Any suggestions on a first 5.13a lead?

hankhelms wrote:I really don't- I'm just calling it like i see it, but being that most of your ticks are well under .11, the hardest routes on your to-do list prior to this thread contained Black Monday, and Misery and you wrote under Right Pile just this past september "Still far from redpoint" and under License To Thrill "Still need to work it more"...most breaking .13 leaders warm up on your actual projects. i'd say you've you got a little more than just work to do. Set your sights high, but don't be ridiculous. Go work Isotoner Moaner first, or Naked Nebula. Go try the Padded Cell or Left Pile. You want a good .13, how about Hell? but I bet there's no way in hell your getting up that. Save your bail biners for worn out anchors. And don't knock it till you try it, Dogwood is hard, like pro hard. That is if you can find it.

Yes, I do admit that most of my recent ticks are in the .11 range. Let me tell you why I could do a .13a next year (as if I need to). First off, prior to last year, I weighed 195, and the my hardest redpoint, up to that point, was a 5.10c. With that weight, I learned to have excellent technique to accomplish anything. Last year I cut 35 lbs, and went to the climbing gym everyday for over a year. After that hard work, I went from my hardest redpoint being a 5.10c to a 5.12a. I got the 5.12a on my 4th go in the same weekend. I felt it wasn't out of my reach to do a 5.12c, but since I work full time, go to school full time, and had a newborn, I was not able to climb outdoors very often and get the ticks I really wanted to.

I’m on track to lose an additional 10 lbs putting me at 150 lbs with 6% body fat. I have continued to climb indoors 3 to 4 times a week. Lastly, my goal is to climb a 5.13 by the END of this summer (Oct possibly).

My plan is to redpoint:
4 - 5.11c/d
4 - 5.12a/b
4 - 5.12c
2 - 5.12d
and finally 1 - 5.13a
(Including all of the routes you mentioned. I’m really stoked for Right and Left Pile, Big in Japan, Pig Pen, and more, and FYI, I only worked on right pile and license to thrill twice)

If I were to ask you for a good 5.12 first lead a year ago today, you would have laughed at me hysterically because my hardest lead, up to that point, had been a 5.10c. You are right that my goal is quite ambitious, but I believe, with hard work, it is possible.

P.S. I didn't dog dogwood. I just mention that the suggested route was a 5.9, and I have climbed that about 8 years ago.

Jay Knower wrote: Are you for real dude? The OP is just psyched and set a lofty goal for himself. I see nothing wrong with that. Sure, he should do some 12s, but that's not what this post is about. This elitist tone turns so many people away from sport climbing.

Exactly! Thank you!

I imagine once you consolidate .12 grade the next step up in whatever crag you're frequenting will become obvious.

Rafe wrote:I imagine once you consolidate .12 grade the next step up in whatever crag you're frequenting will become obvious.

Good point!

hankhelms wrote:You want a good .13, how about Hell? but I bet there's no way in hell your getting up that. Save your bail biners for worn out anchors.

Dude, I'm going to post this quote up all over my house, car, office, and anywhere I can think to motivate me to accomplish it, and spite you. Sweet, I am SO stoked.

mattjbudd wrote: Dude, I'm going to post this quote up all over my house, car, office, and anywhere I can think to motivate me to accomplish it, and spite you. Sweet, I am SO stoked.

Right on Brotha! Way to turn a negative into a positive!

hankhelms wrote:I really don't- I'm just calling it like i see it, but being that most of your ticks are well under .11, the hardest routes on your to-do list prior to this thread contained Black Monday, and Misery and you wrote under Right Pile just this past september "Still far from redpoint" and under License To Thrill "Still need to work it more"...most breaking .13 leaders warm up on your actual projects. i'd say you've you got a little more than just work to do. Set your sights high, but don't be ridiculous. Go work Isotoner Moaner first, or Naked Nebula. Go try the Padded Cell or Left Pile. You want a good .13, how about Hell? but I bet there's no way in hell your getting up that. Save your bail biners for worn out anchors. And don't knock it till you try it, Dogwood is hard, like pro hard. That is if you can find it.

This is EXACTLY the type of comment that inspires me to achieve and then say "I did it, jerk."

hankhelms wrote:
I really don't- I'm just calling it like i see it, but being that most of your ticks are well under .11, the hardest routes on your to-do list prior to this thread contained Black Monday, and Misery and you wrote under Right Pile just this past september "Still far from redpoint" and under License To Thrill "Still need to work it more"...most breaking .13 leaders warm up on your actual projects. i'd say you've you got a little more than just work to do. Set your sights high, but don't be ridiculous. Go work Isotoner Moaner first, or Naked Nebula. Go try the Padded Cell or Left Pile. You want a good .13, how about Hell? but I bet there's no way in hell your getting up that. Save your bail biners for worn out anchors. And don't knock it till you try it, Dogwood is hard, like pro hard. That is if you can find it.

Are you saying that all the climbs at Dogwood are pro hard?

zachjones wrote:Are you saying that all the climbs at Dogwood are pro hard?

LOL

jarthur wrote: I'd agree this climb has a bit of everything. It's a hell of a lot steeper than one thinks from looking at it from the road. It's overhanging, technical dihedral, and a boulder problem going to the anchors. Now that the hold after the crux at the top broke I don't think many people are arguing 13a vs 12d anymore. It feels pretty solid at 13a.

Vasodialator in Boulder Canyon is, in my opinion, way better than Sonic Youth. Though sonic is a heck of a fun route.

