb our first bolted multi-pitch. Named for

CLIMBING.COM 59
 The Next Best Things Pat Sullivan, an Index local who survived a 100-foot groundfall
from the top of Thin Fingers (5.11a), Walking Legend (5.10c) fol-
lows three pitches of edgy face climbing that’s uncharacteristic
Flyboys is by far the tallest bolted 5.9 in America, but you for Index. We’d selected the climb because it was the easiest op-
don’t have to travel to Washington to enjoy multi-pitch sport tion. After two days on Index granite, I understood why every-
moderates. These four clip-ups climb 1,000 feet without one talks about how difficult the place is. I opted for the one route
crossing the 5.10 barrier. I might be able to finish.
The first pitch was supposed to be the easiest, but for me the
ROYAL FLUSH (5.9; 1,500 feet), Frisco, Colorado
crux came on a traverse after the first bolt. The dense trees had
Described on Mountain Project as “a 5.8 climb put up by a
sheltered the lower rock, and it was still soaked. I started up
5.13 climber for 5.8 leaders.” (Though it’s now considered 5.9.)
confidently, clipped, then stepped wide onto a small, sloping
A sub-10-minute approach leads to the long gneiss-granite
foothold, but only tentatively weighted it. Fuck that, I thought,
route that ascends Mount Royal above the town of Frisco,
imagining my foot flying off the edge. Instead, I climbed high-
right in the heart of scenic Summit County.
er to a rail of underclings and sidepulls, only to be shut down
MEMORIAL ROUTE (5.8+; 1,000 feet), Slick Rock, Idaho by a wet nubbin. I started getting frustrated. This was the first
Wear comfortable shoes for this huge granite slab. As one pitch of the first route, and I was blowing it. I downclimbed to
commenter said, “If this were in Colorado, it would get done all the ground and recomposed myself. My second time up, I willed
the time.” Since it’s in Idaho, it doesn’t. Bring one pink Tricam myself to commit to the lower, sloping foot, and before I knew
to supplement your draws. it was pulling on jugs to stand on a ledge. Just another bolt past
that, the sun had burned the moisture away and I was moving up
VOID OF FORM (5.9; 1,000 feet), Mount Lemmon, Arizona
cruiser moves on dry stone. Suddenly, I was having fun.
As with Flyboys, climbers can enjoy comfortable belay ledges
throughout this line to the top of Pontatoc Peak. Rap the
“I had never [developed] a multi-pitch before,” says
route with a single 70-meter rope, or enjoy the scenic walk-off
Jerry Daniels. “I was kind of naïve. Like, ‘How much work could
through Arizona’s high desert.
that be?’” Daniels, 56, moved to Mazama full-time in fall 2019
COSMIC SPACE DUST LASERS (5.8; 1,000 feet), after splitting his time between Seattle, where he worked as an
Rock Canyon, Utah This is perhaps more of an adventure excercise therapist for patients with neurological disorders be-
route than the previous routes listed. Climbers report plenty fore retiring. He has been climbing for 20-plus years.
of loose rock, but those who don’t mind a little chossaneering Daniels had approached Burdo because he’d wanted to learn
will be rewarded with an incredible position. to develop routes. Burdo was the guy, and Daniels wanted to
learn to do things the right way. The pair started by developing
some single-pitch routes. One day, Burdo asked Daniels, “I’ve got
this four-pitch climb I’m working on—it’s on the lowest tongue of
Goat Wall. You wanna come up and have a look?”
That route, which would eventually expand past the lower
pitches to become Flyboys, would take them two seasons to es-
tablish. The pair followed a two-days-on, one-day-off schedule,
spending 8 to 10 hours on the wall at a time. Burdo estimates that
he spent six to seven weeks of cumulative time working on Fly-
boys, with Daniels putting in four to five. Working top-down, the
pair fi xed ropes on the entire route and would stash bolts, chains,
and crowbars at the top of pitches. In total, the pair drilled 275
bolts and spent thousands of dollars on gear. Funding came from
a few sources—Daniels’s wife, Annette, who worked in corporate
sales and also climbs, was one of them.
“I’d be like, ‘Honey, I need to order some more bolts, or I need
to order scrub brushes, or we need rope’—a spool of rope here
and there,” Daniels says. The team also launched a GoFundMe
campaign, raising $2,000 in just days. Burdo’s reputation drove
contributions. One thing they didn’t expect was that half the do-
nations would come from outside Washington—places like Flori-
CB Thomas (second from right), manager of da, North Carolina, and New York. That’s when they realized how
Mazama’s Goat’s Beard Mountain Supplies, much demand there was for the kind of route they were creating.
sharing his wealth of local knowledge. The last funding source came from Burdo selling the family
cabin after his parents passed away. Burdo’s father had been a

