May ended on Sunday and reports of events all over the world were still coming in through out the week. I used the small break after the fury of articles in the last week of May to catch up on some reading about the goings-on in climbing. Luckily, June has five Mondays and we can still stick to our schedule. Here’s what happened in May.
Hot Sends
Dai Koyamada – Horizon (V15):
Even at 38, Dai Koyamada is still in the top echelon of climbers and to start it off this month, he showed us why. This futuristic (and rarely do I use that word) granite line combines nearly every style of hold and terrain to make it one of his hardest problems yet.
Jonathan Siegrist – Le Cadre Nouvelle (5.14d):
Following temps and weather, JS ended up back in Ceuse, France for another bout of sending on the Biographie wall. The original line, Le Cadre, ended up with a manufactured section and was disregarded until an alternate path avoiding the section was found, first sent Adam Ondra in 2010.
Sachi Amma – Tinipi (5.15a):
On May 16th, Sachi Amma followed visionary Yuji Hirayama to Borneo to try the ultimate remote test piece, Tinipi. The name means “dream” in the local language and it has been Hirayama’s dream since first spying the line, and the source of all his motivation after Daniel Woods got the first ascent in 2012. Saddly, Amma’s ascent will be the last as an earthquake took down the spire a week after his send.
Ethan Pringle – Jumbo Love (5.15b):
This line is likely the hardest in North America, and the 250 foot pumpfest likes to let you know why. First sent in 2008 by none other than Chris Sharma, the line lay in wait for repeat as top end climbers hurled themselves at (and off) the massive overhanging feature at Clark Mountain. After years of dedicated projecting every season, the stars aligned and temps stayed low enough for Pringle to clip the chains. Finally, a big send in America!
Sebastian Bouin – Chilam Balam (5.15b):
Moving back to Spain, Sebastian Bouin joined the 9b (5.15b) club by sending Chilam Balam. Bouin tore through some of France’s hardest routes in 2014 and set his sights on this 80 meter behemoth last fall. He returned with Spanish hardmen Dani Andrada and Edu Marin this spring and sent the line mid-week.
Nacho Sanchez – Cthulhu (V15):
A new V15 was put up at the very end of the month by Nacho Sanchez (best name ever?) in Northern Spain. Being near the sea, conditions were always difficult to find, but after six months of dedicated effort and a good spell of the elusive element known as “dry,” the problem went down.
David Von Allmen – Samadhi (V14):
Also at the end of the month were two big sends in Magic Wood, Switzerland. David Von Allmen claimed the first ascent of a standing project calling it Samadhi and proposing the grade of V14. His partner for the trip, Nalle Hukkataival, grabbed the second ascent of Ill Thrill, also a V14.
Calls to Action
Nepal Earthquake Relief:
There are plenty of organizations out there that say they are going to help, but few actually give what is needed, let alone what is required as they stuff their own pockets (yes, even in non-profits). Supported by the Access Fund, Global Giving is a fantastic organization that let’s yo donate what you can and promises to do what is right for all of their causes. You can give to the Nepal Earthquake Relief by clicking the “Donate” link below, or find another cause on their website to give to.
Castle Rock, Chattanooga, TN:
Castle Rock has been on the Southeastern Climbing Coalition (SCC) list for years and it is finally secured! They have been bouncing from lease to lease, but now access is more or less guaranteed. It is one of the best areas in the South and has been threatened time and time again, but now we can rest assured that access is available thanks to the efforts of the SCC, Access Fund, and a generous donation from the Tennessee River Gorge Trust. Thanks for all the effort and support!
Local Events
Adopt-a-Crag – Mt. Gretna:
May 9 – Mid Atlantic Climbers took to the diabase hills of Pennsylvania for a stellar day of trail work and construction. They cleaned up the park and added a new trail to gain better and safer access form Shamoo boulders to the B-Day Boulders
Adopt-a-Crag – Ilchester:
May 16 – Oh Ilchester (and the entire Patapsco State Park), ho I feel for you. This area is plagued by continuous graffiti and garbage thanks to the easy access off Route 40. Every year, Mid Atlantic Climbers spend nice spring day day getting it back into shape for the summer, I just wish that their efforts showed for longer than 6 months. Remember, it is everyone’s responsibility to pack out trash, even if it’s not yours, and educate other on the damage they do when the paint the rock. Great job guys!
