Calvin the Pimp

This year, Calvin undertook his most challenging project to date. He began working Shorty the Pimp (5.13a) in the Spring, but after multiple trips to Jackson Falls, the climb continued to thwart him. Over the summer Calvin and Angie went on a climbing trip to Kalymnos and when they returned to the states, he felt lighter and stronger than ever. Upon returning to the project on the first trip of the Fall season, the climb continued to spit him off. This was now the third trip of the Fall season and Calvin was determined to send the project. He studied the crux intently and rehearsed the complicated crux sequence. He told me that he was going to go 'bolt to bolt', while hanging the draws. He started off as graceful as ever, flowing through the opening moves that were now ingrained in his psyche. He reached the first bolt and continued on. I wasn't really paying attention to my belay duties and carried on a conversation with another climber at the base of the wall. Soon, Calvin was passing the second bolt. I looked up at him with a puzzled look on my face as he continued on to the third bolt without taking and paused at the massive undercling flake that marked the beginning of the crux. Surely he would take here. I watched as he chalked up and attempted to shake out on the incredibly overhanging wall. Why wasn't he taking? He's not gonna try and.... oh crap, he's gonna go for it! I was now 100% focussed on the belay. Calvin began moving through the extremely difficult crux section. Could this be it? He continued to execute every move of the crux flawlessly. A few more moves and he was through the crux section, but it wasn't over, he had fallen after the crux on multiple occasions. He paused briefly. Does he have enough left in the tank to finish the route? Calvin headed for the anchors and cruised through the moves that had previously sent him sailing into the air so many times before. Upon reaching the anchors, he looked down at the climb as if to say, "What just happened?". Calvin had just sent his first 5.13a.

Calvin, right after sending Shorty the Pimp (5.13a).