60 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

 While you can rap the Goat Wall or drive out via a car
shuttle, the preferred descent is to stash bikes at the summit
beforehand then enjoy 13 miles of downhill dirt road. The
team estimates they hit speeds of 30 mph without pedaling.
pilot. He and friends would fly small planes from the grass airstrip up dense brush, boulderfields, and loose slopes. The weather cycled
amidst the cabin community where Burdo, Daniels, and Thomas now between rain and sun as we hiked. On this day, the rock was dry when
live. The route is named Flyboys in tribute to the airmen. we reached it, and the rain provided a vibrant rainbow, framing views
of the snowcapped Enchantments to the south. We moved up featured
Andrew, Dakota, and I had been all-in on the slabs and ladder-like vertical faces. The first crux pitch featured bolts
Washington trip since day one, while Cole had agreed before receiv- every three feet inside a rounded stem-and-smear corner. Lulled into
ing his semester’s class schedule—and learning that he would fail out a false sense of security, I soon found myself panicking on the second
if he joined us for all 10 days. He committed to making it work by ar- crux, 10 feet above the last bolt on the hardest, least-secure moves of
riving at 2 a.m. on our third night. Dakota surmised that Cole would the route—friction smears and what can only be described as “psycho-
feel guilty about waking us when he entered our shared bunkhouse logical holds.”
at the Sleeping Lady Resort in Leavenworth. To prevent this, Dakota
devised a prank to ensure that Cole would wake us—and thus not need “I really enjoy unlikely-looking routes, where it’ll
to feel guilty. look like a 5.12 and turn out to be a 5.10,” Burdo says.
“What the fuck? … What the fuck?” Burdo and Daniels scoped Flyboys from the road with binoculars
I awoke to the sounds of Cole’s confusion and the tower of beer bot- before venturing up. One feature stood out to Burdo: a chimney near
tles we’d stacked behind the door clattering to the floor. Then I spent the middle of the wall. Daniels remembers when Burdo first rapped in
hours staring at the bottom of the bunk above me, unable to fall back to the feature, on what would become pitch 14.
to sleep. The joke was on me. “[Burdo] drops down and I can hear him say, ‘Oh, my God, it’s gon-
The next morning, we’d climb Condorphamine Addiction (5.10b) in na go! I can’t believe it—this is so rad!’” Daniels says.
Icicle Creek Canyon near Leavenworth. The guidebook calls it seven Daniels descended second. He was petrified by the free-hanging rap
pitches, but four pitches with a 70-meter rope makes the most sense. 800 off the deck; he didn’t even look at the pitch. He reached the ledge
We started the day by losing the trail and then bushwhacking for 1:15 below before turning to the wall and telling Burdo there was no way it

BELOW Leavenworth’s Icicle Creek Canyon

features epic views of the Enchantment Peaks to
the south. RIGHT Osborne latching the finishing
jug on the slabby P5 crux of Condorphamine
Addiction (5.10b), Icicle Creek Canyon.

62 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

RESTORE OUR
CLIMBING AREAS
Many of our climbing areas are being loved to death.
Become an Access Fund member today, and join a
growing movement of climbing advocates helping
to conserve and protect our climbing areas.
www.accessfund.org/join

Protect America’s Climbing

 could be 5.9, to which Burdo responded with detailed, blow-
by-blow beta.
“I never believed it was 5.9 until we climbed it, which was
months later,” says Daniels.
The key to the 70-foot pitch is a chockstone flake. You move
into a huge crack on face moves, pull the juggy flake like a
roof—one of Flyboys’s cruxes—then chimney up easier terrain
to exit. The pair reinforced the chockstone with two pins that
Daniels’s neighbor, a non-climber, had picked up at a garage
sale, not knowing what they were for.
“I was like, ‘I can’t believe we’ve got this huge flake right
where we want it,’” Burdo says. “It was pretty amazing, almost
like being able to manifest your hopes and dreams for that
particular thing to happen.”

The Methow Inspiration Route (5.9; five

pitches) was our introduction to Goat Wall. It’s one of the
few routes not developed by Burdo, and it’s apparent in the
bolting. Where Flyboys has a bolt every six feet on average,
Mountain Project warns new 5.9 leaders against the Inspi-
ration Route due to the runouts—up to 30 feet in some spots,
as we’d learn.
It started raining as I led the first pitch. It had been beau-
tiful throughout our two-hour drive from Leavenworth. Now,
menacing clouds swirled in the valley north of us. Typical. On
pitch one I dealt with the worst of it: wet rock and runouts. I
moved slowly and delicately through what would have been
easy climbing on any other day. I tiptoed around an exposed
corner while runout the length of a gym route, clipped a bolt,
and then spent five minutes hesitating while perched on an
airy ledge, pawing at holds too thin or slopey to use in the rain.
The rock at Goat Wall is covered in edges, nubbins, divots, and
pockets, like climbing a sheet of extra-large, elephant-gray
bubble wrap. You always have options, but I didn’t like any of
them. Later, while following the (dry) crux pitch, I’d be thank-
ful I’d led pitch one instead of risking the 20- to 30-foot falls
between every bolt on the sustained, vertical face.
Three days later, we met up with Burdo and Daniels at the
parking lot below Flyboys so Burr could shoot their portraits.
He had asked them to bring props, something that illustrated
their work as developers. He’d suggested drills. The team in-
stead brought brushes and pry bars.
“The thing about the rock here in Mazama is that we get
a lot of freeze-thaw cycles,” says Daniels. “It tends to have a
lot of loose rock. And a lot of lichen. So you use a lot of pry-
bars, and as a general rule of thumb we always dropped in or
climbed up and then cleaned from above. [On Flyboys,] we
took blocks off anywhere from basketball to refrigerator size.”
The pair divided the route into two sections: pitches 1–9
and 10–18. Flyboys angles right throughout, so one person
would clean the upper half while another cleaned the lower
The author sets off on P3 of The Methow Inspiration half, with no danger to the lower developer. Still, the team
Route (5.9), Mazama. Bolted in 1996 by Arain had to be careful. The approach to Prime Rib nears the base
Manchego, a visiting French-Canadian, this runout of Flyboys. Burdo and Daniels would only trundle if the park-
route predates Mazama’s accessible-bolting trend. ing lot was empty, and whenever possible, if they had a clear
 ALIEN REVOLUTION

