What was your first 5.12?

What was your first 5.12? Please elaborate, I like stories.

My first was Morning Dew. I think this is the first 12.a for many people at the New because it was a relatively easy route to tick. It has one hard face move at the bottom and one near the finishing moves at the lip.

After failing multiple times at 12a climbs, I finally sent Anarchy Rules at 12b. It caters more to a gym-honed style. I.e. it's relatively short, overhung, non-juggy, and pumpy. I've been going downhill ever since.

I managed to find a .12 that just happened to fit my style. It's a super crimpy steep face variation on 'Captain Beyond' in the Stone Corral at a tiny climbing area, Robber's Cave State Park near McAlester in S. E. Oklahoma. I worked it several times over the years, got to the point where I could do all the moves and did it clean on TR. Robber's Cave is not a destination by its' self, but if you're in the area it's definitely worth a visit, especially if you're into bouldering. It's way more casual than the Wichita Mts Wildlife Refuge. They'll even sell you beer and tell you to have fun!

Justify, 5.12b, at the Wall of Justice in Clear Creek. I didn't think I was capable of climbing 5.12 before I tried this route with some friends. Took me a few tries (3 or 4) on two trips. It helped me see what was possible with a little effort. The experience on that route and subsequent 5.12s totally changed my attitude to climbing because it helped me see how to challenge myself and the benefit from doing so. All of a sudden, there was a bunch of climbs that I could do because I had the confidence. When I went to the Valley later that year I didn't hesitate to try free climbing 5.11 on Half Dome and elsewhere because I just told myself, "hey, you can climb 5.12." I didn't always send but I was surely a lot faster and it helped me to improve my climbing because I was now regularly challenging myself.

I remember the day distinctly. It was about 2 years into the future from now.

Boulder Quartz System, Plotinous wall, Boulder Canyon. One of those 5.11+/5.12 depending on who you ask. However, for me it was harder than any 5.11+ I have tried...so I'll take the 5.12. You climb 5.9/5.10 up these quartz crystals past 4 or 5 bolts into a pumpy slightly overhanging boulder problem and then finish with easier climbing to the anchors.

TR'ed the thing maybe 3 or 4 times before I could even do the crux move and another 2 or 3 times before I could link through the crux. Hanging the draws was a terrible disaster for me as I just couldn't make one clip from where I would if the draw was already on. So I would climb above almost to the next bolt and took some nice long falls trying to get the damn draw on.

On maybe my third repoint attempt I was one move from the end of the difficulties and just went for it...completly popped off - nice 10-15 footer. Rested 30 min. and sent it on the next go, after remembering to breath and that I could rest a bit more before the last crux move. Great climb, unique rock, highly recommended. Definitely a breakthrough for me.

my first 5.12?

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/sob

Three Piece Route just off the old overlook at Windy Point. George Smith and I top-roped it then drilled a couple of bolts on rappel by hand I think. It took three pieces of gear and the bolts to protect it. I then did the FA. It took a number of people to climb it and confirm the grade before I believed it really was 12-. That was in 1985 at the beginning of rap bolting. Steve Grossman talked to me afterward about rap bolting it and almost had me convinced to quit rap bolting. I did do a lot of routes ground up for a while but I gradually did more and more top down. I still like doing FAs ground up but it takes a lot longer and doesn't always make the best route. Pretend I didn't just type that and stay on topic.

, Sundown Ledge, N.H.
I was under the illusion that I had previously climbed 5.12 in Rifle, come to find out it was only .11d. After a few earlier tries on Eyeless, I dispatched it first try after thinking it was no longer my first 5.12. Funny how the mind works against us!

nice guys! keep it comin!

david- i'm looking for an easy-to-tick.
dave- i've failed, badly, i'll keep trying.
jc- i'll keep the robbers cave recommendation in mind.
michael- don't think i'm capable but might look into justice this weekend. valley anecdote shows a good progression from a local challenge to challenging a big goal.
paul- those are the routes i'm looking for! sounds like your persistence and big falls paid off. i need to be more open to 15 footers.
andrew- that's one hell of a day!
shane- sport and trad stories welcome. i'd actually like to hear comparison from people that have climbed both.
eric- the fa + the bottom up vs. rap bolt debate makes a great 12 tale! thanks.
dave- nice improvement, the send will be next!
beagle- the mind might be the hardest muscle to train.

down presser man in eldo, just right of fire and ice, probably 1987.

Took a few trips from CSU to get it. And I can still remember the moves!

And that's pretty much the grade I have stayed at for the last 20 years, some years a little better, some a little worse, all lots of fun!

Paul

As far as the guidebook suggests Dyno Monkey 12a/b at The Visor in Boulder Canyon. However I walked away saying to myself, "I'm not admitting that one." Chipped, short, and just plain lame. Then I started working on Justify at Wall of Justice. I sent that one and was finally satisfied with a 5.12 send. I wish the first one I ever sent was Worlds Hardest 5.12 at the New River Gorge. However since it wasn't my first I'm definitely looking forward to my New River Gorge trip at the end of this month to get that one.

For a lot of people I think the 2nd 5.12 send was more important than the 1st. At least for me it was.

Angular Motion 5.12a, at a small basalt cliff band outside Portland, Oregon. It's a really fun, bouldery route. I did it when I was 12 years old.

Glory Road, Joshua Tree, 1989, but it has apparently since been downgraded to 5.11d. On the other hand, a 5.11d route at Suicide that I did in 1988 or 1989 is now 5.12a (Playing in the Freeway) That's not too unusual--Winter Solstice is now two letter grades harder due to polish and flakes coming off.

So the first 12 that was 5.12 when I did it and is still 5.12 would probably be Gunslinger on the North Astrodome in 1989 or 1990. This is not in the MP database, but it is one of the longer routes in JTree, with four pitches clocking in at 5.11b/5.11d/5.12a/5.12a. We bailed on the fourth pitch after pulling off a mongo chunk of rock just off the belay but I think the 12a on the third pitch probably counts.

Nice thread, Ryan.
I can't completely and legitimately claim 5.12 yet because the consensus grading on the 5.12- route I finally got just this year is 5.11d but until a second 5.12- route gets under my belt, I'm going with Bolting Barbie as my first 5.12 after numerous TR ascents. I'm comfortable with falling and trying routes over and over but lack the discipline to train appropriately so I've been "stuck" in 5.11 land for a long while. But that's OK, there are loads of 5.11s out there for me still. :)

Oh, wait, I did on-sight a 5.11+/12- this year too, Techweenie. But I think it's 5.12- if you're short, 5.11+ if you're tall. I'm 6'5".

at Jackson Falls, IL. It was during spring break and we had just gotten a bunch of heavy spring snow. My friend Adam's tent collapsed during the night. The snow also knocked trees down on the road in, so we were trapped down in the hollow for a few days. I remember being unconcerned, as we had enough beer and there was still dry rock.

All of my 12a/12c sends are in the gym... *sighhh...*

My first twelve was an obscure FA at Taylors Falls, MN called Brain Damage, circa 1979

Downpressor Man in Eldo my Sophmore year of High School.

You can't seriously expect me to remember that far back........that was before the age of cams I think. Hotline in Yosemite Valley.