Ascents as Red point by Justin Case

9 days. 20+ attempts. 11- climbing to a really bad and sharp kneebar rest, to a V6/7 crux involving aa really big move to a left hand pinch on steep terrain. After an OK kneebar rest, long, steep 12- climbing to the chains, split by good kneebar rests. I managed to do all the moves during the first session, including onsighting the whole upper part. The rest of the time was spent trying the bottom part. When I did it, on the last possible attempt of the last possible day, it was the first time I stuck the crux move from the bottom. I was so excited about it that I could hardly control my breathing, let alone remember my top sequences. I commited and trusted my movement to motor memory, and focused on breathing and being patient on the rests, even though my calves and thighs were exploding in pain, pump, and exhaustion. It felt like my legs would give in before my hands and forearms. I powered through sections where I forgot how to do, and I was excited and anxious at the same time. Getting to that triangle jug before clipping the chains was great. It felt like a major milestone in my climbing- something I've wanted for so long. It is also the result of so many hours full of joy, psyche, and effort climbing alone, with friends, through frustration, happiness, but also grief and sadness. I am so thankful for life, for my friends and loved ones who accompanied me along the way, for Chrissy, with all her patient and encouraging belays, training, support, psyche (she initiated the send train by sending Amate earlier) and much more, and of course, to climbing. On to the next one!!

First 5.12 of the year! Been focusing more on projecting harder things like Guerrera Cosmica at El Chonta, or Lucid Dreaming in Boulder Canyon. Pretty great climb. Techy but enjoyable, well-bolted slab into an absolute rest before a steep hand crack, followed by a powerful jug (or good hold) haul. Chrissy made the hands crack look easy, but when I tried it the first shot, thinking I would onsight this, it may as well have been V10- didn't even know where to begin, and everything felt impossible. I'm sure it would be easier if I had any crack climbing skills at all, but as it happens, I bouldered it out using the crimps inside the crack, which feels like V5ish. Pulled it off second try on this beautiful winter sunny day that just so happens was Chrissy's birthday!

7 shots in total. Fun first session with Esau where I could do all the moves. Did 3 goes in that session, where I managed to two-hang the route. Felt far at the time. Fortunately, I videoed someone with actual good beta on the climb, which, when I went with Chrissy yesterday, I put to good use after my first attempt of the day, and on my second and third go, I one hung the route. Today, I almost sent on my first try of the day had I not tried to unnecessarily readjust. Then, after a tip from Chrissy regarding how to use a pocket, and Kashmir regarding a shoulder rest, I sent and it was glorious. Powerful, relentless, yet techy and precise. I love it, and it's I think my 60th 5.12 of this year, and I have completed my 13a pyramid! Bring on 2024!!

Got it pretty easily afterwards, even using the direct beta to the pocket at the top May be the last 5.12 of this excellent trip!!

Easy climbing followed by steep bad pockets and big moves. Hard first half. Second half I thought was heady. Cool nonetheless!

A bouldery, crimpy bottom section followed by kneebar rests, followed by pumpy climbing, followed by kneebar rests, takes it to the top. Didn't get the crimpy start the first try, was unexpectedly hard!

Similar in nature to its next-door neighbor, but with a less sustained nature, and trickier crux. It also has some exposed bits that are somewhat insecure to clip. Satisfying send, but probably not the greatest techy climb in the world

Longest single pitch I've ever done cashed at 5.12b/c!! Almost did it in my OS attempt, but clipping the crux draw pumped me out at the very top crux on the gray rock. Came back the next day, blew it down low, and Chrissy was kind enough to let me go again immediately after, and without resting, I got it! 4th day on, too

Excellent vertical to mildly overhanging technical climbing on smallish slopey tufas. Only just got it on my second try! My hands were opening on the clipping sloper, which later I found that there was a jug to the left... Loved this area. Very cool cave and views. Didn't mind the walk in either.

The route looked sick after not-quite seeing what Tracey had done on her OS. Got up it, and blew the OS by not getting the first kneebar at the overhang. Got it easily the second go. Highly recommended!!