The Mother of Modern Cams

FIXEhardware Made In
Spain
 LEFT The tools of the trade: Flyboys developers Bryan
Burdo (left) and Jerry Daniels (right) pose with wire brushes
and prybars. The routes on Goat Wall require significant
cleaning due to Mazama’s frequent freeze-thaw cycles.

one else as maniacal as I was … If it wasn’t for Jerry, Flyboys would

still be one of my many unfinished projects.”
Both men are proud of their achievement, and delight in seeing others
enjoy their work, but the increased traffic has brought growing pains.
On one hand, local shops are seeing increased business. On the other,
the area is beginning to have problems with human waste and trash.
“It’s like, ‘Careful what you wish for,’” says Daniels. “Mazama is this
wonderful place that’s nice and quiet and has really great climbing,
and it doesn’t have the overcrowding that a lot of areas have … Hope-
view of the scree field below. They even fenced off the route base with fully it doesn’t get that way.”
caution tape, at times.
On our last day of the trip, we were rewarded with
On the day of our Flyboys ascent, lines of fog flowed beautiful weather. We spent the day climbing Prime Rib. The route is
up the valley below like fat, tired snakes. Snow covered the mountains seven pitches shorter than Flyboys and a mere 5.9- compared to the
above, stopping abruptly at a certain elevation, defined by a horizontal latter’s 5.9. We climbed it casually over five and a half hours, taking
line across the range. When the rope came tight, I didn’t hesitate. Three time to joke at belays and marvel at the Methow Valley below and the
wasted minutes per pitch would add an hour to our day; we’d only finish Cascade Mountains to the north and west. I grabbed jug after jug,
if we were efficient. toed in on a never-ending supply of edges, and jammed the occasional
As we climbed higher, the rock dried. It never got warm, but it crack. This constant flow of our team up the stone felt both casual and
did get less cold. The pitches blurred together in a flurry of crimps heroic—what I’d pictured it would be like before leaving Colorado.
and jugs. Every time a move felt hard, I’d look around and a better Prime Rib and Flyboys follow adjacent ribs up Goat Wall, so the
hold would materialize. At various points, I was so focused on mov- character of the line was similar: a stack of single-pitch routes, walk-
ing quickly that I had to remind myself to have fun. I led pitch 14, ing across ledges from pitch to pitch. But Prime Rib was completed
Burdo’s baby. I was intimidated moving up to the chockstone. After a 18 years prior, and it was interesting to see how Burdo’s tactics had
high reach, I latched the flake’s edge, an amazing jug, and wondered evolved. On Prime Rib, the bolts were farther apart. We often had
how I’d pull through. As the pump built, I swung my left heel around to check the topo to discern anchors from rap stations. I even found
the side of the curving feature, pulled in with my leg, and I was done. myself getting gripped leading pitch 8, which spaces the bolts 12 feet
Above, a short, easy chimney took us back into the sun. The pines had apart on a slab where the edges are never quite big enough to feel se-
gotten just a little smaller down below, as they’d do with each pitch cure. Prime Rib was like a prototype to the masterpiece of Flyboys.
throughout the day, shrinking from a mighty forest to children’s toys. That night, we had dinner with Daniels, Burdo, and Annette. As he
Flyboys does have its quirks. You’ll need to pick up the rope and walk dug into a pile of ribs, Burdo told me that without kids or a house, he
between most pitches. This made the climb feel more like 18 single- considers his routes to be his legacy. He told me of ambitious future
pitch routes than one continuous line. Burdo had told us before we Goat Wall projects. The wall is enormous, and mostly untapped, with
started that we may wonder why there are bolts on flat ground. The in- potential for routes ranging from third class to 5.13 and heavy in the
tention was not necessarily to clip them, but to guide climbers across 5.10–5.11 range, given the varied verticality of the terrain. But one an-
these sections. Burdo and Daniels also seemed to develop with an ecdote seemed to best sum up the routes we’d climbed.
every-part-of-the-buffalo ethos. We skipped pitch 15, a section of bolt- Burdo said that back in his earlier climbing days, people didn’t bolt
ed third class, because there was a trail alongside it. routes to make them accessible. They put up first ascents for them-
We topped out at 4 p.m. The summit is anti-climactic, just a clifftop. selves and would use dangerous runouts “to keep the riff-raff out.” He
We walked a snowy trail to a dirt road where we’d stashed mountain recalled a day when a woman approached him, beaming. She’d just
bikes, and then followed Goat Creek Road down for 13 miles, rarely led her first outdoor route—a moderate Burdo had bolted at Little
having to turn our cranks. Si—and wanted to thank him. “That was it,” he says. Burdo still bolts
projects for himself—he is prolific—but he changed his main focus to
It’s clear that Daniels reveres Burdo, his friend and putting up routes for the masses: well-bolted moderates. Flyboys is
mentor, singing his praises at every opportunity, but Burdo makes it that concept escalated to its logical end: the tallest, bolted 5.9 and the
clear that the partnership goes both ways. most accessible 1,800-foot route in the United States.
“There was no question in my mind 20 years ago that this area
would be … a national destination, but I knew how much work it would KEVIN CORRIGAN is Climbing's digital editor and in-house multi-pitch moderate
take,” Burdo says. “I thought that at some point that there’d be some- connoisseur.

