Amity Warme Sends Five-Pitch 5.14 in U.S.
The accomplished big wall climber made the first in-a-day redpoint of the desert test-piece
Real Ultimate Power is a five-pitch 5.14 found in Arizona’s Mormon Canyon. It was developed by climbing coach Joel Unema and recently projected by strong climber Amity Warme. The pitches break down to 5.14a, 5.13b/c, 5.11++, 5.12 and 5.12.
After her redpoint, Warme said, “This one meant a lot to me… this route had not yet seen a full free in a day ascent. After completing the trifecta of 5.13+ multipitch routes in the area earlier in the season, I set my sights on RUP. I knew it would provide the next level of challenge and meet a personal goal of sending a 5.14 multipitch route… The first two days I tried the crux boulder… I couldn’t even do all the moves. It felt impossible!! But with each day of effort, I made steady progress. Until finally, I sent the pitch! But, my story with the route wasn’t over yet. There were more twists and turns in the plot… and even after sending the crux pitch, it took me a couple more days until I finally put the whole route together in a magical, no falls day.”
After his first ascent, Unema said, “I completed a goal several season in the making. I opened Real Ultimate Power, a new 600’ route in Mormon Canyon. It has probably the hardest pitch I’ve done on sandstone and some of the most beautiful rock and unique moves.”
Warme is one of the best rock climbers in America these days, with repeats of difficult trad routes and free ascents of iconic Yosemite big walls. Find more stories on Warme here.
Real Ultimate Power
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