Yay!! After flailing on this one because I was tired still from the savage 7a, I felt like I needed a win for a wide variety of reasons. Got on it, embraced the searing pain in my skin, and got it. Lightly overhanging on not-as-good-as-they-seem holds and sharp pockets makes for a short but intense climb. I think this may actually be 5.12 number 50 of the year. Came at the right time, and got further rewarded by a dope view of the Aegean.

Got on it a little tired, but also after seeing bits and pieces of Tracey and Selene's attempts. A lot more straightforward than Kneebaropolous, and overall a better climb for me I messed up a sequence on the OS attempt and skipped. Took it to the house almost immediately afterwards. So I caved to peer pressure to try again and it got done!! Psyched for such a good day!!

Placed draws coming down from the climb next door. Beautiful route with sculpted edges, deep pockets, and cool jugs. Slightly overhanging after a crimpy reachy crux at the bottom. Second half is a pocket haul to gain good edges over a rooflet, the mantle of which marks the end of the climb. Cold late October day with wind made me wear a neck liner, beanie and fleece on the send. Bad news: moving out of a pocket my left middle finger got stuck and it creaked in a not awesome way, overextending at the joints. Though I fought it and sent after the fact, it does seem injured. How much it will affect my Leonido trip we will see.

Beautiful rock and setting. Easy climbing on shaded, cold corner to a sequency boulder problem involving compression between a shallow left pocket and a right hand sidepull sloper (wide span) followed by a big, delicate move to a good edge. Something of a one move wonder, but somewhat tricky to figure out. Thanks to Chrissy, because I figured out one part, and she figured out the othe! Great end to a weekend out at Shelf. It's already so cold out!

Excellent and powerful and sequency pocket pulling on great, clean, vertical rock. Thank you Chrissy, for having me re-evaluate my beta and making it so much easier on my 3rd go! Hardest I've sent in Shelf so far. Felt a lot more like 12b to me, and Mountain Project says 12a/b which would make more sense to me.

Nice climb where you go from kneebar to kneebar like a bee going from flower to flower. Some physical big moves involving not-that-great pinches, and placing the kneebars can be tiring. Took me a minute to figure out (thank you Chrissy), but got it second go! First 12 send post-Kalymnos Also, I believe this is a special climb. According to my records on theCrag, I have done as many 5.12s in 2023 than I have in all other years combined- #41.

We woke up late and someone was already working on Aegialis, so I decided to get on this instead. Really cool, bouldery sequence on (at this point) slick crimps! I think I've lost some power from all the endurance climbing I've been doing. Enjoyed it a lot!

Pretty fun climbing on +/- a few degrees off vertical on long moves on pockets. Sequency and crimpy crux, but not too bad, maybe V3ish. Onsight was blown at the crux because of bad headspace and skin hurt. Rehearsed it and got it next go easily. Get on it!

Flowy first half. Second half is sharp, crimpy, but has its charm. Stoked to get it second go!

Beautiful climb. Just stunning in every way. The scenery, backdrop, phenomenality of the terran, movement, and more. First started projecting it on my second day in Kalymnos, the 9/9/2023, 2 attempts (onsight attempt almost cleared the hardest section), then 9/10/2023 also saw another attempt. Today, on a windy, perfect weather September day, I focused on breathing above all. After a fine elastic band warrm-up and stretching. Went out of my way to do things properly, as the sheer length of this climb I feel merits any methods that give you the fitness and focus to do all 40 or so meters of overhanging climbing. I made a concentrated effort to keep my breathing under control, and I managed to do it. On the rests, besides continuing my good breathing, I practiced a bit of mindfulness, following the advice from a pretty good article on resting on routes. I allowed myself a lot more easily to be thankful for where I was, and how beautiful and fun it is! I have never done a route quite as beautiful? Maybe only comparable in beauty to Lord of the Thais. Endurance climbing like this is surprisingly (or unsurprisingly hehe) meditative. I timed my rests with Esau. I took sweet and sour gummies to restore my blood sugar. It came down to the wire, too. I tried clipping the chains 3 times before I was actually able to clip the hard-to-move wiregates whilst managing 40m of rope drag meandering through a maze of stalactites. I kept breathing all the way through, climbed a bit higher, and sent. It was amazing.