66 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

A busy weekend in autumn 2019 on Fish Slough
Road, the parking area for the Tablelands (Happy
and Sad boulders) near Bishop, California. The
author counted 80-plus cars along the road that day.
How a tidal wave of climbers is reshaping
Bishop, California
STORY AND PHOTOS BY JAMES LUCAS
 1 2 3

1. An L ADWP sign in the Tablelands prohibiting camping; climbers typically use dispersed camping on BLM land in the area or stay at the
Pit. 2. An educational sign at the Birthday Boulders, Buttermilk Road. 3. Downtown Bishop on a sleepy, off-season morning.

For eight days in mid-September 2019, the Owens River swelled “Small town with a big backyard.” But the recent influx of climbers,
in its namesake volcanic-tuff gorge, closing access to the narrow can- hikers, fishermen, dirt bikers, and other outdoor enthusiasts is also re-
yon’s 1,000-plus routes. Fourteen miles north of Bishop, the ORG has shaping the town’s demographics in ways that not all locals appreciate.
long been a destination sport area. The Los Angeles Department of “It’s probably, in my opinion, the best bouldering area in the world,”
Water and Power (LADWP) had coordinated the release, making the said the author of the first Bishop bouldering guidebook, Mick Ryan, in
relatively placid stream swell from 45 cubic feet per second to 680; West Coast Pimp, Tim Steele and Steve Montesanto’s 1998/’99 climb-
crossing the river or navigating the gorge’s rugged floor became impos- ing film, which includes a 30-minute segment on the Tablelands and
sible. The LADWP originally cut off the water supply from the Crowley Buttermilks. Even in those early days, when in 1999 the BLM count-
Reservoir area to the Gorge in 1953 when it bought water rights in the ed a mere 7,000 climbers per year at the Tablelands, climbers aimed
Eastern Sierra, constructing a 233-mile aqueduct through the Owens to self-regulate to avoid what had recently happened at Hueco Tanks
Valley and Mojave Desert to Los Angeles. Then, in 1991, the LADWP where the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department implemented the
began releasing water back into the gorge with a 30-year plan to re- Public Use Plan, limiting unguided access to North Mountain only.
pair the riparian environment through seasonal flooding, as happened (See climbing.com/hueco.) Hueco’s restrictions dropped visitations
with 2019’s scheduled floods. from 85,000 in 1996 to 17,000 in 1999—to many climbers, Hueco was
The Gorge, which sees about 30,000 climbers per year according to all but closed. Lured in by Internet rumors of “the new Hueco,” the
an Access Fund estimate, is just one of the dozen climbing areas in the bouldering crowd drifted west to Bishop, finding untapped potential
Bishop region that has seen significant, recent environmental change. and amazing climbing. Meanwhile, the Bishop locals—knowing full
Climbers have been scrambling in Bishop since the 1940s when Smoke well what they had—sought ways to avoid a similar implosion.
Blanchard ran around the Buttermilks on his rock course. In the 80 “Around the Bishop area, what we’re trying to do is educate climbers
years since, over 2,300 boulder problems and a few thousand routes on what we call semi-primitive recreation,” continued Ryan in WCP.
have gone in, and in the past decade Bishop has swelled in popularity “That’s basically an extension of the no-trace ethic where when you’re
with climbers. The warm, sunny weather and the abundance of rock, bouldering in an area you leave as little trace [ … ] as possible.” When
from the volcanic tuff in the gorge and Tablelands to the granite of the publishing the iconic, black-and-white foldout Bishop Bouldering Sur-
nearby Sierra to the quartz monzonite of the Buttermilks, make Bish- vival Kit, Ryan specifically left out climbing areas on BLM land with
op a climbing mecca. However, the area is also environmentally frag- sensitive desert ecosystems or that contained native petroglyphs.
ile: Situated in the rain shadow on the East Side of the Sierra, the ORG “Originally, there was a wave of skiers that came here back in the
and Bishop see only five inches a year of rain. Now imagine what thou- 1970s and ‘80s, so there was a little bit of an outdoor influence,” says
sands of climber feet trampling through this high-desert environment Steele, who moved to Bishop shortly after making WCP. “There’s just
might do. And consider also that Bishop itself is a small town: With a way more climbers here now—just so many more.” While Steele thinks
population of just under 4,000 in two square miles and 10,000 people the climbing scene overall has remained positive, in the last couple
in the greater area, including the approximate 2,000 members of the seasons there have been hard feelings. “A lot of people don’t have an
Bishop Paiute Tribe, Bishop, as portrayed on the city’s homepage, is a outdoor ethic, and that’s a huge difference,” he says.

