Climbing 5.13d Trad with Beaks for Pro
Brent Barghahn sends Surviving the Times 5.13d R in Northern Arizona
Northern Arizona has some amazing basalt trad routes, requiring technical climbing and even more technical gear placements. One such route is Surviving the Times 5.13d in Volunteer Canyon. Established by Joel Unema in 2018, the 180-foot climb was originally graded 5.14a. In the crux, Unema blasted through a runout V9 section, using a tiny RP for protection.
American climber Brent Barghahn repeated the line in October 2022. He took a slightly different approach than Unema through the crux, finding an alternate sequence that dropped the grade to V7 or V8. However, this new beta prevented Barghahn from placing that essential RP. He found some thin slots that would take two beaks – gear that’s typically used for aid climbing, not leading a trad pitch. “Although the beaks are dramatic, they actually make the route much safer!” said Barghahn.
Barghahn repeated the line again this spring for an excellent Fusis Film video, which you can watch below. You can also read more about his ascent of Surviving the Times on his climbing blog here.
Originally from a small town in Minnesota, Barghahn now lives in Flagstaff, Arizona. His climbing focuses on technical routes, big walls, and crack lines, with lots of rope-soloing. He’s free climbed four routes on El Cap, lead rope-soloed up to 5.14, and projected many upper grade single- and multi-pitch trad routes.
Barghahn is the man behind Avant Climbing Innovations, a new company that hosts a growing number of unique trad, multipitch, top-rope solo, and lead-rope solo products. We recently reviewed their Flip-Stop Cam Carabiner Stabilizers, which you can read about here. We also reviewed their Top Rope Solo Neck Lanyard, which you can read here.
