I have been climbing since i was 11 years old. I started from the very bottom and know what it felt like for v0 to be difficult. I have worked through each grade. Every grade brought up its own difficulty for me and some i struggled a great deal with while others were not as hard. Some years I would jump a few grades and others none at all. Through each year of my climbing career i have felt much stronger and have improved both mentally and physically as well as technically.
Since I climbed my first v15's, Jade in late 2007 and Terremer in early 2008, a lot of time has passed. Since the day that I climbed terremer until the other day I had not sent a climb that was rated the same grade or harder. I have climbed well over 500 days since the day that i climbed terremer and know that i have become a much better climber in this time period. I have climbed multiple v14's and 5.14d in a very quick fashion and have competed well in both national and world cup bouldering competitions, all of which preparing me for the climb i sent yesterday. Not only have i competed and climbed outside, but i have also put in more than my fair share of days in the climbing gym, training as hard as i possibly could to one day push the standards of boudering. I would say that in the two year time frame from Terremer to now, I have climbed multiple problems in CATS that are of very similar difficulty to "lucid dreams", "terremer", etc. This, I know does not count for anything but again has prepared me for the hardest of climbs outside.
In the past 2 months I have put a good 7 days of effort into attempting Daniel's "the game" in boulder canyon. This climb in my opinion is a quintessential marker in bouldering. This climb in my mind is v16. This climb is really really hard. I have now been able to do the climb in 2 overlapping sequences and hope to be able to finish the entire line before the temps get too hot. This climb was a good basis for me on how to grade my climb in bishop.
After working "lucid dreaming" and eventually sending the line, it was very hard for me to come up with an idea of its difficulty. The climb is very different from "the game" and requires much different strengths to complete. I thought about terremer and jade. Both of which have a single move that mark the crux. "lucid" has a 2 move crux sequence which i believe to be even more difficult than if you were to combine the jade crux move with the terremer crux move. This 2 move sequence truly was an epic for me. I fell on each of the move hundreds of times and the ability to link the two moves came after 12 days of patiently waiting for everything to be perfect. I know that these two moves joined together are the two hardest single moves in a row that i have ever done. I know that it is a great deal harder that jade and terremer. And i know that this to some does not justify the grade of v16 but in conjunction with the training, the comps, the time, everything from the moment i did terremer to the moment i did "lucid" a lot has changed. I have become a much better climber in every aspect of my climbing. I know that this climb may get downgraded by the second ascendant, however in my mind I know that this is BY FAR the 2 hardest move i have ever completed and in a way really marks a break through for me. Terremer and Jade are one insanely hard move cruxes. This is 2. What will it take to be able to do 3 of these moves in a row? What will the grade on that be? And where can i find this climb? because i want to start working it.
Please feel free to comment. I would love to hear what others have to say and if anyone has any questions ask away.
The footage of "lucid dreams" will be premiered in this years fifth annual reel rock film tour. Check the dates of when the show will be around you as it is looking to be the best one yet!