Crank Candy
Climbing Injuries SOLVED:
Dr. Lisa Erikson takes caring and healing for climbing injuries to the next level along with a healthy dose of preventative maintenance. After only a few months with a Kickstarter account, the book as put to press in May and it is all kinds of hotness. My original go-to book for injuries was One Move Too Many, but Dr. Lisa blew it out of the water. With a great interactive website to accompany the hard copy or digital copy, get your book today and stay strong and heathly
Community Losses
Nepal Earthquakes:
When a series of earth quakes rocked Nepal, the first reports some of us heard were of the 21 climber deaths on Everest. This is the single worse event on the mountain during climbing season, coming off the heels of several sherpas deaths last season. One op-ed article pondered divine retribution for the commercialization of the mountain (I can’t find it again after all the other reports have piled up on Google, keep an eye out and post it in the comments if you find it). It was a terrible tragedy for the lives lost and for the business side as guide services that base their entire operating year off of just a few months of work. Then the other stories started pouring in, of the community as whole, even as days of aftershocks continued to rock the country increasing the death toll to nearly 9,000. A friend of mine was in China at the time and left her job to start her own relief crew with only a month left on her work Visa. What happened on Everest was sad, and I understand the responsibility of climbing outlets to report specifically on that piece of the puzzle, but the region suffered far greater trauma so I must applaud those that set aside their time, money, or physical bodies to help the victims.
Dean Potter and Graham Hunt:
During a night time wing suit BASE jump in Yosemite Valley, the duo were trying a difficult thread between two major features and fell short in the poor light. At first, their spotters on the ground assumed they had been picked up by park police, but when no reports that the pair were in custody, a search party was sent out. They were found the next morning by helicopter, neither had deployed their chutes. Potter was an iconic figure of art and rebellion, doing what he loved and what he deemed right, no matter the public opinion. Their death were a shock as the community was still celebrating Ethan Pringle’s second ascent of Jumbo Love (5.15b). Dean was 43 and Graham was 29.
Borneo Earthquake:
A week after Sachi Amma sent Tinipi (5.15a), an 6.0 magnitude earthquake struck Borneo and toppled one of the famed “donkey ears”, one of which hosted the now iconic route. Made popular by Yuji Hirayama and Daniel Woods in the film “The Sensei,” the area was picturesque and brought loads of tourists to hike, climb, and photograph the area. The earthquake killed 19 people, including a mountain guide and school children on a trip, and stranded 137 on the formation until aftershocks settled before they could retreat.
Tyler Gordon:
While rappelling from Camp VI to Camp V on The Nose in Yosemite, Tyler fell the entire rope length from ledge to ledge. When his partners arrived on the scene, he was unresponsive and found that his Gri-Gri was not attached to the rope, though there was a knot at the end of the rope. The three climbers where pulled off the wall by helicopter. While it is uncertain what happened, equipment failure or human error, the story remains that a double check was not performed. Tyler was 22.
Coming Attractions
Earth Treks Summer Smackdown:
May 26-July 18 – Seven weeks of a cumulative bouldering competition. How many problems can you send? Find out by registering in one of four categories (novice, intermediate, advanced, and open) for men and women.
National Trails Day – Carderock, MD:
June 6 – Join Mid Atlantic Climbers and the Access Fund for a day of service improving the trails at a classic and often visited crag. Be a part of the solution to help keep our access safe and reliable for all visitors including climber, hikers, birders, and bikers.
Rockfest – Coopers Rock, WV:
June 24-26 – The annual Rockfest, hosted by Mid Atlantic Climbers, is more than just an Adopt-a-Crag event. Sure, we get a lot done in just a few hours of work, but we also get to have a ton of fun with clinics, food, drinks, and camping. This year, Rockfest has combined forces with Coopers Rock Climbing Guides for the 4th Annual Coopers Climb-a-thon to help raise awareness and money for Paradox Sports and The Coopers Rock Foundation.
-Tylor Streett is exhausted from the emotional roller coaster that was May with big sends followed immediately by big tragedies. Stay safe everyone.
