Kintsugi V14 🏺
I did my first V14 in the Spring of 2023 and figured it would be a matter of months until I did my next one… little did I know it would be almost three years. I poured ten days into Trieste and thought that I would be able to do other ones of the grade much faster because of the experience I gained. No surprise to anyone except me, V14 is still V14. I’d end up trying one for a few sessions and then timidly back off to tick some 13s that I could finish up faster. Two seasons worth of the same approach left me ending the year staring at the same unachieved goal in my spreadsheet. I’m glad to have changed my focus this year. I feel like I have most of the nearby, high quality 11s - 13s behind me and this is the start of my hard block campaign. Current feeling: Peak BWalk 📈
THE MANDALA DIRECT SIT V13
A surprisingly nemesis rig finally came to a close this Saturday. I always felt like Mandala would be one of the easier crimp lines given my skill set. After not even getting close on my first couple sessions two seasons ago, I figured I would put it on the back burner for some other projects. Each time I would complete a project, I felt like I could just clean up the Mandala and get to trying it from the sit. Different day, same result. Success on other lines seemed to have no effect. After two seasons of banging my head on a wall, it rose to the top of my priority list for this year.
I’m really unsure what changed this season - maybe there was newfound strength, maybe I’m just better at movement, maybe something just clicked. The crux of Mandala suddenly went from impossible to reasonable. I was able to clean up the stand a few weeks back, but went direct because there was ice on the left exit. The only thing remaining was going from the sit.
Really proud of how this one came together, despite the extended timeline. Progression is never linear and always feels the best when it is surprising. This one clocks in as the second hardest boulder I have done, which is something I have been chasing for a while. Now that I have all of the main V13s cleaned up, it seems like it’s time to start trying harder rigs…
Ross and I went b2b on this JTree mega during the comp this past weekend en route to first and second place. Nothing like a 35 footer to get the heart pumping. Nobody tell my mom how bad the rock is up top 🤐
Powerband West Long V12
The Last Great One V13 🐐
Last week in Joe’s Valley for Thanksgiving happy to take down this gem. Surely in the conversation for best V13 in the states. Movement ✅ Hold set ✅ Purity ✅ Length ✅ Hard finishing move ✅ Setting ✅ It just doesn’t get much better. Also, sandstone is superior, change my mind.
EL CORAZON V13 🫀
I was 10 years old the first time I saw Daniel do this line in Progression. I could have bet my entire piggy bank on never being strong enough to do it, but 16 years later, here we are.
Joshua Tree - Jan 26, 2025
…
I tried Iron Resolution four years ago when I was barely strong enough to do the first move. Returned to it without remembering any specifics, brushed the holds on a rope, and prepped for a first attempt after what had been a more than tiring morning. Chalked up, pulled on, and didn’t stop doing moves until I found myself on the top out.
A small, 50 second slice of life validating four years of progress. It’s not my hardest, but a good reminder to zoom out every now and again. Moments like that are the reason I devote so many years to this little craft. Thankful for times like the present.
Iron Curtain V11, Digital Black V10, Kandahar V10, Iron Resolution V12
El Paso is kinda a don’t knock it til you try it type of situation except I’ve tried it and I’m knocking so you don’t have to. You can thank me later.
Final 24 hours of effort: Crown of Aragorn V13, Full Throttle V13, The Flame V11, Chupacabra V11
