Ascents as various tick types 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!

Excellent, flowy, varied and at times thought provoking climbing. Get on it!

Excellent way to start the day! Pumpy climbing on a tufa to a rest, then 3D climbing to clip the anchors!

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!

Greece is amazing, and Kyparissi is gorgeous! Probably the nicest crag we've visited in this trip to Leonidio. This physical, stalictite and tufa-riddled climb has a lower pumpy crux followed by easier 3D climbing. Happy to get it first go! 7a+ in the guidebook.

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

Stoked to get this first try! Very techy and fingery, but engaging and interesting. Beware of loose block, which adds a bit of difficulty by having to avoid it.

Chill stemming up a groovy dihedral. Used it to take some shots of Selene's climb. Great views of the monastery!

Without having the guidebook, we figured this tufa-riddled climb would be a suitable warm-up. After Chrissy almost got the OS, I went up with double kneepads, and barely made it up the final mantle, with a banging headache, too. 7a seems harsh. Had to try more than other 7a+, so I think that should be the correct grade (guidebook says so as well). Stoked to get it first go!

Excellent pumpy, powerful climbing on interesting pockets. Great stuff!

Winding down the day on this chill climb with a cool roof and very techy balancy and crimpy crux exit!

Flowy, powerful moves on great pockets. Very enjoyable and made me redeem myself after flailing on that middle climb between White Death and this one

Pretty fingery, balancy warm-up! We spent the first half of the day going from climb to climb going up one, then setting draws on adjacent ones hehe. There is a climb to the right of this, but to the left of Born which is pretty hard and we did it thinking it was White Death, but it is considerably harder.

Warm-up on this unusual cool corner- but sharp!

Techy first pitch, but with amazing movement if you know how to find it. A few hard reaches and tensiony moves. The extension was awesome! Long moves to good pockets, and the exposure is fantastic. Great day: 7a+/b flash, and 7b/+ send!!

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

Flowy and chill. Loved it! Started the day pretty late, but I love Jupiter. Thecrag has this as 7a-b, so I'll go for the middle grade of 7a+.

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!!

Pretty cool cross-overy first half. Not sure why they made it so long- second part does not add any quality or grade.

Sharp, but flowy- not sure what to think of the area. Not a lot of classics, but then I may have been biased by the dreary weather.

As part of my excursion to the extension. Weird pumpy moves on sharp limestone.

Warming up! The one and only non-super-sharp climb of the day. Cruisy on good holds.

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.

Unbelievable!!! Second 12b flash this year! So thankful to be here in good shape. Pumpy first pitch after which there are mega long, strengthy moves to reachy pockets. Felt so cool!!

Great warm-up with long moves to good holds. Thought this was 6b when I went up it, and decided not to stop and rest, and I thought it was a sandbag! It was only later that I learned that it was 6c+/7a. The start of a wonderful, wonderful day.

My third 5.12 flash of the day, making this both the day I've sent the most 5.12s ever, and certainly the most 5.12 flashes ever!!! Having climbed 3 40+ meter pitches already, I was tired from the go. To make matters worse, the start is thin and balancy and cruxy. Very sustained climb with long moves to not-necessarily-great holds. Had to scream my way to the top! Lovely evening climb that also I think marks my 50th 5.12 send in 2023. F*(k1|\|g @|\/|@z1ng!!!!!

An absolute classic. Best climb yet in Leonidio! Second 5.12 flash of the day, too! Felt amazing to go from the double gaston to the last victory hold! Slippery and slopey at the bottom, with pumpy long moves to good pockets afterwards. Mega classic 40+ meter pumpfest!!

A dubious choice for warming up, but one that I don't regret! Offwidthy start next to a bit limestone block, followed by steep thuggy moves to sharp holds. Can place a kneebar/kneescum or two. Stoked for a good start of the day!

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!!

Hilarious because I messed up all the beginning and was mega pumped since bolt 2. Did not find as many good kneebars as the name of this climb would suggest, but an exquisite journey through folded curtains made of limestone nonetheless. Does not let up! Super dooper happy with the OS!

Bad choice for a warm up given that you do use your fingers on this one, but happy to be climbing in Leonidio with friends I had not seen in a long time!!! Lots of technical crimpy climbing in and around a sharp arete.

Final climb of our first day in Leonidio! If you like chimney-ing with your hips with little feet and hands, get on this!

Great steep climbing on good holds! Happy with the flash, but mainly being able to climb sort of hard with my left middle finger! Steep tufa climbing with a reachy lockoffy crux 3/4 of the way up ending in some stemmy climbing.

Warm up on a cold crack.

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!

Great techy warmup, pumpy at the top, clipped the chains just in time!! Love Shelf and its peacefulness...

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.

Beautiful sustained climbing to a strenuous crux. Then a bad sit-wrap-around rest, followed by a steep kneebar-assisted jug haul to the anchors Stoked that these first-try 5.12s are becoming a thing!!