70 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

“Have you been here?” Shondeen Chavez asks the half dozen pre- these largely unregulated spaces. After several failed attempts at gath-
teen kids, all fellow members of the Paiute tribe, sitting in the spring ering the climbing community, nine local climbers formed the BACC
sun at the Tablelands. It’s March 2019, and I’m out with Chavez, cul- in spring 2018, creating a “unified voice for climbers to support the
tural affairs director for the Bishop Area Climbers Coalition (BACC), Bishop, California, area through stewardship, education, and com-
and the kids for some bouldering along Fish Slough Road. Most of the munity engagement” as per their mission statement. Many issues were
kids respond that they haven’t, and Chavez explains why: “We don’t pressing, including informally expanded parking areas at the Table-
come out here anymore. We live in an 800-acre box [the Paiute reserva- lands, social trails at the Buttermilks, and rogue, climber-built bridges
tion] because we were removed from these spaces so that the rest of the in the Owens River Gorge, which had angered the LADWP. And so the
world could enjoy them.” He goes on to explain the trauma of the native BACC got to work, trying to bring the various parties together.
eviction and then emphasizes their role as stewards: “We’re the only In April 2018, Chavez started a self-funded program to introduce
people that are always here, the people that will take care of the land.” Paiute youth to climbing. “A lot of the spaces where we used to go
Later, the kids run around the red and brown rocks, wearing over- and do things are no longer accessible,” says Chavez. He recalls bun-
sized shoes and falling onto crashpads bought by the tribe. A few adults ny hunting in the Tablelands as a youth—part of a tribal tradition—
spot, while Chavez and pro climber Nina Williams instruct. The kids’ and remembers when vegetation amongst the boulders allowed small
excitement at topping out the five-foot boulders lights the rock, making game to hide. However, today, “There are climbers camping all over
the scrappy climbing suddenly seem appealing. Chavez sees climbing the place,” Chavez says, citing the BLM’s policy of dispersed camping,
as a way for these kids to go beyond the tribe, to see the world. “Climbing which allows climbers in Promaster and Sprinter vans to drive onto
unlocks a whole world to them that they didn’t know existed,” he says. the mesa tops, where they often congregate by the dozens, creating im-
Bishop climbing comprises a complex patchwork of land ownership pact. At the boulders, where sagebrush and other desert shrubs once
and management: The Tablelands are on Bureau of Land Management flourished, sand now covers the base of many climbs—the cottontail
(BLM) land, the Buttermilks are on BLM and LADWP land, the Gorge rabbits, huge-eared black-tailed jackrabbits, and desert woodrats stay
is on LADWP land, and other areas like Pine Creek are on Forest Ser- away due to climbers and their crag pets.
vice land. Locals thus saw a need to organize themselves to preserve In 2010, Chavez started climbing as a way to return to these plac-

Colette McInerney on Sabres of Paradise (V7) at the

Happy Boulders. Members of the Paiute tribe used to
hunt small game in the area, but climber impacts have
destroyed the vegetation where the animals once hid.
 A normal, busy weekend on Iron Man
Traverse (V4) at the Buttermilks.

