Climbing Goals for 2024

What do you want to accomplish in 2024? It could be sending a nemesis project, breaking into a grade, developing a technique or visiting a locale.

This may seem like a nut-tool-measuring contest at times, but please persevere. I have enjoyed looking back on previous goals, and discussing others' goals.

I tried to make goals that meet the "SMART" criteria -- Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Timely. 

Mine: 

- Complete Power Company 12-week training plan done

- Finish off every route at Silver Mountain in the Upper Peninsula (five remaining) done

- Send Golden Heart Direct (5.12d) on gear done

- Send Oz (5.12b) at Palisade Head in under five attempts. done

- Send a 5.12c in the Red

- FA overhanging offwidth at the new "local" crag done 

- [not climbing] Shave two hours off my time at Marji Gesick withdrew

Climb at least 10 more pitches of ice, lead closer to 50% of routes that I climb, improve cardio in order to open up new opportunities! Make more partnerships!

Fewer injuries is probably the biggest one. Better warmups, actually stretching and foam rolling after exertion, and being better with my PT will hopefully get me there.

• V10 (benchmark) on moon board
• Send 5.13c
• Start a 5.13d project
• 5.12 trad (my crack technique is garbage)
• The pink one in the corner
• Project apes on acid hardest sport climb in Tennessee 
• The most important one: have fun and share the stoke with everyone regardless of skill level

I want to climb the North Ridge of the Grand Teton in good style

- send several V6 boulders

- climb 10 more desert towers, free or aid

- send crack 5.11. Also send a couple local nemesis 5.10+ cracks - Uncle Remus and Zombie Roof.

- get solid on Unaweep trad 5.10

- continue to improve skills, efficiency, safety on adventurous trad routes 

- actually try hard on a sport project for the first time ever instead of just giving one or two tries and moving on (this was my goal last year and I didn't do it lol)

Just keep climbing. 

My goals for 2024 are to have no goals.

No plans. No bucket lists. No must-do's. No gotta visits. No routes, no styles, no opportunities. 

I don't want plans for tomorrow. I just want tomorrow to be. And so it shall. 

My goal is to be a rudderless ship on the Sea of Everything!

Have fun, stay healthy 

Complete my sport project from this year, which will be my first 5.12 

Also climb at least one of two cracks from this past year, either will be my first 11b on gear.

Go up the Whitney Gillman Ridge and Moby Grape in one day. 

What’s up brotha Fritz! Each new year I like to set just 3 goals for the year, more than that I find a can’t really go all in quite as effectively. This years big 3 are:

- Denali

- Yosemite triple

- A major expedition to the Greater Ranges

ideally in that order, we’ll see though! Lots of smaller checkpoints and to-do’s but those are the priorities. Always more to do

• Don't get injured (and don't take dumb risks)
• Send 10 x 5.11s on gear
• Send 10 x 5.12s on bolts
• Redpoint 5.12b/c or higher (sport)
• Tick 3 new megaclassics (e.g., 50 classic list or the modern version of the list).
• Climb at least 250 pitches

Thanks for making this thread Fritz. Now I'll be held accountable to these goals.

I’ve added my ticks, and will start off at JTree with 5.7-ish and hope to work my way up through 5.10s?

Looking to go to New Jack City, and hope to get a few good classic routes there.

A couple easier WI climbs on Harrington Wall weather permitting next few months.

Classics at Tahquitz in the Spring.

Sierras, Russel, Fishhook. Palisades, Traverse (if safe). Thunder, Starlight, Sill.

Rainier, Liberty Ridge.

Shasta, Sargent’s Ridge.

In the gym, keep working V6 and 5.12s. Hopefully, more outdoor V5 end of 2024? Flash V4?

Bouldering outdoors with one projected V6?

We’ll see if I can do any of these. Any one would make me happy reliving part of my youth.

Consume less.

Produce more.

My 2023 project

I don't have super specific plans, but there are quite a few general things I'd like to do/improve on:

• Improve my cardio and hiking strength so I can do big objectives without the approach killing me (mostly have back country climbing and big walling in mind)
• Get more comfortable aid climbing so I'm able to relax and enjoy it instead of being nauseous while leading C2 (when I'm not scared, aid is actually pretty fun.. but I'm still a bit traumatized from attempting the prow and having my partner rip the entirety of the "C1+" thin section of the first pitch, then immediately having to finish the pitch for them)
• Climb my first alpine route
• Get more comfortable leading 5.11 sport/just send more 5.11s (stretch goal would be to send 5.12a)
• Send 5.12d/5.13a in the gym (or at least stop being intimidated by the grade)

I'm aiming for my third finger injury in three years. Wish me luck!

2023 was a terrible year for me. I took a bad fall at the end of 2022 and basically stopped climbing for almost a full year.

Very recently, the flames for climbing have crept back and my stoke levels are higher than I’ve felt for a long time, if I can simply get my abilities and head game to where I used to be at the end of 2022, I’ll be so happy.  

Climb the diamond 

To be limited only by my current skill/training/fitness level, NOT by fear!