“Just” An .11d

On my recent trip to Maple Canyon I gained enough confidence from easier objectives to try a climb on the upper end of my ability. We went to the roadside Frontera Crag to find such a route. Frontera is characterized by short, bouldery, steep routes, which (as you know if you’ve my blog before) is my weakness.

After much confusion with the descriptions of Mountain Project, I settled with what I thought was True Grip, a 5.12a. I began trying the route, falling within the first two moves. But, I adapted to the climb, gaining the required aggression needed for the powerful sequences. It still felt hard, but after a lot of work, learning the moves, and focusing, I was able to squeak my way up. It felt every bit of 5.12.

Read the full story of the send…

At the end of the day I thoroughly looked over the Mountain Project photos of True Grip. It wasn’t the route I’d sent. I looked at pictures of the neighboring climbs and found what I thought was the route... Walkera; a 5.11d. 

My excitement immediately tanked. The thought of sending the route within the first two days of my trip had been empowering...

...until it became an .11d.

5.12a is a special grade. A new number, a new level, a mark of an advanced climber. There’s literally a book called How To Climb 5.12. No one wants to be, “just a 5.11 climber.” Our sport has categorized 5.11s into a “lesser” sphere. Even a solid, hard grade like 5.11d is still “just a 5.11”.

It’s crazy that the route instantly seemed less significant, less important, less fun! I had only done a “mere 5.11d”. 

But the pendulum swung back. What are you thinking? That climb was HARD. It was challenging! It was a step forward no matter what the number was… and it was fun!

Isn’t that what makes climbing valuable?

From now on… I’ll stop obsessing about grades. I’ll stop letting them define my success, or who I am as climber! I’ll…

...wait. The guidebook’s description of Cobblestone Cowboy matches the route I did? That's 5.12! Dude, I did a 5.12! Take that Mountain Project! I’m glad I didn’t waste my time on an .11d!”

Cobble wrangling!