es where he’d spent his youth, and quickly realized the value in it. He Tablelands in a Hueco Tanks–style plan that would allow for regrowth
began taking youth groups to the Alabama Hills and to the Sunny of the flora and fauna. Namely, this would involve having a single point
Slopes by Crowley Lake. However, his initial efforts saw little support of entry by the confluence of Fish Slough, Casa Diablo, and Chalk Bluff
amongst the Paiute. “People in the tribal community don’t believe in roads. (At present, you can drive to the boulders from either side of
climbing,” says Chavez. “They don’t believe in what it can do because Fish Slough Road. The proposal would control the flow of climbers into
all they’ve seen is the negative impact on the land.” Many tribe mem- the Tablelands—beyond X number of people already recreating in the
bers take a militant view, wanting climbers—whom they perceive as area, you wouldn’t be allowed to enter, like in Hueco.) The tribe has a
intruders on a land that once belonged to them—to leave entirely. After conferral and consultative relationship with the BLM: Whenever the
Chavez, beginning in 2018, organized five climbing camps in which BLM has a proposal for land use, they are required to consult with the
the kids immersed themselves in the history and culture of their native tribe in a government-to-government relationship. While the tribe can
land, received nutritional education, and climbed, the tribe’s view on put proposals in front of the BLM, it is ultimately up to the BLM to
climbing softened—it even began allocating money to buy equipment. decide what to do. “It only takes a few people a year to really do some
Chavez hopes to expand the program in ensuing years. damage to [the Tablelands],” says Chavez, suggesting that there could
Just south of Bishop in Big Pine, Steele also began taking groups of also be a curfew on climbers to mitigate dispersed camping. In addi-
students to the Tablelands and Buttermilks. (Steele teaches English to tion, ticketing would also supply revenue to the tribe, which is partial-
grades 7 through 12 in the Big Pine Unified School district.) With 63 ly funded by the town’s casino. While these measures seem extreme,
percent of the high school students at Big Pine being Native American petroglyphs in the Tablelands have been stolen, with thieves—almost
and a significant portion being economically disadvantaged, boulder- certainly not climbers—using ladders, power saws, and generators to
ing has provided an accessible way for local kids to connect with the steal four petroglyphs and destroy two others in 2013.
land. “There have been so few native climbers in the Payahuunadu [the Chavez, who grew up in Bishop, notes that the changing demo-
Paiute name for the Bishop area] up until now, and it will help im- graphics of the town’s residents have helped the tribe. In the past 20
mensely with cultural-monitoring needs,” says Steele. This is especial- years, the increase in recreation has attracted a younger, more liberal
ly important as the tribe seeks changes in access to the climbing. population. Not only are these younger folks more concerned with pre-
According to Chavez, the Paiute tribe wants to restrict access to the serving the land, but they’re making greater efforts to communicate

72 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

 with the tribe. This shift has also had a large economic impact, though moving in. The younger demographic has led to new boutique-style
it’s unclear to what extent. The BACC plans on doing an economic- businesses like the Bishop Cowork, the Mountain Rambler Brewery,
impact study in 2020 with William Hobbs, who wrote one such study Good Earth Yogurt, and the Sage to Summit climbing gym. Part of the
on the communities surrounding the Red River Gorge, Kentucky; appeal comes from transportation improvements, too. In fall 2020, the
meanwhile, the Bishop Chamber of Commerce hopes to complete their Bishop airport will open for commercial flights. While small planes
own study as well. fly into Mammoth, the winds make for a high cancellation rate—14.5
percent in the winter of 2018/2019 according to Mammoth Tourism
In 2006, the Bishop climber Tai DeVore grabbed his copy of Peter Executive Director John Urdi. This often leaves travelers to the ski
Croft’s Sierra Nevada guidebook The Good, the Great, and the Awe- town stranded, having to drive to five hours to LA or to Reno to fly out.
some and climbed the Pine Creek classics Pratt’s Crack (5.9), Sheila The Bishop airport, which once served as a military airport, has stable
(5.10b), and Rites of Spring (5.10d). He soon became obsessed with the weather and a larger runway, making it attractive as a hub for skiers
area’s featured granite, establishing the seven-pitch Fischer Memorial and snowboarders. The hope is that the new airport will make access-
Route (5.10) and the 10-pitch Mainline (5.10), and compiling a guide- ing the Eastern Sierra easier for visitors and residents alike.
book, which was published in autumn 2018. When Climbing featured The changing demographic has also led to a change in demand for
Trevor Hobbs on the August 2009 cover climbing It’s Not the Wheat, housing, including for more temporary lodging. A number of climbers
a 5.11d at Pine Creek’s Mustache Wall, the area, some 16 miles from support themselves through Airbnb rentals. Lisa Bedient, who bought
town, became a known destination, prized for its banana-belt weather. a house in Bishop 13 years ago, supplements her work as a traveling
A wet spring in 2019 kept people out of Tuolumne and Yosemite, bottle- chef by renting a room in her home, making nearly $15,000 a year.
necking them into Pine Creek. “If this is the new reality, I’ve fucked this According to the Bishop Real Estate Annual report, home prices peak-
place over,” thought DeVore, surveying the crowded crags. For years, ed in 2006, declined until 2011, and then in the past seven years have
he’d just handed out his own paper guides while working in town at stabilized and recovered. “You can come here and buy a cute little cot-
the gear shop Wilson’s Eastside Sports. But now, having authored an tage for $350,000” says Bedient, “which is nothing for people who have
official guide, he felt responsible for the impact. Luckily, Tioga Pass jobs.” (The median price for a home in Bishop is between $323,250
opened quickly, and one of Bishop’s “secondary” climbing zones re- and $345,000.) Bedient, however, notes that many climbers looking to
turned to more manageable visitor levels. However, this instance had move to town have lost home offerings to cash buyers. “People from the
shown DeVore just how busy Bishop was becoming—and could become. Bay Area are coming here at a pretty good pace,” says DeVore. “They
“It seems like every other week, another professional climber is sell their shithole for, like, eight hundred million dollars over there and
moving here,” says DeVore, today the president of the BACC, of the ex- they can buy a pretty nice spot over here.” This leads to new residents
ponential increase in pro athletes, doctors, tech workers, and others who are willing to spend more money on food and services, pushing

