Josh’s Birthday Challenge: 2012

Josh — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 23:06:32 +0000

So… I turned 33 this year. Each year I’m battling more mild chronic pain, I’m sore longer, and it takes more to warm up. But… I get smarter, more motivated, and have more experience to build on. I always try to accomplish something that I couldn’t do the year before. I’ve done a couple spectacular one day birthday challenges like 30 routes in J-Tree 5.10 or harder, and last year some friends and I led our age in routes in Mesa Rim. The latter challenge was extra difficult because I did a pyramid of routes from 5.10 to 5.13a. Most of the routes were 50+’, and it took 6.5 hours. I didn’t recover for almost a week. This year, I want to try something a little different. Erin, a friend in LA, had the goal of 12 5.12s in 2012. This got the brain rolling a little, as did the pyramid challenge in MR, and I came up with my own little challenge. I was born in Jan, so I roughly have the calendar year to accomplish this goal:

I want to lead 30 pitches of 5.12, and 3 pitches of 5.13 clean that I’ve never redpointed, before by my next birthday.

This is going to be hard. Due to school related time constraints, I’m not strong enough to climb 5.13’s right now, and I haven’t ticked one off in a while. Also, the 5.13s will require projecting which is a heavy time sink. I’m going to try to diversity the climbing, and while some will obviously be at the Riverside Quarry, that’s my style and I don’t want to make this easy. I want there to be trad climbing, bolt clipping, overhung limestone, splitter sandstone, thin granite, volcanic pockets, miserable offwidth, punishing finger cracks, and more.

At Roberto’s suggestion, I’m going to keep coming back to add to this blog post throughout the year to update where I’m at: I’ll log climbs, add photos, route descriptions, and my experience on the route. It should be a fun way to summarize all those climbs that usually go under the pullharder radar since it isn’t an epic trip to the mountains, or a crazy long or hard route. It will also keep me accountable. There’s no better way to force yourself to accomplish your goals than to spray about them on the internet! ;)

Two pitches that are definitely on my radar at the moment:

1. 3rd 5.12 pitch of Moonlight Buttress. That’s right, I’m headed back for it AGAIN in the spring if all goes well. I’m hoping I clean that pitch up and get the whole thing free this time.

2. Ghetto Blaster: 5.13a/b. I had the pleasure of climbing in Malibu recently with a friend, and loved it. Not my style, so it’s hard, but the routes are great! Time to start projecting…

I will do my absolute best to accomplish this goal in the coming year, starting with this weekend in J-Tree! I’m going to try to check out some of the 5.12s up on Queen Mountain with Shay.

Please feel free to post in the comments, and let the fun begin!

1/28/12 First blood!

Shay and I had a blast running/hiking out to Olympic Dome. It’s buried around the left side almost behind Queen Mtn, but very worth the trip out there. Shay lead Icon, then I gave Black Diamond (5.12b PG14) a go ground up on lead. I’ll call it PG 14 because it’s nebulously between PG 13 and R. Some retrobolt out right got me a little off-route, and I whipped, but other than that the route is one of the best I’ve ever done in J-Tree. It’s about 80+’ with 6 bolts, heady, and very powerful. It’s endless lockoffs on great holds on a dark patina face that’s vertical to gently overhung the whole way. I can’t recommend it enough. 5/5 stars, for sure! Make the hike! There are rap bolts/rings on top. Anyways, I pulled the rope and redpointed, without the detour, 2nd try. First route DONE! I tried Bloodline but the traverse into it was dangerous, on loose rock, and the bolts were relatively crappy. Not five stars, as advertised in the guide, and I bailed. Perhaps I’ll come back and replace the bolts someday? Day two I wanted to get another 5.12 ticked off and tried Zombie Woof, “5.12b”. I dropped into full on aid. I think this thing is a TR, and not really a lead. Oh well, at least I got one route this weekend!

P = G

Josh

The list:

1. 1/28/12 – Black Diamond, 5.12b PG14, Joshua Tree, Queen Mtn

Second Annual pullharder Marathon…results

Roberto — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 05:17:35 +0000

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a thousand pictures must be worth…um…damn it man, I am a linguist. Its a lot of words. So watch this…

For the results…CLICK HERE

We still have a bunch of shirts left over for which we are unfortunately eating the cost. We are selling them for $10. If you would like to buy one or several you can let us know or we can send it to you:

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Josh’s Birthday Challenge: 2012

Second Annual pullharder Marathon…results