Canadian Kim McGrenere Sends Her First 5.14a
West-coast based Kim McGrenere has ticked her first 5.14a with her send of Galactic Emperor in Ten Sleep, Wyoming.
“My favourite climbing style is a combination of powerful and technical, and I really enjoy climbing on limestone, so I was looking forward to our first trip to Ten Sleep Canyon,” Kim said after her climb.
“The canyon is gorgeous and I fell in love with the climbing here immediately.”
On June 15, their second day there, they climbed in the French Cattle Ranch area and it was then that Kim first saw Galactic Emperor.
“I knew immediately I wanted to try it. Galactic Emperor is the extension to Sky Pilot 5.13d – the original hard-line of Ten Sleep,” said Kim.
“It’s located in the Sector D’Or et Bleu, a beautiful orange and blue streaked wall that is about 10 degrees overhanging.”
Kim started working the route that day and continue for two week. It starts with a thin boulder problem on tiny sloping crimps and a half-pad mono.
“A quick shake then leads into two more bolts of hard, insecure climbing (I fell here many, many times), and then eases into sustained (maybe 5.12+) moves to a short redpoint crux before the first anchor,” said Kim.
“The crux of the extension involves extremely delicate and body tensiony moves on tiny one and two finger dishes – pulling those moves feels remarkable.
“I slept terribly the night before and was feeling pretty poorly the next day,” said Kim. They took the morning to climb moderates with a group of friends and to take some photos.
“The psych was high and there was great energy in our group and I was able to flash Esplanada 5.12d which was super exciting and motivating,” said Kim.
After one-hanging Galactic Empeoror later that day, Kim was fired up with how good the climbing felt. “I went on to send on my third go of the day, shortly before nightfall.
“I think I lowered to the ground around 9 p.m. The climbing was dialed and I felt great on the rock. It’s hard to describe the feeling of clipping the anchors.
“I was just so excited and happy and overwhelmed. Climbing 5.14 was one of my life goals – it’s almost hard to believe.”