We’re all about the food rewards, ice cream being a BIG favorite.
To make it possible for us to have a climbing personal best as frequently as we’d like to have a food reward, we’ve discovered the key is to slice the climbing pie as many ways as we can think of, and to keep careful note of PB’s in the various subcategories.
Our self-imposed rule on roped climbs is simple – to be called a personal best and qualify for a food reward, the climb has to be “clean” – no hanging on the rope, no pulling on bolts, draws or anything else that’s not a part of the natural rock formation. Our game, our rule – plus we don’t need an excessive amount of ice cream in our diets!
On the humility front, we’re totally aware that personal bests are not indicative of daily performance, nor does finding and pulling an overhung 5.11 jug haul mean we’ll come anywhere close on a 5.11 slab, crack or technical face climb. That’s what’s so great about climbing – it’s completely open-ended and there is no real goal except to have maximum amounts of fun (and earning lots of food rewards!) while pushing our personal boundaries…
| Type | Indoors | Outdoors | Outdoors Route |
| C Bouldering | V4 | V3 | CA, Bishop, Catacombs, Church of the Lost and Found, “Amazing Cragging Cuisine” |
| R Bouldering | V6 | V4 | CA, Bishop, Happy Boulders, Headbanger Cave, “Beer Tumor” right |
| C Toprope | 5.11d | 5.11a | CA, Mammoth Lakes, Looking Wall, Mighty Earth 20150801 |
| R Toprope | 5.11d | 5.11b | UT, St George, Woodbury Road Crags, Kelly’s Rock, “K-6”, second attempt went clean |
| C Sport Lead | None | 5.10d | CA, Bishop, Owens River Gorge, Great Wall of China, “Beijing”, 3/18/2013, third attempt |
| R Sport Lead | 5.10b | 5.10d | CA, Bishop, Owens River Gorge, Great Wall of China, “Beijing”, 3/18/2013, first lead attempt having followed it once |
| C SP Trad Lead | N/A | 5.7 | Many |
| R SP Trad Lead | N/A | 5.8 | UT, Springdale, Zion NP, Ataxia Tower, “Ashtar Command” |
| C MP Trad Lead | N/A | 5.7 | CA, Bishop, Pine Creek Canyon, PSOM Slab, “Racing Lizards”, 3 pitches, onsight |
| R MP Trad Lead | N/A | 5.7 | CA, Bishop, Pine Creek Canyon, PSOM Slab, “Racing Lizards”, 3 pitches, after following Carol |
| C MP Sport Lead | N/A | 5.7 | UT, Springdale, Zion NP, Aries Butte, “Led by Sheep”, 4 pitches, after following Rick |
| R MP Sport Lead | N/A | 5.7 | UT, Springdale, Zion NP, Aries Butte, “Led by Sheep”, 4 pitches, onsight |
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