If you like Rifle, Das Fruit Machine is a very doable(and fun!) 13a especially if your tall. Unfortunately, it's also been called 12d(but what "a" grade there hasn't?)

Arnold Braker wrote: Vasodialator in Boulder Canyon is, in my opinion, way better than Sonic Youth. Though sonic is a heck of a fun route. If you like Rifle, Das Fruit Machine is a very doable(and fun!) 13a especially if your tall. Unfortunately, it's also been called 12d(but what "a" grade there hasn't?)

Too bad it's all the way in Colorado. :(

what kind of routes are you good at?
what part of route climbing do you enjoy the most?
how far are you willing to drive?
what is your favorite type of rock?

Goliath, Datil, UT.. but maybe its just enduro .12+?

I agree that the Enchanted Tower stuff is great but it's pretty far. Plus it's endurancy. If you're going to do Hell then I'd suggest a pyramid of bouldery routes. Most of those Big routes qualify. Add the two Speed Trap and two Broad's Fork 12's to your list. The latter are hard for their grades, and all of them are very good. I'd probably start cycling 4X4s into your training (they're made for Hell)and start ticking off--or at least getting on--all the short steep routes in AF you can find. Working your way towards Hell in AF, I'd suggest Beeline (or hive, the short often wet thing at Hard Rock), Naked Nebula (easy but the right angle) and training on the two routes to its right (an easier 13a than Hell and a 12d). Teardrop is good, too. A little longer but easy to a hard boulder problem, so it fits the program.

Go to Indian Creek and find a 13. Optimator is awesome, Ruby's Cafe (soft), Tricks are for kids is great as well. You can french free any of them and work them on top rope to your hearts content.

grayhghost wrote:what kind of routes are you good at? what part of route climbing do you enjoy the most? how far are you willing to drive? what is your favorite type of rock?

I'm better at short and steep. I love big static movements. I'm better with crimps than slopers. I don't want to drive too far. I love limestone, conglomerate, and sandstone.

steve edwards wrote:I agree that the Enchanted Tower stuff is great but it's pretty far. Plus it's endurancy. If you're going to do Hell then I'd suggest a pyramid of bouldery routes. Most of those Big routes qualify. Add the two Speed Trap and two Broad's Fork 12's to your list. The latter are hard for their grades, and all of them are very good. I'd probably start cycling 4X4s into your training (they're made for Hell)and start ticking off--or at least getting on--all the short steep routes in AF you can find. Working your way towards Hell in AF, I'd suggest Beeline (or hive, the short often wet thing at Hard Rock), Naked Nebula (easy but the right angle) and training on the two routes to its right (an easier 13a than Hell and a 12d). Teardrop is good, too. A little longer but easy to a hard boulder problem, so it fits the program.

This is excellent advice. Thanks a lot! American fork canyon is amazing. I'll have to add those to the tick list. I was thinking about hitting up all of broads fork routes.

Many are sport climbs that should not be missed. The trad climbs are Ophir Broke, Cat Daddy, Red Planet and Sphinx Crack. The Beast at the Wasteland, Rifle, CO; Colors of Emotion, A Virgin No More and Cassandra, Penitente Canyon, in the San Luis Valley, CO; Ophir Broke above the East Buttress on upper right wall on the Main Wall, Ophr Wall, Telluride, CO; HydroPower, Falls Wall Telluride, CO; Pink Taco, Golf Wall in Durango, CO;Muscle Dynamo on the Main Pinnacle, Hermosa Cliff in Durango, CO; Cat Daddy on the Clandestine Cliff in the Sandia Mts. in Albuquerque, NM, Goliath, Enchanted Tower, Datil, NM; The Pulse and Total Joker, The Pit, Flagstaff, AZ; Unpopular Tweak and Back in the Saddle at the Main Wall , Jack's Canyon, AZ; Galactic Hitchhiker at the Planetarium near the Church Wall, Sedona AZ (between the Village of Oalk Creek and the city limits of Sedona, AZ proper) and the Red Planet on the Fin formation, Dry Creek Canyon in West Sedona, AZ; Fine Parish Lady, Eagle Canyon, Cochiti Mesa, NM; Tanks for the Mammaries below the Pigs in Space Buttress, When Legends Die and Walking Spanish Down the Hall on West Mountain, Hueco Tanks State Park, El Paso, TX; Twelve Pack Link and The Thing on the Beer Block, El Rito Sport Cliff, El Rito, NM; Evil Alchemist and Death Drives a Stick on the Main Wall and Dragon Slayer and Muscle Hustle on the 45 Degree Wall, the Dungeon, Los Alamos, NM; Sphinx Crack on the Sphinx formation, South Platte, CO.

Thanks John! Wow, I have a lot to choose from!

Hey mattjbudd, you should definitely try Melting(.13a) and Burning(.13b) in hell cave. The draws are down right now for the winter, but come warmer weather they'll be back up and you'll have the advantage of being able to bail at any moment. Don't let idiots tell you that you can't pull it off cause that's what everyone tells me...all people who don't climb that hard simply because they don't push themselves.

Some more advantages to climbing in hell cave is that it's as steep as it gets meaning anything else you get on will feel slabby. Also since AF Canyon is a little sandbagged if you can gets a .13a there then go to RRG and kick some ass! I'm not sure what you're climbing at now, but I'd be happy to recommend some good tester 5.12's to you.