1. Bishop local and Big Pine schoolteacher Tim Steele hanging out at Black Sheep Coffee Roasters in Bishop. 2. Bishop Area Climbers
Coalition (BACC) President and local guidebook author Tai DeVore training on his home wall. 3. Shondeen Chavez, the BACC’s cultural
affairs director and a member of the Paiute tribe, in the Tablelands where he’s been introducing kids from the tribe to climbing.
FAR RIGHT: BEN DIT TO

1 2 3

CLIMBING.COM 73
the economy to expand and change. As DeVore puts it, “Gentrify baby!” sided coin,” she continues, pointing to the 900 festival attendees and
Meanwhile, after 2005, Bishop hoteliers began earmarking 2 per- their respective organizations. “There is an increasing amount of
cent of their revenue for a marketing fund, which, not surprisingly, climber impact as well.”
brought more visitors. “So we have more climbers but we have more
of everything else too,” says Tawni Thomson, executive director of the In May 2011, an unattended campfire burned a large area at the
Bishop Chamber of Commerce, adding that “The sales-tax revenue and Coral Boulders, on LADWP land south of the road just before the But-
hotel tax revenues are very healthy.” termilk Boulders. Over the years, the site had played host to weddings
“I love that Bishop has become so much more diverse,” continues for Bishop locals. Further uphill at the Peabody Boulders, the Paiute
Thomson, who grew up in town. Thomson then points to the Toggery, used to gather for similar ceremonies. Now, however, you’re hard-
which has been operating on Main Street for nearly a century, provid- pressed to find anyone but climbers at the Buttermilks, in numbers of-
ing locals with Stetson hats, Wrangler jeans, leather boots, and work ten so large that it keeps the Paiute away. A decade ago, fewer than 20
clothes. “At the same time, we haven’t lost our Western roots,” she says. climber cars lined the Buttermilk Road in high season. Now you’ll find
Nothing exemplifies this better than the town’s famous Mule Days, at least 100, and maybe more on holiday weekends. While the BLM
during which Bishop swells with attendees who come to watch com- in conjunction with the Access Fund has installed bathrooms at the
petitive cattle working, coon jumping, gymkhana, shoeing, chariot Tablelands parking and at the Buttermilks’ Birthday Boulders, it’s
racing, and other rodeo activities that highlight the East Side’s outfit- still an all-too-common experience to find used toilet paper flapping
ter and packer community. While Mule Days and the Tri-County Fair- around at the rocks. And though official trails have been designated
bring money into the town during the summer months, it’s climbers at the Buttermilks, there’s still a spider web of social trails—as well as
who spend money during the slower months—the winter, when tour- in the Tablelands. A 1977 Chris Falkenstein photo of a conspicuously
ists have moved on. On a busy weekend in Bishop, a hundred climb- chalk-free Ironman (V4) printed in the Bishop guidebook shows how
er cars might line the Buttermilk Road, with another hundred at the 40 years of climber hands have stained the rock white.
Tablelands. Meanwhile, 300 climbers attend the Flash Foxy Women’s One of the biggest issues facing Bishop is that of dispersed camping,
Climbing Festival each spring, with some 600 attending the American staying outside a designated campground where there may or may not
Alpine Club’s Bishop Fall Highball Craggin’ Classic. be facilities like a toilet, table, or firepit. “We’ve been free to do whatev-
“We get major support and collaboration from the Chamber of Com- er we want, but now things are coming to a head, like the camping out
merce, the police chief (who insists on buying a ticket and tells me ev- in the Buttermilks,” says Steele, citing, in particular, people camping
ery year how much he loves this event), and the town itself, allowing us illegally on the LADWP land south of the Buttermilk Boulders. While
to shut down some popular streets and alleys,” says McKenzie Long, dispersed camping is technically legal, the increasing number of peo-
the event coordinator for the AAC festival. But it’s also “a true double- ple camping on BLM land around town has created impact. In 1999,

LEFT Cedar Pidgeon shows fingertips chafed raw by the rough quartz monzonite of the Buttermilk Boulders. RIGHT Kevin Corrigan
samples one of the Owens River Gorge’s 1,000-plus climbs. The area, north of town, has seen seasonal access issues due to deliberate
floods released by the L ADWP to restore the canyon floor to its original riparian state.

74 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

 LEFT A grater smoothing out the notorious
washboard on Buttermilk Road, with the boulders
visible in the background. RIGHT Ryuichi
Ichikawa attempts The Swarm (V14), Beehive
Area, Buttermilks. The problem is one of the
many classic, iconic Bishop testpieces that draw
climbers from all over the world.