What an unforgettable ascent. All-time moment FOR SURE. As Chrissy and Jonathan worked Over the Top (which both of them seeeent!!), I, shoulder recently semi-tweaked, wasn't sure what I was gonna do. I was so close to just belaying and taking it easy, as I was leaving for Kalymnos that very afternoon. I warmed up just in case. My shoulder was feeling OK, so I decided to give this one a good flash try after being sprayed by Chrissy. Got a good first burn in, but it started raining. I got to the top and fully expected to clean the route. My friends told me to leave it up, as I wondered how it would be possible to get up it again. I am so glad they had this kind of patience and psyche to climb. After the rain passed and the rock (sort of) dried, I gave it a determined second go. After the crux move at the lip of the slopers, I took a HUGE whipper which was pretty fun and funny. I said "no way" and wanted to try again immediately. I rested a couple minutes, and went up again. What followed was a screamfest assembled of extremely unlikely sticks to sub-optimal slopers for the entire climb, even to the clipping of the chains. I have never tried so hard on a climb, ever. I was completely overjoyed with such an unlikely send, but mainly because I didn't know I could dig that deep. I felt the consequences after for sure, which was a second confirmation that I did indeed access a level of effort previously unknown to me. What a prelude to Kalymnos!!

Pretty much did the OS, but after doing all the hard moves, failed to see an obvious hold and fell Got it easily second go, even though I broke a pretty fat foothold, and also backtracked from a missed deadpoint!

First 12c outside of El Chonta this year! Very much up my alley. Easy climbing to slopers and a powerful-to-place kneebar on a roof, followed by intertwined crimp traversing and powerful moves on the lip of the roof. Pumpy climbing follows. Thank you Chrissy for the belay and video!!!

Powerful, burly climb. Almost landed the OS! The second go I wanted to use a simpler beta, but ended up not working. Got it on my third go. Used the ol' knee-to-arm bar pioneered all those years ago in 3 men and a ladder!

Great powerful boulder problem on good holds at the bottom followed by chill climbing the rest of the way. Glad I ditched Shakedown Street (12c that was shredding my fingers and just wasn't a ton of fun) for this one!

Tried this Sunday last week with Matt. It had started raining but went for the onsight attempt anyway. Passed the crux and my foot slipped on easy terrain! Got it second go, in my first try today

Hard 11d! Better route than the utter lack of chalk suggests. Really it's a one boulder problem wonder. Powerful moves to not-that-great holds on a 5-8 move sequence. It comes at the beginning and the rest is straightforward. The boulder problem is V4/5 though, so still a stiff route! Went with Flo a couple days earlier (he's done good progress on Patience Face) and I actually managed to do an easier send of PF even setting draws!

I'm glad I decided to go out. I needed it. Beautiful day, and a bit of a one move wonder (or 3ish) on kneebars. The rest is 5.10+ climbing. Nice to come back to this place.

Tried this for the first time yesterday (7/21/2023) with Datus, and got 3 shots at it. Great route- shares the start with Patience Face, but then goes directly to the namesake Shaft. The rock was damp and the shared first part felt much harder than the session where I sent Patience Face. Came pretty close on the third attempt even though tired! The next day I came back with Matt and sent it second go! Great route- hard for 12b for sure. This is 5.12 #26 of the year! Power endurancy, bouldery, compressy, slopey, and airy! Again, felt really hard for the grade even though I used kneebars!

Fell figuring out the first bit... Average route, first on the Segundo Dinamo. I also tried another route in this sector called Guerra Intensa 5.12b, which I didn't send due to it falling apart on the second half- must've pulled out several handholds and multiple footholds- not great...

I was waiting for Alex at the base of this (stick clipped, harness on already, basically Jonesin') and got to do a few breathing exercises I learned from Isabel the day before, and that's just what the doctor ordered! Took my time during the stem rest and the crux felt a lot easier this time. Stoked to have sent 3 12a's in a week!

