The Games Climbers Play

A few years back my freind Renan Ozturk ran around Joshua Tree one winter day and ticked off 20 classic 5.11 routes. The link up was great training for his trip to the Karakoram that year and lately, in preparation for my Burkett Needle expedition (June 9-July 9), I have been playing a similar game here in Leavenworth. A week ago, Sol Werkin and I began a project to climb the 15 most classic (in my humble opinion) 5.11 routes in the area. We have tried the project twice now and what a project it is! If you know the Leavenworth area, then you can imagine the amount of hiking and elevation loss and gain that goes into a day like this. It is freaking huge. The other day we made it through 9 climbs before realizing we would never finish before dark. By my calculations the goal, when accomplished, will take around 13 hrs and will require absolutely no hick ups. No falling, no stopping, no hesitating. Bottom line. The other day we managed to climb:

Tubing At Der Ritterhoff 5.11a

Rock And Rattle 5.11c

M.F. Direct 5.11b

No Such Thing As A Free Lunge 5.11d R

Daz Muzak 5.11d

Bovine Persperation 5.11b

Air Roof 5.11b

Gilligan 5.11d

Domestic Principles 5.11a

The ones we did not get to are:

Mastadon Roof 5.11c

Lazy Boy 5.11c

The Guillotine 5.11d

Pumpline 5.11a

M.J.B Arete 5.11b

Giant Steps 5.11b

I have almost all of these climbs on lock down, but the goal is still one of the most challenging I have ever tried to tackle. All in all, this link up is grade 6 for sure! We plan on making a third attempt here soon, so stay tuned...hopefully the third time around is a charm. Thanks for taking a look!