Dan Beland Puts Down Captain America 5.14b

Dan Beland has reached the top of another Big Show route in Chek with his anchor clip of Captain America 5.14b.

Beland, who has now climbed 14 5.14as, four 5.14bs and three 5.14c noted that it felt harder than Revival 5.14b up the same wall.

He broke down the reason as such: “The crux is a big dynamic span to a small sidepull. I needed to be really accurate and even from the hang I would only stick it a small percent of the time.

Some much needed moisture has finally arrived on the #westcoast. As the vegetation and forest critters breathe a sigh of relief, @kimstagraham.mcg is hard at work on Division Bell (5.13d) on the Big Show, one of the few remaining pieces of dry(ish) rock in town. #climbing_pictures_of_instagram #justgoclimb #ilovesquamish #climbing #rockclimbing #climbinglife

A post shared by Dan Beland (@dan.beland) on Aug 30, 2015 at 10:53am PDT

“And I decided early on that I wasn’t going to kneebar in the alcove because it felt awkward and I didn’t want to downclimb out of it to get into the crux.

“With no kneebar/rest before the crux it meant that I had to find the fitness to climb Pulse with basically zero pump. It was a great challenge.

“I fell in the crux probably 30 times over the last two years, but yesterday I snagged it, powered through the rest of the hard moves and climbed to the top. One route left on the wall (Superman) – at least until Jamie Finlayson and Tim Emmett send their projects.”

On that note, Finlayson and Emmett have added new lines to the famous crag north of Squamish which currently has nine: Freewill 5.13c, Division Bell 5.13d, Heat 5.13d, Pulse 5.14a, Paitence 5.14a, Captain America 5.14b, Revival 5.14b, Supermanboy 5.14c and Superman 5.14c.

I have always been drawn to climbing on overhanging rocks and the Big Show in the Chek Canyon offers some of the longest steepest terrain in the area. I completed all 9 routes on the wall a few years ago which was great but I have been missing climbing on the steep wall. This new direct start that I recently bolted has given me a new reason to go back and I am so excited about it. Although, it's just adding 12 moves to all of the 5.14 routes, they are amazing moves and if I can do them they will be the hardest moves I will have ever done. Photo by @timemmett. #petzl #petzlgram #climbingrevolution #evolv #frictionlabs #chalkmatters #squamish #climbing #chek #steep #newroute #hardasnails

A post shared by Jamie Finlayson (@jamiefinlayson) on Jun 17, 2017 at 7:33am PDT