What. A. Line. Best I've sent in CO. It's one of those lines that reminds you just how good climbing can be. I made up my mind that I would just have fun and put aside performance. Turns out I was so close to onsighting this beautiful, many-tones-of-ocre, barndoory, meandery climb! I fell at the mid-crux, got immediately back on and did the rest without falling. On the second go, I was more cautious and static which made me get more tired, but managed to keep it together for the send! I put kneepads on the second time seeing that I had found many kneebars on the first try, but I didn't end up relying on them. SO stoked to have gotten this. Perfect day with perfect views on perfect stone. I missed sandstone!

Great pumpy climbing to a stemming rest, followed by a sequence of powerful moves on slopers. The send was super unlikely, as I felt tired and was constantly about to fall on the pre-roof, pre-rest section. Made sure I rested well, but on the final crux move, I could tell I was going to fall. Miraculously, I managed to find a left kneebar that saved the day! Stoked to send 12s in Rifle again

Excellent climb! Was inspired by Datus's well-executed send! I had a session where I placed draws, tried Nevermore twice, then warmed down on this this past Monday. Then today I placed draws on it, then tried Nevermore one time, then sent! Balancy and insecure climbing followed by pumpy and balancy moves. What follows is a strenuous reach/throw to an OK crimp. Did the first part quickly and went dynamically for the cruz crimp! Very psyched to get this one. I feel it's one of the more solid 12a's I've done this year (I think this is #22?)

5.12 #21 in 2023! Two sessions: one on 6/8/23 and another today. Started climbing with Florian- great dude to climb with Sent it after placing draws on it and getting flash pumped and falling at the crux. Because these morning sessions are pre-work sessions, there is no such thing as properly resting before burns. Got on it the second time today expecting not to send. I found a sneaky lean-forward rest at the right hand gaston on the crux, and got a lot back- enough to clear the remainder of the crux moves! Don't let your guard down after the rest post-crux- make sure you rest, as you can still fall on the last bit! I know I almost did. Balancy moves at the start lead to a leanback rest, and crux is flexy, big tensiony, shouldery moves on overhanging good edges and slopers. Redpoint crux is going for the last left hand sloper off of another sloper from a splits stance. Solid and classic!

Quickest 12b in a while! Rode the send train kicked off by Ben after he did his best OS ever! This is #20! Also in a drizzle, just like #19! A couple of boulder problems separated by 5.10 climbing.

This is #19. Eveloped in the mist of the Rocky Mountains, I stood on the verge of clipping the anchoors, and thus having climbed more 5.12s than I ever had in a single year, now surpassing my previous best year, which was 2013. Light rain washed away all the self-chasing, all of the nostalgia for better times, and all of my previous life, given my personal circumstances. I now walk uncharted territory, unafraid and excited about the challenges that lay ahead. Did it on my first go of the day whilst placing draws! It felt sooooo much easier than when I was close to sending it a couple of years back. Stuck everything perfectly, and had to do no big effort at the crux. Easy 12a for sure, but 12a nontheless. Clutch moment to get it, as the harder rain began soon afterwards!

Number 18. 18 5.12a or higher climbs in 2023. 18 of these done in 3 different countries, 7 different crags, and 33 wonderful companions. This marks the most of that grade range I've done in since 2013, and tied the most I've done in a year, ever, nigh the eve of my 40th birthday. This comes after the most difficult year of my life, in 2022. Once again, climbing has shown me that any challenge can be overcome with perseverance, self-belief, discipline, self-care, self-love, breathing, and decisiveness. Doing this to a beautiful, overhanging, juggy, powerful, short, and fun climb, with the best company I could possibly imagine, is truly a dream come true. Here's to the start of my new life! Number 19, here I go!

Tried this to set up TR for Ben right after an attempt at Fanatic, so I couldn't quite get the first bouldery pockety fingery part. After the 3rd bolt, the character of the route changes into a slightly overhanging, technical stem. Classic! I think the 2022 guidebook calls it 6c+, and I would agree.

Classic! Very sustained, long route. Both technical and fingery at times. Felt much harder than 7a+! Got it on my 3rd go. Has one sort-of rest section with medium feet around the middle. It's all about keeping the concentration! Thanks to Ben and Isabel for the great vibes!