Ascents in North America 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!!

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.

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!!

I mean, I OS'd this years ago, but logging it now. It's an exceedingly chill climb. First climb with Pe and Marcelo in like 9 years! Soooooo good to see these guys after 4 years!!

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!

Flowy warmup up a meandery slab, to a rooflet, to a stem, etc. A tour of the basics of Boulder Canyon, basically.

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!!!

Best flash of the year, and best in a long time! Flo went first and figured out the moves and set the draws. His beta fit my style perfectly. Bouldery first section followed by 5.11 pumpy climbing with thinnish feet. Excellent feeling, right when the sun was beginning to peek at the wall! Stoked! Flo got it straight after

Great way to start the day (7 AM session)! Flo set the draws on this long, varied, meandery expedition, and I did it next for warm up. Nice to be in a place in Boulder Canyon without view of the highway, and instead the sound and view of forests, mountains, and waterfalls.

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!

Really happy about this OS! Found a key kneebar (more like kneescum) right at the crux, and stemmed my way out. A bit dirty, but a great climb nonetheless!

Great route, and first I've done in the area! Great company too. The area has Coolum-like features, and climbs like it, only less steep. Kneebars are abundant.

OMG!! Hardest flash all year!! I had seen Datus' beta, which definitely helped. Unique climb, as it could be a trad climb in that there is jamming in hands, fingers, and feet, with a powerful crux. I screamed through it all, and got through all of it! Incredible feeling. Definitely improved my day, as I had been distracted with other concerning things.

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

Warming up. Interesting moves on curtain-like terrain. Flowy in a way.

Looks insecure when belaying, but feels OK when climbing because it is exceedingly well bolted. Tricky crux for sure- uncomfortable moves to not-great holds at the end! Stemmy and precise.

Thin feet at times, cool, long moves. If only it were longer!

Very cool route! Did it as the last climb of the day at dusk. Jug hauling pretty much all the way!

Pretty nice route! The rain erased all chalk everywhere except underneath the rooflet, which turned out not to be a crux at all. Pretty crimpy after the rooflet, and this was compounded by me looking everywhere for holds. Felt good to get a "pure onsight" on such a classic with friends I hadn't hung out with in a minute!

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!

Botched the OS because I went for the wrong hold. Otherwise could have happened. It will go next time. Long and pumpy, with great moves throughout. Feels like more than 24m?

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.

Did it partially in the sun. Great steep, sometimes insecure climbing on mostly good holds. Short and intense. Great fun!

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!

Cleaning the route for Esau and Alex. Pretty average route on not that great rock, but fun outing!

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...

Nice crimpy sequency climb with some cool deadpoints on jugs! Felt short after having done Patience Face and Wet Dream

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!

Excellent flowy climbing on great holds with a steep roof on jugs to boot! End of day climb on a perfect July morning with Alex and Nicole!

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!

Thought I would onsight, but it's a tough 11d! Did back-to-back attempts and was too tired on the second try. I kept forgetting my sequence and not finding the right holds. Not over after the crux, as you have to trust these non-holds to top out! Crimpy, tensiony and reachy.

Even the warm ups feel pumpy at Rifle Fun but unexpectedly hard!

Super hard 12a. Probably not 12a V4ish boulder problem off the bat, followed by pumpy steep climbing, finishing with another V4ish boulder problem. No real rests I could find. Had little time to rest, so will have to come back for this unique, fun climb!

Excellent varied climbing! Has it all- steep terrain on jugs, balancy vertical, delicate slab, and of course, the crimper boulder problem. Had back-to-back attempts, and didn't feel good enough on the second. Then I came back on 7/8/2023 with Edel, and I messed up my sequence on the first try, then got hailed and rained on the second try (even though the holds were wet, I made it to the first move of the top crux before slipping from water!). Super fun climb, will come back for it!

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 (required) movement! Pumpy as per Rifle usual, but flowy and fun. Nice to have climbed on permadraws all day hehe