the BLM opened the Pleasant Valley Pit Campground in the Table- yellow blazing star grew beside the small, single-track trail I hiked on,
lands, offering 75 sites. To further combat dispersed camping and get while cottontail rabbits ran through the sagebrush. With cool temps
climbers to spend more money in town, Bishop will be converting the and the smell of flowers, Bishop felt like the perfect place to be.
fairgrounds into a campground with showers, bathrooms, and elec- Six months later, when I was back over Veterans’ Day weekend, it
tricity for $15 a night. However, given that climbers often prioritize was a different scene altogether. A drone flew over the 80-plus cars
stretching their money in order to keep climbing, many may pass. parked at the Buttermilks, past a dozen people hiding in the shade of
“What we want is social and environmental conformity,” says Visitor the Green Wall Boulder, over an unleashed puppy wandering by Evilu-
Center Host Supervisor Joe Pollini, who worked with the BLM to create tion, and over the two slackliners who had set a line up between the
the Pit, “cause that’s the way you manage high numbers.” Pollini notes Peabodies. Then the drone crash-landed on top of a blue SUV on the
that it’s easy to restrict access and enforce regulations by following a road, losing a propeller and nicking the vehicle’s paint before cart-
draconian Hueco Tanks model, but that “It’s a lot harder to ask people wheeling into the hardpack.
to do what’s socially and environmentally beneficial for all of us.” The flood of climbers to the East Side has made the coffee better, the
To move toward this model, the BACC in conjunction with the Wi-Fi more accessible, and the town easier to stay in. I wanted to com-
Chamber will be hiring two full-time, non-commissioned climbing plain about the crowds, the drone, and the noise, but then I realized
rangers to patrol the climbing areas starting in November 2019. By ed- that simply by being there, I was also part of the problem. As DeVore
ucating climbers about their impacts and how best to minimize them says, “If it seems busy and crowded, why add to it?” That day, I headed
using Leave No Trace principles, the program aims to help climbers into town and found a few Bishop locals climbing on the MoonBoard
regulate themselves before things get out of hand. With the floods at Sage to Summit. Sometimes, it seems, the best way to preserve an
of people coming to Bishop, climbers learning how to be responsible area is to stay away.
stewards of the land may be the only way to preserve it.
In spring 2019, I hiked back to my van from the huge patina wall
JAMES LUCAS, Climbing’s senior associate editor, slept on top of a Buttermilk
of Secrets of the Beehive (V7). The west side of Buttermilk Mountain boulder in summer 2002. Since then, he’s spent a half dozen winters in Bishop, car
receives far fewer visitors, and still has a wild, untrammeled feel. That camping at the Tablelands and Buttermilks, housesitting off Main Street, renting a
day, the desert was in spring bloom. Desert peach, blue lupines, and rundown apartment on Clark Street, and staying at The Hostel California.

76 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

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ROCK ART

Mixing Elements: The Artist Jezryl Castelo

COMPILED BY JAMES LUCAS

“I
’ve always been fascinated with illustrated well as to gyms in South Korea and Japan. “When
maps,” says Jezryl Castelo, owner of the I was in elementary school, my mom taught me
climbing-sticker company Yama Climbing. how to sew and my dad taught me how to draw
“Your eyes wander into the picture, and you portraits,” Castelo says of her creative roots. When
find small details that connect to a memory.” she started traveling more for climbing, she couldn’t
In 2010, Castelo, now 38, climbed for the first lug her sewing machine around, so she turned
time, bouldering in her backyard of Joshua Tree— to illustrations.
she grew up in Crestline, in the San Bernardino For her 13.5”-by-10.25” art maps of areas like Ten
Mountains a couple hours west of the granitic domes. Sleep (above, right) and Hueco Tanks, Castelo uses
Though J-Tree’s slabby granite topouts intimidated pen and pencil, starting with small sketches and
Castelo, climbing soon became a central part of her flipping through guidebooks for reference material.
life, and she frequented J-Tree, Tramway, and Black For her hexagonal stickers, she uses Illustrator

Jezryl Castelo Mountain until moving to Colorado in 2010. In the

past decade, she’s progressed into redpointing 5.12.
and Photoshop, and a Wacom drawing pad. “Each
sticker is 1.97” x 1.7”, so I’ll decide on what stands
HOMEBASE Locally, Castelo spends time in Rifle or bouldering out about those places and what will fit in a small
Boulder, CO in the alpine, doing remote customer-service work area,” says Castelo. Examples include her pairing of
YEARS CLIMBING for Sticker Mule. “I have to be clocked in 8–4 the Midnight Lightning bolt and huge formations
somewhere Monday to Friday, but it allows closer with Yosemite, a silhouetted Joshua tree with Joshua
PHOTO BY JE ZRYL C A S TELO

10
PREFERRED ART MEDIA access to the outdoors,” she says. Tree, and a donut with Joe’s Valley—recalling the
Pen and pencil Castelo started Yama Climbing soon after her mouthwatering pastries at the now-defunct Food
first trip to Joshua Tree. She made a chalk bag for Ranch. “I’ve had people ask about stickers for areas
WEBSITE
etsy.com/shop/yamagear herself and then a few for friends. When a comp that I haven’t been to yet [or] haven’t designed yet,”
came to her local gym, she sold chalk bags there. says Castelo. “There are iconic features at each place
INSTAGRAM
@yamaclimbing Castelo’s customized chalk bags were well received, that I can easily draw, but when I’m drawing, it’s
and she sold them at numerous climbing events as inspiring to have the experiences.”

80 FEBRUARY / MARCH 2020

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